Exploring Hope: A tale of two stories

As a pastor, part of my job is helping people connect the dots between two true stories. The first story is the nitty-gritty reality of our individual lives. Every single person has joys, struggles, and hopes for the future. Within my congregation, I know people who are struggling with profound health conditions. I know other people who are mourning the loss of loved ones. Some even wonder how they will make it through the coming week.

But the second story is found in the Bible and can be summarized in four chapters: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. God creates the world good and human beings in his image. They sin against God by choosing their own way rather than God's way. This rebellion casts the entire world into a condition of sin, darkness, and pain. Yet out of love, God begins a story of redemption. First, he sends prophets, priests, and kings to point the way forward to a coming Savior. This part of the story is told in the Hebrew Scriptures, also called the Old Testament.

In the fullness of time, however, God sent one man who was the perfect prophet, priest, and king. His name was Jesus Christ, and he was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death on the cross, and rose again from the dead in order to purchase redemption. And because of his redemptive work, we can experience restoration.

First, he restores our relationship with God, as we repent of our sin and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. But then, being forgiven, we can look forward to the restoration of all things, when God will bring us into the New Heavens and the New Earth, which Christ has prepared for those who love him.

So these are the two stories that shape my life and ministry— the story of the Bible and the story of our individual lives. But sometimes we feel like these stories can never connect in real life. The story of the Bible— creation, fall, redemption, and restoration— is interesting perhaps, but feels irrelevant in the 21st century. Can it truly make a difference with your feeling of loss? Can it make a difference in your struggles with addition? Can it help you overcome anxiety? I believe it can with all my heart.

Everyone needs a “meta-narrative.” In other words, we need a “big story” to give meaning and direction to the particulars of our lives. The meta-narrative for ancient Greece was found in Homer. The meta-narrative for Karl Marx was found in the progression of history, moving toward the abolition of class distinction and the victory of the proletariat. But for Christians, the meta-narrative is the true story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

So, what is the story of your life? Is your life defined by the narrative of our culture and time or could your individual story be connected to something far bigger? The biblical story says that, in Christ, our tears and struggles will give way to joy and life. Our greatest joys are just appetizers of greater things to come. Our worst fears will never get the last word. And we have a gracious Savior who loved us and gave himself for us so that we can be adopted as sons and daughters of the King of Heaven. If this story is true, it changes everything.

About Will Stern

Originally from Colorado, Will Stern is the pastor of Hope Presbyterian Church in Garnet Valley. He majored in violin performance for his undergrad and taught violin for a number of years before being called into ministry. He studied theology at Duke University and Westminster Theological Seminary.

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