His Story Shines through Our Stories
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
For His invisible attributes, namely His eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.
So they are without excuse.
ROMANS 1:19-20
EVERYTHING STARTS OUT SO WELL. Something happens to upset the balance. Conflict drives everything to the edge of chaos until, at the climax, someone intervenes to restore the peace.
Those few sentences could serve as the synopsis for nearly every complete tale told, or at least those generally considered satisfying. This is the classic story arc, the tension and release that seem to fit so naturally with our human sensibilities. Have you ever wondered why?
Various philosophers and psychologists have toyed with ideas of archetypes, communal thought, and other attempts to explain the commonalities of our stories, with varying degrees of success defined in various ways. However, perhaps those myriad threads are simply strands of one cord: We are all merely recalling and imitating the most important storyline ever told, the historic tale of a very good creation that fell into rebellion and conflict until a Savior came to bring shalom, peace.
We are created in the image of God, and as such we are constantly imitating our creator. Our very creative instincts and desires stem from this aspect of our creation. Sometimes the result is beautiful, enriching our minds and lifting our hearts, bringing us closer to an experience of total peace, that is, shalom. Sometimes the result is painful or disturbing, highlighting our flaws and evils, bringing out our sinful nature that increases the conflict and chaos. Regardless, there is something both within us and that we see in God’s creation that recognizes that there is a way the world ought to be, that the world does not yet work that way fully, and that hopes for someone to fix the problem. This concept holds true whether we consider an epic rescue story that clearly fits the bill or a horror story that creates terror by subverting or destroying that ideal story arc.
Therefore, every human story told provides entrée to the great, basic story of the Gospel. Every film provides a window, every novel opens a door, and every ballad opens a channel to speak and share how Jesus’ true story touches our own life story.
BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church will host the “Jesus at the Movies” film series, planned to take place most first Fridays of the month. These screenings will give you an opportunity to enjoy films both new and beloved with friends and family, and to bring along one or two folks who may enjoy them along with us. They will also provide a chance to talk about how Jesus’ story shines through our stories and how we might share His story with those around us.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or movie requests, and I look forward to seeing you there!
Your fellow servant in Christ,
Pastor Schneider