We all have a story to tell. It's in our nature. God created the world with His powerful Word, and He made us co-creators in a world full of raw materials that only He could create. And while great monuments have been erected to the adventures and exploits of humankind, they are simply markers for something deeper. They point to a story that must be told, and stand as a reminder that some stories should never be forgotten.
Our scriptures, the Bible, stands head and shoulders above all other historical documents and artifacts as a testament to God's work in our world. Just under 43% of the entire text is considered narrative, with the rest of the documents and genres supporting that narrative, fleshing it out, giving it life through rich detail. It is often referred to as the "Greatest Story Ever Told," and its central figure is the One we call Savior and Lord. St. Augustine, one of the forebears of and greatest influences on Dr. Martin Luther, once said, "The New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New." Every bit of the Bible story points toward Jesus, the Word made flesh. The One who makes every story come alive through redemption, through resurrection in the wake of a death.
God's word has a story to tell. So do you. Jesus loved to tell stories, and if we are going to follow in His footsteps, then telling stories should be something we embrace and aim to master. Now, I could imagine a simple objection that many of you may give to this crucial encouragement and even command from Jesus to tell the Good News story: "I'm not good at telling stories." I beg to differ. EVERYONE has a story to tell. Just ask them what they did throughout the day. For the past week. Ask them what their highlight was from the past year, or the biggest struggle they encountered.
Just about anyone who pays attention to their own life will be able to tell you a story. Like my favorite public intellectual Dr. Jordan Peterson likes to say, people are fascinating, and if you think they are boring, it reveals more about your lack of attention to them than it does about how fascinating they are. The stories you tell may not be as grand or deep as the biblical narrative, but they are stories nonetheless, and they have a place in the tapestry of history. Then again, I'll bet you could come up with 10 moments in the history of your life that would be worthwhile to craft well, share, and retell throughout the years as you gain the insight that a well-examined life often provides. Yes, YOU have a story to tell.
The apostle John starts his gospel out with Jesus' place in the beginning of all things. He calls Him the Word. Before the first chapter is done, he places that creative Word, the character of the Logos, embodied by Jesus Christ, into the warp and weft of human history. Now THAT is a story to tell. What does this Word Incarnate do? Apart from the miraculous healings and feedings, apart from the central episode in human history, when he died and rose, Jesus told stories. Stories. Most of them could be simply understood by a small child. The depth of insight below that surface level hearing, however, reaches straight down to the substructure and foundation of history, philosophy, theology, and every other aspect of human civilization.
So what part is Jesus calling you and I to play in this grand narrative? I don't know, but I'm excited to find out! Literature teachers will tell you that every protagonist is the hero of his or her own story, whether they end up in a place of comedy or tragedy. God has a story for you to live, to tell. He is working powerfully in your life even now, if you have the eyes to see it. By virtue of your baptism, as a child of the King of all things, YOU have a story to tell. So go tell it. And you know how these things go. One good story often leads to another, then to another, all the way to Kingdom come. I believe that one of the most beautiful and important things we can do in this lifetime is to live out and SHARE the truth and beauty of the following statement:
Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron