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Asking good questions can lead to great personal insights and learning. Asking good questions can challenge our assumptions and affect our actions. Asking good questions can be hard work. My children often ask me for help with their homework. They hope that I might just give them the answers so they can complete the assignment. But I know they need to figure out the solution for themselves. They need to wrestle with the questions on their own if they are going to master the content. So it is with the questions we ask ourselves about life. Last Sunday our guest speakers talked about four questions that had significant influence on their lives. The questions were: Who is my neighbor? Can anything good come out of Nazareth? What is in your hand? What is your weakness? They mentioned that in the gospels, Jesus asked hundreds of questions. That got me thinking and looking up some of his questions. Good questions can lead to spiritual examination which can be helpful but also painful. I’ve picked ten questions to share with you. I’ve been thinking about them. Take your time to consider the question, the context in which Jesus asks it, and what your answer might be. I will warn you. You may stumble to understand the question. You may not like the responses you come up with. But don’t let that stop you from working on your answers. God wants to transform you through asking some good questions. 1. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? (Matthew 5:46) 2. Why do you worry about clothes? (Matthew 6:28) 3. Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? (Matthew 9:4) 4. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26) 5. Are you so dull? (Mark 7:18) 6. Could you not keep watch for one hour? (Mark 14:37) 7. Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46) 8. Where is your faith? (Luke 8:25) 9. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? (Luke 16:11) 10. Do you love me? (John 21:17) If you are like me, these questions raise new questions that I need to consider. But that’s a good thing. It’s stretching me and that’s how I grow.

A couple was travelling across the country and got hungry. They decided to stop at a truck stop and have supper. They weren’t sure about eating at that type of roadside diner but they were hungry enough to give it a go. As they approached the door, a truck driver walked out of the restaurant. They asked him if the food was any good. The driver said he had eaten in this restaurant many times. He discouraged them from doing so with the following words: “The food is terrible, the mashed potatoes are watery, the meat is tough, the coffee is stale, and the pie is like cardboard. Oh, and one other thing – the portions are too small!” I guess that despite the awful food the driver wanted to get his money’s worth. It’s amazing how professional we can be at complaining. For some people it’s a full-time occupation. Thanks to comment sections on websites and blogs we can even make sure our complaints reach a worldwide audience. But complaining isn’t a harmless activity. It affects our spirit and relationship with God. The children of Israel were famous for complaining about their situation. Paul tells us not to “grumble, as some of them did” because they died for it. (1 Corinthians 10:10) If we are anxious, concerned or frustrated about something, we are encouraged to pray about it. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) Better yet, we are told to “do everything without grumbling.” (Philippians 2:14) Most of the time we think this is an impossible command. And it is tough. But Paul’s theme in Philippians is all about the joy of the Lord. One of the reasons we lose that joy is because of our grumbling and complaining. In reality, we live in a day and age of great abundance and blessing. We need the Spirit’s help in training our minds to see God’s goodness in the world around us. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

In his book entitled “Respectable Sins”, Jerry Bridges talks about one of the most widespread and subtle sins among Christians: ungodliness. How is it possible that good Christian people can be called ungodly? Ungodliness and unrighteousness are not the same thing. Unrighteousness is sinful action in thought, word or deed, whereas ungodliness is an attitude that we express towards God himself. As Bridges defines it, ungodliness is “living one’s everyday life with little or no thought of God, or of God’s will, or of God’s glory, or of one’s dependence on God.” We can be nice, helpful, church-going people and have no thought of God in our daily activity. As someone else has said, “Many Christians live as functional atheists.” Two passages of scripture come to mind when I think about this sin. The first has to do with the farmer who was doing well but wanted even more. In Luke 12 Jesus tells the story of the man who wants to build even bigger barns for his surplus so that he can “take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” (Luke 12:19) That night he died and Jesus said, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21) James also cautions people about living without regard to God’s will or glory. “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’” (James 4:13-15 NLT) While planning for the future is not sinful – the Bible encourages thoughtful planning – both passages are condemning planning that doesn’t acknowledge dependence on God. We get so busy with our plans and daily activities that we go about all our duties without pausing to ask God what his desire is. The Christian life isn’t about attending church on Sundays and saying a prayer when we need help. It’s about surrendering our lives, each and every day, to the King of heaven. It’s about living the life that he calls us to. We can only discover what his plans and purposes are for us when we stop and listen. Pray that God will make us more conscious of the fact that every moment of every day is lived under his all-seeing eye.

