A story to tell

Stories are powerful. They speak to our hearts, capture our imaginations and etch their way into our memories. Characters and experiences of others are often relatable, and we like to identify with different players. I love the story of ‘the Hobbit’ as it is such a classic tale of adventure, discovery and the recovery of lost treasure. I identify with the hobbits as the reluctant adventurers; the little, homely, furry people who have big feet and value true friendship and good food. I love the story behind it too, of a young, creative and imaginative JR Tolkien in a war torn England in the early 20th Century.

Any social movement relies on story to convey history, meaning, value, direction, priorities and hopes for the future. Christianity is no different. As Christians we have a story to tell; God’s story as written in the bible, that indeed is a message of good news, real life and a hope that reaches beyond the grave. We have a story that sounds almost like a fairy tale, except that it is true, and it has the potential to touch our hearts and change our lives in such a profound way. It is a story of a loving father who gave his only son to us, here on earth, that he might know what it is to be fully human and yet remain fully God, and that we might know what it is to be fully alive, to come back into relationship with the Father God, and to find meaning and purpose on earth. He came to overcome the evil one and the grave; to bring life everlasting that is accessible for every human soul.

Really??

Yes, Really! It almost sounds a bit like the Hobbit!! The past story has been written by the many generations that have gone before us (including JR Tolkien) and we are a little like the little hobbits sitting with the invitation of a great wizard. We are invited to be part of the story as it moves forwards from here. It’s a little like ‘choose your own adventure’. If this idea is new to you, or you are not sure about what is written in the bible, can I encourage you to work out what this might mean for you - to wrestle with the truth of the Christian message, and to maybe do an Alpha course - online or at a local church.

If the story of Jesus isn’t enough to get our attention, Jesus, himself, used stories to convey messages and truths; stories that the disciples at times didn’t understand. He talked a lot about the kingdom of God, in a time when the ordinary everyday people were looking for someone to overthrow the Roman rule, which was quite oppressive. Jesus talked about seeds falling on different soils (Matt 13:1-23), A good Samaritans caring for an injured traveller (Luke 10: 25 – 37), and wedding parties where people were too busy to attend (Matt 22:1 – 14). He told stories about old and new wineskins (Matt 9: 14 – 17), workers in the vineyard Matt 20 : 1 – 17), lost sheep lost coins and lost sons (Luke 15: 1 – 32). His stories conveyed ideas that were at times offensive and only partially understood by most who heard them, but like any good story, as they sit in our minds and we revisit them, they come to have greater depth of meaning and they explain how life is in ‘the kingdom of God.’

Matthew 13: 10 – 13

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;     though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”

Matthew 13:34 - 35

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[

Matthew 13:44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

It all sounds a little mysterious! I love these last two little parables, as they do, indeed, paint pictures of pearls and treasures and things that bring great joy and life and hope and meaning. The Kingdom of God is hidden, though. It is to be sought out, chased after, reached for, prayed for, and even paid for…. Jesus paid for it with his very life, that we might be able to come to the father; to really know Him. This is not some fairy tale, but a reality for all of us, today. Jesus died for you personally and he died willingly for me.

I attended a baptism a couple of days ago – a friend told her story of chasing after control in her life -she thought she could have it all, so she consulted psychics, tarot cards, and angel cards, but she only found misery and addictions, and she lost her husband in the process. Jesus came that we might have life and life abundantly (John 10:10). The passion translation says “But I have come to give you everything in abundance,] more than you expect—life in its fullness until you overflow!” I kind of like the idea of this! The kingdom of God is within – it is the work of the Holy Spirit – who brings light and life and truth and joy and identity. To quote Nicky Gumbel in the Alpha course, He changes everything and yet he changes nothing. It is something so very personal and individual and yet is also something that we so rightly need to share with others. And so it is shared best with stories; our life stories, Jesus’ stories and the whole story of the bible. Let the Kingdom come.