The Greater Story

Pipeline.Church is moving into a new sermon series called "Unforgettable," where we're taking the classic tales from the Old Testament, working through those and seeing how the truths from those tales apply to our lives now. Let me start by pointing you to a section of scripture that inspired this series and has been inspiration to believers throughout history

Hebrews 11 (summarized)
Let me tell you, the truest anchor of our existence i the trust we have in God. This FAITH we claim, is the foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our grip on the reality of the world that we can’t see.

There is no better example than stories of true faith put on display by our ancestors, their faith moments set them above the crowd.

We have heard the stories... by faith Abel, by faith Enoch, by faith Noah, by faith Abraham, by faith Isaac and Jacob, and by faith Joseph, by faith Moses, by faith Rahab.

The list could go on and on... What more can I say? In fact, I could speak until the end time telling you stories of all the heroes of our faith.

Our great Heroes, who were given strength and empowered by God himself:

• Quieted man-made kingdoms, 
• obtained promises, 
• shut the mouths of hungry lions 
• put out violent fires, 
• in spite of weakness were made strong, 
• held close to their cause in battles and wars, 
• saw their loved ones raised from the dead

Those heroes also saw the worst of this world:

• many endured trials of all kind 
• they were mocked without
• lived through relentless beatings and scourging 
• were stoned, 
• were sawn in half and torn apart publicly, 
• were killed with swords, 
• wandered the earth in sheepskins and goatskins, 
• left without the basic necessities for life,
• lived daily oppressed, 
• tormented to the very end

They did not deserve what this world gave them:

• wandering the hills 
• hiding in caves and underground

We hear the stories of these heroes and they make us pause, reflect and give them great honor yet... not one of them received all of what God had promised.

God had a plan and gave us all something much better than momentary glory on this Earth. The glory of His son Jesus revealed and conquering as Lord and king over ALL!

And their story is woven into the fabric of our story, ultimately for us all to share in His Glory! History has been passed down from generation to generation through stories throughout most of time.

Teaching stories was done through combination of storytelling and asking questions: 

• Teacher would read something to students 
• Tell story or remind them of a story they had heard before
• Teacher would ask questions of the students 

The GOAL of reaching and story-telling: To show God's great story is at work among us and help us grow in wisdom through understanding His character.

He has always had a purpose and a plan for our lives and for His glory.

Here's how I want to lay it out for you today:

• I'm living a story 
• You're living out your story 
• God is at work (at all times in ways we do not understand)

God is bringing all of our stories and journeys together for His glory.