Stories to Tell

 

Stories to Tell

 

This Bible passage refers to events on the same day the women found the empty tomb.

Two people walking down the road, talking about what had happened.

I wonder what it was like.

Being with Jesus

Seeing the crucifixion

The empty tomb

The wondering

What happened to the body

What now???

 

….

 

I love stories, well I love good stories, stories can be a powerful way of helping us to see truth and beauty, love and grace.

 

Something about stories I should mention; just because they are called stories doesn’t mean they are made up.  Also, because we see and experience life differently, our stories will be different; that is OK, each of us will bring something different to the conversation.

 

We are people of story. while the Bible has lots of stories, there is also an overarching story.  There are stories that tell us of something of God's interaction with the world, and how people have interpreted the world around them. There are stories from prehistory of creation and ark; there are stories of war, famine, exile, return; there are poems, speeches, letters, and a travelogue or two. 

 

There is also an overarching story, a story of a God who is involved with all of creation, a God who loves so much, that God will become human to show us how much we are loved.

 

Through this story, we are connected to people through many generations and around the world, people who have heard and told and retold and lived these stories. Stories transcend time and space, yet we read them in our particular time and place.

 

We each have a story, stories that tell about our birth, our family, our culture, our faith. This congregation also has its own story, probably more than one story; stories that tell of how this congregation came into being, of how different people have joined this congregation; of how and why people have left this congregation; of the various ministries of the congregation, past and present.

 

Part of what we do each time we gather together as a community of faith, when we come together to worship, and in other ways, part of what we do is to remember who we are in God's eyes. We again hear the stories of our faith, the stories written in the Bible, and also stories of our life together, stories of how God is still speaking to people today, of how God is still interacting in our lives today.

 

In the Easter address by the Moderator, Simon talks of the gospel story that helps us make sense of the world, of pain, and brokenness, and suffering and struggle, and joy and hope.

 

Around Anzac Day we hear stories, stories of mateship, and of the ones who did not come home; we hear of heroes, human and animal. We are now starting to hear the stories of those who return so damaged by war, by what they experienced, that they retreat to alcohol or drugs or die by suicide.  

 

In the video from Uniting World, we see how the gospel is life giving.

 

The stories I see in the media about Africa, Asia and the Pacific are not usually the inspiring stories we will see and hear this week as part of Seven Days of Solidarity.

 

It is the same locally, we hear of bad teenagers, but not those who study hard, work hard and are a delight to be around.

We hear of people born overseas, or with darker skin, who get into trouble with the Police, but we do not hear of the stories of all the people who look different to us, who work and love their family and pay their bills and are kind to their neighbours and patrol our beaches.

Because good news isn’t newsworthy.

 

We live in a society where people are labelled as “them”, as other, because of skin colour or ethnic background or the part of town people live or work in.

 

The stories we tell are powerful.

The stories we tell can wound or heal,
tear down or build up.

The stories we tell can harm or help,
inspire or lead to further despair.

What stories do we tell?
In our words and actions.

 

One thing I appreciate about the stories of Jesus is the way he weaves Scripture and life together. As Jesus walked with, and then ate with, the two travellers he spoke of Scripture and how it connected with what had happened. He connected their life at the time with Scripture in a way that helped them understand what was going on.

 

Can you see where the God story connects with your story?

Can you help someone else see where God has been active in their life?

To help someone see how the Gospel helps make sense of their life, of their struggle, their pain, their confusion.

 

We are people of the story,

the best story ever told,

a story of presence in the most difficult of circumstances

a story of life,

a story of hope,

a story of grace,

a story of peace offered,

sins forgiven,

life renewed.

 

We are people of story

The Bible includes stories of floods and droughts and wars and families and brothers that deceive and sisters swapped during a marriage ceremony and food shared.

Stories of plagues and illness
stories of healing

stories of real people living real lives

imperfect people, just like us.

The Bible is a full of stories, very human stories, stories of people interactions with God, and God’s interaction with people.

 

We have a story worth telling

a story of peace and hope and joy and love and grace

we have a story to tell,

a story about a God who creates and recreates

a story of a God who was born and lived and healed and taught and forgave

a story of a God who dwells within us, who sanctifies and inspires.

 

What story do you tell, with your words and tour actions.