<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Play
jeopardized faith video- 3:44>>>>>>>>>
<<<<Slide>>>>
Biblical ignorance is no laughing
matter. That’s why this week we are embarking on THE STORY. It is a big
project. We invested in a table full of books that I am pleased to say has
disappeared and been replenished, signs, curriculum for all ages, Bible Study
curriculum, and small group curriculum. I personally invested many hours over
the summer preparing material and creating the preaching plan. There have been
articles, and videos, emails and inserts and letters and all of that takes time
and resources. Why did we do it?
Because, just in case the test to get
into heaven is a jeopardy style quiz, we don’t want you to look like that. We
don’t want you to be unprepared… of course I am being facetious.
The truth is, I don’t want you to be uninformed about God’s word. We read
this morning that the word existed before anything else did. God’s word is power
active in our world. John is telling us, of course, that God’s word is active
in Jesus Christ. However, let me tell you God’s word is active in all of
scripture too.
The greatest library ever collected. That
is what the word Bible means, and that is what it is, a library of 66 books and hundreds of stories and characters
that create the church’s great treasure book.
Our story, God’s story, Your story.
<<<<Slide>>>>
By doing this we will learn more than a
few select stories. You will not only know that Genesis comes first, then the
flood the Abraham. You will know the 10 commandments. You will learn about
judges, and kings, and prophets, and proverbs. You will come to know more about
Jesus than Christmas and Easter. You will know that Paul had several missionary
journeys and you will know how the Bible ends. And you’ll know a lot of stuff
in between.
I want you to learn “ALL SCRIPTURE” Because
these are all OUR STORY: the glorious story that belongs to all of us as God’s
people. This is what I will sometimes call the LOWER STORY …What happened here
on earth, to the characters of the Bible, is the LOWER STORY, it is OUR collective
STORY.
Our story, God’s story, Your story.
<<<<Slide>>>>
More than that we will talk about the
UPPER STORY which is God’s STORY. This is what is happening in heaven. I want
you to see God working consistently through the LOWER STORY (and sometimes in
spite of the LOWER STORY) to be in loving relationship with his creation… us. I
want you to know that the God who created is the same God who gave those 10
commandments, is the same God who selected the judges and kings, is the same
God who came to us in Jesus and promises to be with us always. I want you to
see the grand sweep of God’s heavenly vision working consistently and patiently
(most of the time) to bring creation into line with his kingdom.
I want you to know that “ALL SCRIPTURE IS God BREATHED” It
is God’s story.
When I say Our story, God’s story, Your
story. This UPPER STORY is GOD’S STORY.
<<<<Slide>>>>
That’s the lower story and the upper
story. But there is another story…Your story. Because the Bible is not just an
abstract concept… Because salvation is not a theoretical, intellectual
exercise… I want you to know that the Bible is about real life. It is about
decisions we make and priorities we set in our lives. It is about the way we
treat each other and the way we relate to God. Therefore, every week we will
talk about YOUR story too. I’ll try to talk about a common sense, real life
applications for what we are reading. Things you can use in YOUR STORY.
2Timothy 3:16 says “ALL SCRIPTURE IS God BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING,
CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS” Let’s say that together.
“ALL
SCRIPTURE IS God BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND
TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS” 2Timothy 3:16
All scripture is God’s story, but it
helps us in practical ways in our lives.
Our story, God’s story, Your story.
<<<<Slide>>>>
In order to get the most out of it
however, we have to be willing to put something into it. Do you remember the
old game show “Deal or no Deal?” Remember they would open one case at a time
trying to win the bigger prize? We’re going to play “deal or no deal today.”
Let’s open case number 3 <<<<slide>>>><<<<slide>>>>and
see what kind of deal it has. “I will
read the story.” The most basic commitment to the story is to read or
listen to one chapter of the story each week. The chapters average 12 pages and
the print is pretty good sized. It doesn’t matter if you are reading the adult,
youth, or one of the children’s books, or listening to it on CD. You can do it
a little bit each day, or you can sit down and read the whole thing at once. I
just read the whole book cover to cover on retreat, so I can honestly tell you that
one chapter a week is not bad at all. It doesn’t take that long. The most basic
commitment is to read or listen to one chapter of the story each week.
