August 12, 2025 • 12 mins
Forty episodes in, and we’re marking the milestone by sitting with the words of Jesus not just His answers, but His questions. In this episode of The Wooden Cricket Podcast, we walk through five of the most life-changing questions Jesus asked in the Gospels.
Who do you say I am?
Do you want to be healed?
Why are you so afraid?
What do you want Me to do for you?
Do you love Me?
These questions aren’t locked in history. They’re alive. They’re personal. And they’re meant for you today. Jesus is still asking… and He’s still listening.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
The wooden cricket. Who boy, 40 episodes, him 40.
Been doing this for 40 days straight, and I couldn't think
of a better way to mark this milestone for me than to sit
(00:25):
with the words of Jesus. This is something they've been
going over at Calvary Temple Church lately where I go, and
it's really kind of stirred in me.
So I'm excited. And we're not talking just about
Jesus's answers here, but we're going to be going over five of
his questions, questions that heasked.
People's questions have a way ofgetting into places that answers
can't. They slip past our rehearsed
(00:48):
responses, past our surface level faith, and they hit the
heart. When Jesus asks a question, it's
never for his benefit, it's for ours.
In the Gospels, his questions are laser focused, they strip
away pretense and they demand a response.
(01:08):
And these five questions that we're looking at, spoken over
2000 years ago, still speak withthe same piercing clarity today.
So today, let's hear them again.Let's not rush.
Let's let the Word of God do itswork in us.
So Matthew chapter 16, verse 13,we find the disciples.
(01:32):
They're walking on a dusty Rd. in the region of Cesaria,
Philippi. The sun is high and the chatter
of the nearby marketplace is humming in the background.
Jesus stops and he turns to themand he asks what the crowds are
saying about him. Then his eyes fixed on them and
the question becomes extremely personal.
So it says in chapter 16, verse 13.
(01:55):
When Jesus came to the region ofCesaria Philippi, he asked his
disciples who do people say thatthe Son of Man is?
Well, they replied, some say John the Baptist, some say
Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.
(02:16):
Then Jesus asked them. But who do you say I am?
The crowd has its opinions. The world has its theories.
But Jesus isn't asking about them.
He's asking about you. Your spouse can't answer for
you, and your pastor can't answer for you.
The answer to this question isn't about memorizing theology.
(02:39):
It's about who sits on the throne of your heart.
When you strip away all the noise and all the tradition and
all the cultural Christianity, what's left?
Who is Jesus to you? If our answer is Lord and
Savior, then our life must reflect that.
And if our answer is anything less, we've made Jesus smaller
(03:02):
than he really is. His second question that we're
going to go over we find in Johnchapter 5 starting in verse 5.
So there's this giant pool, it'scalled a pool of Bethesda.
And it's always crowded with sick people, blind people and
paralyzed people. And you know, these people are
(03:23):
lying all over the place and theheat on mats and, and they're
waiting for this water bubbles up, it stirs every once in a
while. And they think if they can, the
first person they can get to it or whatnot, they'll be healed.
And among them is a man that's been unable to walk for 38
years. And Jesus sees him and he
already knows his story. And he kneels down beside him
and he speaks. So in in verse 5, verse 6, it
(03:46):
says one of the men lying there had been sick for 38 years.
When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he
asked him, Would you like to getwell in this question?
It cuts way deeper than surface level.
It's not just about physical healing, it's about the will to
(04:09):
be changed. Some people say that they want
to be free, but they keep going back to the same chains and pray
for healing, but they don't wantthat responsibility that comes
with a new life. Jesus asks.
Because healing isn't about the removal of pain.
It's about the surrender of control.
(04:32):
Do you really want to be made new?
Because if you say yes, he's notjust going to patch you up.
He's not going to slap a Band-Aid on you, turning around
and send you out the door. He's going to transform you.
The inside, the outside. He's gonna change you.
The third question. You have to picture this.
(04:53):
It's night time. We're on the Sea of Galilee on
this boat. Wind is howling.
Waves are crashing against the boat.
Water sprang into the faces of the disciples.
You've seen those crazy fishing shows?
Maybe they shout over the storm and they're panicking, the
freaking out and Jesus is at thestern of the boat and he's
(05:13):
asleep. They shake him awake and their
voices are trembling. Don't you even care if we drown?
Mark chapter 4, verse 39 and 40.This is what it says.
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
Silence be still. Suddenly the wind stopped and
(05:35):
there was a great calm. Then he asked them, Why are you
afraid? Do you still have no faith the
storm was real? The danger was real, but so is
the fact that Jesus is in the boat with them.
Fear thrives when we forget who's with us.
