Reflections on "A Story to Tell" Acts 4: 32-35; I John 1: 1-4

The sermon was a short one, due primarily to having Renewal of Baptismal Vows as part of the service.  One point I left out that I would have included in a longer sermon:  in Tom Long's discussion of testimony, he suggests that testimony changes the person testifying; that is, as we tell our story of how God has been at work in our lives, we are changed by the telling of the story.  I believe this is a valid point.  I can think of times when I tell about an experience, and in the telling of it I realize something about the experience that I had not previously understood or seen. In a little bit different context, I think that's why when we teach something, we learn it better as well.

this sermon kicked off another series. I asked the congregation (and now you) to share feedback on whether they found the series approach to preaching effective.  A few people noted they liked it.  This is another topical series, but this summer I will be preaching a series on some of the letters in the NT.

I picked the Acts text because it not the powerful testimony of the disciples.  If I preached it again, I would find another text because I think that is a minor point in this text.  I thought the I John text was more to the point, although I referenced the two texts less this sermon than usual.

“Telling the Story” April 15, 2012; FPC, Troy, Acts 4: 32-35; I John 1: 1-4

Introduction: Beginning a series on “Telling Our Story.” reflect on the content of our story as followers of Christ and also the story of our lives of faith.

have you ever been speechless?

The followers of Christ may have run into hiding after the death of Christ, they may have been speechless as they secluded themselves, but after they saw the resurrected Christ, they could not stop from talking.

In spoken words and written words, they are compelled to witness, or testify or give testimony.

They have story to tell and cannot keep quiet.

Move 1: We have this story to tell – the resurrection.

a. The story of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

1. Who gives shape and meaning to our lives.
2. Who offers us the power to change and the hope for change.
   b. While serving in Mt. Sterling, I was active in HFH and the community.
   1. I worked closely with members of the AME/CME church, which is a predominantly an African-American denomination.
   2. I often found myself as the community/minister representative at gatherings at their church. If the big shot bishop was in town, I would be invited to represent the local churches at the service honoring his presence.
3. I also knew some of the members well enough o go to their funerals.
4. When I arrived at the church for the first time to attend a funeral, I was identified as a minister and brought down to the front to sit in a place of honor.
5. That was all well and good, until the minster stands up to preach the sermon and begins by saying, “Reverend Culp is here this morning. I know that he has a word he wants to share with us.”
6. Now, I'm not usually speechless, and I was not in that moment, but I admit to scrambling as I walked up to the microphone. As it turns out, it was fairly simple. Funeral. Death. Talk about resurrection. And so I did.
7. The next time I was there I was prepared to share a few remarks, but I never had a better story to tell than the resurrection.
   We have a story to tell – the tomb was empty. Christ is alive.

Move 2: We also have our story to tell.

a. Not hope in the God of the resurrection in general terms, but how we have discovered that hope in the context of our own lives.

1. How does following the resurrected Christ impact the way you live your life?
2. How did you experience the God of hope last week?

3. how does following the Risen Christ impact you at work or at school?

b. Recently I spoke with a retired Presbyterian minister and colleague. She is writing a book and is in a small group with other aspiring authors. They share ideas, brainstorm together, read each others' work. My colleagues novel includes a character who is a female Presbyterian minister in KS. She was telling me that the other writers are not churched. They do not know much about what my friends character does – things like communion; or stewardship; or Session meetings.

Of course, she does not know much about one of the writer's character who works at a porn shop, just like he did.

c. We can only witness to what we have seen and experienced. It is personal.

Move 3: Finally, the story we tell is testimony

a. Tom Are, Jr.,  Pastor of Prairie Village Presbyterian Church, “The purpose of testimony is not to convince, it is not to condemn, it is not even to be right; it is to be honest. It is to tell the truth that you know. And when we do, things change.” (Taken from his lecture/sermon Tell the truth...The truth that you know: Testimony,” January 29, 2012. Village Presbyterian Church, www.villagepres.org/sermons

1. We do not tell our story as gatekeepers, who require listeners to believe something in order to pass through the gate.

2. We tell our story as gracious hosts, who invite others to know the God who has changed our lives.

b. those followers of cross who went everyone telling stories about the Christ and the resurrection did not have photos of the empty tomb to try and convince people to believe in the resurrection as a matter of factual record. They could only testify about the God who raised Christ from the dead and how that gave them hope and new life.

Conclusion: renewal of baptismal vows – invitation to reflect on your story. How the God who claimed you in the waters of baptism is alive even now in the the life you live and the story you tell.