The Rich Man and Lazarus is this week’s sermon topic. This narration from Luke 16: 19-31 is a perfect example of the impact of stories over a multitude of generations. Here the story is being told in what we consider “New Testament time” but many of the characters are from the Old Testament. The grand story arch doesn’t start in the OT and end in the NT nor does it confine itself to the three settings of heaven, earth and hell. Instead it’s final destination is the future, the Creator’s kingdom and all that were made in God’s likeness.
Our story shouldn’t be what God has done for us. As a very wise young adult at our church once shared with me, “Give God, not us, the good verbs”. Our story should be that we love to tell the story of Jesus’ love. When we come to worship, we reenact a story that has been told since the dawn of time, that is essential to our present being and to the future kingdom. As we start our journey into Ordinary time, a time of reflection and growth into Christ and out of ourselves, let us give God the good verbs and tell God’s story.
