Share Your Story

 Heart to Heart from the Housewrights

Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” - John 4:39-42 (NLT)

Some people are natural storytellers. They can make you laugh, cry, think, forget, and hope all at the same time. 

We often forget how important a story can be. For those of us who love to read - it’s because we love a good story. But, what’s involved in a good story? 

Stories may differ in one way or another, yet there are commonalities which apply in every scenario. You must have at least one character, a plot, want and need, conflict and resolution, and some sort of structure. At least that’s what we’ve been taught…

But, there is something missing from the above list. 

Subject.

In other words, what is the story about?

That really is the driving force in what we read. What is the story about?

And there are no more interesting stories than those about you.  You know, your story.

As a Christian, however, your story can truly only be told through the life of Jesus Christ. After all, he is the Subject, or the Foundation, for every one of our stories.

When we share the Good News of Jesus Christ, we are telling a story that has been told and retold hundreds of millions of times over the last two millennia.  Each of us, however, in our own unique way, makes it personal. 

When we tell the story of Jesus, we are telling how the story of Jesus affected us. What it meant to us. What it means to us. And, what it can mean for the person who hears it.

Most people (Christians) think that evangelizing is beyond them. It’s for the pastor. It’s for the missionary. It’s for those who have had training.  “It’s not for me.”

But nothing could be further from the truth. You need to tell your story. 

One word of caution, however. Don’t let your story be about you. 

“Huh?” you ask?

Simple - your story is His story. Tell the “great things he has done.”

After all, 

• 
  

• We’ve a story to tell to the nations, that shall turn their hearts to the right,
  A story of truth and mercy, a story of peace and light, a story of peace and light.

• We’ve a song to be sung to the nations, that shall lift their hearts to the Lord,
  A song that shall conquer evil and shatter the spear and sword, and shatter the spear and sword.

• We’ve a message to give to the nations, that the Lord who reigns up above
  Has sent us His Son to save us and show us that God is love, and show us that God is love.

• We’ve a Savior to show to the nations, Who the path of sorrow has trod,
  That all of the world’s great peoples might come to the truth of God, might come to the truth of God.
  For the darkness shall turn to dawning, and the dawning to noonday bright;
  And Christ’s great kingdom shall come on earth, the kingdom of love and light.

The world is listening…watching…waiting. Will you share your story?

Incarnation and You

Heart to Heart from the Housewrights…

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son - John 1:6-14 (NLT)

“The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding…” Martin Luther, Table Talk.

There are many theological terms which are elusive to the normal Christian: soteriology; ontological; salvific; cessationist; antinomianism; epistemology…whew, brain freeze.

But, there is one term which we should all know and understand: incarnation.

During the Christian seasons of Advent and Christmas-time the family of Christ remembers and celebrates the fact of the incarnation. So, what is it? What does incarnation mean?

Incarnation simply means this: a particular form of physical state; the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form. Specifically, as the Christian faith is concerned: the union of the Divine with humanity in the form of Jesus Christ.

It is why the gospel of John begins by sharing this truth: “So the Word became human and made his home among us.” God (Divine) came to his creation and became one of us (human).

Geoff Moore and the Distance had a song called “One of Us.” The lyrics are:

How could He know much less sympathize with one who has fallen as often as I

To a world that was lost how could He show us the way

This mystery I don't understand, somehow our God became a man.

To every child to every man Who's longing for someone Who will understand

To each tender heart crying alone in the night

Lift up your eyes to a holy King - Who's walked the road of humanity

He was one of us - somehow like you and me - the God we serve breathed the air that we breathe. He stood where we stand, so He knows what we need - He was one of us.

He was one of us.

Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler.

One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!"

The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!"

“You have given yourself!”

God was/is willing to make most any accommodation to have fellowship with us. Even becoming human. God has given himself. Incarnation.

Someone has written:
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.
If your greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

As much as we love the above thoughts - perhaps we would tweak that last sentence by saying this: “Our greatest need is relationship - so God sent himself.”

Now, let’s apply this knowledge and truth of the incarnation to each of our lives. God has sent YOU to where you are, to be with who you are with, to share what he has entrusted to you, to bless those whose paths you cross.

Today, tomorrow - every day left in your life - is a day of the incarnation. YOU are the heart, voice, hands and feet of Christ to a world in desperate need of good news.

Maybe that’s why Jesus’ command to his disciples was “Go.”