How Do You Like Your Word?

How Do You Like Your Word?

Pastor Ryan Akers

Part 1- January 7, 2007

Some of the historical research and quotes from this message were borrowed from Pastor David Washburn. I want to thank him and i gave him full credit for the way he spoke of the history of this passage very clearly.

(VIDEO- YEAR OF THE BIBLE)

Sometime during this last week I happened to be sitting at my desk minding my own business when suddenly this man walked in and sat down in the chair opposite me. His name was Eric Ebbinghaus. Pastor Eric and myself were having a light hearted conversation until he asked me a question that caught me off guard and took me a moment to answer. He asked, “What are your must watch shows?”

Well, I had to think about that for a moment. What are my most watched TV shows? He said, “just start with Monday.” I said, “alright.” Now before I admit what I watch on a regular basis I want to say right now you have no right no make fun of me. But if I were you I probably would for one show, Eric did. Alright I said, “Monday I watch CSI: Miami and Heroes, Tuesday I watch Gilmore Girls, Wednesdays I watch Lost and Friday Night Lights, Thursday I watch the original and still the best CSI.”

There are 6 shows I watch on a regular basis. Add those shows up and that counts for 6 hours a week that I am sitting in front of my TV vegging out. But those are my regular shows. We haven’t taken into account reruns of History Channel shows, American Chopper. I also love to read and watch movies. I am exposing myself to you today for a very important reason. All of us are given 24 hours a day. You take out 8 hours for sleep and it is down to 16 hours.

You throw in work and school and extra cirriculuar activities and there is not much time left, but whatever time we have we desire to relax by watching a tv show or reading a good book or listening to music. There is something about those forms of entertainment that excite us, or relax us or start our adrenaline. There is something about the fantasy and mystery of a good book that keeps us up till 2am because we just can’t stop reading. There is something about the power and emotion in movies that cause us to stand in line for the sequal. There is something about falling in love with the fictional characters that cause us to come back week after week for the next episode and to invent technology such as TIVO and DVR’s so we are guaranteed not to miss one episode.

We are a people that thrive on the thrill of fiction and fantasy. We spend hours a day and week and thousands of dollars in our lifetime so we can ride a roller coaster of emotion over and over again. It doesn’t matter how many sports movies are made or how similar they are we continue to line up for each new one because there is something about rooting on the underdog that ignites a passion and excitement in us.

There is something about seeing the good guy finishing first or getting the girl that drives us to cheer out loud with them. And leaves us quoting lines for years that each time we hear them sparks that excitement and emotion we felt when we first watched the movie. Like, “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy.” Or, “You make sure they remember the night they played the Titans!” “The name is Bond, James Bond.” “Luke, I am your father!” There is something about the Rocky Theme song that makes me want to punch someone in the face or go run up some stairs. There is something about, (play Jaws on piano) that sends a tingle down our spines. There is just something about books and movies and tv that bring people together to where two total strangers who have never talked can find something like a movie they both liked and talking about that movie begins a friendship.

Yet for all the time you and I spend in a world of fantasy and fiction we fail to realize that we are missing out on the greatest story ever told. A true story. A story of love and corruption. A story where good guys finish first and underdogs conquer the giant. A story where corrupt kings are destroyed and mothers sacrifice their children for a greater love. A story where Good is always the victor over Evil. And the greatest part of this story is that its true.

All of us own this story. Most of us have more than one in our homes. You may even have audio tapes or movies of this story. Yet even though most people own this story. The greatest story ever told it is seldom talked about.