The Joshua Victor Theory

Sermon Outline: 1.       Happens every day in classrooms—teacher is explaining a new word or concept; students don’t understand, but are afraid to ask. Am I the only one? (usually not). Embarrassed? Seem smart as the rest—so stays silent. What happens? Learning gets stuck. As every teacher knows, asking questions is one of the best ways to learn and understand. Every good teacher is a pushover for good questions. Almost every one of them will follow a teachable tangent. Questions are a sign that minds are engaged and curiosity is opened. Clever teacher knows not to be sidetracked by distractions, questions that aren’t serious, or can’t be answered. 2.       We shouldn’t be afraid of asking questions. Encouraged. Dozens of questions just based on our Bible readings today. Some tough material. Each Sunday we read three sections of the Bible, taking us through major portions of the Bible every three years. Many more questions than can...

Sermon Outline: 1. “Question everything”—worldly motto: t-shirts, bumper stickers, script of TV sitcom. Healthy philosophy to live by? Suspicion of authority, media, ivory towers, sources of knowledge. Not all questions are of the same stripe. Skepticism? Distract? Avoid an issue? Trip up, entangle, embarrass? To learn? 2. Questions for Jesus, finally dared ask Him no more. But here, a really profound question: which is the great commandment in the Law? Hoped to catch Him. Jesus gives a straightforward answer, nonetheless one which astonished the Jews for its wisdom. Always brought things back to the central point, not getting side-tracked by distractions or evasions. 3. Question was not asked as a question about salvation, per se, but really a question of duty. The commandments were a question of our duty to God. 4. Answer leaves out nothing and includes everything. Brilliant! “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Today’s Gospel reading from John describes the end of a lengthy and heated exchange between Jesus and the Jews. They were claiming Abraham as their ancestor, and God as their Father, but Jesus had some very pointed words for them. Because they did not accept His teaching and message, it showed that they were NOT the children of Abraham or of God, because they rejected the one whom God had sent, and the one whom Abraham looked forward to in faith. Look closely today at the line of questioning they raise to Jesus, and how He ultimately proclaims to them that He is greater than Abraham, greater even than death. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. As anyone who knows me well can attest, I love asking, answering, and discussing lots of questions on all kinds of topics. I guess I was born with an inquisitive nature. In the course of teaching, either in sch...