Radical Acceptance: Embracing Jesus's Transformative Narrative

 

Summary

In this message, we explore the concept of radical acceptance and the profound narrative of Jesus Christ, which is considered the greatest story ever told. The idea of a surrendered will is central, distinguishing it from a weak will. A surrendered will is strong and aligned with love, joy, peace, and God. This sets the stage for understanding the story of Jesus, which is unique among world religions because it is rooted in a narrative rather than just teachings. The story of Jesus is not only about his teachings but about his life, death, and resurrection, making it the most compelling narrative in history.

The structure of a great story, as outlined by Robert McKee, involves a protagonist, an inciting incident, conflict, risk, and resolution. Jesus is the ultimate protagonist, embodying the perfect human and divine nature. His story begins with the incarnation, the ultimate inciting incident, and continues through his baptism, ministry, and the conflicts he faces. These conflicts are both internal and external, reflecting the struggles we all face between good and evil, and between our desires and reality.

The climax of Jesus's story is his crucifixion and resurrection, an ironic twist where victory is achieved through apparent defeat. This narrative is not just a story of the past but a living invitation for us to join in. We are called to place our stories within his, surrendering our wills to his divine purpose. The story of Jesus is the greatest because it encompasses the ultimate conflict, risk, and resolution, offering redemption and reconciliation to the world.

This narrative invites us to reflect on our own lives, to see our journeys as part of this grand story, and to embrace the challenges and conflicts we face with a surrendered will. It is a call to live in alignment with the values of love, justice, and peace, trusting in the ultimate resolution that Jesus's story promises.

Key Takeaways:

1. Surrendered Will vs. Weak Will: A surrendered will is not weak but strong and aligned with divine values. It is about choosing to align our desires with love, joy, peace, and God, rather than being easily swayed by external pressures. This distinction is crucial for living a life of purpose and integrity. [00:36]

2. The Unique Story of Jesus: Unlike other religious figures, Jesus's life is a narrative that encompasses his teachings, making Christianity unique. This story is not just historical but a living invitation for us to participate in the divine narrative. It challenges us to see our lives as part of a greater story. [01:44]

3. Conflict and Resolution: The story of Jesus is filled with conflict, both internal and external, reflecting the human condition. This conflict is necessary for growth and transformation, leading to the ultimate resolution of resurrection and redemption. It teaches us that conflict is an integral part of our spiritual journey. [04:09]

4. Irony and Redemption: The climax of Jesus's story is an ironic twist where victory is achieved through apparent defeat. This teaches us that true strength and victory often come through humility and surrender, challenging our conventional understanding of success. [10:21]

5. Our Invitation to the Story: We are invited to place our stories within the grand narrative of Jesus, surrendering our wills to his divine purpose. This involves embracing the challenges and conflicts of life with faith and trust in the ultimate resolution that Jesus's story promises. [13:02]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:25] - Surrendered Will vs. Weak Will
- [01:03] - The Greatest Story Ever Told
- [01:29] - The Structure of a Great Story
- [02:14] - Protagonist and Character
- [03:17] - Inciting Incident and Conflict
- [04:48] - Risk and Value in Stories
- [06:14] - Jesus as the Ultimate Protagonist
- [07:09] - Incarnation and Baptism
- [08:06] - Public Ministry and Conflict
- [09:12] - Crisis and Decision in Gethsemane
- [09:58] - Climax and Irony of the Cross
- [11:12] - The Greatest Backstory
- [12:12] - The Ministry of Reconciliation
- [13:02] - Our Invitation to the Story

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
2. Luke 9:51 - "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem."
3. Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

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Observation Questions:

1. How does the concept of a "surrendered will" differ from a "weak will" according to the sermon? ([00:25])
2. What makes the story of Jesus unique compared to other religious figures, as discussed in the sermon? ([01:44])
3. What are the key elements of a great story as outlined by Robert McKee, and how do they relate to the story of Jesus? ([02:14])
4. How does the sermon describe the climax of Jesus's story, and what is its significance? ([09:58])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that Jesus's story is an invitation for us to participate in a divine narrative? ([13:02])
2. How does the sermon explain the irony of Jesus's victory through apparent defeat, and what does this teach about strength and humility? ([10:21])
3. What does the sermon imply about the role of conflict in our spiritual journey, and how does it relate to the story of Jesus? ([04:09])
4. How does the sermon connect the story of Jesus to the broader narrative of the Bible, starting from Genesis? ([11:12])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you faced a significant conflict. How might viewing it as part of a larger story change your perspective on that experience? ([04:09])
2. The sermon discusses the idea of a surrendered will. What is one area of your life where you struggle to surrender your will to God's purpose? ([00:25])
3. How can you actively place your personal story within the grand narrative of Jesus in your daily life? ([13:02])
4. Consider the irony of Jesus's victory through defeat. How can you apply this principle of finding strength in humility in your relationships or work? ([10:21])
5. The sermon invites us to align our lives with values of love, justice, and peace. What is one practical step you can take this week to live out these values? ([13:02])
6. How does understanding the backstory of Jesus's life, as connected to the entire Bible, enhance your appreciation of the Christmas story? ([11:12])
7. Identify a personal conflict you are currently facing. How can you approach it with a surrendered will, trusting in the ultimate resolution promised in Jesus's story? ([04:09])

Devotional

Day 1: The Strength of a Surrendered Will
A surrendered will is not a sign of weakness but a testament to strength and alignment with divine values. It involves choosing to align one's desires with love, joy, peace, and God, rather than being easily swayed by external pressures. This distinction is crucial for living a life of purpose and integrity. By surrendering our will, we open ourselves to a deeper connection with God, allowing His love and guidance to shape our lives. This act of surrender is not passive but an active choice to trust in God's plan and purpose for us. [00:36]

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself resisting God's will? How can you actively choose to surrender this area to Him today?