(05:57):
It grows when we believe the storm has more power than the
one who commands it. Why are you afraid?
Isn't a scolding, it's an invitation.
It's Jesus reminding you I'm here.
I'm greater than this, trust me.When fear grips you, ask
(06:17):
yourself, is this fear telling me the truth, or is it drowning
out the truth? I know in Christ Jesus.
And the disciples, they're on this road out of Jericho.
It's dusty, it's loud. And this blind beggar named
(06:38):
Bartimaeus, here's that Jesus ispassing by and he would have
heard the stories and such and the healings and the miracles
that have been happening. And he begins shouting, Son of
David, have mercy on me. The crowd tries to silence him,
but he shouts louder. Son of David, have mercy on me.
Jesus stops and calls him over and asks a question.
(07:03):
Mark chapter 10 verse 31 or sorry verse 51 says this.
What do you want me to do for you?
Jesus asked my rabbi. The blind man said I want to
see. Jesus could see.
The man was blind, but he still asks.
(07:24):
Why does he ask? Because faith must be spoken.
When you bring your needs to Jesus, you're not just informing
Him of something that He doesn'talready know.
You're declaring your trust in Him to do something about it.
So you know Jesus asked you right now, what do you want me
(07:46):
to do for you? What would you say?
Would you have the courage to speak it out loud?
Faith isn't afraid to be specific, and faith isn't shy
about coming boldly to the throne of grace.
The last question we're going tolook at we find in John chapter
21, verses 15 and 17. On the shores of Galilee, the
(08:11):
smell of grilled fish and bread probably fills the air.
Here. The morning sun is glinting off
the waves. The disciples are gathered
around a fire eating breakfast with the risen Jesus.
And this is important. This is after the crucifixion.
He is risen and he's sitting eating breakfast, and he turns
to Peter, the Peter who denied him, and ask your question.
(08:39):
And this is what it says. John chapter 21, verses 15
through 17. After breakfast, Jesus asked
Simon Peter. Simon, son of John, do you love
me more than these? Yes, Lord, Peter replied.
You know I love you. Then feed my lambs, Jesus told
(09:00):
him. Jesus repeated the question.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
Yes, Lord, Peter said. You know I love you.
Then take care of my sheep, Jesus said 1/3 time he asked
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
(09:23):
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question.
The third time, he said, Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you, Jesus said.
Then feed my sheep. Peter's denial of Jesus had been
a deep wound. Now the risen Lord meets him
(09:45):
with restoration, not condemnation.
That is huge. But notice Jesus ties love to
action. If you love me, care for my
people. Love isn't measured by emotion,
it's measured by obedience. And he's still asking the
question today. Do you love me?
(10:07):
If the answer is yes, your life will show it.
And how you serve, how you forgive, and how you lead others
towards Him. 5 questions, five moments in Scripture.
And here's the thing. They're not just history
lessons, they're invitations. One.
(10:28):
Who do you say I am 2. Do you want to be healed 3.
Why are you so afraid 4 What do you want me to do for you in
five? Do you love me?
If you really listen, you'll notice that each of these
questions points to a choice. They're not about trivia.
It's not Jeopardy. They're about transformation.
(10:52):
And today, the same Jesus who asked them then is asking you
now. Thank you so much for joining me
today on this milestone episode 40 of the Wooden Cricket
Podcast. I can't tell you how much it
means that you choose to spend atiny part of your day here with
me, opening God's Word together,sitting with the words of Jesus,
(11:13):
letting his questions sink deep in our hearts.
If today's message spoke to you,if even one of these questions
stirred something in your soul of wonder, encourage you.
Don't just listen and move on. Take time today to answer Jesus
honestly. Sit with Him in prayer.
Let His words shape your decisions, your priorities, your
(11:33):
relationships, and your walk with Him.
And I'm so sorry that you could probably hear my dishwasher in
the background. And if this podcast is helping
you draw closer to Jesus, I'd beso grateful if you'd subscribe,
never miss an episode, and even more share it with someone.
You never know what a simple actlike sending a little link could
(11:54):
do in someone's life. It could be a spark that helps
point them towards a Savior. My prayers that you walk away
from today not only encouraged, but challenged.
Challenged to live a life that answers Jesus's questions with
your actions, not just your words.
Me. Find healing where you've been
wounded, courage where you've been afraid, clarity where
(12:17):
you've been uncertain, and a deeper love for Jesus than
you've ever known. Remember, Jesus is still asking
and He's still listening. So go into today with your eyes
fixed on Him, your heart surrendered to Him, and your
hands ready to serve Him. Have a blessed day.
