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Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

Why? What? How?

What are the questions that are concerning us this week? (Luke 20:27)

Context

 

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

Some news stories are straightforward and easy to understand and absorb. Others provoke questions in us. These questions can concern ourselves, other people and God. Just as the Sadducees took their questions to Jesus and he engaged with them. We should admit to the questions which we have and seek God’s guidance in reaching a conclusion or his strength to allow us to live with uncertainty.

‘Why?’ is often the first question that is asked. Regularly in the face of a disaster of one sort or another people ask, why did God allow this to happen? No doubt many will ask of the Halloween deaths in Seoul why did God allow this to happen. Their answer may reflect to what extent they believe God intervenes in human affairs.

Perhaps a more productive question is ‘What?’ – i.e. what caused this to happen? This is particularly important for the Korean (and other) authorities. It is also relevant to reflect what did not cause it e.g. God.

The question ‘How?’ is much more personal. The question is ‘How should I respond to this situation?’ Maybe the answer is prayer, but we should also ask ‘How did God respond to this situation?’ God is seen as people apply CPR or try to give first aid as attempts are made to pull free those who are crushed. It is worth reflecting which is the most helpful question to ask.

Questions can be asked of any news story. They enable us to learn about how God interacts with the world.

Why is it such a big issue that an MP is appearing in a television reality show? What does that tell us about our expectations of our elected representatives? By engaging in this way we move to reflecting on how God expects us to interact with the political process.

Questions are not always neutral. The Sadducees had an agenda in asking Jesus about resurrection. They sought to show that there could not be a resurrection because, in a sense, it defied logic. Examining the various accounts of events this week concerning refugees it is interesting to look at the questions we ask and the way we ask them. Are we seeking information or are we seeking to uphold our own viewpoint which we have already decided? Even if it is the latter, the Luke passage shows that Jesus can still guide us to a helpful conclusion.

 

Questions for discussion

  • What does the refugee crisis tell you about God?
  • Which recent news stories have prompted you to ask the question why?
  • How can questions shape our prayers?

Stuart Wild is the Superintendent Minister of the Blackpool and South Fylde Methodist Circuit.

 

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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

The ROOTS resources this week explore uncertainty and having the confidence to ask questions. As I write, it is All Souls Day (2nd November) – when the Church of England prays for the souls of those who have died. All Souls Day follows All Saints Day and, having commemorated the entire communion of those men and women who have been elevated to the title of sainthood, All Souls is a sombre day as we contemplate those who we have known and loved but see no longer.

Death is an inevitability, but this doesn’t make it any less uncertain and unsettling. Indeed, seeing the continued atrocities committed by Russia in Ukraine, and further missile launches on the Korean Peninsula this week reminds us of the fragility and ubiquity of violence and death in our world. Furthermore, there is an uncertainty with death as we do not and cannot know what things such as heaven will look and feel like until we ourselves die.

But, this is not a reason to bury our heads in the sand. Rather, we should tackle this uncertainty by proceeding confidently to address them. This is the joy of the latter half of this week’s Gospel reading. The words of Jesus are preserved and contained within scripture – ready to help us grow in our knowledge and assuredness of the promises of faith and salvation.

This week’s Gospel teaches us that there are rousing and comforting answers to even the most uncertain of questions. Let us follow this model in both our faith and our wider lives. Perhaps you can think of a trusted friend or relation in the coming week who can help address an aspect in your life that you are uncertain about. The confidence to ask is not always easy, but it is certainly rewarding.

Joe Allen is a recent graduate of the University of Exeter (MA and BA Theology, 2022). He works as a Pastoral Assistant in the Anglican Diocese of Southwark and as a Coordinator and Trustee for various charities.

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