The Story

New Story

My son, Todd Spieker, preached in my home church a few weeks ago. Here is the gist of what he spoke on.

His topic was from Luke 9:23, “Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.’”

Todd approached this from a unique point of view. We all have life stories.

The Roman’s story was about their great empire. They thought their book would never end. It did.

The Jews had their version of what a messiah was. This dated back to the Maccabees and a Jewish messiah that brought down the enemy and took back a nation. They thought if Jesus was The Messiah, His story should be that, too.

Others have the story that if you are rich then you are a blessed person. In other words being wealthy means that you are good. After all only good people are rewarded with wealth. If you are poor or disabled, there must be some sin in your past.

Then there are the stories many of us have. We make demands based on what we think are God given rights. The demands say I want, I need, I hope, I dream. My rights, and my ways are all that matters.

But Jesus asks us to join His narration. To let go, put down our little fables and pick up His story. In Jesus’ book He tells of an upside-down messiah. This messiah dies in humility at the hands of the enemy, and rises from the dead. His story says blessed are the poor for they shall inherit the earth.

Jesus asks us to give up our rights. Oh, yes, He does. He asks us to care for the alien, love the disenfranchised, and stand up for the marginalized. Even if these precious ones step all over our “rights” and befuddle us with the way they live their life.  

Jesus writes an epic novel. Read the chapter titles he has written for you: mercy, grace, adventure, and everlasting life. Lay down your life, pick up your cross, and join God’s story.