Jesus Answered Confidently

READ: JOHN 8

It can be hard to answer people who question us about our beliefs, especially if they speak aggressively and make us nervous. Studying the Bible can help us have answers in our heads, but getting those answers out can still be an issue.

In John 8, Jesus was questioned by some Pharisees, a group of Jewish religious leaders who wanted to trap Him and accuse Him (verse 6). Jesus had an answer for everything they threw His way. He would say one thing, and they would question Him about it, and His answer would lead to more questions from them. He stayed calm and kept responding, knowing just what to say each time. He was able to share so much with them; He was ready with an answer for each question they had.

Isn’t it encouraging to know that God is never stumped by our questions? He can handle anything we throw His way. In fact, He invites our questions! And He is eager to reveal Himself to everyone who seeks Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 11:9-13).

So, as we try to figure out how to respond to the questions people throw at us, we can look to Jesus. He remained calm even when people openly accused Him of being an imposter. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we have His Holy Spirit inside us, giving us peace and empowering us to love people even in stressful situations.

Reading through John 8 left me feeling more in awe of Jesus than ever; it left me with more respect for Him. I’m happy we’ve been saved by someone who knows everything and has an answer for each question that comes His way. • Emily Acker

• Has someone ever asked you a question about God that you struggled to answer? Do you have questions that other people haven’t been able to answer? Throughout our lives, we’ll continue to have questions, and God invites us to ask every single one. Discovering the answers may be a long process, and there are some things we won’t fully understand until Jesus returns and makes all things new. But even when we have unanswered questions, we can rest in God’s sure love for us. Jesus, who is God in flesh, was willing to go to the cross for the same people who wanted to kill Him on it. And He rose from the grave, so everyone who trusts in Him will live with God forever. God’s answer to every question is deeply connected to His immeasurable love for us.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)