FROM THE PULPIT: THE GREATEST STORY (AND IT'S TRUE)

The long-awaited day has finally arrived. Star Wars episode 1, "The Phantom Menace" videos are out! You can bet our family bought one the very first day. We watch eagerly the previous three Star Wars releases occasionally, and the dialogue from those movies is a part of our dialogue. It seems to me that Star Wars is part of our cultural life, in a similar way that the stories of the Brothers Grimm, or Mother Goose, or "fairy tales," or Aesop's Fables were in past years. George Lucas in one of today's premium storytellers.

We all like a good story. Television, radio, movies: all these revolve around telling stories. TV and movies allow us to see as well as hear the story, radio allows our imagination to "fill in the blanks," and of course, the always popular books (and magazines) provide another way to enjoy stories over and over again.

There is another great book that has been the source of stories we have loved for centuries, even millennia. It has been printed more than any other book. It has been made into movies, TV and radio shows, been reproduced in all major media, and been told and retold over and over again. That great book is the Bible.

The stories contained in the Bible are more than "just stories." Together they make up a grand and glorious "His-story," God's story. They tell of God's love and care for all that He has created, the earth and all that is in it. There are many tragedies in that book. People have often opposed God, and not loved God or one another. Love stories abound. There is adventure, poetry, drama, and even comedy in the stories of the Bible. But the value of the bible goes far beyond the value of its literature. For the Bible is God's Word to mankind.

"All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16) God's word has power to shape our lives in creative ways.

God's Word has power to save us. "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." (James 1:21) And in this age of violence and death, fear and confusion, who can deny we need God's salvation?

God's word has this power because it came from God. "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21)

We can be certain that God's word will have results as well, for," As the snow and rain come down from heaven and do not return without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Furthermore, God intended all this for our benefit! It is a result of his love for us that he sent his word. "For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of scriptures, we might have hope." (Romans 15:4)

The Bible is the story of life-real life- eternal life. It is the story (with many, many episodes) that never gets old, for it conveys life and meaning to us. Never tire of reading and studying God's word. Let the stories of the Bible give you hope, and joy, and faith, and life itself. It has proven itself able to do so over the centuries; it will do it for you too.