Desires, Conflicts, and Redemption in God's Narrative

 

Summary

In our journey through life, we are all driven by desires. From the moment Jesus began His ministry, He asked, "What do you want?" This question is central to our existence because God created us with desires. Our stories are shaped by what we want and the conflicts we face in pursuit of those desires. Every story, including our own, involves a protagonist with a heart's desire, and the strength of that desire forms the backbone of the narrative. However, no one gets the story they want without encountering conflict, whether it be internal, interpersonal, or external.

Consider the stories we know, like "The Wizard of Oz" or "Home Alone." Each has a triggering incident that sets the protagonist on a journey filled with challenges. Similarly, our lives are filled with moments that test our resolve and character. The Bible itself is a grand narrative of God's desires and the unfolding of His story through human history. God's ultimate aim is to create a community of love, with Himself as the central figure. Yet, even God doesn't get the story He wants without conflict, as seen in the fall of humanity and the redemptive journey through Jesus Christ.

Jesus' story is the ultimate example of desire, conflict, and resolution. His ministry began with baptism, faced trials in the wilderness, and culminated in the cross and resurrection. This unpredictable yet inevitable climax is the essence of the human condition. Our challenge is to incorporate our stories into His grand narrative. As we explore the spiritual memoirs of others, we learn to examine our desires and how they align with God's story.

We all have stories, and often they don't unfold as we wish. Yet, our broken stories can find redemption when woven into God's greater narrative. This journey invites us to reflect on our desires, conflicts, and how they fit into the eternal story of Jesus. By sharing our stories, we find healing and purpose in the fellowship of believers. Let us embark on this journey together, seeking to align our desires with God's ultimate aim.

Key Takeaways:

1. Desires and Stories: Our desires are integral to our stories. God created us with desires, and they shape the narrative of our lives. Understanding what we truly want is the first step in aligning our story with God's greater purpose. [00:32]

2. Conflict and Resolution: Every story involves conflict, whether internal, interpersonal, or external. These challenges test our character and resolve, ultimately leading to growth and transformation. [01:54]

3. God's Grand Narrative: The Bible is a story of God's desires and His redemptive plan for humanity. Even God faces conflict, yet His ultimate aim is to create a loving community with Himself at the center. [05:56]

4. Jesus' Story as a Model: Jesus' life exemplifies the journey of desire, conflict, and resolution. His story, culminating in the cross and resurrection, is both unpredictable and inevitable, offering a model for our own lives. [06:58]

5. Redemption in Community: Our broken stories find redemption when woven into God's greater narrative. By sharing our stories within the fellowship of believers, we find healing and purpose in the journey of faith. [10:26]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - The Question of Desire
- [01:08] - Understanding Our Stories
- [01:54] - Conflict in Our Narratives
- [02:30] - Examples from Popular Stories
- [03:15] - The Role of Risk and Crisis
- [04:11] - Unpredictable and Inevitable Endings
- [05:09] - Moral Character in Stories
- [05:37] - God's Desire and Human History
- [06:12] - The Triggering Incident of Sin
- [06:43] - Jesus' Journey of Conflict
- [07:11] - Incorporating Our Stories into His
- [07:42] - Learning from Spiritual Memoirs
- [09:26] - Redemption in God's Greater Story
- [10:40] - Invitation to Share Our Stories

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Mark 1:9-13 - Jesus' Baptism and Temptation
2. Genesis 3:1-7 - The Fall of Humanity
3. Philippians 2:5-11 - The Humility and Exaltation of Christ

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Observation Questions:

1. In Mark 1:9-13, what significant events mark the beginning of Jesus' ministry, and how do they set the stage for His journey of desire, conflict, and resolution? [06:43]

2. How does Genesis 3:1-7 illustrate the concept of a "triggering incident" in the grand narrative of the Bible, and what are the immediate consequences of this event? [06:12]

3. According to Philippians 2:5-11, what desires and actions characterize Jesus' approach to His mission, and how do they reflect the themes of humility and exaltation?

4. In the sermon, how is the concept of "desire" linked to the idea of having a personal story, and why is it important to understand what we truly want? [00:32]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Mark 1:9-13) serve as a model for understanding the role of conflict in our own spiritual journeys? [06:43]

2. In what ways does the fall of humanity in Genesis 3:1-7 demonstrate the challenges God faces in achieving His ultimate desire for a loving community? [06:12]

3. How does Philippians 2:5-11 illustrate the unpredictable yet inevitable nature of Jesus' story, and what does this teach us about the resolution of our own stories?

