“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’“
‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.
“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”
“The first,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
The thought that crossed my mind is how many Christians sit in church every week listening to powerful and theologically sound sermons learning who God is and what He wants and how to please Him and how we ought to think and how we ought to live. All across America (and probably the world) churches are becoming like seminaries. Never before in history has the Word of God been more accessible and better taught. And yet, we are spiritually dead and dying.
Churches are full of people who know doctrine and theology (and will argue it incessantly), and at the same time live with no transformation, no joy, no power, no fruit of any sort. Something is radically wrong. Jesus says what.
Knowing the will of Father and doing the will of Father are completely different things. In another place, Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do what I command." It is not just about knowing what God says or even hearing what God says -it is about living and doing what God says. This is the Kingdom!
Here is the biggest rub: we cannot do what He says until we surrender. We cannot accomplish His agenda and our own at the same time. It can't be done. Here is what Father wants: children who are willing to hear what He says and willing to live it out in real life.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Matthew 21:23-27 "When to Confront"
Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
One thing we know for certain that Jesus was not adverse to confrontation. Just a couple of days before this, he had cleared the temple with a whip. Other times he had called out the priests and pharisees calling them, "A brood of vipers," and "Whitewashed tombs, clean on the outside but full of death on the inside."
Here, the pharisees and priests confront Jesus and demand to know by whose authority He is teaching. Jesus just kind of side-stepped the issue. He could have told them. He could have told them and backed it up with a miracle. In fact, He could have told them and backed it up by calling down a few thunderbolts from heaven -it might have been very convincing. Instead, He side-stepped the issue, ultimately saying, "I'm not going to tell you."
Since we know that Jesus was not afraid to confront, but often chose not to confront, it seems to me that we can become just a little more like Jesus if we can figure out what criteria He used to decide when and when not.
It seems to me that Jesus confronted when their was evil or injustice. It also seems that He was not very interested in defending Himself when others made accusations -implied or directly. In other words, Jesus confronted others when a moral and/or spiritual principle was at stake, especially when it involved the helpless and the powerless. But it was never a matter of personal pride or saving face.
Many years ago when someone accused me of something, my father gave me what I believe turns out to be truly godly wisdom. He said, "If what they are saying is true, repent and get it right. If what they are saying is false, let God and the fruit of your life be your defense. Either way, you don't need to defend yourself."
Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
One thing we know for certain that Jesus was not adverse to confrontation. Just a couple of days before this, he had cleared the temple with a whip. Other times he had called out the priests and pharisees calling them, "A brood of vipers," and "Whitewashed tombs, clean on the outside but full of death on the inside."
Here, the pharisees and priests confront Jesus and demand to know by whose authority He is teaching. Jesus just kind of side-stepped the issue. He could have told them. He could have told them and backed it up with a miracle. In fact, He could have told them and backed it up by calling down a few thunderbolts from heaven -it might have been very convincing. Instead, He side-stepped the issue, ultimately saying, "I'm not going to tell you."
Since we know that Jesus was not afraid to confront, but often chose not to confront, it seems to me that we can become just a little more like Jesus if we can figure out what criteria He used to decide when and when not.
It seems to me that Jesus confronted when their was evil or injustice. It also seems that He was not very interested in defending Himself when others made accusations -implied or directly. In other words, Jesus confronted others when a moral and/or spiritual principle was at stake, especially when it involved the helpless and the powerless. But it was never a matter of personal pride or saving face.
Many years ago when someone accused me of something, my father gave me what I believe turns out to be truly godly wisdom. He said, "If what they are saying is true, repent and get it right. If what they are saying is false, let God and the fruit of your life be your defense. Either way, you don't need to defend yourself."
Monday, February 21, 2011
Matthew 21:18-22 "Fruitless"
Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
In many ways, this is an odd passage. Jesus commands a fig tree to wither and die just because it has no fruit. The disciples were amazed, and Jesus uses the opportunity to teach about faith. I kind of get what He is saying about faith. I mean, I do not have that kind of faith, but I understand the principle He is teaching. There is something else here as well, though. There is a Kingdom principle that Jesus often teaches and here illustrates: Use it or lose it.
