Video Transcript: Session 14 Story Sermon

Well, I'm glad you're back here for session 14. on making and preaching  sermons. I hope that video by Jim Cymbala was helpful to you and  understanding a little bit of one style of a kind of Noutheteo, sermon and  admonishment kind of sermons. And when you start thinking about your own  preaching schedule, whether you preach regularly or if you're a guest  occasionally in a place, or whether you travel around, occasionally, God may  have that kind of message for your people. And at that time, you need to be  responsive to his leading, and preach a Noutheteo sermon, however, that turns  out and whatever the issues are, there are many, many issues in Scripture that  confront the culture in which we live, confront the church, and the time in which  we are serving. And so Noutheteo was an important one, while we've got one  more kind of sermon style of sermon. And I've saved this one to last because  this one really doesn't have doesn't have a word in Scripture that describes it.  What I'm talking about right now is the story sermon, or what sometimes is  called Narrative preaching. There's not a word that describes this in Scripture,  but much of the preaching of Jesus was done this way. And we'll get into that in  a few moments. But what I want to reflect on first is the power of this kind of  story, sermon, or narrative preaching. The picture that you see up here was a  man who was a leader, he was an elder in the church that I first served many,  many years ago. In fact, I was called to their church in 1979, and served there  for four and a half years. Now, this man, Jim, this is again, a picture from his  obituary, he was dying, when he contacted me and my wife, and others. He had  struggled with cancer under various treatments for several years, and decided  that as he was told there was nothing else they could do that he wanted to  celebrate life. And they wanted to celebrate their life together. And so they  invited anybody who would have influence on them over their lifetime together.  Now, this man has an interesting conversion story, in the sense that he was a  farmer. He lived with a wife who was a believer and attended the church. I was  pastoring. And, and he would come occasionally, but it was always kind of to  sleep. Basically, he was a farmer by by kind of avocation, that's he loved to do.  He worked in a factory as well. But one Sunday morning, he got up to go to  church, and it was harvest time, he looked out, saw a cloud, said, it looks like it's going to rain, I'm not going to church, I'm going to my field we were trying to get  to harvest in, I think it was a corn harvest that He was working on, took the  tractor out to his field. And it started pouring, so much so that he couldn't get the  tractor out because it was getting stuck in the mud. And so instead of getting the crop in, he went to the local restaurant where farmers gather and complained  about things to each other. And that's where he sat there and within and said,  you know, what? Wasn't that a rainstorm, and people looked at him like what?  And he found out as he looked at talk to all of his neighbors around that his was  the only field that got rained on. And so he said he looked up to God, and he  said, Oh God, okay, I get the message. And the conversion experience allowed 

him to deal with his alcoholism, and etc. Anyway, this man, now inviting us to a  celebration of his life. And we went there. We hadn't seen many of these people  for over 30 years. And it was a delightful time to remember that time when I was  a pastor with some of them and some of the things that we got to see God do  together. And then I was as I was leaving, knowing that I'm never gonna see him again, gave him a hug. And I said, Jim, you know, I knew you were just good for  me as a young pastor started there when I was 25 years old. As a young pastor,  you just really helped me. I gotta tell you, this is a time of a lot of memory for  me. I will never forget. He said, You standing up there and becoming a Bible  character. Now that was shocking to me. Because I only did that a handful of  times. During that time I preached over 400 sermons in that church because we  have two services morning and evening different sermon and each of them. And  yet what do he remembered what had power for him was those times I became  a Bible character, because occasionally during the High Holidays, like  Christmas, Advent and Easter, for special services, I would indeed become a  story that I would tell to people. And it was so powerful for him that he could  name some of those people that I become I became a shepherd became Herod, became Simeon, I became a variety of people. And he remembered words that I said he remembered images that I used. That's kind of a power in this day and  age of the story of narrative, or narrative kind of preaching, that it's something  that taps into people who are media savvy, and, and, and media soaked. In our  world today, many of us, many of our people, and so telling the story allows  them to check in, in a different way. Here's how Brian Chapell put it. Bryan  Chapell was president of the Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis,  Missouri. And he was also a professor of preaching there. But in his book, Christ centered preaching, he said, narrative preaching is built on the idea that oral  communication is not usually heard, as the logical point, but rather as a flow of  impressions that are built or turned through the various moods of language.  Now, just, let's just break down that a little bit, because that becomes kind of a  definition for story preaching, it's oral communication. Now before the printing  press was invented, people passed on their history and passed on their stories  by oral communication. And there's a flow to those stories. And so it's not a set  of logical points. Now, in my Western mind, in other words, I was educated with  a Western type of education, I'm taught to think logically and to move linearly  from this point, to this point, to this point. And indeed, a lot of my sermons are  that way. But this kind of a story sermon, rather, looks at a flow of impressions.  In other words, it's more connected to the emotions, and its movements of a  story. Now, there are two different ways, story sermons, I think can or narrative  preaching can be used effectively. One is Bible stories come alive, and two a  story that relates biblical truths, but is not a Bible story. And we're gonna give  you some examples of each of them over the next couple of years, next couple  of sessions. But today, what I want you to just look at is, first of all, what it 

