For preaching class in seminary we students searched desperately for great illustrations. We read the newspaper, combed carefully through our memories, hunted down the illusive illustration book in the library, anything to come up with great stories. Everyone had a story or two in their back pocket that was sure to wow the class and move the teacher from his normal Simon Cowell impression at the back of class.
My sure fire dramatic story, that would cause women to weep and men to be moved is the dramatic story of my grandfather’s conversion from hardened atheism to Christianity. If you haven’t heard it, ask me sometime and I’ll be glad to tell you. When I finished my practice sermon in dramatic detail, the class was left moved and quiet as I had hoped by my dramatic story.
Dr. Larson, our professor, and truly a very gifted preacher himself, started his best Simon Cowell impression, which is remarkable since Simon was probably still being chided by his kindergarten teacher for telling her she was never going to be any good as a teacher. Professor Larson proceeded to explain to me that my sermon points needed to flow from the biblical text not my imagination no matter how vivid. He went on to say that my stories need to back up my points and not just be placed in there to wow people. At least I’m pretty sure that he said those things because he said them to all of us over and over again. Then he said something that I do remember very clearly. In reference to the story of my grandfather’s conversion, and in his best mix of Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, he said, “ Be careful not to make that story sound normative. Most people do not have that kind of conversion experience.”
The Apostle Paul is trying to help us understand that Christianity is real & gritty in 2 Corinthians 11:16-33. That there is lots of pain mixed in with the glory. There is a lot of doubt before getting to the certainty. There is much sadness before reaching the joy. There is much pain before experiencing the glory. The false apostles that Paul is arguing against are preaching all glory and no pain so Paul responds with wit and sarcasm against their rose colored preaching.
A couple of comments for you, life is painful for everyone, Christian or not. The Christian has a wonderful opportunity to let the pain of life be turned into glory and redemption. Second, even the glory stories represent a lot of pain, its just like in childbirth, the wonder of new birth eclipses quickly all the painful memories. Third in telling stories we do have to be cautious not to make it sound as if there is not struggle. There is always struggle for anything that is worthy of glory, and if we leave out the struggle we miss the path of grace God has worked into our lives.
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