Learning to Ask Good Questions

Many people throughout history have made the ultimate sacrifice for a cause that they believed was more important than their very lives. I invite you to re-read the previous sentence. Of the people who have made the ultimate sacrifice, who comes to mind? What was the cause for which they were willing to sacrifice their lives? Jesus, of course, was a person who was willing to sacrifice his life. What was his cause? How did he develop such a passionate commitment to his cause, and why?

What is your greatest cause? Stated differently, what do you care about most and why?

Below you will find this week’s gospel reading. Note that among the things we can learn from Jesus’ instructions on prayer is the importance of the questions we ask. The questions we ask reveal what we care about, and what we care about reveals who we actually are.

Also, please watch the below movie clips from Cold Mountain. In the first clip, Inman (played by Jude Law) in his discussion with Rev. Monroe (Donald Sutherland) about the “reason” for the war declares “I am imagine God is weary of being called down on both sides of an argument.” In the second clip, a moment of passionate and heartfelt worship is interrupted with news that evokes even greater exuberance among many of the church-goers than the gospel (good news) itself while simultaneously evoking sadness and foreboding by others, including Ada (played by Nicole Kidman. What is the relationship between what is being announced and the good news (cause) announced by Jesus?

Bring your thoughts and questions with you to what has the potential to be one of our richest discussions yet!

Luke 11:1, 5-13

11 [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ . . .

5 And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” 7And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” 8I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

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