Questions | Paula Wiseman

Q: Why Does the Truth Make You Angry?

If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike Me? John 18:23

At one point in His interrogation, one of the temple guards slapped Jesus across the mouth for His perceived insolence and disrespect to the High Priest. Jesus responded with this challenge and question. "If I'm wrong, prove it. Show me. Otherwise, why are you lashing out?"

Deep down, we don't like the truth. It's convicting. It's unflinchingly points out where we fall short.

Jesus is the embodiment of Truth. Naturally, He becomes the lightning rod for all our self-protective tactics. He gets the full measure of our defensive anger.

He won't back down. Truth is still Truth.

Filed Under: Questions Tagged With: Gospel of John, Jesus, truth

Q: Are You Looking for a Loophole?

By Paula

Why do you ask Me [My doctrine]? John 18:21

Annas was searching for evidence of a hidden agenda, a secret motive, hypocrisy that was ripe for exposure. Jesus had none of those things. He taught with complete integrity. His public and private discourses were the same. He neither pulled punches with the outcasts of society nor with the pious religious establishment. His message was consistent, confrontational and convicting. And He lived what He taught. Even when He was hungry, tired, stressed or alone.

Like Annas, we hate that.

Too good to be TRUE
We dig for weasel words that allow us to self-justify. We hope for skeletons that indulge our self-righteousness. We want inconsistency that lets us off the hook. We want to be as good as Jesus, without having to "be" as good as Jesus.

Too GOOD to be true

Our righteousness, though, is nothing to brag about. Isaiah (64:6) says it's 'filthy rags'. That's Hebrew for used tampons. Paul (Phil. 3:8) calls all his achievements 'refuse'. That's Greek for manure (or worse).

Too good BUT true too
Jesus offers a trade. His righteous for ours. But only if we see our righteousness the way He does. That was His doctrine. Stop trying to be good enough. You can't. Stop weaseling, indulging, justifying.

Jesus doctrine – It is GOOD and it is TRUE

Filed Under: Questions Tagged With: Annas, doctrine, good, Gospel of John, Isaiah, Jesus, Paul, Philippians, righteousness

Q: Shall I Take Your Place?

By Paula

Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me? John 18:11

Jesus stops His disciples from trying to fight their way out of the Garden of Gethsemane with these words.

The Sword
Peter's sword is a symbol of our feeble attempts to work our way into God's favor. With that one little sword, Peter envisioned taking on a cohort of Roman soldiers (200 -600 men, probably 600 during Passover season) plus the full retinue of temple police. I don't need Jesus' help. I am strong and brave. I can fight my out.

In the end, he cut one man's ear. And Jesus fixed that. Peter had nothing to show for attempt to deliver himself and his friends.

The Cup
Sometimes the cup is a symbol of God's provision – my cup runneth over. Other times, it's a symbol of God's wrath, or at least some type of difficult trial. Jesus faced both.

The Substitute
There is a cup with my name on it. Shall I drink the cup the Father has given me? Can I face the wrath and judgment of God for my sins? I can't.
God made an offer. If HE will die, if HE will take the punishment, I will be satisfied.

Jesus said, I will.

God has ordained that I take on the full fury of His wrath. Shall I not complete that mission?
God has determined that I take your place. Shall I not do that for you?
God has asked Me to submit. How can I refuse Him?

There is no easy way out. This cannot be done on any other terms. The full brutality of man must be displayed. The holiness of God must be vindicated. His wrath must be satisfied. The effects and terrible cost of sin must be shown with unflinching frankness.

Every word, every action since man's fall has drawn us to this moment. I must see it through.

Filed Under: Questions Tagged With: Gospel of John, Jesus, Peter, wrath

Q: Whom Are You Seeking?

By Paula

Whom are you seeking? John 18:4,7

Jesus asked this question twice to the band of soldiers, numbering as many as six hundred, and temple police that Judas led to the Garden. The group answered, "Jesus of Nazareth."

When Jesus replied "I am He," the entire group fell backward on the ground. In the English translation, the word "He" is supplied by the translators. What Jesus said was that He is the God who spoke to Moses out of the burning bush. He is Jehovah. Are you coming to arrest the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Think about this…

A disillusioned Judas was seeking a fraud, a man who passed himself off as the coming king, who turned out to be just talk. The Roman soldiers sought a man likely to incite riot and rebellion. The temple police sought the greatest threat to Judaism since its inception.

Jesus asked them again, and they gave the same answer. He replied (without knocking them down this time), "I already told you, I am God. If you want Me, if you really want to go through with this, then let these other guys go."

When you come face to face with Jesus, whom are you seeking?

A healer
A problem solver
A philosopher
A prophet
A teacher
A rabble-rouser
A disappointment
The Savior
The Redeemer
Your Lord

Who is He?
The thing is, we don't have to choose just one. Our ideas – or limitations – about Jesus Christ don't change the reality of who He is. He is the sovereign Lord, the Creator God, the Merciful Savior and Gracious Redeemer. He is all these and more. He is unlimited in power, presence and knowledge. Is He the one you're seeking?

Filed Under: Questions Tagged With: Gospel of John, Jesus, Judas Iscariot, seek

Q:Do You Get It?

By Paula

Do you now believe? John 16:31

Do You Get It?

Finally! Right before they were ready to leave the Upper Room, the disciples "got" it. In Jesus' perfect timing, not a moment too soon or too late, the dots connected for His followers. They didn't know it all and they understood even less, but they realized HE knew it all. HE understood it all.

A Final Prayer
In John chapter 17, Jesus prays for Himself, for His disciples and for us.

Let's Do This
Then Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, walked out to Gethsemane to change eternity.

Now What?
It's a great story. A climactic moment in Jesus' ministry. You can almost hear the music swelling in the background. But what does that mean for us?

We don't have to know and understand everything. We have to believe that Jesus does.

He intercedes for us, praying that we can accomplish what we need to

Our eternity has been changed through Christ.

Do you believe that? Trained? Prayed up? All right, then. Let's do this!

Filed Under: Questions Tagged With: believe, Gethsemane, Gospel of John, Jesus