Some weeks I have a story to tell or a Bible passage to explain. This week I’ve found myself thinking about a number of verses. Each one is a source of encouragement and strength to me, so I thought I’d just share them and leave you to ponder God’s word. Enjoy. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) But those who hope in the Lord     will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;     they will run and not grow weary,     they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34) The righteous person may have many troubles,     but the Lord delivers him from them all (Psalm 34:19) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians  2:8) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

It’s easy to get discouraged in our Christian walk. When we focus on our shortcomings and sins, we can find ourselves moving further away from God rather than closer to him. We need to focus more on the God who loves us. I’ve discovered that many Christians feel that God’s love and acceptance of them depends on their performance. As long as they are a ‘good Christian’ then God loves them and cares for them. But if they aren’t performing up to some standard then God is upset and angry with them. They become discouraged. When they stumble or sin they believe that God doesn’t love them anymore. It’s a performance-based Christianity and it’s deadly to the spirit and soul. Here’s the thing we need to remember: God loved us first. While we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. (Romans 5:8) So we need to relax a little bit and rest in his love. I don’t mean to suggest that we shouldn’t take sin seriously. We should be seeking to live holy lives. But we don’t do it to earn God’s favor; rather, we do it to love him back. Recently I came across this quote by St. Augustine: “It is not that we keep His commandments first, and that then He loves; but that He loves us, and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace, which is revealed to the humble, but hidden from the proud.” I think Augustine must have been reading 1 John. John makes this point several times so that his readers can’t possibly miss it: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 “We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 God loved us before we even knew anything about him. He loved us when we were hopelessly lost in sin. Now that we are his children, how could he stop loving us? When we sin and fail – and we will – we need to repent, confess our sins and remember that God’s love has not been diminished. He still loves us; we don’t have to earn it back. That’s the grace that God reveals to his children. We keep his commands not to earn his love but rather because he loves us. It’s a motivation to live in such a way that we bring him pleasure. Our desire is to live a life worthy of the one who loves us and will never stop loving us. So don’t run away and hide. Don’t become discouraged with your Christian walk. Accept that God’s love never fails and just keep moving forward.

One of the things that is difficult to get used to in our community is saying goodbye. International communities, by nature, tend to be somewhat transient. People are moving in and out all the time. You feel like you get to know someone and they are off again. Sometimes you are the one who is off again. International living has its benefits but it’s sad saying so many goodbyes. An unexpected goodbye is the hardest to deal with. It’s far better when we know the transition is coming and we can prepare for it for. When Jesus died the disciples were overwhelmed with grief. They didn’t really understand and weren’t fully prepared for it. However, when Jesus ascended into heaven we have no record of the disciples being upset or confused. That’s because Jesus had spent time preparing them for his ascension. Luke tells us that over the course of forty days, Jesus was able to get his followers ready for what was coming next. First, he had time to convince the disciples and others that he had actually risen from the dead. After the trauma of his death and resurrection the disciples needed to know they weren’t just dreaming. It really did happen. Jesus really did come back to life. Luke tells us that Jesus “presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) Jesus spent time assuring his disciples that he is the victor over death and anything that followed would be easier to deal with. The second thing Luke tells us is that Jesus used the time to tell the disciples what to do next. He told them to go to Jerusalem and “wait for the promise of the Father.”(1:4) That ‘promise’ was the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples that it was necessary for him to leave in order for the Holy Spirit to come. The Spirit would come and empower them to continue, to be his witnesses and to proclaim the resurrection of Christ. The disciples could take comfort in knowing that as Jesus ascended into heaven they would not be forgotten. Someone was coming to help them. Finally, Jesus used those forty days to clarify some of the disciples’ misconceptions. The disciples were still concerned over when Jesus’ earthly kingdom would start. They asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?” (1:6) Jesus didn’t challenge their understanding of the kingdom – he will come and rule someday – but he told them not to worry about the timing. God the Father will determine when the time is right for the new heaven and new earth. In the meanwhile, his disciples are to continue proclaiming the good news. Tomorrow is a holiday in Switzerland, Ascension Day. It’s a celebration of Christ’s bodily ascension to heaven. It’s also a reminder of his promise to come again. Jesus prepared his followers for his departure but it was two men in white robes who offered the most comfort that day. “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (1:11) So my question to you is, “are you prepared for his return?”

Over the years I’ve had my share of frustration with computers. My laptop will crash at the worst possible moment. The home computer won’t load the software I need. There are times when I am trying to enter simple data and the program isn’t working. Yes, there have been many frustrating moments. Most people I know get short tempered with a computer every now and then. But in my frustration I’ve never shot my computer for misbehaving. In April, a man by the name of Lucas Hinch was given a citation by police for discharging a weapon within city limits after he took his PC into an alley and shot it eight times. Apparently he had been having problems with the computer for months before deciding to exact revenge and execute it. Unfortunately, the computer did not survive the attack. Mr. Hinch, however, is feeling much better. Anger is a powerful emotion. When Jesus saw how people were trying to make a profit in God’s house he was angry. Jesus threw out those who were taking advantage of the poor. He was angry at the wrong they were doing as well as at the blatant disrespect they were showing towards God. This is a ‘righteous anger’ – anger that comes from watching injustice and wrongdoing. Our world today is filled with injustice that stirs anger in our hearts. And it should. When we read of people being sold into slavery or jailed for practicing their faith, we get angry. This type of emotion should motivate us to do something, to help others or to work towards solutions that are life giving. If things are going to change in our world then we need to be part of the solution. Perhaps it begins in prayer, talking to God about our concerns. But certainly it should lead to some kind of action. Maybe not overturning tables in church but helping in some way to see justice prevail. “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.” (Psalm 103:6)

