Embracing Our Stories: God's Narrative in Our Lives

### Summary

Good morning, Menlo Church! Today, we embark on a new series called "Storytellers," where we explore the power of our personal stories and how they intertwine with God's grand narrative. Whether you're here for the first time or returning after a while, know that your story matters. We are one church across multiple locations, united by the belief that hope is for everyone. Our stories are a testament to this hope, and sharing them can inspire and uplift others.

We all have different chapters in our lives—some filled with joy, others with challenges. But no matter where you are in your story, remember that God is the ultimate author. He walks with us through every chapter, every page, and every sentence. Sometimes, we might feel like giving up, especially when life gets tough. But even in those moments, God is still writing our story, and it’s far from over.

Paul's letters to the early church, particularly to the Corinthians, remind us that our stories are not just about us. They are part of a larger narrative that God is weaving together. Paul didn't rely on letters of recommendation from influential people; instead, he pointed to the lives transformed by his ministry as his letter of recommendation. This teaches us that our lives, changed by God's grace, are the most powerful testimony we can offer.

We are encouraged to reflect on our own stories, recognizing the highs and lows, the pivotal moments, and the people who have influenced us. By doing so, we can see God's hand at work and trust Him for our future. As a church, we aim to become a storytelling culture, sharing our experiences to give God credit for the work He has done and continues to do.

Today, we also emphasize the importance of community. Life groups at Menlo Church offer a space for deeper connections, where we can share our stories and grow together. Whether you're new or have been here for years, consider joining a life group to experience the power of intertwined stories. Your story can make a difference in someone else's life, and theirs in yours.

### Key Takeaways

1. **God is the Ultimate Author**: No matter what chapter of life you are in, remember that God is writing your story. He is with you through every high and low, and your story is far from over. Trust in His plan and know that He is working all things for your good. [26:14]

2. **The Power of Personal Stories**: Our lives, transformed by God's grace, are the most powerful testimonies we can offer. Like Paul, who pointed to the lives changed by his ministry, we too can show God's work through our own stories. Your story has the power to inspire and uplift others. [31:36]

3. **Intertwined Stories**: We are not meant to live in isolation. Our stories are part of a larger narrative that God is weaving together. By sharing our experiences and connecting with others, we can see the bigger picture and understand our purpose in God's grand story. [42:03]

4. **Reflecting on Our Journey**: Taking time to reflect on our life's journey helps us see God's faithfulness in the past, which can propel us to trust Him for our future. Recognize the pivotal moments, the highs and lows, and the people who have influenced you. This reflection can strengthen your faith and give you hope. [37:56]

5. **The Importance of Community**: Life groups offer a space for deeper connections and shared stories. Moving from rows to circles allows us to grow closer to God and each other. Whether you're new or have been here for years, consider joining a life group to experience the power of community and intertwined stories. [44:20]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[22:21] - Introduction to Storytellers Series
[23:32] - Prayer and Humility
[24:54] - The Power of Story
[26:14] - God as the Ultimate Author
[27:36] - Living Out What We Believe
[28:51] - Paul's Letter to the Romans
[30:11] - The Cast of Our Stories
[31:36] - Paul's Letter of Recommendation
[32:53] - Paul's Approach vs. His Opponents
[34:15] - Challenges in the Corinthian Church
[35:33] - Paul's Investment in the Corinthians
[36:47] - Becoming a Storytelling Culture
[37:56] - Reflecting on Our Life's Journey
[39:16] - Christ as the Author of Our Stories
[42:03] - The Power of Intertwined Stories
[43:19] - Moving from Rows to Circles
[44:20] - Importance of Life Groups
[45:28] - Group Connect Sunday
[48:54] - Investing in Community
[50:14] - Encouragement to Join Life Groups
[51:32] - Closing Prayer

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 (ESV) - "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

