The Tough Sayings Of Jesus - II

Recently my friend Michael Kelley released, The Tough Sayings Of Jesus II for Threads Media, a division of Lifeway. I would encourage you to check out this Bible study series. Below is an interview that I conducted with Michael concerning Tough Sayings I and II.

You've done two studies on tough sayings from Jesus now. Why did you choose the particular eight in these studies?

Jesus obviously said more than 8 tough things in the Gospels. In fact, it seems like most of the stuff He said left people with more questions than answers. So it's a challenge do trim it down to eight. I tried to pick 8 that were personally meaningful to me. For example, the John 11 passage—the death of Lazarus—has meant a lot to our family in light of my 3-year-old's battle with leukemia.


In your opinion, what is the most controversial tough saying?

That's tough to say, mainly because Jesus was and remains controversial in general. However, I think it would probably be to me this passage from Matthew 15 where a lady asks Jesus to heal her daughter. Simple request, right? Nothing bad about that, right? It is after all a sick child in question. But before healing the child, Jesus essentially calls her mother a dog. Interesting...


What do you feel like you learned in the process of writing this study? Anything new stand out to you?

To return to the John 11 passage, I think we often get in a hurry to get to the good part of the story. We want to see Jesus exercise His power over death and raise Lazarus. But we get there in such a hurry that we forget that by His intentional period of waiting Jesus at best allowed the death to occur, and at worst, caused it. He goes so far as telling His disciples that He's glad Lazarus is dead. But then He actually weeps over the situation, the same situation He had control over from the very beginning. In that I believe we catch a glimpse of the emotional complexity of who God is. And we don't often think of God as being that emotional.


Are there any ways that this study is unique?

I believe the subject matter is unique. I tried to write in a way that was engaging and conversational, but unapologetically asking difficult questions about life and faith. So hopefully, each session isn't like a sitcom where at the end there is a neat little bow tying up all the loose ends. Hopefully, the study encourages the process of asking questions and through that struggle walking more deeply with Jesus.

On another front, some unique stuff about it is that each study has an accompanying leader kit with audio and video elements to help supplement the study.


Between Tough Sayings I and II is there a particular saying of Jesus you find particularly challenging to you personally?

The first session of the first book deals with the story of the rich young ruler. I continue to find that passage a struggle to cope with, and it's not just because Jesus seems to contradict that salvation is by faith, and not by works. I mean, here was a situation tailor-made for Jesus to walk the Roman Road and give this guy 4 spiritual laws to live by, but instead, Jesus gives him one more thing to do. I find it challenging also because it is a reminder that so many things compete to define us as people, and Jesus doesn't want a faith from us that is supplementary. He wants a defining faith, a Christianity that is THE essential element of who we are.


What do you think is a common misconception of the parable of the shrewd manager?

I think when you look at it, it's notoriously difficult to stomach that Jesus was actually commending a guy that was shady in his business dealings and seemed to lack any real character. That's certainly not the Jesus that I am comfortable with. So it would be easier to look for the good in this character, to try and justify Jesus' commendation, saying that we are reading the story wrong, or that maybe he wasn't as bad of a person as he seems to be. But I think he was that deceptive and underhanded. To me, the key is to isolate exactly what Jesus is commending and then try and find how that principle works into the lives of believers.


Is there a Tough Sayings III in the works? If not, what are you working on that we should be looking out for?

Not right now there's not. Maybe there will be. I'm actually working on a book deal that will take the 8 tough sayings from Bible study format and place them into a more traditional book format. I've also been writing some about our family's struggle with leukemia, putting together some thoughts about faith and walking with Jesus in light of that, so who knows? Maybe soon...
Why did you create these two different studies?


What are you hoping to accomplish with these studies? (Beyond making millions in royalties)

Oh, you said beyond making millions in royalties...

I really hope these studies will encourage people that faith is an all-encompassing endeavor, one that includes the intellectual, emotional, and physical faculties as well as the spiritual. I think a huge way that kind of faith is developed is through being willing to journey into these difficult places.


I noticed that II comes with DVD’s? How do those serve the study?

Actually both studies come with a DVD, and in both cases, the videos on there are meant to inspire discussion in a small group setting. The second volume in particular uses the videos to isolate a key question raised in the study, and to start the conversation surrounding that key question.

You can find both studies here (I) and here (II).