Stories, Yet Again

SUN., APR. 2, 1989, 6:24 AM, CDT
FARM, STUDY

Over these years of Our time together I have told you repeatedly about the importance of stories as a way of communicating truth. The university, and even your field as a part, is much more committed to facts and data than to stories. Nevertheless, I reaffirm that “disembodied data” are no match for a provocative well told or well written story. And I want you to say this, in some way, this next week as you address the Survival class.

Your life is much more of a story than it is a set of data… names, dates, and places. Facts are important, but mainly to “flesh out” a story. The heart of any story may or may not be factual, and its “accuracy” has little relevance to its importance. Your culture almost demands such a correlation, but I reaffirm that such is of minor importance.

You just have been through “the Easter story.” The truth of this story is mystical rather than factual. Yet many American Christians would actually turn away from their religion if they were told, authoritatively, that the Scriptures are not accurate in their account of what really happened to Jesus. Yet who were “the people” who called for Barabbas rather than for Jesus? Did Pilate say only what the Scriptures record? Did I carry the cross or did Simon? Was My affirmation to the thief on the cross next to Mine an important theological statement about the after life or was it just a beautiful part of the story… or was it both?

I gave you a Teaching about “The Night,” which was about The Last Supper. Today, again, you and your fellow Presbyterians will reenact that supper in ritualistic fashion. The story will be more assumed than told. But don’t you wish you knew the whole story of what happened, who said what, the mood, the looks on faces? Yet the story could be told in several ways, and the conclusion is the same – My body was to be broken for you, and the blood of that body would be a new covenant between God and humans. I sacrificed My earth life that you might have everlasting spiritual life, with Me as God, as Jesus the Christ, and as the Holy Spirit.
7:06 / 7:10
That is a fine story!

Next could come the story of Pentecost and My “entrance” into the earth as Holy Spirit. Did this story represent accurately what really happened… or was it tamed just a bit, to make it more believable? Pentecost says that I am with you, helping you understand the mysteries of the faith. Pentecost says that I, the Holy Spirit, work in this earth in natural ways, natural as wind and fire are natural… but also spectacular. Pentecost says that there is a language beyond words in which spiritual truth can be expressed. What We do together this day was promised at Pentecost and is an example of what Pentecost means. You and I are a tiny part of this great Pentecost story. Never forget nor deny this.

If it is appropriate, have My servant Harry tell of attitudinal healing as a story… of a place and of people. Yesterday you heard a story of Nathan’s life, a life of service in many ways. He is physically dead, but the story of the way he lived life continues on… and that is as it should be.

I just must remind you, from time to time, to see your life as a story. The details are both important and unimportant. If you live long into retirement, as Nathan did, that shall be a story. Will you be as active, making it an action story to the very end? Or will the last years be quiet and rather uninvolved, as are those of your father? Or will your healthy life end in sickness and deterioration… and could you maintain the faith in such a story ending?