2. Romans 8:28 (ESV) - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

3. 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."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul mean when he says, "You yourselves are our letter of recommendation" in 2 Corinthians 3:2? How does this relate to the idea of personal stories being powerful testimonies? [31:36]
2. According to Romans 8:28, how does God work in the lives of those who love Him? How does this align with the sermon’s message that God is the ultimate author of our stories? [26:14]
3. In Hebrews 12:2, Jesus is described as the "founder and perfecter of our faith." How does this description support the idea that God is actively involved in writing our stories?
4. How did Paul contrast his approach to ministry with that of his opponents in 2 Corinthians 3:1-3? What was the significance of this contrast? [32:53]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does recognizing God as the ultimate author of our stories change the way we view our current life circumstances, especially during challenging times? [26:14]
2. What are some ways that personal stories can serve as powerful testimonies of God's work in our lives, similar to how Paul viewed the lives of the Corinthians as his letter of recommendation? [31:36]
3. How can reflecting on our past experiences and recognizing God's faithfulness help us trust Him for our future? What are some practical ways to do this reflection? [37:56]
4. Why is community important in the context of sharing and intertwining our stories? How does being part of a life group enhance our spiritual growth and understanding of God's grand narrative? [44:20]

#### Application Questions
1. Think about a challenging chapter in your life. How can you see God's hand at work in that situation now, even if it was difficult to see at the time? How does this perspective help you trust God with your current or future challenges? [26:14]
2. Reflect on a time when sharing your personal story had a positive impact on someone else. How did it feel to see God use your experiences to inspire or uplift others? How can you be more intentional about sharing your story in the future? [31:36]
3. Identify a pivotal moment in your life where you clearly saw God's faithfulness. How can you use this memory to strengthen your faith and give you hope for the future? [37:56]
4. Are you currently part of a life group or similar community? If not, what steps can you take to join one? If you are, how can you contribute more actively to the group's shared stories and spiritual growth? [44:20]
5. How can you move from "rows to circles" in your spiritual journey, making deeper connections with others in your church community? What practical steps can you take this week to foster these connections? [43:19]
6. Think of someone in your life who has significantly influenced your spiritual journey. How can you express your gratitude to them this week? How can you be that person for someone else? [35:33]
7. What specific actions can you take to ensure that your story is being written by God and not by your own desires or external pressures? How can you stay aligned with God's plan for your life? [27:36]

Day 1: God as the Ultimate Author
No matter what chapter of life you are in, remember that God is writing your story. He is with you through every high and low, and your story is far from over. Trust in His plan and know that He is working all things for your good. Sometimes, life can feel overwhelming, and it may seem like the challenges are too great to overcome. However, it is in these moments that we must remember that God is the ultimate author of our lives. He is not only aware of our struggles but is actively working to bring about a greater good through them.

God's presence in our lives is constant, and His plans for us are always for our benefit. Even when we cannot see the bigger picture, we can trust that He is guiding us and shaping our stories in ways that will ultimately lead to our growth and fulfillment. By surrendering to His will and trusting in His timing, we can find peace and hope, knowing that our stories are far from over. [26:14]

Isaiah 46:10 (ESV): "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to trust God's plan? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?


Day 2: The Power of Personal Stories
Our lives, transformed by God's grace, are the most powerful testimonies we can offer. Like Paul, who pointed to the lives changed by his ministry, we too can show God's work through our own stories. Your story has the power to inspire and uplift others. Each of us has a unique journey, filled with moments of transformation and growth that can serve as a testament to God's grace and love.

When we share our personal stories, we not only honor the work that God has done in our lives but also provide hope and encouragement to others who may be facing similar challenges. Our stories can be a source of inspiration, showing others that change is possible and that God's love is transformative. By being open and vulnerable about our experiences, we can create connections and foster a sense of community, reminding others that they are not alone in their struggles. [31:36]

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 (ESV): "You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

Reflection: Think of a specific moment in your life where you experienced God's transformative grace. How can you share this story with someone who might need encouragement today?


Day 3: Intertwined Stories
We are not meant to live in isolation. Our stories are part of a larger narrative that God is weaving together. By sharing our experiences and connecting with others, we can see the bigger picture and understand our purpose in God's grand story. Life is a tapestry of interconnected stories, each one contributing to the greater narrative that God is crafting. When we share our experiences and listen to the stories of others, we gain a deeper understanding of our place in God's plan.