God has an expectation that whatever He has given us, we should use for His Kingdom's sake. To him who has much even more is given. To the one who buries his giftings and hides his treasure, what little he has is taken from him.
In this process, I believe God is patient and gentle. He teaches us. When Jesus asked one man if he believed, the man replied, "I do believe; help my unbelief." That was both honest and enough. God works within the boundaries of what He has given. There is no doubt, however, that God expects us to use what He has given. If I have just a little faith, God doesn't expect me to move a mountain -but He might expect me to pray for my neighbor or my children or a co-worker. And as I exercise my faith, He gives more.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
In many ways, this is an odd passage. Jesus commands a fig tree to wither and die just because it has no fruit. The disciples were amazed, and Jesus uses the opportunity to teach about faith. I kind of get what He is saying about faith. I mean, I do not have that kind of faith, but I understand the principle He is teaching. There is something else here as well, though. There is a Kingdom principle that Jesus often teaches and here illustrates: Use it or lose it.
God has an expectation that whatever He has given us, we should use for His Kingdom's sake. To him who has much even more is given. To the one who buries his giftings and hides his treasure, what little he has is taken from him.
In this process, I believe God is patient and gentle. He teaches us. When Jesus asked one man if he believed, the man replied, "I do believe; help my unbelief." That was both honest and enough. God works within the boundaries of what He has given. There is no doubt, however, that God expects us to use what He has given. If I have just a little faith, God doesn't expect me to move a mountain -but He might expect me to pray for my neighbor or my children or a co-worker. And as I exercise my faith, He gives more.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Matthew 21:14-16 "Sponanteous Worship"
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
I don't think it is coincidental that as soon as Jesus drove out the money changers and cleared the temple of inappropriate activities, appropriate activities broke out. Namely, people began to worship -starting with the children bursting forth in spontaneous praise.
I often pray for God to break out in our churches, and long for a movement of God marked by spontaneous, authentic, unashamed worship and praise. As I read this simple story, I find myself wondering if a few things need to be cleared out before God will reveal Himself in this way.
And what about the personal, intimate experience with Father? I wonder what needs to be cleared out of my life in order to experience Him anew...
I find that I easily get distracted and just drift day to day -getting by. Not that there is anything overwhelmingly wrong going on; just that there is nothing overwhelming supernatural going on.
Father, please overwhelm me. Call forth your praise in me. Renew me. Make me clean and whole.
“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
I don't think it is coincidental that as soon as Jesus drove out the money changers and cleared the temple of inappropriate activities, appropriate activities broke out. Namely, people began to worship -starting with the children bursting forth in spontaneous praise.
I often pray for God to break out in our churches, and long for a movement of God marked by spontaneous, authentic, unashamed worship and praise. As I read this simple story, I find myself wondering if a few things need to be cleared out before God will reveal Himself in this way.
And what about the personal, intimate experience with Father? I wonder what needs to be cleared out of my life in order to experience Him anew...
I find that I easily get distracted and just drift day to day -getting by. Not that there is anything overwhelmingly wrong going on; just that there is nothing overwhelming supernatural going on.
Father, please overwhelm me. Call forth your praise in me. Renew me. Make me clean and whole.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Matthew 21:12-13 "Keeping the Sacred, Sacred"
Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
You might remember that the Gospel of John has Jesus clearing the temple at the beginning of His ministry. Here Matthew records Jesus doing it at the end of His ministry. Some people see this as a contradiction. It's not.
There are a couple of possible reasons this event was recorded at two different times. First, John was not very much concerned with chronological correctness -he was more focused on the meaning of Jesus actions than he was when Jesus did them. Second, Jesus very well may have cleared the temple twice. In fact, I believe He did. In a sense, Jesus earthly ministry was bookended by clearing the temple. We should probably think about why.
Before we dig into this, let me say that I don't believe that what Jesus did in the temple has a direct implication for local churches -although there are certainly principles we can glean. The temple was the center of Judaism; it was established by God and intended by God to be His dwelling place until after the New Covenant was fully established -at which time we (Believers) became His temple and dwelling place.
