By Shawn Dean
There are many words that describe or that we ascribe to Jesus—love, holy, redeemer, provider, savior, healer, long suffering, king, miraculous, righteous, powerful, counselor, etc. There are fruits of the spirit that because of our relationship with Him should at least partially define a believer. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, to name a few. The adjective boring is missing from the list.
The three years or so the twelve disciples spent with Jesus were full of incredible stories. We read only a hint of what they saw as is revealed in John 21:25, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” Approximately 1,095 days they spent with Jesus. I’m sure some theologian somewhere would argue this, but I’m just going to step out on a limb and say that they didn’t sit around looking for something to do.
The gospels are a condensed historical account of the ministry of Jesus. If everything were written in detail, it would be 1,095 days of action-packed, ridiculously insane demonstrations of heaven coming to earth in the form of love. We know a little bit about healings, deliverance, miracles, words of knowledge and prophecy. I’d venture to say that the apostles could tell stories about what they dreamt in that time period that would keep us mesmerized for months.
The feeling that Peter must have had when he went back to fishing after those three years had to have been sobering. The dispersed apostles and followers must have wondered what could possibly fill their days that would make any sense whatsoever. How do you go back to work after something like that? Catching fish and mending nets—really?
When God almighty decided it was time to show the world who He was, I doubt He was interested in movie night at the park. There were no wasted days. The day of rest had passed—or it might be more theologically sound to say that the day of rest had come. Whatever. It was ON and the kingdom of darkness knew it. They crashed into one another and the world got up-close exposure to the divine.
The people cut a hole in the roof of a house to lower their friend to Him. They traveled and camped and skipped work and funerals and weddings. They missed meals, baths, and gave up life itself to see Life itself. Thousands of people followed Him around—thousands—for three years. They got their money’s worth too. They had some stories to tell, enough stories to fill the books that could fill the world.
Those stories didn’t die with Christ. The apostles had some too. They even wrote them down and put them in a book called Acts. This so we would see that the future holds a continuation of those stores. Christ Himself speaking to us an enormous hope, “….the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to the Father” (John 14:12).
When He says “these,” which ones are these? If the answer to the question includes the miraculous, then the answer has a destination. If it doesn’t, then it also has a destination. The destination has stories to tell and it will, in the end, tell of our story.
Know the answer to this, prove the answer to this—Am I endued with power from on high?
Jesus isn’t boring. Church can be, but Jesus isn’t. Wherever He is, it’s not boring. Whenever and wherever He sends you, there will be a story. That story will add to the others and our lives should become a book of stories of how He, Jesus, takes a nobody and uses him or her to demonstrate the miraculous love of the Father.
If you’re going to be a story, don’t be a boring one.
Shawn Dean is Regional Sales Manager for Airflo Sales, Inc., located in Ridgeland, MS. He and his wife, Laura Beth, have three children, Isabelle, Ann Mabry, and Mary Frances. They live in Madison.
