The core story for our faith is the resurrection. how do we tell it as fact not fiction? In the Luke depiction of the resurrected Christ we read, they mention that Jesus ate broiled fish. sort of an add thing to note, unless you were trying to prove that the resurrected Christ really was there with his body raised from the dead, a body that needed to eat even broiled fish (Maybe I ought to go on a resurrection diet!). I think it points to how hard it is to tell our faith stories, particularly if we are trying to be factual. Can anyone really explain factually some of the things that by faith they know have happened in his or her life?
Rattling in my brain is the comment I have used before: "Just because you say it doesn't mean it's true."
I have also been reflecting on the scene in the movie "fried Green Tomatoes" when the minister brings his own Bible (actually a volume of Shakespeare) to swear his oath in court, and then testifies in a way that is not factual, but what he also knows to be true. Is his testimony fact or fiction?
In his letter to the Corinthians we read, Paul declares that of course the resurrection is true, or else everything is a sham. He suggests that if they have seen the living Christ, then the story of the resurrection has to be true. I find it ironic that in this summary of where Christ appeared, Paul does not tell his story in detail -- how the risen Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Kind of a hard story to believe, isn't it? unless, of course, you see how Saul radically changed.
Maybe Paul writes these words to affirm the truth for himself. Do we tell our faith story as a way of shaping our own faith and claiming it?
Still haven't found the sermon yet. If you see it in here, drop me a note!
Peace,
Richard
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