We all love a good story. In fact at times a good story makes aspects of ourselves come alive; they touch our hearts, enact reflection in our lives and maybe even make us in thought go where we might not have gone otherwise. Have you ever told anyone - your story ? In many ways that is exactly what Jesus was asking the Apostles in the Gospel of today (Luke 9:18-24).
You see the Apostles had been traveling with Jesus - maybe about a year at this point - and Jesus wondered if they were getting it or not - did they understand who He was - what His story was all about ? So Jesus asked them “who do people say that I am ?” He got a variety of tales, but then Christ the most important question - “who do you say that I am?” It was Peter who declare it - “You are the Christ !”. Jesus must have thought - wow - they get it - they know my story !
But that is not where the story ends. Then Jesus told them the next step - because you know my story - you will have to take up the same cross that I do and follow me
- you are going to have to become like me
- you are going to have to do the things that I do
- you are going to have to undertake the values, the vision that I do
Here is what I have discovered: The more I walk with Jesus - the more I understand Jesus - the more I understand my own story.
This week as we were undertaking the first exciting step of Generations - which is the new im pactful chapter of our parish life, a rather bitter person from another Church came up to the workers and I who were making room for more join us with our new parking spaces across the road and said “so you must really be trying to covert a lot of people.” I smiled and said - I am not into conversions I am about conversations - and all we are doing is making room for more of that to take place.
My friends - that is our story - we are about advancing the conversation of Jesus - telling His story. Our extra parking spaces, our children and youth wing, our additional staff, our lay leadership, our continued stewardship of our resources - is not about kicking open the doors of conversion and saying do you know Jesus, - but providing opportunities for the conversation to take place. For the more I walk with Jesus - the more I understand Jesus - the more I understand my story/our story
Part of our story is about advancing the conversation. You and I don’t have to convince anyone of anything. I don’t have to come up with a list of 5 people that I am going to convert. I am just going to come up with a list of who I might invite to come and see. It’s Jesus job to convince the heart - and He does it well. Its our job to live like He did - and do it well....and if we get it - His story - and live by ....if we get it His story - and adopt His vision and values.....if we walk with Jesus - you have opportunities dropped into your lap where you can speak of Jesus. Where you can tell His story and how His story has changed your story - its not about conversion - it about conversation !
Your story does not have to be intense. His story is intense - He died the painful death of the cross - your story just needs to be a conversation. You don’t have to committed murder- to have known a heart of darkness & how Jesus changed it. You don’t have declared yourself as an atheist - to have known real doubts & how Jesus changed it. You don’t have to have been kidnaped - to have known loneliness & how Jesus changed it. You don’t have to have been in jail - you have known a prison by sin & how Jesus changed it. If by your actions - walk with Jesus faithfully - live by His vision and values - and this summer - make room for and tell His story by what you do - you will be shocked at the conversations ! He will take care of the conversions!