By embracing the interconnectedness of our lives, we can find meaning and purpose in our relationships and experiences. We are reminded that we are not alone in our journey and that our stories have the power to impact and inspire those around us. Through community and shared experiences, we can see the beauty of God's grand narrative and recognize the important role we play in it. [42:03]

Ephesians 4:16 (ESV): "From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when someone else's story deeply impacted your life. How can you be intentional about connecting with others and sharing your own story to create a sense of community?


Day 4: Reflecting on Our Journey
Taking time to reflect on our life's journey helps us see God's faithfulness in the past, which can propel us to trust Him for our future. Recognize the pivotal moments, the highs and lows, and the people who have influenced you. This reflection can strengthen your faith and give you hope. By looking back on our lives, we can see the ways in which God has been present and active, guiding us through both the joyful and challenging times.

Reflecting on our journey allows us to acknowledge the growth and transformation that has taken place, and to recognize the people and experiences that have shaped us. This practice can deepen our faith and provide a sense of gratitude for God's unwavering presence in our lives. As we reflect on the past, we can find the strength and confidence to trust God with our future, knowing that He has been faithful and will continue to be so. [37:56]

Psalm 77:11-12 (ESV): "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds."

Reflection: Take a moment to write down three pivotal moments in your life where you saw God's hand at work. How do these moments encourage you to trust Him with your future?


Day 5: The Importance of Community
Life groups offer a space for deeper connections and shared stories. Moving from rows to circles allows us to grow closer to God and each other. Whether you're new or have been here for years, consider joining a life group to experience the power of community and intertwined stories. Community is essential for spiritual growth and support. In life groups, we find a safe space to share our stories, struggles, and victories, and to receive encouragement and guidance from others.

By participating in a life group, we move beyond surface-level interactions and develop meaningful relationships that can help us grow in our faith. These groups provide an opportunity to learn from one another, to pray together, and to support each other through life's challenges. In community, we can experience the love and grace of God in tangible ways, and we can be reminded that we are not alone in our journey. [44:20]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: If you are not already part of a life group, what steps can you take to join one? If you are, how can you be more intentional about sharing your story and supporting others in your group?

I met, and this is my story.

Well, good morning, Menlo Church, and welcome. Maybe for some of you, welcome back. You've been gone for a little while this summer. We're so glad that you're back. For some of you, welcome maybe for the first time ever, or for the first time in a long, long time. And you aren't totally sure what to expect, but maybe you came in today because you need some help in your life right now. You need some hope for a particular place in your life. I'm so glad that you're here, and I'm praying that you discover that today.

I want to welcome all of our Bay Area campuses as well in Saratoga, Mountain View, here in Menlo Park, San Mateo, and those of you joining us online. We are one church in multiple locations with the same belief that hope is for everyone. And our stories are the way that we see and show that to one another and to the world.

Met's story of finding Jesus at Menlo and becoming a vital part of our church is a beautiful example of that. Her joy is contagious, and we are better, not just because God wrote part of her story here, but because she was willing to share it. That's the power of story, and that's what we're going to talk about today.

With that in mind, today we are starting an important series called Storytellers, where we are going to give you a couple of different opportunities to grow closer to God as well as with people. And on your way in today, hopefully, you received kind of a document or a handout to be able to leverage over the course of the next few weeks together. If you just prove it to me that that task is done for me, would you just hold up that piece of paper for me? This is really just to see if you're listening.

So good. I got a solid 30% of you. Thank you so much. We have security cameras in all the campuses. I can see all of you too. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Over the course of this series, I'd love for you to write down your story, and that's a tool for you to be able to do that. There's also an online version that you can find through that piece of paper as well, and people will share with you in the chat if you're watching online.

Now, some people, they have lots of stuff. They have lots of accomplishments. They have things that you wish you had, but we all have a story, and we all have a story that's worth sharing.