So now I’m living in the ‘happiest’ country in the world. Switzerland usually does well in any international ranking based on wealth, social development, transparency and the environment. However, I was surprised that it ranked first place for happiness in the 2015 World Happiness Report. It’s probably because we eat more chocolate than any other nation. That can’t be a bad thing. Can it? Over the years Switzerland has secured its place at the top of the list for global competitiveness, global innovation, human development, global peace and press freedom. It is often assumed that money, wealth and a healthy gross domestic product are factors in Switzerland’s success. It is easy to find a winner when you measure these kinds of areas. The recent survey on happiness used many economic factors to reach its conclusions. Canada came fifth on the list. But can we really quantify happiness? There is no doubt that a strong and stable economy with a democratic government provides more opportunity for its citizens. But for me these kinds of rankings miss out on an important part of life – spirituality. In the 16th century Switzerland was the center of the Protestant Reformation. It was a time of great spiritual vitality and recovery of Biblical truth. Granted it wasn’t a perfect period of time but there was a great spiritual awakening. Today there seems to be a great spiritual slumber. An increasing number of Swiss nationals are cutting their ties to the state church. Attendance at Sunday services has long since dropped off and now numerous church parishes are closing around the country each year. The number of people self-identifying as agonist or atheist is growing. Switzerland is moving towards becoming a post-Christian nation. While the economy offers plenty there is a spiritual famine in the land. A spiritual famine is one of those things you don’t notice right away. Having wealth and material comforts can compensate for an empty spirit – for a while. Eventually people are forced to look closer at their inner life. The material world is temporal and will fade away but the spiritual world is eternal. Deep within us we hunger for the eternal. Most days I am struck by the contrast I sense in Switzerland. It’s one of the richest countries in terms of economic wealth and yet has become one of the poorest countries in spirit. Switzerland needs a fresh renewal and revival, a new move of God’s spirit. Thinking back on the Reformation that changed this country almost five hundred years ago I remember Habakkuk’s prayer: Lord, I have heard of your fame;     I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day,     in our time make them known; (Habakkuk 3:2) That’s my prayer for Switzerland; Lord, repeat your awesome deeds in our day and age. Send fresh renewal and revival to people who have wandered away. Visit us again with something more important than happiness – the salvation of the Lord. Please join me in that prayer.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to go spelunking in the Rocky Mountains. Spelunking is also known as caving, basically crawling and climbing through damp and dark caves. It was a good experience although at time the space was very small and you had to remind yourself not to panic. We were outfitted with equipment to enable us to make our way through the various crevasses and climb over different outcroppings. The most helpful thing was the light on our helmet since the main thing I learned about caves is that they are pitch black. Our group made its way to a large open cave deep under the earth. We turned off all our lights and sat quietly in the all-encompassing darkness. I thought that after a few minutes our eyes would adjust but they didn’t. There was no light at all. You couldn’t even see your hand in front of your face. Then, one by one, we each lit a candle and soon there was a warm glow inside that deep cave. It was a highly memorable experience. Scripture reminds us that we live in a dark world. We only need to watch the evening news to be reminded about the numerous ways in which our world has fallen from God’s plan. Some days we might wonder, “How is it possible for us to make a difference?” Paul writes: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:14-15) We should never forget that our calling is to live simply and honestly before God so that we might be light to those in the darkness. Our presence makes a difference and helps other people see that there is an alternative to the darkness that surrounds us. So let your light shine. It might be the only bright spot some people see today.

As someone familiar with air travel, I have grown used to seeing the inside of an airplane. However, there’s more to the plane than just the passenger cabin. I don’t usually think about the cargo hold although I’m always grateful when my luggage arrives on the same flight that I do. I’ve been thinking more about how baggage is loaded in light of a story from Seattle earlier this week.     Just after taking off for Los Angeles an Alaska Airlines flight had to return to the airport. The pilots heard someone banging and yelling from inside the cargo bay. I image it was a little unsettling for them. But it was probably more stressful on the baggage handler who was trapped in the hold. Apparently towards the end of his shift he decided to take a nap and woke up once the plane was taking off.   I’m a little confused as to how that happens. Where exactly did he decide to take this nap and how did he get on the plane? Who naps in a baggage cart that’s about to be loaded? You’d think this kind of thing is rare but it’s happened four times in the United States in the last ten years. Rare enough but still, how does this happen? Here’s the kicker: his co-workers knew he was missing but just thought he had gone home early.   Some jobs are more high stress than others but every job has an impact on other people. Bad things can happen when we get careless and don’t pay attention to what we are doing. Or we don’t pay attention to the people around us. Our actions and behaviors have a ripple effect on others. One man’s decision to take a nap affected 140 people on a plane to Los Angeles.   It’s true in the spiritual realm as well. We need to pay attention to how we live and what we are doing. Our actions, prayers and example have an impact on people around us. John says “let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18) In other words: watch how you live. Talk is cheap so pay attention to what really matters. Each of us has far more influence on others than we imagine. Are we paying attention to the impact we are making on those around us?