by Matthew Peterson
Jesus the Good Shepherd was a master story-teller and a man of mystery. From His original invitation to His disciples, where in only a hand full of words He convinced men to leave everything and follow Him, to His teachings and answers to the questions of the Pharisees, Jesus would leave individuals and audiences spellbound, scratching their heads, angry, or wanting more of His unfinished thoughts and compelling sayings. Included in His teaching ministry, the gospels record 40 unique parables or stories, often describing parallels of the Kingdom that spawned more questions than providing answers. Even the disciples of Jesus are often seen asking Him privately after His talks – “what did that mean?”
Apparently, the talks of Christ were not intended to show off His speaking gift or give them information, but rather to stir hunger and a heart response. The results of His words were that people began following Him, seeking to hear more and experience more of His power. Since Jesus is the most effective, loving, articulate and inspiring person to ever walk the planet, as a Pastor, I’m rethinking my speaking philosophy. I’m not nearly as effective as Jesus, yet I present full-course messages replete with scripture and examples that lead people on a 45 minute journey to provide answers to questions along with a safely landed conclusion that reinforces my main point. Jesus does none of that. Reading Jesus makes me wonder if our styles have removed the element of mystery that stirs the kind of hunger which compels listeners to seek for more and find God for themselves, rather than force-feeding already satiated diners.
God is the originator of mystery, revealing His mysteries to those who seek Him. Without the crucial element of mystery in any relationship (both with God and one another), our lives and Christianity become predictable and boring. Knowing and experiencing the God of the Universe should be anything but boring. Our message to a lost world should also be packed with mystery and hope, not full of Christian cliché’s.
What if we as teachers and speakers, used our creativity as sons and daughters of the Creator Himself to inspire those we share with (believers and non-believers) with contagious and relevant stories that purposely don’t provide all of the answers, but leave our audience stewing in their juices, wanting more? What if instead of providing full course meals in our talks, we told unique stories that gave glimpses into the supernatural kingdom, initiating a spiritual journey for the listener?