“You Tell the Story”
Mark 16:1-8 “…And they said nothing to anyone…”
I call the Markian version of the gospel the realist version. Mark appears to recognize the frailty of the human spirit. You may remember when we preached when you need a second touch from Mark 8; Jesus needed to touch the man a second time because the man had a weak response to God’s first touch. I don’t think the gospel loses any power because of the perspective that man is weak and that only through the power and the purpose of God is one able to accomplish anything of value. We are in an era where people think that they make it all by themselves, that they pull themselves up by there own bootstrap. I’m here to tell you that we all stand on borrowed blessings. God is blessing us right now because somebody prayed for you. Somebody had you on their mind and took the time to pray for you. I must admit that I’m so glad they prayed, I’m so glad they prayed I’m so glad they prayed for me. What about you?
I appreciated attending the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the NAACP, because as the various speakers spook they recounted the story of the historic importance of the NAACP and Union Baptist Church to the civil rights movement. For me the highlight, while there were many, was when Professor Larry Gibson recounted the activity of the branch during the first year of its existence. The list of accomplishments was outstanding. It amazes me how our fore parents did so much with seemingly so little.
I believe the one of the secrets to our early success was that we had to rely on the telling and retelling of the stories of life. Our historical tradition was embodied in our oral tradition. Story telling was our method of insuring that the record was not tampered by forces that would seek to destroy, deny or demean our quest for freedom.
I like to look to the Jewish tradition of telling their history and see their repetition of story telling as strength. Indeed it is.
The telling of the story of how God brought you though dangers seen and unseen reinforces that fact, that God is an every present help in the time of trouble. When a person is able to tell the story of how after meeting Jesus for themselves they were able to turn their life around, brings new meaning to “amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I’m found was blind but now I see.
The power of storytelling can be a liberating force in a person’s life. Real storytelling authenticates life journey. It adds strength to the statement, “if it had not been for the Lord on my side where would I be.” Storytelling is revealing. When we are weak, God is strong. Storytelling is redeeming. It illustrates that God will look beyond your faults and see you need. Storytelling is rewarding. It helps people to understand that even though storm clouds come, even though lighting flashes, even though the thunder may roar, be assured there is a bright side somewhere.
Friday after the services for Ms Kathyn Blackwell, I had to fly to Raleigh, N.C. to eulogize my Aunt. The plane was delayed leaving BWI because of a thunder storm in the North Carolina area. After a 30 minute delay the place took off. As we approached Southern Virginia, the thunder storm was still in the area. We hit turbulence and the plane began to shake and quiver. That is not a good feeling, to be in an airplane and it is shaking and quivering. After a few seconds of shaking the pilot announced that we should fasten our seatbelts. And that he was going to fly at a higher altitude. He took the plane above the storm. The reason why we find some many people overwhelmed, overtaken, overcomed by the storms in their lives is that no one has told them that they can live life at another altitude. People stay stuck in their situation and never realize that the answer to their problems may be in higher relationship with God. More bible study, more prayer, more worship, more praise, lifts one to a higher relationship with God.
Revelations 12:11 tells us that Satan was overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. If we have a weakness in our families, communities, and our churches is that we do not fully use the power of testimony. The telling of one’s journey with God. How will others know that God is a healer, unless you tell how God was your balm in Gilead? How will others know that God is a deliver, unless you tell them how God made a way out of no way for you? How will others know that God is a provider, unless you tell how when your cupboard was bare, when you were down to your last dime, how God intervened and didn’t change the circumstances, but changed your attitude in the circumstance.
I remember when I lived at home I didn’t like beans. My mother would from time to time fit a pot of beans. I would cook a hamburger or go out to a restaurant. I didn’t like beans. I moved out and purchased my first house. It was around the corner in the 800 block of Harlem Avenue. My family gave me some things for my house. Included in the box was a bag of beans. I put the bag of beans in the cabinet. Don’t know why my mother put some beans in my box. I don’t like beans. My first winter in my home. After paying the increased gas and electric bill, my mortgage, my car insurance, my car note, some other bills, my money got a little funny. I was running out of food in the refrigerator and a snow storm had hit. I was snowed in. I look through the refrigerator and I had two cans of soup, three hotdogs, some bread, and a bag of beans. I was snowed in for two days.
