If you are seeking to have an impact on someone, this may be the lesson title that causes you to say, “I can’t do that.” After all, when Jesus talked to people, He already knew what the conversation would be. While we don’t know the conversation before it happens, we are to emulate Jesus in his method. Romans 8:29 teaches us we are to be conformed to be like Christ. From the day we are saved until the day we die we are on a journey to be like Him. Therefore, we need to know all we can about how he influenced people to turn to Him. While He showed us, we need to spend time alone with the Father, give on-the-job training, and awaken the senses through stories people can relate to, we also need to talk to people the way He did. He asked questions that revealed who people were and their desires. He asked questions that would cause people to look at eternity. He asked questions and then listened.
Sometimes He answered a question with a question, as He did in Matthew 21:23 when the chief priests and elders were trying to trip Him up and find a reason to accuse Him of blasphemy. They asked, “By whose authority do you do these things.” Jesus in turn asked them a question about John’s baptism, was it of God or of man. They knew their answer, either way would cause trouble for them. This simple way of handling their question shut them up, but it caused them to think about their own beliefs.
Matthew 21:23-26 “And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.”
Sometimes people ask questions not for answers, but to get your attention. We must be wise and give biblical answers, but also come to a point to let them know disobedience is their problem, not getting the right answer to the question. When we lived in Pittsburgh, PA, I befriended a lady who had many needs. At first, I spent a lot of time with her. We did discipleship lessons, had coffee together, and got to know one another. She said she loved the Lord and wanted to do what was right, but I soon found out that she was not after answers, she desired attention. Her intent was not to know the Master better and to rid herself of sin; it was to gain attention for herself. She was her own God. Finally, one day she called with the same problem and the same question I had answered many times. My response that day was one that shocked her into looking at herself and her true desires. I had given her the biblical answers and the practical way to avoid the sin, now it was time to face the facts, there was nothing else I could do. It was her decision to obey or disobey. I felt like her desire for attention was causing her to continue in her sin. I wanted to be her friend, but there was nothing I could do for her until she took the responsibility for her own actions.
Jesus always sought to reveal the truth to people, many times by asking them a question that caused them to take a long look at themselves. In Mark 8:27, Jesus asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I am?” The disciples begin to answer, then Jesus turned the question to them, “whom do you say that I am?” This brought the question to a point of decision. They had to take a stand. When you get people to this point, you can begin to teach them in a way that is life-changing because you have established scripture as the authority. They are not answering to you, but to God.
Mark 8:27-29 “And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.”
Many times, we can break down the walls of deception with thought-provoking questions. In a door to door survey in Pittsburgh, I ask a lady, “in your opinion how does a person gain entrance to Heaven?” She proceeded to tell me it was a matter of good works. I ask her if she believed the Bible, and she responded, “yes,” so I quoted Ephesians 2:8-9. These verses teach our salvation is not of works but was by grace through faith, that it is a gift from God. Her reply was, “that’s in your Bible, not mine.” I told her it was in hers too. I asked her to bring me her Bible, and I could show her. She did, and as she read the passage, an expression of horror filled her face. Her reply was, “I’ve been lied to all my life.” The question I asked allowed her the freedom to express what she believed without feeling threatened or defensive. Jesus used this method with Peter when in John 21 he asked Peter, “who do you love.”
Questions are great tools to use when seeking to impact others for the cause of Christ. It will help us to get to know the person, and it will give us an understanding of where they are coming from. It shows that we care about them individually. It allows us to know their needs and find common ground to build upon. We should never act shocked by their answers, and we should listen with a sincere desire to help them. Our questions need to bring them to a point of decision and knowledge about their own condition. Our questions need to impact them with the truth about themselves and Christ.