means to construct this kind of sermon. very much indebted to Dr. Pablo  Jimenez. You'll notice that there he was invited to Gordon Conwell seminary and Wesleyan University and seminary. As an adjunct professor, he is an adjunct of  many places. He's a professor in Puerto Rico and has received training there.  And he does a whole class on narrative preaching. And I'm just going to choose  some highlights of what he said about narrative preaching. First of all, it has the  following characteristics that guides the imaging our listeners do, the more you  can create pictures in people's minds, the more effective it's going to be. And  then it gives a contemporary appeal to the biblical tradition. In other words, I am  telling the story, especially if it's just a myriad of sermons, it's not biblically  based, I'm telling a story that taps into the values of Scripture, and I let you know that it helps the hearers to identify with the meaning of the stories. Now, one of  the ways he says you should do this is to follow kind of the saga form, talks  about different forms, but as a short story, that there's a setting that's set out.  And then there's a plot that can be divided into episodes, there's a climax to the  story, and then there's a resolution. So that's the story plan, that if you're writing  a novel, that's usually what you do, and you can follow that in the novels that  you read. And then he says, the numbers here don't mean anything, because  I've picked and chosen out of his slides, identify the characters, the main  character who is that? Fully develop that character, there may be more than  one, there are secondary characters, there are people who are playing a  secondary role to what you're saying at that time. For instance, Jesus talking  about the woman who's putting in the two mites right, the character, the story is  that woman. Now, the secondary characters are all the other people who are  dropping in their offerings, and they're making a bold gesture, but they're  secondary to the focus on this woman. And then there are some people who  might be types. And that's what this woman becomes, she becomes a type who  represents a larger group of people who are willing to give everything to God,  trusting him that much. And there are shadows, there are people, like the  multitudes who are standing by the ones, that the story of the crucifixion are the  ones who are crying, crucify, crucify. They're their secondary, their shadowy  figures, they're not the ones we really focus on because we're focused on  Jesus. And we're focused on the drama of human, the religious leaders and the  Romans, etc. So think about your characters, develop them well. Know the  background study the social, political, and historical background of the biblical  texts. And don't be discouraged by this test. Remember that this kind of  research is a cumulative effect. In other words, the more you fill your story with  details, the more connected it will be. Four know the literary context, be aware of the events that immediately precede and follow your story. Remember that most  New Testament stories use Old Testament stories as subtext. In other words,  when you're telling a story, you can jump beyond the is the logical time based  story that you're telling to talk about the effects. But you got to be aware of what 