Day 2: The Living Invitation of Jesus's Story
The story of Jesus is unique among world religions because it is rooted in a narrative rather than just teachings. Unlike other religious figures, Jesus's life encompasses his teachings, making Christianity unique. This story is not just historical but a living invitation for us to participate in the divine narrative. It challenges us to see our lives as part of a greater story, inviting us to align our personal narratives with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. By doing so, we find meaning and purpose in our own journeys, knowing that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. [01:44]

"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" (Matthew 4:19, ESV)

Reflection: How can you see your life as part of the greater story of Jesus? What steps can you take today to align your personal narrative with His?


Day 3: Embracing Conflict for Spiritual Growth
The story of Jesus is filled with conflict, both internal and external, reflecting the human condition. This conflict is necessary for growth and transformation, leading to the ultimate resolution of resurrection and redemption. It teaches us that conflict is an integral part of our spiritual journey, and through it, we can experience profound growth and transformation. By embracing the challenges and conflicts we face, we open ourselves to the possibility of spiritual renewal and a deeper understanding of God's purpose for our lives. [04:09]

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: What current conflict or challenge in your life could be an opportunity for spiritual growth? How can you approach it with faith and trust in God's plan?


Day 4: The Irony of Victory Through Defeat
The climax of Jesus's story is an ironic twist where victory is achieved through apparent defeat. This teaches us that true strength and victory often come through humility and surrender, challenging our conventional understanding of success. By embracing the irony of the cross, we learn that God's ways are not our ways, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. This perspective invites us to reevaluate our understanding of success and to find strength in surrendering to God's will, trusting that His plans are greater than our own. [10:21]

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'" (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to embrace humility and surrender to experience true victory? How can you trust in God's strength in your weakness today?


Day 5: Joining the Grand Narrative
We are invited to place our stories within the grand narrative of Jesus, surrendering our wills to his divine purpose. This involves embracing the challenges and conflicts of life with faith and trust in the ultimate resolution that Jesus's story promises. By joining this grand narrative, we find meaning and purpose in our lives, knowing that we are part of a story that offers redemption and reconciliation to the world. This invitation calls us to live in alignment with the values of love, justice, and peace, trusting in the ultimate resolution that Jesus's story promises. [13:02]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively participate in the grand narrative of Jesus today? What steps can you take to align your life with His divine purpose?

Quotes


A will can be good or bad. I can be surrendered to that which is good, to God, to reality, and then a will can be weak or strong. It can be easily turned aside or tenacious, and God wants us to have wills that are strong, that are not easily turned aside, but that are also good, that are surrendered to love and to joy and peace and to God into reality. [00:36:16]

Christianity is the only major religion that is rooted in a story. Other founding religious figures, Confucius, the Buddha, Muhammad, give teachings or lead things, but only Christianity is presented not simply as the teachings of its founder but as the story of his life, and there is a reason why I think this is significant. [00:06:28]

Conflict is central, McKee says, and the reason for that is our lives are filled with conflict. Story is about life, and there's conflict inside me, fundamentally, most fundamentally, between good and evil, between who I want to be and who I know I am, and then conflict between individuals and conflict between nations. [00:04:01]

The climax of Jesus's story is his crucifixion and resurrection, an ironic twist where victory is achieved through apparent defeat. This narrative is not just a story of the past but a living invitation for us to join in. We are called to place our stories within his, surrendering our wills to his divine purpose. [00:09:58]

He offers his life on the cross. God dies, the greatest risk of all time, and then the greatest turning point of all time, resurrection, and then resolution, and the resolution is that that resurrection begins to be worked out so that the object of his desire from the very beginning, which is the redemption of the world. [00:10:54]

We are each invited to take that step towards Jesus, and we will face, as he did, a life of difficulty and conflict and risk, but we're putting our stories inside of his stories. We are surrendering our wills to his will. That's the story of Christmas. That is the greatest story ever told, and it can be yours and mine. [00:13:04]

The story of Jesus is the greatest because it encompasses the ultimate conflict, risk, and resolution, offering redemption and reconciliation to the world. This narrative invites us to reflect on our own lives, to see our journeys as part of this grand story, and to embrace the challenges and conflicts we face with a surrendered will. [00:12:12]

In a good story, the protagonist has to travel to get to the end of the line, and that's the inevitable conflict. Now, no tomorrow, no turning back. This is Frodo at Mount Doom in Mordor, and then there is the climax when the story turns one way or another, and then there is the resolution. [00:05:49]

Jesus is the greatest protagonist of all time because he is the Son of God who is made flesh. There's never been a protagonist like that. Not only that, he actually is called in the New Testament the second Adam. The idea is that every human being was made by God to be a glorious person, but we've lost that because of sin. [00:06:19]

The resolution after the crucifixion and the resurrection, we are given a great commission. To you and me is given the ministry of reconciliation. God, the whole story, the whole story of the human race, God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever trusts in him should not perish but have everlasting life. [00:11:56]

The story of Jesus is filled with conflict, both internal and external, reflecting the human condition. This conflict is necessary for growth and transformation, leading to the ultimate resolution of resurrection and redemption. It teaches us that conflict is an integral part of our spiritual journey. [00:04:48]

The greatest story of all time, no matter what you think about it, and then that gets to be part of our story. See, this is also the map of your journey and mine. We are each invited to take that step towards Jesus, and we will face, as he did, a life of difficulty and conflict and risk. [00:12:57]

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