When my kids were younger they always loved to hear stories of my youth. I told them of falling in the canal by my elementary school, getting picked up by the police for shooting BB guns (and dropped off a block from home!), and of firing bottle rockets into the rooms of my dorm mates in college!
Family gatherings are made richer by sharing our stories. I’m sure you can remember stories that your family told around the table at holiday meals. Maybe the ones grandpa told year after year!
Families are shaped by stories. and our Christian family is no different. Our story is the story of Christ and the role we play in that story.
It’s a story of Creation: Made in the image of God, with incredible value, worth, and dignity.
It’s a story of the Fall: Rebellion and disobedience marring and twisting that image and putting us at odds with our Creator, under a curse along with all of creation.
It’s a story of Redemption: The hero of our story, Christ, coming to live the perfect life and die a sacrificial death for us so that we could be delivered from sin, hell, and death and reconciled to our Father.
It’s a story of Restoration: Our hero, Jesus, one day making all things new, overturning the curse of sin, and making us kings and priests to rule and reign with him!
That’s a really great story. and it’s true! That’s the story we need to tell one another. That’s the story we need to share around the table at holidays. That’s the “message of Christ”! Let’s make sure it “dwells among us richly”!
The well wisher of your soul’s happiness,
Pastor Tom
