St Thomas Lutheran Church of Cheboygan Michigan: Article

The Rev. Harry A. (Budd) Wagner, Pastor

Telling the Story

...go quickly," [the angel of the LORD said] "go quickly and tell his disciples, 'Jesus has been raised from the dead..." Mt. 28:7....[Later] Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell..." Mt 28:8

As followers of God in Christ Jesus, we have been called to "go and tell" the story of Christ's life, death and resurrection that has touched our lives, offers hope and a purpose.

On Sun., April 20th, I preached on the power of God living in the life and work of St. Stephen, the first martyr, to preach Christ.

The summation of the sermon by two catechism students - Kali Hancock and Amanda Williams - made me proud: "...it is about sharing our faith, and how hard it is sometimes.." and..."we need at least keep our faith and tell others about Jesus without fear of what might happen."

"But how do I tell others about Jesus?" is the question on more than a few members' minds. The more I listen in the congregation, I am discovering that it is not just the young people who have a difficult time expressing their "faith story," or, "my faith story" about his (Jesus') story in my life. The adults in the faith have a difficult time telling their faith story.

Jesus was a great story teller about the Great Story: God's love for human beings, about God's plan of redemption (buying us back from the power of evil and sin that holds us captive) and purpose for us.

Margaret B. Guinness, a Methodist pastor believes there are three things which identify Jesus as a master story-teller. I would like to share the third with you which may help us figure how to tell "your" and "my" faith story of God in our lives.

The "...third criterion...[Jesus] creates an image which gives hope to his listeners and provides us with a sense of identity and purpose that can carry us forward into the uncertainties of the future."

Telling our story need not be hard. We need not be theologians, or scholars. We need only to tell, in a simple way, how God touches our lives in such a way that we may live and enjoy life better than before God came into our lives. What has God done in your life that compels you to gather with other saints in a house of prayer on a Sunday morning to offer praise and thanks to God in Jesus Christ? Your story may be just a sentence, a paragraph or two, it may even be a page long about your believing in and worshiping our LORD.

You and I, my sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, are a people of the story. And it is God's continuing story that hold us together as one, God's unfolding story that calls us into the courage of being partakers in Christ. It is God's story that nurtures us and sends us out into the world to love and serve others in his name. So let's become storytellers ourselves and tell God's story so that will provide others with a sense of identity and purpose that can carry others forward into the uncertainties of the future.

It is one of the best legacies you and I can leave not only our children and grandchildren but those who have never heard the story before.

Rise, Shine, You! Christ the Lord has entered

Our human story; God in him is centered.

He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded,

With grace unbounded.

Come. celebrate; your banners high unfurling,

Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.

to all the world go out and tell the story

Of Jesus' glory

To God be glory forever and ever.

BAW+

The Rev. Scott A. Torkko, Pastor

storkko@sbcglobal.net

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