Consider the Marvelous Men: YOU Can Be Marvelous, Too!

Wanna Be Marvelous? It doesn’t always have to happen by the world’s standards, but it can happen nonetheless… Luke wrote about a couple of guys who prove that point: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 KJV)

marvelous

Have you ever been marveled at? In our culture, we think people are “marvelous” for all kinds of reasons, and most of those reasons are shallow and temporary. You wouldn’t think that a couple of grubby fishermen would be marvelous, but it happened…

Unlikely Candidates

Peter and John were fishermen by trade, and held no advanced theological degrees or education. By all rights they should have returned to Galilee after Jesus’ crucifixion and gone back to their vocation, finding good spots and hauling up nets full of fish. Yet within days of the crucifixion, they were in the religious and cultural center of Judea, way out of their depth both politically and socially. You might say that if they didn’t Just “fall off of no turnip truck”, it was because they rode it all the way into town!

They didn’t belong in the Temple anymore than a rube from the country belongs on the red carpet at the Academy Awards. Yet, in Jerusalem, they boldly proclaimed the gospel without fear or hesitation! Peter preached a sermon that rocked the Temple. Thousands of people responded to their message that Jesus was the Son of God.

The Sanhedrin, who were the religious leaders and seminary graduates, was alarmed by their success and took counsel about how to stop this surprising movement. Luke says that these learned religious power brokers marveled at the powerful preaching from “unlearned and ignorant men”. They thought Peter and John were, yes, marvelous.

marvelous

What made Peter and John so amazing? Their speech was rough and they spoke with Galilean accents that identified them as hicks from the sticks. What made them “marvelous” to the learned Rabbis of the day, who surely looked down upon these two raw preachers with an air of superiority and surprise? Peter and John hadn’t been to seminary, and they weren’t clergymen or trained experts in evangelism. They weren’t even Junior College graduates. They were unlearned and ignorant, yet they were changing the world. Their common denominator is one that YOU also share. Wanna be marvelous? Spend time with Jesus.

Marvelous Men

Peter and John had never been to college,
Yet they astounded people with their knowledge.
No seminary, no advanced degrees,
But they contended with the Pharisees.
The only thing about them folks could tell
Was that their Rabbi taught them really well;
They had no other formal education,
And fishing was their background and vocation,
But they were marvelous. As ignorant men,
Uneducated by the standards then,
They may have seemed to be a bit too rough,
But they had been with Jesus. That’s enough.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

“You Will Do Greater Works Than These.” Jesus said WHAT ?!

Jesus makes an astounding assertion in the Book of John that you and I should think about. After all, the assertion he makes is about US, about anyone who follows him. He actually says those who follow him, will do greater works than He did. Here’s his statement:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” (John 14:12, NKJV) This is a pretty astounding claim. John had previously said that Jesus did “whatever the Father does” (John 5:19) and Mark 7:37 says that he did “all things well”. Yet, here Jesus promises that whoever believes in him will do even greater works.

No Small Claim

Say WHAT? What did Jesus mean when he said that? Does Jesus mean that all believers will go around healing the sick and raising the dead? Are we supposed to perform miracles and feed 5,000 with a few fish and some loaves? If we try to apply those standards to our Christian life, we could end up feeling inadequate and defeated. I’m not going to rule out the possibility of miracles, because I do believe God can do whatever He wills—and He can do it through whosoever He chooses.

Go read some more in the Book of Acts. Remember Acts 4:13, where the Pharisees were astounded at ignorant, unlearned men like Peter and John? In verse 16 they said, “What are we going to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.” The word sign means “miracle”, and I would submit that they are still happening today. The world we live in is filled with darkness, selfishness and pride. It harbors injustice and murder, anger and violent revenge… So where are these miracles today?

Don’t miss the Little, Looking for the Big

Every heart changed by faith is a miracle. Every life devoted to love is a miracle. We are still in the age of miracles, and while God is still greater than time and space, I also believe He works in small, personal miracles as well. Human nature tends to focus on the “great things” as determined by our culture and our values. Jesus taught that most of those values have no real relevance in the Kingdom of Heaven.

