04. Bring the Question You’re Afraid to Ask
What If Jesus Is Different Than You Think?
04. Bring the Question You’re Afraid to Ask
Perhaps you have a question about Jesus you keep pushing aside.
You think about it when the house is quiet. Then morning comes, life gets busy, and you leave it unanswered.
What if you asked it?
In John 3:1–21, a man named Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. He was a respected religious teacher, but there were things he did not understand.
He had seen enough to believe God was with Jesus.
So he came.
Jesus told him that no one could see the kingdom of God without being born again.
Nicodemus struggled to understand. How could someone be born when they were old?
Jesus spoke about new life through the Spirit.
Nicodemus asked, “How can this be?”
A man others looked to for answers had questions of his own.
Perhaps that gives you courage to admit yours.
You may wonder whether God is real. Whether Jesus can forgive you. Whether you can trust Him after something painful has happened.
Those questions deserve an honest hearing.
But there is another question worth facing:
If you discovered that Jesus was telling the truth, would you follow Him?
Sometimes we hesitate because we need to understand more.
Sometimes we sense that an answer could ask something of us.
A habit we would need to face. A wrong we would need to make right. A life we would no longer have complete control over.
Could that be part of what makes your question frightening?
Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about God’s love for the world. God gave His Son so that whoever believes in Him would have eternal life.
Then the passage speaks about light—and how people can avoid it because they do not want their deeds exposed.
That reaches beyond Nicodemus.
It reaches you and me.
We can become so accustomed to keeping God at a distance that we stop asking whether we are willing to know Him.
You do not have to pretend you believe. You do not have to invent an answer.
You can begin honestly.
Are you willing to seek an answer, even if it changes how you live?
Read John 3:1–21. Write down your biggest question about Jesus. Ask a trusted follower of His to explore it with you.
Then bring it to Him yourself:
“Jesus, this is what I don’t understand. Help me see what is true. If I am holding back because I’m afraid to change, help me face that too.”
Nicodemus took his questions to Jesus.
Will you keep yours at a distance—or bring it to Him?
Want to go further?
All ten Zúme discipleship lessons are on my site—free, with the video and the same teaching notes I use when I train leaders in person. Take them on your own, take them with a few friends, or join me live on Zoom and I will teach them to you face to face. When you finish, tell me and I will coach you personally.
Terry Ruff
DMM Catalyst & Zúme Trainer | Missionary at Northside Christian Church
Your gift would be tax deductible and overseen by Northside Christian Church, our sending church. There are many we coach that could use encouragement in small ways to accomplish great things.
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