Description
Questions asked by Jesus. Questions people asked Him.
A collection of fifty-two questions that Jesus asked or that people asked Jesus arranged in two-page chapters. All come from the Gospels or Acts. The book can be used like a devotional and would work well for group study in a small group or book club. It will help the reader to grow in spiritual maturity. Some of Jesus’ parables are explained because they provide answers to questions or raise questions themselves.
It provides something of a commentary on the most interesting questions in people’s interactions with Jesus—people like the Samaritan woman at the well, Nicodemus, and Mary and Martha. Do you wonder what is the unforgiveable sin against the Holy Spirit, or the sign of Jonah? Our Lord’s questions in the Sermon on the Mount are explored and many more too.
Jesus asked questions to engage His listeners or to challenge their thinking. His disciples often wanted to understand Him but sometimes to use Him; His opponents sharpened them as weapons against Him. Some of His questions seem stupid, even rude—they’re not! As always with Jesus, there’s more to everything He said than at first appears. The interactions have lasting value too—for us. What lies behind the questions we sometimes ask God? What do His questions teach us about ourselves? His questions examine us and encourage us to think and live more like Him.
John Avery –
The chapters in John Avery’s latest book are short but powerful, thought-provoking, and insightful.
He has the research experience and intellect of a scholar, yet speaks in down-to-earth, relatable, and intriguing language. I planned to read a chapter every day, but found I just kept reading.
His book is readable with Biblical and historical knowledge subtly woven throughout. John’s writing style is not a theological discourse, nor does he snow you with religious jargon. You can tell from some of the chapter titles:
Tug O’War
Kicking the Habit
Dodgy Reasons
The Goldilocks Zone
Director’s Cut
Freeze-Dried Friends and Family
Live Bait
Switching Labels
Avoiding the Hamster Wheel
Flashpoint
His insights are fresh, condensed, and applicable to today’s life, like these examples from his writing:
God’s kingdom comes, slow and gentle, like sprouting corn.
His disciples still put their weight on the wrong foot.
Relationships are a two-way street; love flows best when the lanes are wide and smooth in both directions.
Attention can be skin deep; shared heartbeats are profound.
Memories of failure can act like an epitaph or obituary pronouncing the death and burial of good intentions.
Jesus’ questions probed like a physician’s scope.
It boiled down to who had an open path from their physical ears to a heart receptive to God’s truth.
Finances, health, disagreements with others, lack of time, closed doors – so many ominous obstacles boast that they have the final say.
Jesus’ immediate future was a chasm that he had to cross alone.
When looming storm clouds veil the future, human nature tries to sidestep the threatening clouds – to find an easier way.
The implication is that the words had entered brains through eyes, although the real meaning had never sunk into hearts.
… They were frantically racing around their own hamster wheel of bad logic.
Following Jesus was more than a walking tour of Israel.
Repentance somehow lifts us out of this world in which we are pawns to the powers, subjects of chance, destined to become statistics.
Jesus oozed with mercy and the Pharisees knew it.
He walked, unflinching, to the cross because he knew resurrection followed it.
My spirit had taken shelter in a corner, waiting for the storm to subside.
… the world sees both Master and followers as rebels.
… allow Jesus to scan us with His uncomfortable words and questions.
M. Brownell
John’s straightforward and easy-to-consume contextualization of Jesus and His ministry brings light to grace, hope, and God’s enduring love by examining the questions Jesus was asked, and the questions He himself asked. These questions are a window into the motivations of our hearts and John does a great job of opening those windows, wide open.
In “Beyond Caring” John examines the heart of Jesus and his disciples in the midst of a chaotic, fluke storm about to swamp their boat in Mark 4:38. Jesus is asked, “do you not care that we are perishing?” by disciples frantically trying to keep their boat afloat. A simple, and pressing, question to be sure. John’s analysis of the moment illuminates the tension between, “Hey, buddy, grab a bucket and start bailing”, and Jesus’ seemingly ambivalent position as he sleeps in the back of the boat. John does a great job of using this simple question to teach a lesson about faith in the greater plan at play and the “tyranny of the urgent”.
The short passages in “The Questions of Jesus” pose a question and resolve in insightful, easy to apply wisdom that anyone could benefit from, whether an individual or a bible study group. The setup in each passage of this insightful work are great conversation starters for a group, or thought provoking points for self reflection. Each passage closes with an affirmation that questioning Jesus leads to deeper relationship with Him.
Grab a copy of The Questions of Jesus for your small group or for a quick, morning coffee devotional. It’s well worth it.
Spoke’n Hostel
John Avery has written a devotional study of the questions Jesus was asked, as well as the questions Jesus asked others. Each short chapter probes one of these questions. How Jesus answered the questions he was asked reveals important things about his character and what mattered to him. It also reveals his insight into the people asking the questions, as he refused to be drawn into the traps they sometimes laid for him.
The questions Jesus asked others are equally intriguing. Many of those questions force the listeners to search their own hearts and motives and look at things in a different way. Some of those questions are ones we should ask ourselves, as we strive to draw closer to Jesus.
This book would make a great Bible study or devotional, either for a group or an individual. It would also be great for older homeschoolers, helping them to think more deeply about Scripture. I enjoyed reading just one or two chapters a day, giving me time to ponder them and apply them to my own life. The book is written in a way that makes it interesting to read, with a little humor and a welcoming voice.
I received a pre-publication copy of the e-book. The thoughts here are entirely my own and freely given.
S. T. Maas
John Avery –
The chapters in John Avery’s latest book are short but powerful, thought-provoking, and insightful.
