Living Out God's Story: Faithful Participation and Improvisation

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound significance of living out God's story in our lives. We began by reflecting on the sacrament of communion, a powerful reminder of Jesus' sacrifice and the new covenant established through His blood. This act of remembrance calls us to recognize the worthiness we have in Christ, inviting us to partake in His grace and love. As we gather at the table, we are reminded of the relationship we are invited into with God, a relationship that is made possible through the cross.

We then delved into the concept of God's story and our role within it. The narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration is not just a historical account but a living story that we are called to participate in. We are in the fifth act of this divine drama, tasked with improvising as the Church. This requires us to live out the story, not just understand it, and to do so with an element of improvisation, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Improvisation in this context means being faithful to the story that has been told while being open to the new things God is doing. It involves staying connected to the community of believers, trusting the Spirit's guidance, embracing the biblical narrative, and practicing the "yes and" of faith—acknowledging what God has done and stepping into what He is doing now. This dynamic journey calls us to be active participants, not passive spectators, in God's unfolding story.

As we conclude this series, we are challenged to consider how we will step into this story. How will we live a life worthy of the calling we have received? How will we practice the disciplines that help us follow Jesus faithfully? These are questions that invite us to reflect on our role in God's story and to respond with intentionality and commitment.

Key Takeaways:

1. Communion as a Reminder of Worthiness: The act of communion is a profound reminder of our worthiness in Christ. It invites us to partake in His grace, recognizing that our relationship with God is made possible through Jesus' sacrifice. This sacrament calls us to remember and proclaim the Lord's death until He comes, grounding us in the reality of His love and redemption. [53:54]

2. Living God's Story: We are called to live out God's story, not just understand it. This involves improvising as the Church, being faithful to the narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Our role is to actively participate in this divine drama, guided by the Holy Spirit, and to embody the story in our daily lives. [01:06:12]

3. The Art of Improvisation: Improvisation in faith means being open to the new things God is doing while staying true to the story that has been told. It requires us to be connected to the community, trust the Spirit's guidance, and embrace the biblical narrative. This dynamic journey calls us to be active participants in God's unfolding story. [01:08:42]

4. Embracing the Biblical Narrative: To improvise faithfully, we must know the story we are stepping into. This involves immersing ourselves in Scripture, understanding the unfolding story of God, and allowing it to shape our lives. By embracing the biblical narrative, we ensure that our improvisation remains true to the heart of the first four acts. [01:16:53]

5. Practicing the "Yes And" of Faith: The early Church saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's story and carried it forward. We are called to do the same, saying "yes" to what God has done and "and" to what He is doing now. This requires us to be active participants in God's mission, adapting to new cultures and contexts while remaining faithful to the gospel. [01:27:15]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [53:54] - Communion and Worthiness
- [57:54] - Yuri Gagarin and God's Presence
- [01:06:12] - Living God's Story
- [01:08:42] - The Art of Improvisation
- [01:11:51] - Improvisation and the Church
- [01:14:05] - Staying Connected
- [01:16:53] - Trusting the Spirit
- [01:19:00] - Embracing the Story
- [01:21:30] - Practicing the "Yes And"
- [01:24:00] - The Role of the Church
- [01:27:15] - Stepping into God's Story
- [01:29:00] - Reflection and Prayer
- [01:31:00] - Closing and Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
2. John 1:14
3. Hebrews 10:24-25

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the act of communion remind us about our relationship with God, according to the sermon? [53:54]

2. How does the sermon describe the role of the Church in the "fifth act" of God's story? [01:06:12]

3. What is meant by "improvisation" in the context of living out God's story, as explained in the sermon? [01:08:42]

4. How does the sermon suggest we should stay connected as a community of believers? [01:14:05]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sacrament of communion serve as a reminder of our worthiness in Christ, and why is this significant for believers? [53:54]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the Church is called to "improvise" in the current act of God's story? How does this relate to the guidance of the Holy Spirit? [01:08:42]

3. What does it mean to "embrace the biblical narrative," and how can this influence our daily lives as believers? [01:16:53]

4. How does the concept of "practicing the 'Yes And' of faith" challenge us to be active participants in God's mission? [01:27:15]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your personal experience with communion. How does it remind you of your worthiness in Christ, and how can you carry this reminder into your daily life? [53:54]

2. The sermon talks about living out God's story with an element of improvisation. What new things might God be calling you to do in your life, and how can you be open to these changes? [01:08:42]

3. Staying connected to a community of believers is emphasized in the sermon. What steps can you take to strengthen your connection with your church community this week? [01:14:05]

4. How can you immerse yourself more deeply in the biblical narrative to ensure your life aligns with God's story? What specific actions can you take to study and engage with Scripture more effectively? [01:16:53]

5. The sermon challenges us to practice the "Yes And" of faith. Identify a situation in your life where you can say "yes" to what God has done and "and" to what He is doing now. How will you actively participate in this? [01:27:15]

6. Consider the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding your life. How can you become more attentive to the Spirit's leading in your daily decisions and interactions? [01:16:53]

7. Reflect on the idea of living a life worthy of the calling you have received. What specific disciplines or practices can you incorporate into your life to help you follow Jesus more faithfully? [01:27:15]

Devotional

Day 1: Communion as a Gateway to Grace
The act of communion is a profound reminder of our worthiness in Christ. It invites us to partake in His grace, recognizing that our relationship with God is made possible through Jesus' sacrifice. This sacrament calls us to remember and proclaim the Lord's death until He comes, grounding us in the reality of His love and redemption. As we gather at the table, we are reminded of the relationship we are invited into with God, a relationship that is made possible through the cross. This act of remembrance calls us to recognize the worthiness we have in Christ, inviting us to partake in His grace and love. [53:54]

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Reflection: As you partake in communion, how can you more deeply embrace the grace and worthiness that Christ offers you today?


