Declare the Wonder

By John Johnson (US Ambassador for NLWI)

(Editor’s Note: This is an article written by one of our Next Level Worship International Ambassadors and Lead Team from all around the world. This article was written by John Johnson, one of our US Ambassadors for Next Level Worship International. Thank you for contributing to our blog!)

My name is John Johnson, founder of www.hisinstrumentsofworship.com, presenting “Declare the Wonder” utilizing the letter “I”.  We are looking at the word “interruptible”.  Jesus is interruptible.

To interrupt means to stop someone engaged in an activity by saying or doing something.  I know of several instances when a person interrupted another person, and it was not received well.  To interrupt someone while they are teaching a multitude or while they’re engaged in an activity can be considered rude or inconsiderate!

Respond to People

What I have marveled at in some instances with Jesus, how He responded -not reacted- to people who interrupted Him.  He was kind, gracious and eager to help, willing to abandon what He was doing to assist them.  For instance, in Matthew 8:5-13, Jesus had just entered the town of Capernaum when He was interrupted by a centurion (a Roman soldier).  Though He was interrupted, Jesus was willing to go to the centurion’s house to heal his servant.  However, the centurion told Him it wasn’t necessary to go to his house, because he believed that Jesus could just speak, and it would be done.  Jesus marveled at his faith.  The servant was healed.

Interruptions were opportunities for Jesus to show forth the glory of God.

Another instance was recorded in Matthew 23, where Jesus is with His disciples in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus was fast asleep.  Meanwhile, there was a great storm, and the waves were rising high, and water was getting into the boat.  The disciples were anxious and afraid for their lives.  This must have been a terrible storm, because most of those men made their living fishing on such waters.  They woke Jesus up and asked Him if He cared about their lives.  He then rebuked them for their lack of faith and calmed the storm.  

Jesus Used Interruptions to Bring God Glory

Interruptions were opportunities for Jesus to show forth the glory of God.  In the story of Mark 2:1-12, the story is told about Jesus, teaching to a houseful of people, when suddenly the roof is removed, and a paralyzed man is lowered into the house in front of Him.  Jesus doesn’t see this as a rude interruption.  Instead, He sees the faith of the paralyzed man’s friends, who somehow get this man up on the roof, take the roof apart, then lower him into the room where Jesus is teaching.   

Do we see interruptions in life as irritations, or can we see them as glorious opportunities for the life and power of God to be revealed?

John Johnson was born and raised in New Mexico. He attended Eastern New Mexico University on a vocal scholarship. Having taught choir and guitar in the public school for 5 years, John then went into full-time ministry, being ordained in St. Louis as a worship leader and pastor of New Covenant Church from 1982-1994. While there, he co-founded Dayspring School of the Arts, which now has over 1000 students. During his years in St. Louis, he also taught worship seminars., training worship leaders and worship teams in the U.S. and the U.K.

John currently serves as head of the worship leadership division of Visible Music College in Memphis, TN, as well as offering his unique talent and wisdom to churches across the world. He also serves as a US Ambassador for Next Level Worship International. He and his wife Martha have been married since 1972 and have four grown children and twelve grandchildren.

For more information, check out his website at www.hisinstrumentsofworship.com