What Is Your Rest of the Story?

Here is last week's notes for my sermon.

Romans 16.19-20, 25-27

                Paul Harvey is a person about whom I am asked a lot. It’s not that I am asked a lot of different questions. I am usually asked just one, over and over and over again. For a small time, I thought we were related. My adopted family comes from a Central KS town bearing the family name. So does his. But alas, Paul Harvey as well as his son today, go by their middle names, “Harvey”. Nope, not related. Too bad, too. Not for the fame, but more for who he was.

                You don’t need me to tell you that he was a master story teller who quickly grabs your attention, breaks for an ad and then comes with the Rest of the Story. Usually his stories would involve something, an item in everyday life that we have come to take for granted, and the odder its origin, the more likely he’d tell us about that story. I like his telling ability so much that as I read Louis L’Amore books, it’s Paul Harvey’s voice narrating in my head.

               

                As good as Paul Harvey is at telling a yarn or the behind the scenes that he called the “Rest of the Story”, he is different than Jesus, who was another great story teller. The difference is that Jesus never tells us what happened next. Did the woman at the well, for example, ever repent and get her home life in order before God? Or what about the woman caught in adultery, did she ever commit that sin again? Of course there is the man that Jesus healed at the pool, who he later told not to sin anymore. What sin was that lame man’s?

                I often theorize that the reason we do not have the rest of the stories is because God has given us total freedom. No, it’s not about “what does this mean to me?” rather, it is about what will we do about the truth being taught here? Will we show mercy as he did the second woman? Will we show grace to the woman at the well? Jesus’ teachings always leave us with a decision to make.

                And the Apostle Paul has learned well from Jesus. Paul wrote to the church in Rome because there were those who wanted the Romans to embrace traditionalism. Paul laid out the reason that to cling to the law was taking a step backwards in the Faith. Since the old covenant was fulfilled, there is now freedom to live for Christ.

                Now as we bring our study in this letter to a close, Paul tells us what we should do, but at the same time, there is the underlying question, “what will be the rest of your story?” Let’s read the text:

                Here is the rest of the story, what Paul says it should be: To God!! To Him be all the glory! Is your life giving God all the glory?

                A life that gives God honor and praise is one that is rooted in obedience. No, I am not talking about the Law, or a list of rules. I am talking about living a pure, innocent life. We know what is good. We should not experience what is evil. We know that God will bring justice, so we can let go of the hurts and pains in life and allow God to take care of us. It means that people see us and see our faith being lived out. How much are we really controlled by faith and how much do we control faith? Do we give from abundance, or do we give more than we can afford. Do people truly see what we do and know that it is because we love Christ for what he did? That is a goal Jesus shared in Matthew 5, let your lights shine so men glorify our heavenly Father. Do we let the church meet the needs of our neighbors, or do we allow ourselves to become the hands and feet of the church to meet those needs? And it means that sometimes we need to tell others about Jesus so that they know why we are motivated to act in grace and love.

                Sometimes we are afraid to talk about Jesus. Yet, a life that gives God honor and praise is one that is filled with strength. The main reason that we do not share our faith is that often we feel inadequate and weak; yet Paul’s words tell us that we are indeed strengthened. We are strengthened by being in Christ, being clothed in him as we see in chapter 6, so we can walk a new way that brings glory to God. We are continually strengthened by spending time in His Word. Now when we read the Word, do we keep what we find to ourselves or do we share it with our brothers and sisters? Proverbs teaches us that as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.(27.17). We do not have to be timid. If we are clothed in Christ, baptized with Him, then we have this strength already. We are able to obey in faith, living for Christ.

                A life that gives God honor and praise is one that is proclaiming the gospel. As Jesus gave in the Great Commission in Matthew 28, so we have here. It isn’t enough to live for Christ and never tell others, or seldom talk to others about their faith. “Mr. Jones knows we are going to church on Sunday. Someday he may come around.” This is a typical attitude of the average American church. Yet Paul is talking about the actual advancing the Gospel. It means making disciples. It means that we as a church not just bring people to Christ, but that we need to also teach them. Do we? Do we talk as freely about Jesus as we do the Razorbacks? As for this mystery? It is simple: God planned to redeem not only one nation, but all nations, to restore that fellowship that Man’s sin broke. The Old Testament is full of allusions to this coming new covenant through Christ Jesus.

               

                Paul wrote this letter to give the Church a new way of living, not by rules, but with total freedom. All things are permissible, and as long as we live by faith by the strength Christ gives us, always looking for opportunities to serve, to share the message with others, then God receives the glory, and we don’t worry about it being beneficial or not. Now we come to that point, the rest of the story isn’t written yet. It is now up to you to decide which fork in the road your take. Will you come with me as I strive to live a life that brings God the glory? That, I pray, will be the rest of my story.