That
starts tomorrow. Reading chapter 1 this week. The weeks run from Monday to
Sunday, so LIGHT and the Bible Studies will always cover the week’s material
before we cover it on Sunday morning. You can always check
Sign in the front door…
The Bulletin…
The Newsletter…
The Enews…
Facebook…
ReinbeckUMC.org (soon)
Or
RUMCTHESTORY.BLOGSPOT.COM
Optionally
you can get a notebook and use the questions on the bookmark - or the questions
at RUMCTHEJOURNEY blog to journal about each chapter. But fundamentally this is
a commitment to read one chapter per week. Now it’s time to ask you. Do we have
a deal? Are you willing to read The Story? Deal or no deal. OK, IF we have a
deal mark your cards. <<<<Slide>>>>
Let’s open… what do you think? Case #2
let’s open it. <<<<Slide>>>><<<<slide>>>>“I will share the story with my family”
Another deal would be to share the story as a family. What an opportunity…
everyone is studying the same thing… why not read it together? Just think what
a great family project that would be to read the story with your children or
parents together. Or you might read it separately and discuss it perhaps using
the table talk sheets that will be passed out at light each week.
Do you live alone?… you still have
family. Maybe you send your grown child the book and ask them to read along
with you. Maybe you gather some “church family” to share with. It doesn’t
matter the key is sharing the journey with someone you know and love. So, Now
it’s time to ask you. Do we have a deal? Are you willing to share The Story
with your family whoever they are? Deal or no deal. OK, IF we have a deal mark
your cards. <<<<Slide>>>>
Let’s see…… let’s try…case #1. <<<<Slide>>>><<<<slide>>>>
Deal number 1 moves from a private commitment to a corporate commitment. I will join a Small group.
The
studies are Wednesday night at 6pm and Sunday morning at 9. Classes, which use
slightly different material, will be Tuesday morning at 6:42am, and Thursday at
6pm. In addition, there will be a face book study group OF 10 people SO FAR with
slightly different material. It can be used instead of a face-to-face group or
in addition to one. You can attend any of them or even move around if your
schedule changes week by week. Gather a friend or two and talk to me. I’ll make
sure you have material.
The important thing is that you study
with others. In studying together, we learn from each other as well as the
scripture. In studying together we come closer to each other as well as to
Jesus. In studying together we support each other and care for each other.
Small groups are a great way to be the church and they are a great way to
participate in THE STORY. So, do we have a deal? Will you participate in a
small group? Deal or no deal? If we have a deal, check that box on your card. <<<<Slide>>>>
Finally, let’s look at the fourth case. <<<<Slide>>>><<<<slide>>>>
The fourth deal is easy… you are doing it right now. Attend THE STORY worship. You might attend Wednesday night.
You might attend either service on Sunday morning.
Wednesday and Sunday will be different,
but the two Sunday services will be alike. Alternatively, you can join our
friends who attend on RTU. Those of you who join us weekly on RTU will be a
week behind the small groups, but there just isn’t any way to change that. That’s
OK because if something happens and you miss worship here one week, you have
another opportunity the following Saturday.
The most important thing about THE STORY
worship is that God will be worshipped. Secondarily we will journey to the
heart of God’s story. We will be hearing, interpreting and, hopefully, come to
an understanding of where God’s story intersects with our story. Every week I
will try to answer the question, “How do we see God’s upper story acting in the
lower story of this world, and how does that change our lives?
So, the 4th deal is you
attend THE STORY worship, and every week I will promise to do my best to answer
that question. How’s that for a deal? How about it, do we have a deal? Deal or
no deal? Mark it on your join the story card. <<<<Slide>>>>
Three kinds of commitments… personal
commitments, group commitments, a communal commitment. I hope that at least one
of them fits your particular spiritual type. And I’d like you to take the card
with your name on it whether you have previously filled one out or not. If you
are able, bring it up front. Everybody move if you are able. Bring your card up
front. Drop it in the basket. Then stop along the front here to kneel or stand
in prayer for just a moment dedicating yourself to the commitment you have
made, and praying that God will change you through this time.
I’ll be up here. If there is anything we
can pray about together, please step up to me and we will do that. It can be
related to THE STORY or completely unrelated altogether.
Let us respond.
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