If I Could Ask One Question of Zebedee, I would ask “What Were You Thinking When Your Sons Walked Away From You That Day on the Beach?”

“Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers. They were Simon (his other name was Peter) and Andrew, his brother. They were putting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Follow Me. I will make you fish for men!” At once they left their nets and followed Him. Going from there, Jesus saw two other brothers. They were James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were sitting in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus called them.  At once they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.” Matthew 4:18-22

When Jesus calls his first disciples, or even his other disciples, there usually is very little information about their circumstances in their lives when Jesus called them. In other words, Peter and Andrew were tossing their nets into the sea when Jesus called them. What kind of boat were they in and were there others with them? Did they go home and tell their families before leaving with Jesus? Did they have questions for Jesus before they decided to follow? And then there are James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Again, we know they were in the boat, mending their nets. Fishing was a difficult task, and their nets really took a beating. When Jesus called James and John, they were with their father, in the boat, and the text suggests to us that they dropped everything, and just left. Did their father Zebedee call out to them – try to convince them to stay and finish their tasks – tell them to go home and say goodbye to their mother?

I think the calling of the disciples is one of the most enigmatic events of the early ministry of Jesus. What was it about Jesus that could convince people to just leave everything they were doing and follow a new course in life?

But the silence in the scriptures is often the loudest voice we must consider. Zebedee said nothing. Really? James and John said nothing. Really? If I could ask Zebedee one question, I would ask him what he was thinking as he watched his sons leave the boat and follow Jesus.

That is the question I would ask Zebedee. What would you ask Zebedee?

Pastor Dave

If I Could Ask One Question of Abraham, I would ask “Would You Really Have Sacrificed Your Son Isaac?”

“After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. ⁷ And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.” Genesis 22:1-19

G-d and Abraham had an interesting relationship. G-d had been making the promise of “numerous offspring” for a long time. But for a long time, Abraham and Sarah had been without a child, except Ishmael. Finally, they had a son together — in their old age Sarah conceived and had a child — they named him Isaac. Finally, the promise of G-d could possibly come to fruition.

And then one day, G-d told Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you”. This would have been a tremendous shock to any parent; to be blessed by a long awaited child, only to have G-d tell you to sacrifice that child — especially for an emerging relationship that does not support child sacrifice . The Bible suggests that Abraham did not hesitated for a moment. In fact, there are certain passages that indicate Abraham’s strong faith that G-d would not take his son at all.

Whether for God’s, Abraham’s, Isaac’s sake — or for future believers, Abraham took his son up to a mountain, lay him down and prepared to kill him in obedience to G-d’s command. However, G-d intervened by stopping Abraham from killing his son and by providing a sacrifice in the form of a ram caught in the nearby brush. While Abraham’s faith had been tested, he proved his faith by his obedience to G-d.

We read this account in the Old Testament and we marvel at such faith. Abraham seems to act without hesitation. This is why I would want to ask Abraham if he was really ready to sacrifice his son. It sounds simple in the scriptures, but as we all know, it is hard to part with the things we have waited so long to finally receive.

But this is the one question I would ask Abraham. What is your question for Abraham?

Pastor Dave