The abuse that was going on was more than just people making a profit in God's house. You probably recall that Jews were required under the Old Covenant to make animal sacrifices at the temple. There were, of course, requirements for the animals -God didn't want old or lame or diseased animals to be sacrificed; He wanted the sacrifices to be the best people had to offer. These were to be animals without blemish. Accordingly, when people brought a lamb or a dove to sacrifice, a priest would inspect it to make certain it was unblemished. Part of what was going on at the temple was that people would bring their sacrifice and the priest would find it objectionable and insist that a lamb (or dove) must be purchased from the temple. But, the sacrifice at the temple could not be purchased with with standard currency because that was Roman and, therefore, unclean. People had to exchange their Roman currency for official Temple currency -at a very high exchange rate. Often, the temple officials would then turn around and sell the animal they had just declared to be unfit to someone else as unblemished and worthy to be sacrificed. And although the people knew that what was going on was unfair, they had to participate because under the terms of the Old Covenant, sins could only be forgiven by the sacrifice of these animals at the temple.
It's easy to see why Jesus was angry. What He intended to be holy and sacred was being exploited for profit. You can see why this doesn't translate directly to modern churches. Under the New Covenant, we are not required to make sacrifices in this way at our local church building and the church building is not actually God's dwelling place anyway, we are. So, although some churches have small businesses going on -bookstores, coffeeshops, etc., it is not the same kind of thievery that was occurring at the temple. Nevertheless, I think there is a major principle here we should consider carefully.
We should consider that God does not like us to take spiritual things that He intended to be holy and sacred and exploit them. This isn't about money - it is about a disrespect and disregard for the sacred. We are violating this principle whenever we take something God has declared sacred and treat it as common.
You might remember that the Gospel of John has Jesus clearing the temple at the beginning of His ministry. Here Matthew records Jesus doing it at the end of His ministry. Some people see this as a contradiction. It's not.
There are a couple of possible reasons this event was recorded at two different times. First, John was not very much concerned with chronological correctness -he was more focused on the meaning of Jesus actions than he was when Jesus did them. Second, Jesus very well may have cleared the temple twice. In fact, I believe He did. In a sense, Jesus earthly ministry was bookended by clearing the temple. We should probably think about why.
Before we dig into this, let me say that I don't believe that what Jesus did in the temple has a direct implication for local churches -although there are certainly principles we can glean. The temple was the center of Judaism; it was established by God and intended by God to be His dwelling place until after the New Covenant was fully established -at which time we (Believers) became His temple and dwelling place.
The abuse that was going on was more than just people making a profit in God's house. You probably recall that Jews were required under the Old Covenant to make animal sacrifices at the temple. There were, of course, requirements for the animals -God didn't want old or lame or diseased animals to be sacrificed; He wanted the sacrifices to be the best people had to offer. These were to be animals without blemish. Accordingly, when people brought a lamb or a dove to sacrifice, a priest would inspect it to make certain it was unblemished. Part of what was going on at the temple was that people would bring their sacrifice and the priest would find it objectionable and insist that a lamb (or dove) must be purchased from the temple. But, the sacrifice at the temple could not be purchased with with standard currency because that was Roman and, therefore, unclean. People had to exchange their Roman currency for official Temple currency -at a very high exchange rate. Often, the temple officials would then turn around and sell the animal they had just declared to be unfit to someone else as unblemished and worthy to be sacrificed. And although the people knew that what was going on was unfair, they had to participate because under the terms of the Old Covenant, sins could only be forgiven by the sacrifice of these animals at the temple.
It's easy to see why Jesus was angry. What He intended to be holy and sacred was being exploited for profit. You can see why this doesn't translate directly to modern churches. Under the New Covenant, we are not required to make sacrifices in this way at our local church building and the church building is not actually God's dwelling place anyway, we are. So, although some churches have small businesses going on -bookstores, coffeeshops, etc., it is not the same kind of thievery that was occurring at the temple. Nevertheless, I think there is a major principle here we should consider carefully.
We should consider that God does not like us to take spiritual things that He intended to be holy and sacred and exploit them. This isn't about money - it is about a disrespect and disregard for the sacred. We are violating this principle whenever we take something God has declared sacred and treat it as common.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Matthew 21:1-11 "Hosanna!"
