Sermonette: Questions vs. Answers

“I don’t have any.”

“None.”

“I think I understand, so no questions.”

These were some of the answers I got on “Sermon Note Forms” recently turned in by our 7-8 grade Confirmation students. The prompt was as follows:

One question I have is:_______________________________________________

Sermon Notes are a required part of Confirmation in most Lutheran churches. Students are expected to give a short report on the pastor’s sermon. The idea is that it promotes active listening, and it challenges the hearts and minds of young people to wonder— wonder about God, about faith, about the church and about how those things connect to their own lives.

I reported to the kids that several of them indicated they did not have ANY questions about the sermon, God, church or faith saying, “I actually don’t believe you! I mean, don’t you wonder why God made the sky blue instead of red, or why kids get cancer?” My hope was to expand their idea of what I was expecting, and to help them to name their wonderings.

In recent weeks, they have been wondering well. Here is a sample of their questions:

• “If we don’t have to earn God’s love, why do the Ten Commandments matter?”

• “How can I spread blessedness to others?”

• “How do I quickly remind myself things will get better?”

• “How do we know what to prepare for when Jesus returns?”

• “Why do people riot in certain cities?”

• “How do you pick what Bible passages to read each week?”

Wow! Right?! Are these great questions or what?

I’ve been texting individual kids some thoughts about their questions, but to be honest, I am actually less interested in the answers than I am in their questioning. I’m interested in helping the kids cultivate a sense of wonder in their hearts and minds about our God. The goal is to strengthen their curiosity muscle.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’ disciples ask him who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He brings a child among them and says, “Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

It seems to me that one thing that distinguishes children from adults is that they are by nature inquisitive. Ever hang out with the three-year-old? They never stop asking questions. Everywhere they look, there is something to wonder about. And they mostly wonder out loud. As we grow up, we seemingly learn all the answers to our toddler questions, and so our curiosity muscle atrophies. We also seem to learn that not having the answers is somehow bad, like continuing to wonder about something is a problem.

Well, I reject that idea and suggest you should too! Here’s why. It seems that when we “know” the answer, we sort of close the book, we move on. We stop wondering why the sky is blue and not red, and we disengage.

But when we don’t know the answer, we stay in the game, we remain engaged and remaining engaged with God is a really good thing. In the book of Genesis, Jacob wrestled with God and that story culminates with Jacob receiving a blessing.

The same is certainly true for us. In boldly asking questions, perhaps especially the really hard questions, we cultivate a sense of wonder, trusting that God can handle all our questions. In fact, we trust that God invites them, because in our questioning we become like children, and in our questioning we remain engaged. And being engaged in a relationship with God can’t not bless our lives and our world.

So, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, may you become again like children, wondering well like my inquisitive Confirmation students. May you never stop asking questions, especially the hard ones, and may you glimpse God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.