The Master Story Teller

This post originally appeared on my blog, “Diary Of An Arts Farmer.” I’m sharing it with you, my Mosaic friends, by request. – Mac

God. Master of all master story-tellers; his voice a feather floating gently upon the wind and then, all at once – without warning – a raging, uncontainable tempest of burning passion. Author of the greatest story ever told; his pen forever deftly skimming across the pages of time and space, filling it with lives, stories and history. God. Producer and Director of the Divine Cosmic Drama we know as ‘life’.

As I was preparing to share Bread and Wine with friends last week, I began to write down these and a few other thoughts about God and how He has weaved His story into the very fabric of our lives and into the simplest of things and the humblest of practices; the practice of followers of Christ sharing Bread and Wine for instance. Here is some of what I wrote that day:

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“This bread and this wine…this is God’s story. Jesus on the night that He died, said “Do this in remberance of me.” Who is Jesus, but God himself? Incarnate and clothed in humanity. So, this my friends, is God’s story (speaking of the bread and wine) – from the beginning to the end – from creation to re-creation – climaxing at the cross; complete, though we do not see it’s completion just yet.

This is The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit– Three In One – the mysterious Trinity – imagining, thinking, speaking, and working to create a world of unparalleled beauty; setting in place the lands and the seas and all that is seen and unseen.

This is the Creation of Humanity, whom God created in His own image – spirit, soul and body – flesh and blood – to be like him in every way.

This is Paradise Lost, when sin entered the world through a single act of selfishness and disobedience resulting in chaos and death. It’s Cain mudering his own brother out of selfishness and envy. It’s the broken body of Abel, his lifeblood flowing out on soil that had never known the taste of blood.

This is a Broken, Bloody World; a world in chaos. It is pain, suffering, brokeness, and the struggle for power, prestige and wealth. It is the taint and stench of sin; an insidious poison which only leads to death and eternal separation from God. It is war, homelessness, and poverty, known in every age of human history. It is the blood of the martyrs down through the ages who gave their lives in the service of God, but who’s message was rejected by a world consumed by it’s own lusts and desires.

This is The Incarnation of God clothed in flesh, born of a woman, becoming one of us; living among us, teaching us, healing us, calling us, guiding us and helping us when we were helpless to help ourselves.

This is The Death Of Christ, the God-man who of his own free will, took upon himself the punishment for every selfish thought, intention, dream, act and deed that ever was, is and shall be – by every person that ever lived, lives and shall live. It is Jesus, God in human form, freeing us from the power of sin and death, who’s body was broken on a cross and who’s blood was poured out on the rocks of the hill known as Golgotha, for our salvation.

This The Resurrection of Christ, who’s mangled body was placed in a tomb with the full expectation that it would remain there until time turned it’s essence to dust. It is the mystery of Jesus Himself, descending into the place of the dead, preaching liberty and freedom to the captives. It is Jesus awakening from his mortal slumber, breaking free from the clutches of cold Death and rising from the dead, immortal, yet in bodily form; conquering sin and death once and for all, that all who believe in Him will live in freedom and know eternal life. This is Jesus, who met with his disciples, showing Himself to them; sharing meals with them, talking with them, teaching them, allowing them to see and feel His wounds; putting to rest their doubts and fears and settling in their hearts and minds once and for all that He is truly alive!

This is The Ascension of Jesus, who, as He was blessing his disciples was taken up into Heaven and who now sits at the right-hand of the Father, interceding for us.

This is the Coming of The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who is equally God and who, as our friend, helper, teacher, guide and comforter walks with us as Jesus did with His disciples during His time on earth. This is the Holy Spirit who reveals Christ to us, leads us to salvation, abides in us, performs the work of sanctification and who is faithful to empower us to live as followers of Christ upon the earth until we are all brought to the perfection of Christ on the day of Christ’s return.