happened afterwards if you're going to do that effectively. Know the geography  study the geography of the places, good biblical Atlas Atlas will help you achieve good handling these details and consider the possibility of taking a tax  deductible trip to Israel, I don't know if trips are still tax deductible here in the  US. But if you've been to Israel, you you have a whole area that you can  describe, you can describe the temple well, because of what you see there you  can, you can describe the flow of people through Jerusalem, etc. So know the  geography appeal to the senses. We're going to talk about this later as we talk  about creating pictures. But the more you can talk about colors, and odors, and  textures, these make your story vivid and living for the people. And then you  memorize it, you work hard to memorize it. And he describes these kinds of  people read the story several times, find the main sections. In other words, the  setting plot climax resolution, divide the episodes, to identify each section with a  key word and write out a short outline of key words and then memorize that  outline. And then practice, practice, practice, practice. Basically, that's how it  goes. Now if you are going to tell not just the Bible story, but one relating biblical  truth, you've got to one be clear about your point. This is not Dr. Jimenez. Now,  this is me, be clear about your point. Because you're telling stories that aren't in  Scripture, it's got to be clear exactly how you express the truth. Now, you can  make that connection for them. Or you can let people figure it out. Jesus often  when he told parables like the parable of the sower, you know, he tells this  wonderful story. And the people are kind of left saying, what does that mean?  disciples come to Jesus and say, what does that mean? And you find that  happen often with Jesus parables. And in fact, the disciples say, why did you?  Why didn't you? Why do you continue to preach in parables, and Jesus says  well, so that hearing, some won't hear, they won't be able to figure it out. It's got  to be something that's inspired by the Spirit. And so however you choose to do  that, just make sure you do it well. In other words, they've got to know your point and got to be certain points to the story, not just a nice story, to read just a nice  story, people will come to the end and say, What in the world was that? I find  that with novels that I read it, I read a novel in the recent past that at the end, so  what. okay, so there wasn't a tension built to a climax, and there wasn't a  resolution to the issues that were raised. It was just kind of there. The more you  can make the story makes a point, the better off you are. Now I'm gonna give  you an example of that. With a story by Rob Bell. Now, that's not a good name.  Right now in the Christian world. Rob Bell was a very influential pastor of a  mega church here in West Michigan. And he began to theologically kind of go off the rails. But before he did, he did some marvelous work as a storyteller. He did  a series of Bible studies, and I'm going to show you just one of those Bible  studies where he told stories, and then he applied those stories in a creative  way. Now, he's got advantages in that he's got film going for him. He's got a  crew of people filming him, he's got people editing those and he can act out the 

story as he tells the story, because he's got this film crew filming him and that  sort of thing. He's got those advantages, but are what I want you to note with  him is he's an excellent storyteller. And the points that are made, he's making  our powerful points. I first saw this video years ago, and when I was talking,  

putting this together this lecture on a story sermon. It's one of the first things I  thought of, again, the power of the story. And so I share it with you. It's about 10  minutes long. Enjoy, and we'll come back next time to continue the study of the  narrative or story sermon. A couple of years ago, I was with my family. And we  were spending some time in this cabin in the woods, on the edge of this remote  lake. I mean, we were deep in the middle of nowhere. And one morning, my son  Trace and I, we woke up and set out to take a walk around the lake. That was  one of those mornings, like not a cloud in the sky. And as the birds are singing,  and my son Trace, he's about a little over a year old at the time, so he's making  all these little chirps and squawks that one year old boys make. I had him in one of those hiking backpacks, where he rode back here. So as I walked along, I can hear him making all his noises. So we head out through the woods to walk  around the lake. And it's just one of those, did you ever have those moments,  like, if you could just freeze them. So beautiful. And we get to the other side of  the lake. And we're exactly at the halfway point where the farthest possible point from the cabin, and we're rounding the bend to head back and I look up and I  noticed clouds, and then it starts to rain. It always rains, doesn't it? It's  interesting, because the Scriptures say all sorts of things about rain and storms.  When Jesus is teaching about what it means to live, like the fullness of life and  his kingdom. When Jesus speaks of it, he speaks of two different people. He  speaks of a person who builds their house on sand, someone who chooses to  reject His teachings and someone who builds their life, their house on rock who  chooses to build their life on Jesus teachings and, and then the metaphor he  uses is that of a storm that comes from the person who rejects his teachings  and his truth, essentially, the house built on sand just gets destroyed, but the  house is built on rocks stands. So this idea Jesus says when the rains come, it's not like they might, they do, it rains in our lives a lot. At first, there's a drop here  and a drop there. And so I put Trace's hood over his head. But what I didn't  know is that he pulled it off. So gradually the drops, they get bigger and bigger,  and they fall faster and faster. And in no time it is pouring in a kind of rain that  just soaks, it plasters your hair and your head and the kind that just drenches  your clothing. And at first Trace, the thunder and lightning, he's okay. But as it  picks up, when it gets louder and louder and the wind becomes more intense,  and the trees start to shake, Trace becomes more and more agitated, I can feel  him like on my back. And at first he starts to whimper and then he he lets out  kind of a little shout here and there. But in no time, Trace is shrieking at the top  of his lungs. I mean, the wind is blowing. There's thunder and lightning and we  are just getting plastered with this heavy rain. Trees are no longer providing any 