Now, before we get started, I'm going to pray for us. And if you've never been here before, never heard me speak, before I speak, I pray kneeling. And part of the reason that I do that is because of the humbling reaction. And I'm going to pray for you. And I'm going to pray for you. And God is writing stories just like Metz at all of our campuses today, right now. So no matter what you walked in with, no matter what you're carrying with you into the week ahead, God is writing stories together today. Would you join me as we pray and thank God for doing that?

God, thank you so much. Thank you for this incredible work that you continue to do in our lives individually and collectively. With so many things vying for our time and our attention and our focus, how easy it is for us to become distracted. Would you help us, God, to be able to lean in and hear from you, maybe for the first time in a while today, about how you want to work on our stories now. We love you. We pray that you'd be with us in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, before we get started, I do kind of just want to ask, have you ever read a book and realized, like, just a few pages into the book that the book is terrible? A few books that I have picked up over the years, and I feel like autocorrect of the program that the book was written in could have written a better book than the one that I'm reading.

Anybody ever been there before? It just feels like an absolute waste of time. So here's the question I want to ask. How many of you, when that happens, you stop reading the book? Like you're a few pages in. Okay, great. Now, how many of you, you keep reading even when you get to that place? I do not understand you. I don't understand you. I'm married to one of you, but I don't understand you. I feel like life is too short for a bad book.

Although I would say this: somebody came up to me last service, and they were like, I started reading a bad book, and then it got really good, and you have to keep going. And isn't that kind of what you're encouraging us to do with our own stories? And I was like, well, thanks for ruining my sermon illustration.

But you know, I think we all have different reactions when that happens to a book that we're reading. And I think that some of us, maybe for you, if your life was a story, you came today, and you're in the middle of a chapter that makes you want to give up on the story of your life. And I hope that you won't. I hope that what you'll discover in the coming moments and weeks together is that even when you want to give up, your story is still being written.

And in our life, our stories have different genres. Like we can go chapter to chapter, and the story feels different. Some of the chapters are romance. Some of them are personal development. Maybe for some of you, you feel like you're in the middle of a chapter that's like, the genre is horror, right? Like we all have different genres and different chapters of our life. But my encouragement is that you not give up on the story that God is writing in your life.

Now, that might just feel like an empty platitude if you aren't a Christian, but what you're going to spend a few minutes looking at today is the power of story, because our story has an author who is not us, and that's really good news. The God of the universe is walking with you through every chapter, through every page, through every sentence, through every letter.

What's tricky is when we try to live on our own, and we live a story that's a mixture of truth and error, because oftentimes we will live into the thing we believe, whether it's true or not. The late, great Dallas Willard puts it this way: he says, what we call reality is, in fact, nothing more than a story we tell ourselves. Until we discover the reality of God's kingdom, then we begin to see the world, and I would argue our story, as it truly is.

Now, our youngest, Wells, has a new habit as an exuberant five-year-old, where he will ask you something, usually for a treat, and before you can even respond, he just says, thank you, and runs off. So, be like, hey, daddy, can I have a Popsicle? And I'm like, well, buddy, it's 6 a.m., and you haven't eaten anything. And he said, thank you, daddy, you're the best, exactly what he's doing.

And unfortunately, I think some of us have some of the same kind of conversation relationship with God. We're like, I know that God doesn't want me to have this. I'm going to ask him before he even has a chance to respond, God, if I don't hear you audibly in this moment, I will assume the answer is yes. Thank you, God. Like, that's the way we can believe and behave sometimes in our story.

Now, the power of story, it isn't just the power to live out the truth. It's the power to live out what we believe. And sometimes the challenges that are in our lives make us live a story that we believe, even if it isn't true. And so, as we make sure we're living out God's story for us over the next few minutes together, here's my encouragement to you: don't give up on the power of your story for the problems of your situation.

We all have things in our life that would lead us to believe that our story has already had its conclusion predetermined, but it actually hasn't. You know, from your perspective, you have every day in front of you, and God has this long arc of history that he is working on your story in connection with other people's to deliver.