4. The sermon suggests that our stories can find redemption when woven into God's greater narrative. How does this idea challenge or affirm your understanding of personal and communal faith? [09:26]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when your desires led to conflict, either internally or externally. How did you navigate that situation, and what did you learn about your own story in the process? [01:54]

2. Consider the "triggering incidents" in your life that have set you on a particular path. How have these moments shaped your journey, and how might they be part of God's greater narrative? [02:30]

3. Jesus' story is marked by humility and obedience, even in the face of great conflict. How can you incorporate these qualities into your own life, especially when facing challenges? [06:58]

4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of sharing our stories within the fellowship of believers. What steps can you take to be more open and vulnerable in your community, and how might this lead to healing and growth? [10:26]

5. Identify a desire in your life that you feel is not aligned with God's greater purpose. What practical steps can you take to realign this desire with God's story? [09:56]

6. How can you actively participate in creating a loving community, as described in the sermon, within your church or local community? What specific actions can you take this week to contribute to this goal? [05:56]

7. Reflect on the unpredictable yet inevitable nature of Jesus' story. How can this perspective help you trust in God's plan for your life, even when the outcome is uncertain? [07:11]

Devotional

Day 1: Desires Shape Our Life's Narrative
Our desires are the driving force behind the stories of our lives. From the moment we are born, we are filled with wants and needs that guide our actions and decisions. Understanding these desires is crucial because they reveal what truly matters to us and how we can align our lives with God's greater purpose. By examining our desires, we can discern whether they lead us toward or away from the life God intends for us. This introspection is the first step in aligning our personal stories with the divine narrative. [00:32]

Psalm 37:4-5 (ESV): "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

Reflection: What is one desire you have that you feel is not aligned with God's purpose? How can you begin to realign this desire with His will today?


Day 2: Growth Through Conflict
Every story, including our own, involves conflict. These challenges, whether internal, interpersonal, or external, test our character and resolve. They are opportunities for growth and transformation, pushing us to become more like Christ. Embracing conflict as a part of our journey allows us to develop resilience and deepen our faith. By facing these challenges head-on, we can emerge stronger and more aligned with God's purpose for our lives. [01:54]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: Think of a recent conflict you faced. How did it challenge your character, and what did you learn from it about yourself and your faith?


Day 3: God's Redemptive Plan
The Bible is a grand narrative of God's desires and His redemptive plan for humanity. Even God faces conflict, as seen in the fall of humanity, yet His ultimate aim is to create a loving community with Himself at the center. Understanding this divine narrative helps us see our place within it and encourages us to participate in God's redemptive work in the world. By aligning our desires with God's, we contribute to His greater story of love and redemption. [05:56]

Ephesians 1:9-10 (ESV): "Making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's redemptive plan in your community or personal life today?


Day 4: Jesus as Our Model
Jesus' life exemplifies the journey of desire, conflict, and resolution. His story, culminating in the cross and resurrection, is both unpredictable and inevitable, offering a model for our own lives. By studying Jesus' life, we learn how to navigate our own desires and conflicts with grace and purpose. His example teaches us that true resolution comes through surrender to God's will and trust in His plan. [06:58]

Hebrews 12:2 (ESV): "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Reflection: In what area of your life can you follow Jesus' example of surrender and trust in God's plan?


Day 5: Redemption in Community
Our broken stories find redemption when woven into God's greater narrative. By sharing our stories within the fellowship of believers, we find healing and purpose in the journey of faith. This communal aspect of our spiritual journey reminds us that we are not alone and that our stories, no matter how broken, can contribute to the greater good. Together, we can support one another in aligning our desires with God's ultimate aim. [10:26]

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (ESV): "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."

Reflection: Who in your community can you share your story with today, and how can you support others in their journey of faith?

