Temporary Story-Telling

ALL – Psalm 35:17-28
ALL – Proverbs 21:19-20
OT – Esther 1:1-3:15
NT – 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Interesting passage for the day: For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you are re-telling the message of the Lord’s death, that he has died for you. Do this until he comes again. – 1 Corinthians 11:26, The Living Bible

Thought: We have a story to tell. Not just to outsiders, but to one another. We can tell it in words. We can tell it with a simple drama, using just bread and wine to announce its truths. The story is simple: Jesus, the ruler of all Creation, died for you all.

That seems like a lousy story to tell. I mean, it sounds a little good. Jesus didn’t just die. He died for the world. There is a benefit for us. Our sins have been forgiven. But we still have to face the consequence of death, don’t we? At least, if the story is just a story about Jesus’ death? How long do we have to tell that story?

Not long.

The story of Jesus’ death has an expiration date. We tell this story repeatedly. But only until Jesus returns. In fact, the expiration date for the story is part of the good news. The fact that Jesus is coming back makes His death for us worthwhile—REALLY good news. Jesus didn’t just die for us. He didn’t just pay the penalty for our sins and stay in the grave. He’s alive! Death couldn’t hold Jesus—which means not only that our sins are forgiven, but that we are completely free from sin’s penalty! Not only is God willing to associate with us again, but even the consequences for our sins are gone! We will proclaim Jesus’ praises forever because He died and rose and came back for us.

We proclaim the Lord’s death, because a reconciled relationship with God is what sinful people need now. But we only proclaim it until Jesus comes again, because this twisted world won’t last beyond His arrival. What a day that will be!

Question: How has the good news of Jesus’ death impacted you?

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