Some of you, you can't imagine that the addiction you're hung up on right now could be overcome. That the diagnosis you're in right now could be healed. That the headwinds at work that you face will ever subside. And story, it might seem like a sweet idea for someone with free time, but that's not you. And I would tell you that you are living a powerful story. Truth, lie, or the combination. It's just maybe not helping you, and I think that it can.

Paul spent time digging into a chapter in the letter to the church at Rome in the first century written by the Apostle Paul. Paul, someone who had a radical experience in becoming a follower of Jesus, was inspired by God to write words that God continues to use now, even thousands of years later. He wasn't always so highly thought of as we think about the Apostle Paul today, especially by his opponents in the first century with the early church.

In a letter that he wrote to the church at Corinth, he was kind of describing and responding to some of his critics at the same time. And there was a custom that was really familiar to the people where someone would arrive, and with them, they would bring a letter of recommendation or letters of recommendation from people who carried lots of influence or were really important. And the letters were often manipulated or exaggerated for that person to be able to be seen as really important.

And Paul, he reminds them of a really important reality we're going to break down today. And that's the idea of the Bible. And he reminds together, which is that all stories have a cast, like you getting a letter of recommendation about you from someone else. It's not as powerful as we think that it is. It's easy to make ourselves the only character in our story, or maybe for you, you're always the main character of your story.

But when we realize that all of our individual stories are a part of something bigger, God's big story, we see the way that God intertwines our stories on purpose and for a purpose that's bigger than all of us. And that's such good news.

In high school, I did theater. And there's a saying in theater that there are no small parts, only small actors. And in my experience, that's absolutely true. You might be frustrated about the job that you have or the season of life that you're in. But the more times that you find a reason to be discontent with your circumstances, the more challenging contentment can become in your life, regardless of your life circumstances.

I can remember multiple shows that I did where there was an actor who was in a role that didn't have many lines or stage time, but they became the favorite character of everyone that watched the show because of how they showed up in that role. The modern example of this, if you don't believe me, from the musical Hamilton is King George. He didn't have a bunch of stage time, but he didn't let the lack of stage time diminish his impact on the show.

Now, Paul's opponents, they were obsessed with stage time. They were obsessed with being the center of attention. So they were always looking for ways to minimize Paul's ministry and trying to leverage exaggerated third-party recommendations to get an audience or manufacture artificial influence.

Paul, knowing this trend, he's addressing it with the church at Corinth when he says these words. He says, "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you?" And then he says, "You yourselves are our letter of recommendation written on our hearts to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts."

And so we've spent some time over the course of this series highlighting what some of this points back to. And as we look back even to this particular chapter, we see one chapter earlier in chapter two, Paul is describing his opponents, these people that were manufacturing letters of recommendation and inflating letters of recommendation. He calls them peddlers of God's word, that they were offering the hope of heaven and who Jesus was, but they were doing it for selfish motivations. They weren't doing it to help other people. They were doing it to help themselves.

And Paul, he contrasts that with his own approach of being commissioned by God himself to make a difference for others, even with personal sacrifice. Instead of trying to defend himself with other people's recommendations, Paul says that his recommendation is the people in the church of Corinth themselves. What a claim.

They're like, you wouldn't believe the letters that these people have. Let me show you. We should really believe it because this person said that we could listen to them because this person said they were trustworthy. And Paul's like, are you kidding me? You should know. Like, ask yourself if you can trust me.

See, part of why Paul could make this claim is because what we see in our Bibles as Second Corinthians is likely one of three letters that Paul has written to the church at Corinth. It's more letters than any other church got in the New Testament, which probably tells us something about how much they needed from the Apostle Paul.

Paul had watched this community of young Christians grow in their maturity in real time. He had addressed this wild list of growth areas. He talked about division around loyalty to leaders over their loyalty to God, including politically. Of course, nothing we would ever struggle with today. But like then, they struggled with it. He talked to them about sexual immorality as chosen people in a permissive culture. Again, nothing we would ever struggle with. Wouldn't that be crazy?

He talks about lawsuits among Christians in conflict, dishonoring communion as a sacred meal for God's people. There were these things. And he's like, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I'm just going to keep telling you the unintended consequences of the choices that you're making. I'm willing to get close to you, to be in relationship with you, to continue to remind you and to not give up on you.