Day 2: Participating in God's Living Story
We are called to live out God's story, not just understand it. This involves improvising as the Church, being faithful to the narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Our role is to actively participate in this divine drama, guided by the Holy Spirit, and to embody the story in our daily lives. The narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration is not just a historical account but a living story that we are called to participate in. We are in the fifth act of this divine drama, tasked with improvising as the Church. [01:06:12]

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in God's story today, bringing His message of reconciliation to those around you?


Day 3: Faithful Improvisation in the Spirit
Improvisation in faith means being open to the new things God is doing while staying true to the story that has been told. It requires us to be connected to the community, trust the Spirit's guidance, and embrace the biblical narrative. This dynamic journey calls us to be active participants in God's unfolding story. Improvisation in this context means being faithful to the story that has been told while being open to the new things God is doing. [01:08:42]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: What new thing might God be doing in your life right now, and how can you faithfully improvise in response to His leading?


Day 4: Embracing and Embodying the Biblical Narrative
To improvise faithfully, we must know the story we are stepping into. This involves immersing ourselves in Scripture, understanding the unfolding story of God, and allowing it to shape our lives. By embracing the biblical narrative, we ensure that our improvisation remains true to the heart of the first four acts. This requires us to be connected to the community, trust the Spirit's guidance, and embrace the biblical narrative. [01:16:53]

Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Reflection: How can you immerse yourself more deeply in Scripture this week, allowing it to shape your actions and decisions?


Day 5: Practicing the "Yes And" of Faith
The early Church saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's story and carried it forward. We are called to do the same, saying "yes" to what God has done and "and" to what He is doing now. This requires us to be active participants in God's mission, adapting to new cultures and contexts while remaining faithful to the gospel. This dynamic journey calls us to be active participants, not passive spectators, in God's unfolding story. [01:27:15]

Acts 13:47-49 (ESV): "For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.' And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region."

Reflection: What is one way you can say "yes" to God's past work in your life and "and" to His current calling for you today?

Quotes

"The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance for me. In the same way, after supper, he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance for me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." [00:48:52]

"We're about to gather at these tables, or the table, a table that points us to Jesus, a table that points us to the one we worship, the one who has done more than enough, the one that invites us and calls us to these tables, regardless of how you've come in this morning. The one who welcomes you to this table, all are worthy because of what he's done. No one is more or less worthy at this table because of all that Jesus has done." [00:49:36]

"Creation ever know its creator well I would argue the only way that creation could know its creator the only way that humanity can know God is if God chooses to reveal himself or writes himself into the story if the author himself writes himself into the script and that's exactly what both the Bible and history tells us has happened God's story isn't about us climbing up to God and expecting to see him there about building towers and trying to reach God as though God was somewhere up there but instead God's story is about him coming to dwell with his creation." [00:59:25]

"Each part of that phrase suggests something. Firstly, that this is a story to live into. Not just to understand, not just to know, but a story that must be journeyed. It must be walked. It must be something which isn't static, but has movement and progression. And secondly, that there's an element of improvisation required in order to live into this story well, and that it's not an individual journey, but the journey as a church." [01:06:54]

"There's a guide in Scripture as to what this should look like. We've got letters that come after the Gospels that give us insight into how the church wrestled with what it means to follow Jesus, how they adapted to new cultures, and they faced persecution and lived out the mission he gave them. We have the example of Acts showing the Spirit at work, and the first believers shaping the communities and sending them out." [01:11:16]

"As followers of Jesus, we are called to be a community, a people, not just individuals, who demonstrate to the world what the kingdom of God looks like when it comes near. A good improviser is always aware of those that are around them. Actors pay attention to the other actors on stage. They react, and they respond, and they build off one another to create something that's dynamic and has progression." [01:13:15]

"The spirit is the one who is building and growing the church. The spirit is the one who acts and leads and guides those who choose to follow Jesus. The spirit is like the director, if you like. The one who's calling the shots. The one that's guiding from A to B. But the spirit's not just giving directions. The spirit's work is transformational, pointing us to Jesus and shaping us to become more like him." [01:16:10]

"If we are called to improvise as the church, then we need to know the story that we're stepping into, right? A good walker doesn't walk onto the stage without any preparation. They know what's happened already in the story so that they can faithfully continue it, right? We need to know what's come before us to understand the unfolding story of God through scripture so that we can walk faithfully into the future." [01:17:54]

"Too often, I think we have reduced the Bible to a rule book, a list of do's and don'ts, rather than the relational story of God and his people. We can often treat Christianity as though it's a behavioral management program, when in reality, it's an invitation to live as part of an unfolding story. The Bible's not just about morality. It's about our identity. It's not just about rules. It's about relationship." [01:19:06]

"The early church saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's story and they were called to carry it forward slight difference there the church has not replaced Israel the church has expanded Israel Jesus has fulfilled Israel the church was not a break from the past it was a continuation of God's mission which began all the way back in Genesis it was set in motion through Abraham and Israel was fulfilled in Jesus." [01:20:50]

"Improvising is dynamic and always moving forward always seeking a path into the future a path that's faithful to the story and the author that has been and living out this in fresh and new ways as the spirit leads we're called to keep the main thing the gospel that is unchanging we're called to keep the main thing the main thing but the way that that is expressed the way that that is connected with a culture around us is what was always changing and adapting." [01:25:50]

"Help us to embrace the story that we're in, Lord To not run from it, but to know it To be people that love your word And study it deeply And study it widely To know the story that we are written into The story that we're invited into And Lord, help us to practice the yes in To step out To step forward To trust that you're leading us To trust that you are ahead of us And calling us forwards Into what you have And what your spirit is doing In us And around us And in the whole world." [01:35:55]

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