He has the research experience and intellect of a scholar, yet speaks in down-to-earth, relatable, and intriguing language. I planned to read a chapter every day, but found I just kept reading.
His book is readable with Biblical and historical knowledge subtly woven throughout. John’s writing style is not a theological discourse, nor does he snow you with religious jargon. You can tell from some of the chapter titles:
Tug O’War
Kicking the Habit
Dodgy Reasons
The Goldilocks Zone
Director’s Cut
Freeze-Dried Friends and Family
Live Bait
Switching Labels
Avoiding the Hamster Wheel
Flashpoint
His insights are fresh, condensed, and applicable to today’s life, like these examples from his writing:
God’s kingdom comes, slow and gentle, like sprouting corn.
His disciples still put their weight on the wrong foot.
Relationships are a two-way street; love flows best when the lanes are wide and smooth in both directions.
Attention can be skin deep; shared heartbeats are profound.
Memories of failure can act like an epitaph or obituary pronouncing the death and burial of good intentions.
Jesus’ questions probed like a physician’s scope.
It boiled down to who had an open path from their physical ears to a heart receptive to God’s truth.
Finances, health, disagreements with others, lack of time, closed doors – so many ominous obstacles boast that they have the final say.
Jesus’ immediate future was a chasm that he had to cross alone.
When looming storm clouds veil the future, human nature tries to sidestep the threatening clouds – to find an easier way.
The implication is that the words had entered brains through eyes, although the real meaning had never sunk into hearts.
… They were frantically racing around their own hamster wheel of bad logic.
Following Jesus was more than a walking tour of Israel.
Repentance somehow lifts us out of this world in which we are pawns to the powers, subjects of chance, destined to become statistics.
Jesus oozed with mercy and the Pharisees knew it.
He walked, unflinching, to the cross because he knew resurrection followed it.
My spirit had taken shelter in a corner, waiting for the storm to subside.
… the world sees both Master and followers as rebels.
… allow Jesus to scan us with His uncomfortable words and questions.
M. Brownell
John’s straightforward and easy-to-consume contextualization of Jesus and His ministry brings light to grace, hope, and God’s enduring love by examining the questions Jesus was asked, and the questions He himself asked. These questions are a window into the motivations of our hearts and John does a great job of opening those windows, wide open.
In “Beyond Caring” John examines the heart of Jesus and his disciples in the midst of a chaotic, fluke storm about to swamp their boat in Mark 4:38. Jesus is asked, “do you not care that we are perishing?” by disciples frantically trying to keep their boat afloat. A simple, and pressing, question to be sure. John’s analysis of the moment illuminates the tension between, “Hey, buddy, grab a bucket and start bailing”, and Jesus’ seemingly ambivalent position as he sleeps in the back of the boat. John does a great job of using this simple question to teach a lesson about faith in the greater plan at play and the “tyranny of the urgent”.
The short passages in “The Questions of Jesus” pose a question and resolve in insightful, easy to apply wisdom that anyone could benefit from, whether an individual or a bible study group. The setup in each passage of this insightful work are great conversation starters for a group, or thought provoking points for self reflection. Each passage closes with an affirmation that questioning Jesus leads to deeper relationship with Him.
Grab a copy of The Questions of Jesus for your small group or for a quick, morning coffee devotional. It’s well worth it.
Spoke’n Hostel
John Avery has written a devotional study of the questions Jesus was asked, as well as the questions Jesus asked others. Each short chapter probes one of these questions. How Jesus answered the questions he was asked reveals important things about his character and what mattered to him. It also reveals his insight into the people asking the questions, as he refused to be drawn into the traps they sometimes laid for him.
The questions Jesus asked others are equally intriguing. Many of those questions force the listeners to search their own hearts and motives and look at things in a different way. Some of those questions are ones we should ask ourselves, as we strive to draw closer to Jesus.
This book would make a great Bible study or devotional, either for a group or an individual. It would also be great for older homeschoolers, helping them to think more deeply about Scripture. I enjoyed reading just one or two chapters a day, giving me time to ponder them and apply them to my own life. The book is written in a way that makes it interesting to read, with a little humor and a welcoming voice.
I received a pre-publication copy of the e-book. The thoughts here are entirely my own and freely given.
S. T. Maas
John Avery –
I very much enjoyed this book. John’s style of writing is very engaging. The chapters are not very long, but each chapter makes you think. I will be reading this book again and again. If you’re looking for a great devotional book, this fills the bill. P. Iliyn, Former North American Director, Youth With A Mission.
In these days of gross biblical illiteracy, many own a Bible but never read it. Some read it but don’t understand it or are not changed by its message.
The Questions of Jesus is food for this biblical famine. It provides bite-sized, easy-to-digest chapters covering various passages of Scripture in which questions were asked by Jesus and by others. S. Langton, Associate Editor, Bible Advocate magazine
Accessible, easy to read but nevertheless challenging, each reflection has a clear biblical context and parallel references. John Avery’s gentle humour and his down-to-earth links to daily life lead to a clearer understanding of the questions of Jesus and what they mean to us today. This is a book I’ll return to again and again. M. Watchorn, Musician.
This book would make a great Bible study or devotional, either for a group or an individual. I enjoyed reading just one or two chapters a day, giving me time to ponder them and apply them to my own life. S. T. Maas, Blogger and Author of Abbie’s Woods: defending the nest.
The chapters in John Avery’s latest book are short but powerful, thought-provoking, and insightful. M. Brownell, Foremost Marketing and Media.
The message is accessible and invites the readers in. M. Hake, Past President of Oregon Christian Writers, Editor and Writer.