The Bible is largely comprised of stories. What role do stories play in our lives? How can stories change us? Why does God’s word to us come in the form of stories rather than propositions? These are questions that Dan Kent addresses in this sermon.
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• Dan Kent
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Dan Kent opens our new series which we are calling “Reel to Real.” Each sermon will highlight a movie which tells a story that reiterates the gospel story. In this first sermon, Dan speaks to why stories are such a powerful way to convey what the Bible has to say.
First, it is important to recognize that the Bible is comprised of stories. God could have revealed himself through a theology textbook. God’s word to us could have taken the form of a dictionary where we could look up a topic and find divine answers. But that is not how the Bible works. Why is that?
One reason for this is that stories are much easier to remember than a list of facts. They tap into our imagination, and we are able to retell them easily. We might not be able to recite the Ten Commandments, but we can tell a story that is connected to those commandments. Another reason is that stories circumvent our defenses. We find this in the story of David with the prophet Nathan. God sent Nathan to David to confront him about David’s sin with Bathsheba. Instead of taking a direct approach that would have overtly challenged David, he told a story that subverted David’s defenses and caught him off guard.
The stories that are told through modern-day movies can do the same thing. They can help us recognize our trauma, our unhealed wounds, and our hidden sorrows. They provide opportunities for us to confront them, process them and maybe even heal. Stories work in ways that propositions and principles cannot.
We are shaped by the stories we have encountered and lived. Our character—who we are when no one is looking—is the compilation of the stories that have touched us. We are what we have done and what we do. Dan invites us to ask: What stories do we each summarize?
These stories are both good and bad. With this in mind, it is important to note that every bad story is a potential redemption story, and there’s no story better than that. The Bible overflows with them. Moses, David, Peter and Paul all are part of stories that bank upon God’s redemptive work. God brings good out of the bad.
We are all a part of a story, even if we do not see it. We might think that following God is about getting the facts right, but the reality is that God meets us in our stories. We are part of God’s big story. However, if we do not consciously commit to it, we will inherit whatever story the culture offers. Our lives will tell the meaningless stories of materialism, the pursuit of power and the clamoring for possessions.
One way that we live into God’s big story is through telling our testimonies. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:2, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.” Your story matters. God is at work in and around you and talking about that will carve out new paths for new stories. In the same way, listening to the stories of others will open your eyes to God’s big story. We are living God’s story alongside each other as we learn to love together.
Therefore, ask yourself: what story does your life summarize? Open your mind to the prompting of God’s presence as you think on this question.
Hide Extended SummaryTopics: Imagination, Repentance, Transformation
Sermon Series: Reel to Real
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The MuseCast: August 4
Focus Scripture:
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Revelation 12:11
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...
