What difference does wisdom make in your life? When was the last time you asked God to give you wisdom?

We need wisdom. A wise decision can mean the difference between life and death. The pursuit of wisdom is a noble and fruitful pursuit in our lives.

The New Testament author, and half brother of Jesus, James, wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5, ESV).

When Jesus prayed, what did he desire? What was the heart of Jesus for his people when he prayed to his Father in heaven?

You can tell a lot about the condition of a person’s heart and their deepest cares and desires by listening to their prayers. We can learn about the heart of God through the prayers of Jesus.

In John’s Gospel account, John records the High Priestly prayer of Jesus. John tells us Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:1-3, ESV).

How has the faith of your family, especially the faith of your mother and grandmother, influenced your life? What role does the faith of the family play in nurturing our own faith?

Our faith is mostly passed down and strengthened by our family, especially by our parents, our mothers, and our grandmothers.

The Apostle Paul wrote his spiritual son, Timothy, calling him “my beloved child,” and commending his faith, which was passed on to him through his grandmother and mother. Paul encouraged Timothy to guard the faith that was entrusted to him.

Paul wrote Timothy, saying, “I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” (2 Timothy 1:3-5, ESV).

How do we know we are God’s children? What difference does it make in our lives that we are children of God?

We are children of God, and can be confident that we are children of God, by believing in Jesus and receiving him.

The gospel of John tells us, “But to all who did receive him [Jesus], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12, ESV).

Where does fruitfulness come from? How do we bear fruit in our lives? What is the source for what we produce?

We cannot produce lasting and beneficial fruitfulness apart from God. The source for all lasting fruitfulness is God.

In John’s gospel account, Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5, ESV).

What is home? Are we at home in this life or are we looking for something more?

Anglican theologian C.S. Lewis famously said, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity).

We are restless for home. We are restless for God. We are not quite at home in this world. Our most intimate place we call “home” is not our true and eternal home.

Saint Augustine said it this way, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” (Saint Augustine).

What house does God desire for himself? Where does God choose to live? Where does God desire for us to live?

God makes his home with his people. We are the dwelling place of God. God wants us to be with him, just as he desires to dwell with us.

The Apostle Peter wrote, “As you come to him [Jesus], a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4-5, ESV).

What are the challenges of following Jesus? How do we know where Jesus is going and how do we know the way?

These are important questions and they were important questions even for the early disciples who wrestled with following Jesus.

In John’s gospel account, “Thomas said to Jesus, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:5-6, ESV).

Do you feel like you belong? Do you feel like you have a place? Are you rooted in place?

God desires to make us a home with him. We belong with Jesus. We have a heavenly place where we will dwell with Jesus and we will be rooted in that place with him for eternity.

In the Apostle John’s Gospel account, Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 15:1-3, ESV).

What seeds are you sowing? What are you harvesting in life?

It has been said, “You get out what you put in.” and “You reap what you sow.”

The Apostle Paul taught the church in Corinth, saying, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6, ESV).

Where do you go for rest? What makes you stable and satisfied, and enables you to put down your guard, lay down, and be at peace?

David, the Shepherd King, wrote of peaceful pasture in Psalm 23, saying, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3, ESV).

Are you being led? Are you being shepherded? What does it look like to have God shepherding us?

The Bible describes people as sheep who wander and go astray, needing a shepherd to lead them.

Scripture also teaches us that God is the Good Shepherd we need to lead us.

The Apostle Peter wrote these truths in his first letter, saying, “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25, ESV).

How can we be sure of Jesus’ resurrection? Who were witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection?

The Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthian church, saying, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19, ESV).

We can be confident in the resurrection of Jesus because of the multiple eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ resurrection, and the multiple encounters by many with Jesus post-resurrection.

In Mark’s Gospel account, John Mark writes, “After these things Jesus appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.” (Mark 16:12-13, ESV).

Do you experience God’s presence going with you? Do you know the rest of God? What does God’s presence have to do with God’s rest.

In the Book of Exodus, God delivered the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. God spoke to Moses, promising he would go with them, and that he would give them rest.

God said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14, ESV).

How does God instruct us? What are God’s instructions for?

God instructs us in righteousness and goodness. We are instructed so that we can serve God faithfully with all we are. God is good and faithful and has done marvelous things for us.

In the history book of Israel, 1 Samuel, the Prophet Samuel, in his farewell speech, said to Israel, “I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” (1 Samuel 12:23-24, ESV).

What does God think of? Does God think of you? What does God think of you?

God sets his mind upon his creation. God thinks of all that he has made and God thinks of you. God is mindful of all of humanity, just as God is mindful of everything he has made.

The Psalmist writes, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4, ESV).

The heavens declare who God is and what God has done.

How do we clearly see the resurrected Jesus? In what ways does Jesus make himself known to us?

God has given us his word and sacrament in order to see Jesus clearly.

In Luke’s Gospel account, Jesus appeared to two men on the road to Emmaus post-resurrection and they did not recognize him, they did not see him clearly. Luke tells us Jesus, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.” (Luke 24:27-31, ESV).

How are you established in all your ways? How are you guarded from the evil in this fallen world?

God’s desire is to establish his children in him, and to protect them from the evil one, and all the evil in this fallen world.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Thessalonica, saying, “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3, ESV).

What makes you believe? What is the outcome of your belief?

There are so many reasons to believe and place our trust in Jesus. The early disciples walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, heard Jesus teach, and witnessed Jesus’ miracles.

These followers were blessed in their belief. Those of us who follow Jesus now, not having these firsthand experiences, are even more blessed in our belief.

In John’s Gospel account, “Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:29, ESV).

What is the purpose of Jesus’ resurrection and his giving of his Holy Spirit?

Because Jesus died on a cross for our sin and rose from the grave, we can have peace with God, we can be forgiven of our sin, and we can be sent out, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to share Jesus’ forgiveness of sin with all the world.

In his gospel account, John wrote, “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.’” (John 20:21-23, ESV).