Quotes


"desire we are made to want everybody has a wter when Jesus begins his ministry in the gospel of Mark the very first question he asks is what do you want often people think that being a Christian means that I'm supposed to not really want anything to just uh say God whatever you want is fine with me but actually God made us with wers God made us to have desires if you're standing behind somebody in Starbucks or at hog andos and they have all this time in line and then they get to the front and they're asked what do you want and they still haven't made up their mind yet it's actually quite irritating nobody likes somebody where they're not clear about what is it they want everybody has desires we were made to want and no way to ask that question what do you want is what is your story and we're going to get deeply into our stories what is your story and what is your story with God as we go through this series I want so much to unpack this the best that I can as I set this up today uh book by Robert mck is called story says that really every story is simply about a person a character a protagonist that has an object of his desire um there's a little design I'm going to walk you through um every story is the story of somebody who wants something has what uh Elanor stump would call a heart's desire and the strength of the desire of the protagonist for that object is the spine of the story how much do they want it if they don't really want it there's no story but there's another aspect of our stories nobody gets the story they want none of us do uh in every case if there's a story a story is always about a protagonist that has a desire but has to fight through conflict to get it it's always the case and those conflicts could be interpersonal inside of me um or interpersonal conflicts with other people or extrapersonal with forces Beyond myself that are really really large so um think about a movie uh The Wizard of Oz there's always in a story um what uh mcke calls a a trigger or an inciting incident there's a twister and Dorothy ends up in Oz and so she needs to find a way to come home or Kevin if you've ever seen the movie Home Alone um he thinks what he wants is to make his family disappear but he has a moment when he meets Joe pesi the bad guy and then his family leaves him at home that's the inciting incident then you know confrontation is going to come what he really wants is to defend his home so that he'll have a home for his family to return to and then in his story then there's constant conflict uh what do you want and then the other big question will be what's your problem because you don't have the story that you want and how much are you willing to fight for what's really worth wanting and so the central protagonist takes a risk risk and then there's more problems so another risk the risk never goes away as long as you have a story there will conflict be conflicts inside you and outside of you and you will have to fight one risk after another after another and then eventually there will be a a great crisis um Dorothy has to face the wicked witch and then in a moment that we couldn't have anticipated as an act of kindness cuz she's a kind person she tries to pour water on the Scarecrow to rescue here from fire and who knew that that cleansing agent water is what would destroy the wicked witch who who knew that all my beautiful wickedness will be destroyed by a little girl she says Aristotle said uh in every story The Crisis the ending must be unpredictable and inevitable you can't see it coming ahead of time but once it happens you say oh that's that's the way it had to be so there is a a great crisis and a climax to the story the the central character decides yes I will do whatever it takes I will run this one all the way up the line and then a climax and then the resolution and in a comic story with a happy ending the central character gets their heart's desire in a tragedy King leer Hamlet the central character dies they never get it but that's the story so what's your story now um what matters most of all to us in a story with that Central character isn't so much what happens to the character it's how does the character respond to what happens because what we long is to have a character that we admire stories are inevitably about the moral character of the people who inhabit them what is happening to me from one moment to the next moment to the next moment the Bible is primarily a story great 20th Century theologian Carl Bart was it was said of him that he read the Bible like a Loosely structured novel of nonfiction a true story and it's the story of God what is it that God wants what is his heart's desire delas whether put it like this God's aim in human history is the creation of an allinclusive community of loving persons with himself included as its primary sustainer and most glorious inhabitant that's God's desire and Genesis 1 is the story of how it begins but then another triggering incident in Genesis 3 sin um death guilt Disobedience ego enters into the story even God doesn't get the story he wants and yet he desires the Emanuel principle to be with his people how bad does God want it God wants it real bad God wants it real bad and so the story has continued on with a man named Jesus and his ministry begins baptism uh and then he goes into the Wilderness and he's got problems he has to fight uh the evil one Satan Temptation people who oppose him risk after risk after risk after risk until the great crisis in the garden where he says not my will but yours be done and then the ultimate climax on a cross and then no one saw this coming but him Resurrection a great ending has to be both uh unpredictable and inevitable and that is the cross and that is the resurrection and that is why the story of Jesus in a unique way is just the story of The Human Condition so the question for you and me in this series is how does our story get incorporated into his great story and what we will do there's a wonderful book by Richard lisher uh called our hearts are restless and and he looks at the stories the spiritual Memoirs of 24 people who sought in their own way to find God or to follow Jesus and we people like Augustin Dietrick Bon Hoffer CS Lewis folks that you know people that you don't know at all people you agree with people we're going to look at them and how they look honestly at their own stories what did I think I wanted made my family disappear wanted to be rich wanted to be famous wanted pleasure uh what was worth wanting and and how does my story intersect with God's story everybody has a story I want so much for us to be a place where we're able to tell our stories I'd love for you to be able to do that as we go through this series for us to be writing our spiritual Memoirs two days ago I was um in a spot in Northern California and a woman came up to me there was a couple that I had known like 30 years ago I had not seen them literally for 30 years and she follows a little bit so she came and told me we knew each other's kids she remembered when um Nancy had to take medicine that was kind of radioactive for a thyroid and to Nuke her thyroid and one of our kids asked Mom are you going to Glow now so she was asking is Nancy still glowing and I asked how's your story and she told me they had two beautiful little children when when we knew them a year ago one of them died of addiction and mental health related related issues nobody gets the story they want and it was so sad to have known that 30 years ago um we need a place where we can bring our stories uh uh especially when they get crushed and what we wanted most of all is what we now cannot have can never have and then the question becomes the only way to fix my story which is a broken story is to make it part of a greater story of a better story of the Grand Story of a God who has an ultimate aim in human history and I can be part of his story that's the journey that we're going to be on I invite you today just think all through this day what do you want in quite small ways when you sit down to eat what do you want to eat what do you want to do in this next moment but then if you're really honest about it what's that great desire in your heart might just be money right now might be something you think it's not really worth it but that's where we start God here's where I am right now now God uh how do you help me to take my life my story what it is that I want my problems my conflict and fit it into that greater story Into the Jesus story into a story that will last forever our broken sad stories will be healed if they are to be healed At All by being fixed into that greater story everybody has a story nobody gets the story they want everybody's story can be redeemed in The Fellowship of the withered hand that's the journey we're on together it's time to share our stories hey if you enjoyed that video be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss any future teachings from John orberg here at become new my name is Tim and I'm a part of the team here this ser series is all about stories everybody has a story and everybody's story matters and we want to know about your story whether it's a story of coming to Faith or a story of spiritual growth whatever it is we're here for you you can email that to us at connect at becom new.com or you can text it to us you can also sign up for daily reminders whenever we drop a new video via text by texting the word become to the number o send us prayer requests there there's a team of us that meet to pray each weekday for viewers just like yourself if you'd like to receive the emails that go along with each video be sure to check that out at bec.com ssubscribe more than a video to watch this is really a community to belong to and we're so glad that you're a part of it we'll catch you next time" [00:20:00]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?