Fragment #11
New International Version
Acts 4:13 – “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.”
This was the text of my first sermon for homiletics class in college. I was a wet behind the ears wanna be Luther. There were about 15 other guys sitting there with a pencil in hand and a critique sheet lying face up waiting to be marked up with mark downs for anything from forced hand gestures to poor hygiene. I was a nervous, green arm-pitted rookie staring down a VHS camera waiting to record my homily for further scrutiny and hyper-evaluation. I waited for the professor to announce my name and before I blacked out, I heard the obligatory clapping of my fellow preacher boys signaling that it was time for me to stand, move toward the makeshift pulpit, and start saying something that was worth listening to. I will never forget that morning. This passage has been burned into my memory ever since.
There’s just something hopeful about passages that unveil the glory of the underdog. The ones voted least likely to succeed in high school. The ones banished to the end of the bench. The ones picked last in dodge ball. The ones who didn’t have the golden sash of honor draped around their neck at graduation. I’ve always loved rooting for the underdog, the Cinderella team. It speaks a little to my background.
I grew up in a small town in upstate New York. My parents were first generation Christians handling the Scriptures like a hot potato due to their novice stature in Christendom. We grew up in less than average homes on, what I know now to be, a poverty income. (it’s funny, I never thought about that until I got older and realized what poverty income was…we were always well taken care of) I went to a Christian School and my graduating class was a whopping 3. I was the valedictorian of my class and I had a C+ average throughout high school. One of the guys got his GED so that narrowed down the competition for that coveted place of honor. I got an 18 on my SAT, which can be ascertained by simply filling in your name legibly. I was good at sports, but even that was suspect since boys were playing on the varsity in basketball and soccer at age 13. (I was one of them, I know.) I remember someone saying to me my senior year, “You might be able to play sports, but you’re not going to amount to anything in the real world once that’s over.” It’s funny how people know just what to say to confirm your worst fears at times.
I remember reading this passage and feeling like it was talking to me. I was pretty ordinary and highly uneducated. The Greek word for unschooled here is “idiotas”…I think you can figure out what that means. At times, I felt like an idiot. Especially as it related to intellect and public relations. I was a hermit my first year of college. I remember taking speech class and almost passing out during my first stab at a personal testimony. I was embarrassed and humiliated and vowed never to go into ministry. I just knew that I would never be able to speak in front of people without going into convulsions and retching on the floor. I remember the specific night God moved in my heart and confirmed to me that he would take care of that phobia if I would but lean into his plan for my life. The rest is history.
This passage has to be an anthem for the ordinary. Those who don’t feel like that have much to offer. But I’m struck with the reason for these guys transformation from cowardice to courage. “They noted that these men had been with Jesus.” This is why I fear so much for the state of the current church. People aren’t spending time with Jesus. They aren’t drawing away with him and letting his truth transform their phobias, hang-ups, and limitations. They aren’t putting their ear on his chest and listening for his heartbeat amidst the clamor and chaos of the daily grind. We can’t even hope for miracles lest we seek his face and soak in his heart. We will stay nervous idiots until we get with him in secret and let him wash away our will and replace it with his.
I’ve always wanted to model this verse for people who have given up hope that they could make a difference. Sometimes I don’t think people know where I came from and so they see me now and just assume I’ve always been like this. It’s not true. I was a shy, scared boy who hid behind sports to cover up my insecurity in other areas. It wasn’t until I started hanging out with Jesus that I saw my life undergo an overhaul for the better.
Aren’t you glad that God roots for the underdog?
Acts 4:13 – “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.”
This was the text of my first sermon for homiletics class in college. I was a wet behind the ears wanna be Luther. There were about 15 other guys sitting there with a pencil in hand and a critique sheet lying face up waiting to be marked up with mark downs for anything from forced hand gestures to poor hygiene. I was a nervous, green arm-pitted rookie staring down a VHS camera waiting to record my homily for further scrutiny and hyper-evaluation. I waited for the professor to announce my name and before I blacked out, I heard the obligatory clapping of my fellow preacher boys signaling that it was time for me to stand, move toward the makeshift pulpit, and start saying something that was worth listening to. I will never forget that morning. This passage has been burned into my memory ever since.
There’s just something hopeful about passages that unveil the glory of the underdog. The ones voted least likely to succeed in high school. The ones banished to the end of the bench. The ones picked last in dodge ball. The ones who didn’t have the golden sash of honor draped around their neck at graduation. I’ve always loved rooting for the underdog, the Cinderella team. It speaks a little to my background.
I grew up in a small town in upstate New York. My parents were first generation Christians handling the Scriptures like a hot potato due to their novice stature in Christendom. We grew up in less than average homes on, what I know now to be, a poverty income. (it’s funny, I never thought about that until I got older and realized what poverty income was…we were always well taken care of) I went to a Christian School and my graduating class was a whopping 3. I was the valedictorian of my class and I had a C+ average throughout high school. One of the guys got his GED so that narrowed down the competition for that coveted place of honor. I got an 18 on my SAT, which can be ascertained by simply filling in your name legibly. I was good at sports, but even that was suspect since boys were playing on the varsity in basketball and soccer at age 13. (I was one of them, I know.) I remember someone saying to me my senior year, “You might be able to play sports, but you’re not going to amount to anything in the real world once that’s over.” It’s funny how people know just what to say to confirm your worst fears at times.
I remember reading this passage and feeling like it was talking to me. I was pretty ordinary and highly uneducated. The Greek word for unschooled here is “idiotas”…I think you can figure out what that means. At times, I felt like an idiot. Especially as it related to intellect and public relations. I was a hermit my first year of college. I remember taking speech class and almost passing out during my first stab at a personal testimony. I was embarrassed and humiliated and vowed never to go into ministry. I just knew that I would never be able to speak in front of people without going into convulsions and retching on the floor. I remember the specific night God moved in my heart and confirmed to me that he would take care of that phobia if I would but lean into his plan for my life. The rest is history.
This passage has to be an anthem for the ordinary. Those who don’t feel like that have much to offer. But I’m struck with the reason for these guys transformation from cowardice to courage. “They noted that these men had been with Jesus.” This is why I fear so much for the state of the current church. People aren’t spending time with Jesus. They aren’t drawing away with him and letting his truth transform their phobias, hang-ups, and limitations. They aren’t putting their ear on his chest and listening for his heartbeat amidst the clamor and chaos of the daily grind. We can’t even hope for miracles lest we seek his face and soak in his heart. We will stay nervous idiots until we get with him in secret and let him wash away our will and replace it with his.
I’ve always wanted to model this verse for people who have given up hope that they could make a difference. Sometimes I don’t think people know where I came from and so they see me now and just assume I’ve always been like this. It’s not true. I was a shy, scared boy who hid behind sports to cover up my insecurity in other areas. It wasn’t until I started hanging out with Jesus that I saw my life undergo an overhaul for the better.
Aren’t you glad that God roots for the underdog?
Comments
i miss you and you are in my prayers.