So it's even more unbelievable that given all of that, like all of the circumstances that he's just described, that there is a group of people going, hey, Paul, why should we listen to you? It's like, are you kidding me?

Now, when he says this second part that we need to listen to, he says, "I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know." And he says, "You yourselves are our letter of recommendation written on our hearts." Like, he's talking about them. He's saying, "You've made a difference in our life. You've made a difference in my core reality, not only that to be known and read by all."

Like, you're carrying this with me all the time. And the way that this is written right here in the original language is Paul is saying, this has been permanently and indelibly written on my heart. I couldn't forget you if I wanted to. Paul is saying, hopefully, you feel the same way.

Now, even with all this as background and all the potential to be hurt, even as they're doubting him because of their investment, because of their relationship, because of their shared story, he could see that this story that God was writing together with them was bigger than the problems they were going through at the moment. And more than that, this story was going to be shared by everyone because we carry our stories with us.

You carry your story with you, whether you want to or not. Hopefully, it's a story that you're listening to and hearing from and letting God write in your mind and heart and not the one you're being deceived into thinking and living according to. Because that's how our stories work.

We have people that have left an impact in our life that we are so thankful for. Men and women that you can think back years, maybe decades, and you think, I wouldn't be who I am or where I am or where I'm headed without her or him in my life. I am so thankful for them. And then there are people on the flip side, right, that they left a mark, but one that you wish you could give back. And God has used them too.

We can trust that God's power is bigger, and it can turn our mess, even messes of our own creation, into a message of hope for others. That's what happens when we live intentional and aware of the stories that God is writing in our life and through it.

As a church over the school year, we are going to focus on becoming a storytelling culture because of the power of our stories and because we want to give God credit for the work that he has done and that he is doing individually and collectively. That's part of the reason that we gave you those handouts when you came in today.

And I want to give you one more resource as you think through your own story. Maybe you're going to use it on that handout or another piece of paper, especially if you've never really thought about or shared your story before. And this resource comes from a ministry called Alpha, where people kind of develop and discover faith together.

And in this story, or in this tool, you can see these icons up here. And this is like your life timeline. So this is when you were born. You're a very cute baby. And then this is today. This is not the day you die. That's today. And so you think about it kind of like a line, right? Okay, here's me. Here's my life. Here's what's going on, right?

And all of our lives have these little moments. And so you think about it. Every one of these ups and downs probably has a story to it, and so what does that look like? And can this icon help you remember that? What are some crises that if you think about it, those showed up at different points in your life? Maybe there were big decisions that if you think back, you go, man, I remember what it would have been like if I made a different choice right here. I was this old. I lived in this place.

Maybe you go, well, here were the people that God used in my life to help me keep growing. And then recovery, right? You go, well, I can't imagine what my life would have looked like if I wasn't open to the steps towards recovery that existed right there.

So yours will look much better than this. I'm not suggesting that yours will look like this when you're done. But if it's helpful, I would say start with a map like this to just frame out your story. And you may see that God actually has more in store that he's already done in your life than you think.

Sometimes doing this work is a powerful reminder that God can use all of it. As a matter of fact, I think sometimes when we can't trust God from this point forward, it's because we've forgotten what God has done from that point past. And so seeing God's faithfulness in our life in the past can propel us to trust God for our future.

Now, I'm sure that Paul, he would have placed the Corinthian people as several of these different milestones in his life. Like he's like the little emoji head that's exploding at the top. I'm sure a couple of times they would have been those key people for him and key decisions and investments, right? But they had made an impact in his life. And not only that, he knew that God had used them to make an impact on him and him to make an impact on him.

And so if we go back to the story, we find ourselves looking at this section right here. He says, "You show that you are a letter from Christ." Now, this is different, right? He's saying the letter of recommendation you're looking for, it's actually from Jesus. They might have important people that the letter is from, but I'm telling you, your letter is more important.

And he says, "Not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone." We'll talk about that in a second, "on tablets of human hearts." And Paul is doing something right here in this section that is so incredibly important.