When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus gave two disciples a task. He said to them, “Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter, you will find a donkey tied up and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anybody says anything to you, say that the Lord needs it.” He sent them off right away.
Now this happened to fulfill what the prophet said, Say to Daughter Zion, “Look, your king is coming to you, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a colt the donkey’s offspring.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their clothes on them. Then he sat on them.
Now a large crowd spread their clothes on the road. Others cut palm branches off the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds in front of him and behind him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. “Who is this?” they asked. The crowds answered, “It’s the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
This is one of those stories that we have heard so often (every Palm Sunday) that we are in danger of thinking we know the story and what it means and its import to us. The basic story line is simply that on that final approach to Jerusalem during the Passover season in which Jesus was executed, He arrived riding on a donkey while crowds of people shouted "Hosanna!" This is often referred to as the Triumphant Entry. We need to break the details down a little bit to understand what was really going on.
We understand that a donkey is a humble animal. Clearly, this entire event would have been different if Jesus had ridden into town on a giant, prancing war-horse or big brass chariot. Many people do not know, however, that Jesus is not the first hero to ride into a city on a donkey. When Rome conquered a country and there was still resentment and conflict, the conquering general would usually ride in on his war-horse to signify dominance. On the other hand, when Caesar (or any high ranking general) arrived to visit a city for a friendly visit, it was customary to ride in on a donkey to signify peace and goodwill...it was a symbolic gesture that the people were familiar with.
Jesus, was not even the first hero to ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. A few hundred years earlier the Maccabee brothers, generals in Israel's army, successfully defeated an invading army against overwhelming odds. After their victory, they entered Jerusalem on the backs of donkeys while the crowds cheered and chanted, "Hosanna!"
So, what does this mean in the context of Jesus? First, when Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem in this fashion, He was declaring Himself to be Messiah. And clearly, the crowd understood this and accepted Jesus as Messiah. Second, as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He came in peace and goodwill. This is particularly important because although the crowd was not aware of their fickleness (a week later they would execute Jesus), Jesus was completely aware that these same people that were accepting Him here would reject Him later. He knew and He still came in peace and goodwill.
I believe that the Triumphant Entry is a picture of the heart of God. We are fickle. We listen and worship and adore God one moment, and turn our backs and harden our hearts the next. Some people assume (and even teach) that God is angry about our weakness and inconsistency. But that is not God. God is love. God comes to us with goodwill. He loves us. In spite of our inability to truly love Him, He truly loves us. This does not excuse bad behavior, but it should give us a glorious hope. Even when we let God down -even when we fail -even when we respond to His love inappropriately, He still loves us.
Now this happened to fulfill what the prophet said, Say to Daughter Zion, “Look, your king is coming to you, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a colt the donkey’s offspring.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their clothes on them. Then he sat on them.
Now a large crowd spread their clothes on the road. Others cut palm branches off the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds in front of him and behind him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. “Who is this?” they asked. The crowds answered, “It’s the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
This is one of those stories that we have heard so often (every Palm Sunday) that we are in danger of thinking we know the story and what it means and its import to us. The basic story line is simply that on that final approach to Jerusalem during the Passover season in which Jesus was executed, He arrived riding on a donkey while crowds of people shouted "Hosanna!" This is often referred to as the Triumphant Entry. We need to break the details down a little bit to understand what was really going on.
We understand that a donkey is a humble animal. Clearly, this entire event would have been different if Jesus had ridden into town on a giant, prancing war-horse or big brass chariot. Many people do not know, however, that Jesus is not the first hero to ride into a city on a donkey. When Rome conquered a country and there was still resentment and conflict, the conquering general would usually ride in on his war-horse to signify dominance. On the other hand, when Caesar (or any high ranking general) arrived to visit a city for a friendly visit, it was customary to ride in on a donkey to signify peace and goodwill...it was a symbolic gesture that the people were familiar with.
Jesus, was not even the first hero to ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. A few hundred years earlier the Maccabee brothers, generals in Israel's army, successfully defeated an invading army against overwhelming odds. After their victory, they entered Jerusalem on the backs of donkeys while the crowds cheered and chanted, "Hosanna!"