shelter, Trace, just from like, deep in his being starts to yell and cry so loudly  and with such passion and terror in his voice. It's interesting. Because if you like  the word cry, and you search the Scriptures, you find this word comes up over  and over again, like even the book of Psalms, just the book of Psalms. If you're  like start reading through, it speaks over and over and over again crying, crying  out to God. And God says these amazing things like he says, When you cry out  to Me, I listen. Even says I cannot ignore the cry of somebody who's afflicted.  Like if I'm hurting, loss, soaking, wet, scared, confused. God says you cry out,  and I hear God even says that when you cry, he's close to the broken hearted,  he's close to those who cry out and admit they're scared, lost soaking wet,  confused. There's this false twisted idea out there among religious people that  somehow you gotta have it all together to have a relationship with God, that like  somehow God's only looking for people who have no problems and have it all  nailed down and can put on like the happy face all the time. And yet the  Scriptures speak directly against this kind of thinking. I mean, Jesus is even just  straight ahead. He says, Come to me. All you who are weary and heavy laden.  The essence of salvation, is crying out to God and admitting I don't have it all  together. It's admitting I am lost. I am hurting. And this sinful nature that I carry  around with me has really screwed things up for me and God, if you don't show  me the way home if you don't fix things if you don't step in. I am dying here. And  this church this kind of thinking is all throughout the scriptures. It's over and over again. God says to us, you come to me you come to me with all your junk  Coming to me with your problems come to me all screwed up all messed up. Let me take care of it. Jesus even says out looking for people even says he says I'm not looking for the healthy. I came to the sick it's interesting if you think about the storm from Trace's perspective, for Trace the storm is his reality he sees nothing else. The lightning and the thunder and the trees swaying and the raindrops in  the water just dripping off him. It's all he knows he sees no reality beyond the  storm. What Trace doesn't realize is that as a dad, I would do anything to get  him home. At this point, Trace's shrieking at the top of his lungs, in stereo, right  behind my head, and I stopped, and I kneel down, I take him out of the pack.  And I pull him close to my chest, and I wrap my arms around him, and I hold him so tightly up against my heart. And for the last mile of our walk, the entire time, I  bend over and I whisper into his ear over and over again, I love you buddy.  We're going to make it. Dad knows the way home. We're going to make it. I love  you buddy. and over and over and over again. Through the storm I carry him  home clutched tightly against my chest. Whispering, I love you. We're going to  make it. Imagine this, like years later, Trace is in therapy or something. And he  drags up this repressed memory of the walk. And he comes to me and he's like,  dad. Why'd you let me go through that for I got all this junk inside. What did you,  I thought you loved me. How could you expose me, the storm? Why didn't you  protect me? I would be crushed. Because for me that walk was one of my 

deepest, most intimate memories of my life with my son. I wouldn't trade that  experience for anything. Maybe you're bitter. You have all this anger inside,  Some things you've been through some storms in your life. You're wondering if  you really love me if God really was there. He wouldn't let me go through that,  Maybe God is saying, don't You understand? I got to hold you tight. I have to  remind you over and over again, I love you buddy. As it says in the Scriptures  The Book of Deuteronomy chapter one, God's reminding his people of how good he's been to them. He said remember, I carried you like a father carries a son.  And now, may you when you're soaking wet, lost hurting and confused, may you cry out and may the creator of the universe take you out of your path and may  he hold you tight against his chest. May he wrap his eternal loving arms around  you and may you hear him whisper, I love you buddy. We're going to make it.  Dad knows the way home. We're going to make it. I love you.