(12:39):
And Lord willing, we'll meet here again tomorrow for another
journey through the Word. And until then, keep your face
straw, keep your hope alive, andkeep your heart close to Jesus.
This has been Lawrence on the 40th episode of the Woody
Cricket podcast Peace.
The wooden cricket. Who boy, 40 episodes, him 40.
Been doing this for 40 days straight, and I couldn't think
of a better way to mark this milestone for me than to sit
(00:25):
with the words of Jesus. This is something they've been
going over at Calvary Temple Church lately where I go, and
it's really kind of stirred in me.
So I'm excited. And we're not talking just about
Jesus's answers here, but we're going to be going over five of
his questions, questions that heasked.
People's questions have a way ofgetting into places that answers
can't. They slip past our rehearsed
(00:48):
responses, past our surface level faith, and they hit the
heart. When Jesus asks a question, it's
never for his benefit, it's for ours.
In the Gospels, his questions are laser focused, they strip
away pretense and they demand a response.
(01:08):
And these five questions that we're looking at, spoken over
2000 years ago, still speak withthe same piercing clarity today.
So today, let's hear them again.Let's not rush.
Let's let the Word of God do itswork in us.
So Matthew chapter 16, verse 13,we find the disciples.
(01:32):
They're walking on a dusty Rd. in the region of Cesaria,
Philippi. The sun is high and the chatter
of the nearby marketplace is humming in the background.
Jesus stops and he turns to themand he asks what the crowds are
saying about him. Then his eyes fixed on them and
the question becomes extremely personal.
So it says in chapter 16, verse 13.
(01:55):
When Jesus came to the region ofCesaria Philippi, he asked his
disciples who do people say thatthe Son of Man is?
Well, they replied, some say John the Baptist, some say
Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.
(02:16):
Then Jesus asked them. But who do you say I am?
The crowd has its opinions. The world has its theories.
But Jesus isn't asking about them.
He's asking about you. Your spouse can't answer for
you, and your pastor can't answer for you.
The answer to this question isn't about memorizing theology.
(02:39):
It's about who sits on the throne of your heart.
When you strip away all the noise and all the tradition and
all the cultural Christianity, what's left?
Who is Jesus to you? If our answer is Lord and
Savior, then our life must reflect that.
And if our answer is anything less, we've made Jesus smaller
(03:02):
than he really is. His second question that we're
going to go over we find in Johnchapter 5 starting in verse 5.
So there's this giant pool, it'scalled a pool of Bethesda.
And it's always crowded with sick people, blind people and
paralyzed people. And you know, these people are
(03:23):
lying all over the place and theheat on mats and, and they're
waiting for this water bubbles up, it stirs every once in a
while. And they think if they can, the
first person they can get to it or whatnot, they'll be healed.
And among them is a man that's been unable to walk for 38
years. And Jesus sees him and he
already knows his story. And he kneels down beside him
and he speaks. So in in verse 5, verse 6, it
(03:46):
says one of the men lying there had been sick for 38 years.
When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he
asked him, Would you like to getwell in this question?
It cuts way deeper than surface level.
It's not just about physical healing, it's about the will to
(04:09):
be changed. Some people say that they want
to be free, but they keep going back to the same chains and pray
for healing, but they don't wantthat responsibility that comes
with a new life. Jesus asks.
Because healing isn't about the removal of pain.
It's about the surrender of control.
(04:32):
Do you really want to be made new?
Because if you say yes, he's notjust going to patch you up.
He's not going to slap a Band-Aid on you, turning around
and send you out the door. He's going to transform you.
The inside, the outside. He's gonna change you.
The third question. You have to picture this.
(04:53):
It's night time. We're on the Sea of Galilee on
this boat. Wind is howling.
Waves are crashing against the boat.
Water sprang into the faces of the disciples.
You've seen those crazy fishing shows?
Maybe they shout over the storm and they're panicking, the
freaking out and Jesus is at thestern of the boat and he's
(05:13):
asleep. They shake him awake and their
voices are trembling. Don't you even care if we drown?
Mark chapter 4, verse 39 and 40.This is what it says.
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
Silence be still. Suddenly the wind stopped and
(05:35):
there was a great calm. Then he asked them, Why are you
afraid? Do you still have no faith the
storm was real? The danger was real, but so is
the fact that Jesus is in the boat with them.
Fear thrives when we forget who's with us.
(05:57):
It grows when we believe the storm has more power than the
one who commands it. Why are you afraid?
Isn't a scolding, it's an invitation.
It's Jesus reminding you I'm here.
