top of page
Writer's pictureAndy McIlvain

The Importance of Stories: Why THE FAR SIDE is a Masterclass in Storytelling


Video from The Gaze


History is God's story.

The story behind Jesus is God's story and scripture is saturated with God telling us that God is the central Actor in history.

We live in an age in which God's providence and sovereignty is not believed or respected. Our age is superficial and naïve in that we do not discuss events nor deal with their most important connections, namely, their connections with God and his purposes.

Reflect and ask yourself are you as superficially secular and naïve as most people?

Almost all news reports (editorials/commentary) are superficial as are history books and public education. We as a culture have this incredible, unimaginable disregard for God, the ultimate Reality in the universe, the explanation behind everything.


Our faith in Christ isn’t based on mythology or fables, it’s based on historical fact. The physician Luke wrote in his day, “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things which you were instructed” (Luke 1:1-4).


Story telling by our Lord Jesus Christ took its form in the telling of parables. Much of the gospels is made up of parables as our Lord knew that telling stories would be a great help to the mind of the hearer. This method stands out more prominently in His teaching than any other. We remember his stories more than anything else as he was unquestionably the world's greatest story teller.


We can laugh at the Far Side but the amazing thing is the writers ability to tell a story with few words or illustrations.


Our stories are often messy and painful yet someone else may need to hear our stories to get them through the next day. The events, circumstances and adversities the Lord allows in our lives are not meant to be kept to ourselves, but to share with others who may be suffering in a similar way. The single threads in our stories are woven into the tapestry of God’s bigger story.


The Bible says, ”For this reason the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” We are Jesus’ hands and Jesus’ feet, so every time you share the story of Jesus with friends/family, you’re destroying the works of the devil. Every act of kindness, every time you show God’s love to someone, you play your part in God’s story of redemption. The word of God is not chained! After Paul’s ministry/and life was over, the gospel spread to Europe and parts of Africa, then America and Brazil and many other parts of the world. And now the Word of God over all of that time and distance has come to you. Now it’s your turn to do your part. Your work isn’t finished yet. It doesn’t matter what you’re called in life to do. No matter what your job or calling is, you’re called to be a part of God’s story.


Comments


bottom of page