“Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”~ Luke 18:9-14
The more we read the Bible in terms of stories, the more we discover how important storytelling is for us today. The church has a long tradition of storytelling (we often call it testimony), but we can quickly lose sight of that.
Sometimes we must understand that biblical doctrine is the most important thing to discuss. We listen to doctrinal sermons and talk about doctrine in our Bible classes. Biblical doctrines are crucial since our stories will quickly wander off-track without them. But the doctrines of the Bible are only the backdrop against which the real action takes place. The Master Storyteller is weaving our lives into his story of making all things new.
When you worship with fellow Christians, you’re not just attending a meeting; you’re telling stories. As Scripture is read, you’re recounting the story of what God has done, and as its teachings are applied, you’re setting the stage for the next chapter in God’s story. Also, as believers share in conversation, they fill each other in on the past week’s development in the story God created in their lives. Family conversations over dinner can and should testify to God’s actions that day. We can easily miss this at times, turning our sermons into lectures and our discussions into mere small talk.
The Methodist story is our story, also! We are a people dedicated to seeing lives transformed by the message of Jesus. We are a people that seek to be peacemakers and foot washers in a world full of anger and pride. We are generous people who “give all we can.” Let us be thankful to be a part of this story and share it with everyone.
Journeying Together,
John
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