Why Not?

WHY NOT? Sermon Notes Pastor Brad Myers

May 5, 2024

• We like to ask questions.
• #1 Question: WHY?

2021 Study: The importance of asking questions and doing things for a reason.

• Factors that have either a positive or negative impact on the reason we do things.
• Asking WHY: Explains the reason people pursue something.
• Motivation: Enthusiasm behind the answer to our why question. Do we approve?
• Mental Laziness: When the question of why is not adequate.

1. Why did the disciples make such an effort to reach lost people with the story of Jesus?
2. Jesus answered the Why?

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

1. Not ashamed
2. Convinced!!: It has power to transform to those who believe.
3. Motivated!!

We Love to ask Why?

• We love to ask questions.
• We want soul satisfying answers.

God asks questions too!

• Genesis 3:9-11. In the Garden of Eden, God asks Adam, “where are you and what have you done?”
• Exodus 4:2: In the wilderness, God asks Moses, “what’s in your hand?”
• Mark 5:30: Jesus in the crowd asks, “who touched me?”

Q) But Why does God ask? He’s omniscient: He already knows the answers.

Here’s the Difference:

Thought: God doesn’t ask questions for the same reasons we do since He already has all the answers. God’s questions are focused on the needs of the one to whom He’s asking.

Question for Adam

Genesis 3:9-11 (NIV)

⁹ But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” ¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

• God questions Adam to get him thinking.

Questions Moses:

Exodus 4:2-5 (NIV)

² Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. ³ The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ⁵ “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

• God questions Moses to get him thinking.

Jesus questions the crowd:

Mark 5:29-30 (NIV)

²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. ³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

Thought: God asks questions to get us thinking but we ask God wanting information.

• Our focused is on us and so is God’s but normally for different reasons.
• What we think we need vs. what God knows we need.

Thought: You can ask God, but you shouldn’t question God.

Matthew 7:7 (NIV)

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

• Faith & motive determines God’s response.

Thought: When your faith is bigger than your need-to-know that’s when God knows you’re ready, and your time is now!

Q) What’s the difference between Why and Why Not?

Thought: Your faith and motive determine the answer to both those questions!

1. “Why Not Me?” activates your faith!

Matthew 14:28 (NIV)

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

• “If Jesus can do it, Why not me?

Thought: Faith answers the question “why not me?”

2. “Why Not Me” Faith is active and risk-taking.

Matthew 14:29 (NIV)
²⁹ “Come,” he said.
Jesus could have ignored Peter.
He could have rebuked him for being so forward.
“Peter, stay in your lane. This isn’t about you.”

Quote: “faith is spelled R-I-S-K”. Pastor John Wimber.

Q) Have you heard the phrase “paralysis of analysis?”

Thought: Some people won’t take a step until they feel that I have seen every possible angle in a situation. It’s very hard for them to move until risk has been removed. It’s good to be wise and calculating. It’s good to count costs and be prepared. But there is a line where analysis becomes paralysis and freezes your faith.

3. “Why Not Me” Faith requires a single-minded commitment.

Matthew 14:30 (NIV)
³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Sight caused faith to fail.

Matthew 14:31 (NIV)
³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

• “you of little faith.” Greek: Oligopiste.
• Compound word combing the words small and faith.
• SO: “small-faith” used 6 times in the gospels.
• I picture Jesus with an arm around Peter, “small-faith, why did you doubt?”
• “why did you doubt?” Greek it is distazo.
• Combines the roots for two and stand.
• Means shifting between two positions.

Thought: It’s impossible to truly believe while wavering between positions – with one eye on Jesus and one eye on our circumstances.  

James 1:6 (NIV)

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Romans 4:20-21 (NIV)

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.