I'm greater than this, trust me.When fear grips you, ask
(06:17):
yourself, is this fear telling me the truth, or is it drowning
out the truth? I know in Christ Jesus.
And the disciples, they're on this road out of Jericho.
It's dusty, it's loud. And this blind beggar named
(06:38):
Bartimaeus, here's that Jesus ispassing by and he would have
heard the stories and such and the healings and the miracles
that have been happening. And he begins shouting, Son of
David, have mercy on me. The crowd tries to silence him,
but he shouts louder. Son of David, have mercy on me.
Jesus stops and calls him over and asks a question.
(07:03):
Mark chapter 10 verse 31 or sorry verse 51 says this.
What do you want me to do for you?
Jesus asked my rabbi. The blind man said I want to
see. Jesus could see.
The man was blind, but he still asks.
(07:24):
Why does he ask? Because faith must be spoken.
When you bring your needs to Jesus, you're not just informing
Him of something that He doesn'talready know.
You're declaring your trust in Him to do something about it.
So you know Jesus asked you right now, what do you want me
(07:46):
to do for you? What would you say?
Would you have the courage to speak it out loud?
Faith isn't afraid to be specific, and faith isn't shy
about coming boldly to the throne of grace.
The last question we're going tolook at we find in John chapter
21, verses 15 and 17. On the shores of Galilee, the
(08:11):
smell of grilled fish and bread probably fills the air.
Here. The morning sun is glinting off
the waves. The disciples are gathered
around a fire eating breakfast with the risen Jesus.
And this is important. This is after the crucifixion.
He is risen and he's sitting eating breakfast, and he turns
to Peter, the Peter who denied him, and ask your question.
(08:39):
And this is what it says. John chapter 21, verses 15
through 17. After breakfast, Jesus asked
Simon Peter. Simon, son of John, do you love
me more than these? Yes, Lord, Peter replied.
You know I love you. Then feed my lambs, Jesus told
(09:00):
him. Jesus repeated the question.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
Yes, Lord, Peter said. You know I love you.
Then take care of my sheep, Jesus said 1/3 time he asked
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
(09:23):
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question.
The third time, he said, Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you, Jesus said.
Then feed my sheep. Peter's denial of Jesus had been
a deep wound. Now the risen Lord meets him
(09:45):
with restoration, not condemnation.
That is huge. But notice Jesus ties love to
action. If you love me, care for my
people. Love isn't measured by emotion,
it's measured by obedience. And he's still asking the
question today. Do you love me?
(10:07):
If the answer is yes, your life will show it.
And how you serve, how you forgive, and how you lead others
towards Him. 5 questions, five moments in Scripture.
And here's the thing. They're not just history
lessons, they're invitations. One.
(10:28):
Who do you say I am 2. Do you want to be healed 3.
Why are you so afraid 4 What do you want me to do for you in
five? Do you love me?
If you really listen, you'll notice that each of these
questions points to a choice. They're not about trivia.
It's not Jeopardy. They're about transformation.
(10:52):
And today, the same Jesus who asked them then is asking you
now. Thank you so much for joining me
today on this milestone episode 40 of the Wooden Cricket
Podcast. I can't tell you how much it
means that you choose to spend atiny part of your day here with
me, opening God's Word together,sitting with the words of Jesus,
(11:13):
letting his questions sink deep in our hearts.
If today's message spoke to you,if even one of these questions
stirred something in your soul of wonder, encourage you.
Don't just listen and move on. Take time today to answer Jesus
honestly. Sit with Him in prayer.
Let His words shape your decisions, your priorities, your
(11:33):
relationships, and your walk with Him.
And I'm so sorry that you could probably hear my dishwasher in
the background. And if this podcast is helping
you draw closer to Jesus, I'd beso grateful if you'd subscribe,
never miss an episode, and even more share it with someone.
You never know what a simple actlike sending a little link could
(11:54):
do in someone's life. It could be a spark that helps
point them towards a Savior. My prayers that you walk away
from today not only encouraged, but challenged.
Challenged to live a life that answers Jesus's questions with
your actions, not just your words.
Me. Find healing where you've been
wounded, courage where you've been afraid, clarity where
(12:17):
you've been uncertain, and a deeper love for Jesus than
you've ever known. Remember, Jesus is still asking
and He's still listening. So go into today with your eyes
fixed on Him, your heart surrendered to Him, and your
hands ready to serve Him. Have a blessed day.
(12:39):
And Lord willing, we'll meet here again tomorrow for another
journey through the Word. And until then, keep your face
straw, keep your hope alive, andkeep your heart close to Jesus.
This has been Lawrence on the 40th episode of the Woody
Cricket podcast Peace.
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