The Power of Stories

Dave and I were happy to be back home and in our own church this morning.  But when it came time for the sermon who pops up in the pulpit but this kid who grew up in the church.  His name is Corey Vevera and it seems like he just left for college  but, as it turns out, he's this totally relaxed in his own skin guy who's graduated from FSU, worked for a year, and is now a student at Duke Divinity School.

So he's a 'Nole and a Dukey.

His sermon was about the importance of stories.  He made his point by telling cool stories.  What a concept.  They were good stories.   He told about his year of working at Books-A-Million after graduating from college and how he was the store's expert in the Science Fiction/Star Wars/Fantasy/Christian departments.  

He thanked a couple in the congregation for allowing him to babysit their sons when he was in high school because he got paid for doing exactly what he would have been doing at home which was running around the back yard with light sabers.

I was totally on board because I'd just returned from my Sullivans house where several of them are experts in the same fields.  (I would add super heroes and Lego's - but it all blends in together.)

Corey made some daring conclusions.  Stories are usually made up of conflict and resolution.  The Jesus story is made up of conflict and resolution.  Therefore, most all stories are somewhat about the Jesus story.

Something to think about.

Corey also elaborated on how several folks in the Jesus story were bold, like Simeon who said this baby is going to do great things, like, Anna, the  old lady who never left the Temple, but who ran out to share the news about what this little baby was going to do.

And bold like Corey who knows how to tell the story.  And, hopefully,  like me.


***