So just how are we going to do greater works than Jesus did? I did want to take a stab at what these “greater works” could possibly be, because Jesus said that if you believe in him, you have amazing potential. He says that the Holy Spirit will empower us to do things that he himself did not do.

greater work

There are opportunities we have as followers in which Jesus did not (or did not choose to) participate. Consider: When you present the gospel to a non-believer, it is a Greater work. When that person decides to follow Christ—it is a Greater work. If you join in harmony with fellow believers as the Church—it is a Greater work. When you raise a child in a Christian home—it is a Greater work. When you help the least of these in His name, then, yep, you have done it again.

Perhaps the smallest and least recognized act of service you do on earth will plant seeds that lead to fields of fruitful grain in the Kingdom. Heaven’s economy is different than ours, and it places value on many things that seem humble to us. Open your heart to the Spirit. Believe. Be humbler. Be greater.

Greater Works

Jesus said, “I do the things My Father asks me to;
But if you follow me, then there are greater things you’ll do.
Your actions, whether large and small, are miracles all the same–
The things you do in love, or do because you bear my name–
Random acts of service, and the things which no one sees
Are greater works in heaven. When you serve the least of these,
You are doing greater works; and you are serving me.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Heroes of the Faith Are Astonishing! (And YOU Might be One of Them!)

Here’s a word I bet you haven’t used lately. What makes something astonishing? Have you been astonished lately? Or have you been astonishing? As we have walked through the Bible book by book, we can pause to remember that the Gospels contain some astonishing stories, like these from Matthew:
“Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:22-23, NIV)

“When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching.” (Matthew 22:33, NIV)

Jesus did some things that were astonishing to everyone around him. Crowds gathered around him and followed after him to see what he would do. Before there were paparazzi, there were people from all walks of life hanging around Jesus, waiting to see what would happen. There were miracles everyone wanted to see and sermons everyone wanted to hear.

Just a Few Samples

I think of the four guys who carried their friend on a pallet and then broke through the roof to get him close to Jesus. They were hoping he would do something astonishing!

I think of blind Bartimaeus standing at the edge of the crowd shouting out, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” He paid no attention to those trying to shush him. He wanted Jesus to do something astonishing.

I think of Lazarus walking forth from a tomb, still wrapped in grave-clothes, blinking in the sunlight as disbelieving observers tried to process what had just happened…

These events highlight the fact that Jesus was different. After all, Jesus was the Son of God, and it was natural that he do amazing things. He had power and connection to his Father that gave him access to miraculous possibilities. That makes sense, but as we arrive here in the Book of Acts, how do you explain this verse? “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NIV)

astonishing men

A Few Good Men

I love to point out (along with Dr. Luke) that Peter and John were unschooled, ordinary men, and yet they astonished those around them. Now, what on earth made them able to do that? The Bible doesn’t say that the people around them were astonished and took note that they had been to seminary. Observers didn’t note that they were busy at church, held official religious positions, or were even vocational pastors. What people noticed about unschooled and ordinary fishermen James and John was one thing: “they had been with Jesus.”

astonishing disciples

Hmmm, does that mean anything to you? You too have opportunity to be with Jesus every day. You can read his words, speak privately with him, and walk with him everywhere. Take note: go be with Jesus. Then go be astonishing!

The Secret Ingredient

If only I’d been with Jesus, maybe seen him in the flesh,
My walk would be dynamic! And my writing would be ‘fresh’!
If only I had heard him talk, or ever seen him heal,
My faith would be amazing, and I’d walk with him for REAL.
If I had only seen him laugh, or watched him preach the word,
Then I would recollect for sure the wisdom I had heard…

Well… if you want to walk with Jesus, there is still a way
To see his life and hear him preach a sermon every day.
Just take your Bible, open it to Matthew–take a look–
The things that Jesus said and did are written in that Book!
You might think that only the Apostles had the power,
But when’s the last time you just sat with Jesus for an hour?
Please don’t be offended, understand I’m not admonishing–
But just go be with Jesus. Then: just go and be astonishing.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread