“The Power of Story”
Sermon Presented May 2, 2010
Acts 11:1-18
A couple of months ago, Christian Century carried an article written by a renowned American preacher condemning the current trend by ministers to use stories of personal experience in their sermons. The article brought an overwhelmingly negative response from ministers and members of congregations disagreeing with the premise of the article. The consensus was that personal stories are remembered – thus the point is remembered, and a personal story lets parishioners know that their pastor is human. Story-telling is a much more effective tool to get a point across than a didactic approach.
As you know, Jesus was a master story-teller and many of his parables are known by people who have never darkened the door of a Christian church. We all remember Aesop’s Fables from childhood – and as we remember, we discover that the wisdom the writer wanted to convey remains with us. The author of Luke-Acts also knew the importance of story – as well as the repetition of story to get his point across.
Our text this morning is the repetition of a story that is first told in the 10th chapter of Acts. Hear this familiar story from Acts 11:1-18.
The time is after Jesus’ death and resurrection, and up to this point, the gospel of Jesus has only been preached to Jews. No follower of Jesus envisions that the good news is for anyone but Jews. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – the God of Sarah, Deborah and Miriam – is the God of the Jews! The biblical stories are stories of God’s guidance of the Jews. Jesus is the Savior of the Jews! But God has other plans! God’s plan includes non-Jews – Gentiles! And in order to put the plan into action, God places Peter – a Jew and Cornelius – a Gentile into a situation that makes for a memorable story that will change theology! And Luke tells it twice – for emphasis! Arguments for changing theology can never have the power to effect change that this story has.
Most of us don’t change our social or theological perspective because someone tells us to do so. Women and minorities have rights today in society and the church because of the personal stories they not only lived – but told. Because church leaders are currently hearing the personal stories of victims of clergy sexual abuse, policies are changing. How we look at things changes because of who we listen to and the stories they tell! Their stories make a difference!
Why use story? Most important, it is memorable. Most people leave church on a Sunday morning and don’t remember anything the pastor says – except for the stories. When we recall the stories, we remember the point! When I debated in college, our speeches were filled with facts and statistics, and we hammered away at our opponents. We won or lost our debate on those facts and how we presented them. The same holds true in a court room. Facts and statistics and the law are key. However, today attorneys bring more personal stories into courtroom presentations – especially if the case is before a jury – because the story of the perpetrator or the victim can sway a jury. The object is to win – to change minds and hearts, and story can help that to happen.
Another reason for telling stories is that there is more civility in story than in a didactic approach. No issue was debated more by early Christians or was more important to them than whether their new faith was intended for Jews only, or whether it was to include Gentiles who would remain Gentiles. Our text opens with Peter being criticized for eating with Gentiles. Table fellowship with Gentiles was most disturbing to the circumcised believers. So Peter tells the story of how God worked in these Gentile believers. Story brought civility to the table, and Peter’s critics listened.
Those early Christians weren’t afraid to be confrontational. Peter was called to explain himself before the Jerusalem Christians. We don’t like direct confrontation and try to keep a smile on our faces and sidestep controversy – at least to the one we are in conflict with. As tension builds, so does the conflict. Controversy needs to be voiced, not avoided, and conflict needs to be transformed, not ignored. (Stephen D. Jones, Feasting on the Word Year C Volume 2, p. 451) So Peter and the author of Acts repeat in detail the story that they previously related in order to transform the conflict – for those directly involved and for others in the future. And the power of story was the transforming agent!
Telling the story once wasn’t enough for Luke, so he repeats it. The object is to change lives and not just minds. Debates tend to keep the sides apart. In debates, there are winners and losers, and Peter wants a win-win situation. So he tells his story to the leaders of the Jerusalem church and when he finishes, there is silence. The power of the story is all that is necessary to change minds and hearts and lives! When his audience hears the story, they cross the separating chasm, making everyone a winner. (ibid, p. 453)
Peter’s story was unique and by sharing it, lives were changed. Jesus’ parables were unique and because Jesus told them, lives were changed. Our personal stories are unique and when we have the courage to share them, they, too, will change lives. You see, it’s hard to argue with a compelling story. Our story – when told – holds the power to change lives.
How long has it been since you told your child, grandchild, neighbor, or friend a story of how God changed your life? And if you haven’t done it recently, why not? Is it because you don’t want to appear manipulative or self-righteous or to speak of holy places and times with inadequate words or understanding? Or is it that you don’t want to appear weird or fanatical? No matter what our reason, we keep our stories to ourselves, telling them only in the most careful context or in a most measured way. (ibid, p. 455)
When we learn to be story tellers – to share our faith stories with one another, we will appreciate one another more because our stories will bind us together. So where do we begin? We begin where we are!
When Beulah and Sara tell the stories of how Shoreline Interfaith impacts lives, we listen – and we go further and contribute money to Shoreline! When Betty shares that Roy’s doctor says he can no longer climb ladders, we understand we need to help with Stewardship Board projects. When David and Bruce tell their story of battling cancer or Frances tells her story of coming back from a massive stroke, we hear and remember and we trust God more. Listening to these stories also sensitizes us to what’s happening in the lives of others. When we share stories of God’s goodness to us – personal stories – specific stories – God is glorified and both parties in the conversation are blessed.
Why is this? I believe it’s because we share stories without judgment! When we become didactic – preachy – we lose our audience to judgmental attitudes. God worked through both Simon Peter and Cornelius to understand that God’s plan of salvation included people of all faith backgrounds. That fact was ripe for judgment and Peter knew he couldn’t convince the Jerusalem Church through didactic arguments. Without the experience – without the story – I doubt if he would have even tried! But what he learned, he shared as story! And he convinced the church leaders that God’s dramatic leadership led him to Gentiles who were seeking God through Jesus. The final verse of our text says: “When they (the Jerusalem Christians) heard this (story), they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, ‘Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.’” They understood the truth that was offered to them.
I believe that the message of Acts 11for us this morning is to practice being story-tellers. When we do our part, the Spirit will take up where the story ends. (ibid)
05/03/2010