So, what does this mean in the context of Jesus? First, when Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem in this fashion, He was declaring Himself to be Messiah. And clearly, the crowd understood this and accepted Jesus as Messiah. Second, as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He came in peace and goodwill. This is particularly important because although the crowd was not aware of their fickleness (a week later they would execute Jesus), Jesus was completely aware that these same people that were accepting Him here would reject Him later. He knew and He still came in peace and goodwill.
I believe that the Triumphant Entry is a picture of the heart of God. We are fickle. We listen and worship and adore God one moment, and turn our backs and harden our hearts the next. Some people assume (and even teach) that God is angry about our weakness and inconsistency. But that is not God. God is love. God comes to us with goodwill. He loves us. In spite of our inability to truly love Him, He truly loves us. This does not excuse bad behavior, but it should give us a glorious hope. Even when we let God down -even when we fail -even when we respond to His love inappropriately, He still loves us.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Matthew 20:29-34 "Sometimes You Just Have To Ask"
As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Everywhere Jesus went, He healed the sick. It was part of His ministry. These two blind beggars had heard the stories. Being blind, it is unlikely that they had ever had the opportunity to travel to the countryside of Galilee to here Jesus preach to the crowds. They likely had never actually heard Jesus teach. But they had heard the stories. So when they heard the commotion of a crowd passing by, they probably asked what was going on, and upon hearing that Jesus was passing by, they began to yell. They had nothing to lose.
When the Bible says they "called out," I imagine it is being polite. These are desperate men with a quickly disappearing chance of ever meeting the Healer. They had to do something to get Jesus' attention, so they began to yell. They yelled loudly enough that people in the crowd were telling them to shut-up. But they didn't shut-up. They yelled loudly enough that Jesus stopped to investigate.
Jesus, as He often did, asked the simple question, "What do you want me to do for you?" It is a simple question, but we who are outside of the story looking in understand something they didn't. We understand that the man asking the question is more than a healer, more than a rabbi, more than just Messiah even; He is the Lord of lords and King of kings; He is the Creator of all that is. Because of who Jesus is, we understand the import of the question. Jesus asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" And He has the ability to grant any request they might make. When God asks this question, it is significant.
The book of James tells us that often we "have not because we ask not." Jesus Himself said in several places that any [Kingdom] thing we ask for in His name will be accomplished. I wonder if we were as desperate as these two blind men sitting beside the road calling out to Jesus -I wonder if in our times of need we called out in this same way, if Jesus would ask the same question of us.
Today, what do you want Jesus to do for you?
The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Everywhere Jesus went, He healed the sick. It was part of His ministry. These two blind beggars had heard the stories. Being blind, it is unlikely that they had ever had the opportunity to travel to the countryside of Galilee to here Jesus preach to the crowds. They likely had never actually heard Jesus teach. But they had heard the stories. So when they heard the commotion of a crowd passing by, they probably asked what was going on, and upon hearing that Jesus was passing by, they began to yell. They had nothing to lose.
When the Bible says they "called out," I imagine it is being polite. These are desperate men with a quickly disappearing chance of ever meeting the Healer. They had to do something to get Jesus' attention, so they began to yell. They yelled loudly enough that people in the crowd were telling them to shut-up. But they didn't shut-up. They yelled loudly enough that Jesus stopped to investigate.
Jesus, as He often did, asked the simple question, "What do you want me to do for you?" It is a simple question, but we who are outside of the story looking in understand something they didn't. We understand that the man asking the question is more than a healer, more than a rabbi, more than just Messiah even; He is the Lord of lords and King of kings; He is the Creator of all that is. Because of who Jesus is, we understand the import of the question. Jesus asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" And He has the ability to grant any request they might make. When God asks this question, it is significant.
The book of James tells us that often we "have not because we ask not." Jesus Himself said in several places that any [Kingdom] thing we ask for in His name will be accomplished. I wonder if we were as desperate as these two blind men sitting beside the road calling out to Jesus -I wonder if in our times of need we called out in this same way, if Jesus would ask the same question of us.
Today, what do you want Jesus to do for you?
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