Tell Me A Story: Devotions From Time Of Grace MinistrySample

STORY #1: Pain Movies that do well at the box office and sell a lot of DVDs portray characters whom people want to identify with. What are your top three? The biggest sellers tend to portray strong action heroes for the guys and tender love stories with meaningful dialogue for the women. Jesus’ stories pull you right in, just like great movies, because he understands the human situation so well. And even though we’ve all been pampered at one time or another, it’s not with the rich man that we resonate in this story. We head straight for Lazarus because our own pain memories are so strong. “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores” (Luke 16:19-21). Our ancestors’ rebellion against God became a congenital birth defect. Through our human flesh and blood we are bonded with Adam and Eve not only physically but with their terrible sin as well. Every time we sin we affirm their horrible choice. A triple curse came upon the human race when they (and we) sinned. The first is pain. No one escapes. Everybody hurts. Lazarus hurt. We hurt.