I am so glad that God didn’t change my circumstances, but changed my attitude in the circumstance. I learned to love beans. Even now, when the weather changes, I get a bag of beans and some smoked meat. Soak my beans, cook my smoked meat and put it all in a pot together. After a while, my family sits down and we eat beans. Oh how good they taste. My children don’t fully understand why I like beans. It reminds of when I was hunger, when I was down to my last dime – God put food on my table. It reminds me that God is a provider – Jehovah Jireh – God is a provider. You have stories like that. You need to tell your children. Life was not a crystal stair, but you kept on climbing. You kept on struggling. You kept on pushing, believing that God had not brought you this far to leave you.
If storytelling is redeeming, revealing and rewarding, why don’t you tell the story?
I believe this text provides us with some insight to this dilemma.
“Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
There are three reasons, why we do not tell the story:
1. Past – Mary Magdalene – Jesus healed her of demon possession.
2. Problem - Mary the mother of James – experienced tragedy
3. Perception - Salome – wife of Jebbedee and the mother of James and John – what people will say.
But, I’m so glad that story does not end with there fragilities, faults, or their fears. The story is told to the disciples, the story is preached as the gospel, and the story has liberated lives for over two thousand years.
1) The Story of Jesus Christ is a great story. It’s the Greatest Story ever told.
2) It’s a glorious story. It’s a story of triumph over wrong. Victory over sin, death, and the grave.
3) It’s God’s story. And all you have to do is to trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus is to trust and obey.
What is the story that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ is our risen Lord. Jesus Christ is our redeemer.
The story of Jesus and God’s love must be told. You tell the story. There’s power in the story of our God.
The Old Testament tells the story of King Heziah who had received the news that he was about to die. He turned his face to the wall and talked to God and said that I can’t praise you from the Grave. In other words if I die, I can’t tell the story. God extended his life for fifteen more years. There’s power in the story of God.
I want you to know this. God’s story will be told. The life saving message of Jesus Christ will be told. In fact, Jesus said that if his disciples would hold their peace, the very rocks will cry out. His story will be told.
Let me close with this story that illustrates why your past, your problem or perception should never hinder you from telling the story of God loves and Jesus’ saving power.
Less than a month ago, We learned the story of Brian Nicholes. He was the young man on trial for rape in Atlanta. His first trial ended in a hung jury and he was being hastlely retried. As he was being escourted to the court room, it is alleged that he over powered an deputy sheriff and took her gun and shot her in the face. It is alleged that he enter a court room and shot a judge and a court clerk. As he attempted to escape it is alleged that he injured another man, shot another deputy sheriff, and later a federal agent.
His picture was all over the television screen and there was a national manhunt for him being coordinated by several federal agencies. Swat teams where seen on television and it was no secret that when the authorities caught up with him – it would be shot first and ask questions later. He had an all points bulletin out on him.
He surprisingly eluded the authorities for a long period of time. And he confronted a young causcian women on the parking lot in front of her apartment. Her name was Ashley Smith. Ms. Smith had a spotty past. She had been addicted to drugs and had some difficulties in her life. Ms. Smith had some problems. Her husband was stabbed to death, almost literally in her arms. Her life was unstable. She didn’t have much money. She daughter was living with her mother because she was not able to adequately care for her. Ms Smith had a past, she had some problems, and now she was in the Deep South being confronted by an dangerous African American male, who asked her did she know who he was. A black man wanted by the police entering an apartment of a white woman in the south was a negative perception. In fact for a period of time people thought she may have been an accomplist. He forced himself into her apartment. She was afraid. She had only been in the apartment for a few days and had not unpacked all of her belongings. She was trying to turn her life around and now she was being held hostage by one of the most dangerous men of this time. She asked him not to kill her because her daughter would be left alone.
She gained strength by her new faith in God and began to tell Brian Nichols that the fact he had made it this far was a miracle. She hadn’t unpacked all her things but she had unpacked a book that told her about God’s purpose. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.
She fixed him some pancakes and put butter and syrup on it. You need to know the symbolism of that. When a person is hunger and you give them a biscuit. That kindness. But when a person is hunger and you give them a warm biscuit, put butter and jam on it that called loving kindness. That what God has towards us. Loving kindness he give us more than enough for the journey.
Ashley Smith had a past. Ashley Smith had a problem. Ashley Smith was faced with a perception. But she told the story of God anyway. And you know the end of the story. Brian Nichols turned himself end without incident.
Ashley Smith received $70,000 in reward money. She has an agent who is neogitated for the book and movie rights to her story. She has found a new sense of freedom and a new sense of purpose telling the story of God mercy and his love.
That why you should tell the story.
