Last week, my family rented one of the newer live-action movies, and invited some friends over to watch with us. There was fun food, cozy seats, laughter, and excitement over the story. There was apprehension as characters faced decisions and discouragement, anxiety as the heroes battled against evil enemies, and exhilaration as the final theme song played and we were reintroduced to a peaceful home after the victory was won.
All because of a story.
On Sunday, with these same friends, my family gathered at church and sang about, studied, and worshipped the Author of the Greatest Story ever told. Our unity as friends and our bond as families was, and is, because of a Story. A Story that echoes with every heartbeat inside of us.
As Christians, we are unified by a story. Not a mere movie script with fictitious characters and far-off lands, but of real serpent-slayers and blood-bought lives. Not a story of imaginary heroes and adventures, but of redeemed sinners and ransomed saints. Our story may have cozy seats, laughter, and excitement, but it also has its fair share of pain, fear, and anxiety.
As Christians, we are unified by a story because our Author is the same.
We Share a Common Origin
As believers, we share a precious, unique place within the universe. We were chosen by God before the foundations of the earth existed. Fantasy books and movies begin with “once upon a time” and our story begins much the same way.
Once upon a time, God chose us.
In that room watching the movie together, I was surrounded by those who were chosen, handpicked by God. In that church building, as believers sang out the glories of God, I was surrounded by blood-bought, freed-from-darkness saints.
For humans on this earth who have accepted Christ’s atoning death as their only payment for sin and have given their lives over to his rule and authority, we share a common origin. We share a common heritage. We can equally sing “I once was blind, but now I see” and “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.”
Because our stories start the same.
We Share a Common Journey
Readers resonate with stories because good stories are written to put into words some of our barest human emotions and greatest life themes. Justice overcome by mercy (Les Miserables), revenge overcome by redemption (The Count of Monte Christo), the law overcome by sacrifice (A Tale of Two Cities).
As fellow believers, our journeys are vastly different yet unbearably similar. We may not all fight on the dirt of the Valley of Humiliation or parade through the streets of Vanity Fair, but we all must walk the narrow path. Some of us may encounter Giant Despair, while others are forced to tread the Slough of Despond.
But we all entered through the Wicket Gate. And we all found our burdens removed at the Cross.
As believers, we resonate with stories because our adventures are yet another thread in the Greatest Story ever told. We resonate with stories because we are living the greatest adventure ever told. We resonate with stories because we know our Hero will win. We may fear the hills and be anxious about the valleys, but we know the ultimate ending of our journey, and we know the Author.
And He knows us.
We Share a Common Destination
There were those in our house that evening who had loved the original story behind the movie and were apprehensive about changes to the plot. I found myself reassuring those friends, “Don’t worry. The end stays the same.”
The ending of the Greatest Story isn’t going to change because God gets bored of the plot He once devised. The promises we hold of the Celestial City aren’t going to fade away because the Author wants a new design. And the Hero isn’t going to back down from His final battle with the Serpent because he’s tired of the ongoing struggle.
When the hills and valleys of this world discourage us and seem to point to defeat, we can support fellow pilgrims and reassure them that yes, the ending stays the same.
The Author has promised and He is faithful. The Serpent will die. The Hero will win.
Final Credits
Someday, not yet, but someday, we’ll hear the final credits playing for our own story. Instead of a typical movie’s theme song with final scenes of a now peaceful home or country, we’ll find ourselves surrounded by the very real presence of the divine Author, the glory of the new heavens and earth, and the overwhelming joy and realization that we are finally and forever Home.
C. S. Lewis’ iconic Chronicles of Narnia series closes with these beautiful words:
“But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