See, Paul, he's talking about kind of the normal pattern of human recommendations, things that they would have read, that they would have received, that they would have heard about before. And he transforms them into a picture of God's letter of recommendation. The transformation that takes place in your and my heart when we allow God to write our story and we live according to his story for our life.

And so here he says, it's actually Christ. He's the one who wrote the letter. And that amazing message not only got delivered to the Corinthian church, but through them to the world around them. That's why we're still talking about it today.

You see that the spirit of God is actually the ink. You see that instead of pieces of paper or parchment, they're being put on stones of the human heart. It's like the most durable thing ever. And Paul, he doesn't take credit. Did you notice that? Christ is the sender. The spirit is the ink. Their hearts are the parchment.

So you have to ask yourself the question, where's Paul? Paul is the pen. He's God's instrument to get the message of the spirit from the work of Jesus onto the hearts of people. And so are you.

See, I'm sure Paul's critics at this point, they were seething. As he took this thing that they wanted to use to disqualify Paul's message, and he masterfully uses it to point them back to Jesus, which Paul was amazing at. And that's what God can do with our stories. Even when they're messy, even when they're hard, even if you wish you could rewrite parts of them, God keeps using them.

He contrasts stone tablets. Now, the reason that he does this is really important. None of them had brought to the Corinthians stone tablets of recommendation. The medium by which something was written communicated the value of the thing that was written. So whether that was rolled-up parchment, or there were a number of different sort of types of letter material that it could have been written on, stone tablets were the ones that were designed to last for centuries.

For the Jewish people, they would have instantly thought about the Ten Commandments. They would have thought about Moses. These are going to last forever. And Paul says, can I tell you a thing? They don't even have a stone tablet. Actually, your letter of recommendation is even more significant than a stone tablet.

So he's already one-upped his critics. And he says, yours are actually written on human hearts. He contrasts these stone tablets with the human heart because for them, the human heart, it was seen as the center. It was seen as the most important thing about you, the truest thing about you, who you really were. And it was representative of the eternal nature of the soul.

It's like he was saying, no matter how long your recommendation letters last, God's recommendation letter on you will last longer. And that's still true today. This is the power of intertwined stories. Paul wouldn't be Paul without the intertwining of the Corinthians. And the Corinthians wouldn't be the Corinthians without the intertwining of Paul.

We are made for shared stories, for characters, for plot twists, for tragedy, for resolution. They're all a part of it. The reason that we like good stories is because we are hardwired for living a story.

Now, some of you, you're wondering what to do with all this. Stories matter to God. And maybe you're even convinced that there is more power in your story than the problems you face today, but you aren't sure what to do about it.

Now, if you're a church person, you've been in church for a while, you have a hint maybe of where I'm going. You got a hunch, an idea. But if you're new to church, this may be a brand new idea for you. And so I want to slow down and make sure we're all moving along the same journey.

I grew up in church, but the church that I attended as a kid prioritized weekend service, this kind of over everything. And so it was clear that standing, singing, going to church was the most important part of our faith, or at least that's what it felt like to a kid. The only place that this didn't happen for me was in student ministry, which was intentionally designed to put me in a small group of other students with a leader who helped us process what we were learning, discuss what was going on in our lives, and deepen friendships with one another.

It actually wasn't until after I left home that I realized that some churches did that with adults too. Now, since then, I've been in church for a long time. I've been in church for a long time. I've been in church for a long time. I've been in church for a long time. I've been in church for a long time.

And helped with countless small groups in homes and at church, because I believe that circles are better than rows. See, circles, they know things that rows can never know. You can sit next to someone for years and make a whole bunch of assumptions, but they can live at a distance. You can live at a distance. Circles don't work that way.

At Menlo, we call those groups life groups. And life groups, if you're unfamiliar, are mid-sized groups, usually between eight and 16 people, that meet in homes throughout the Bay Area to grow closer to God in a smaller community. Most meet a couple of times a month throughout the school year and share a meal together.

Oftentimes, we create life group resource guides for every weekend that we teach and have services. A lot of groups work through that guide to go deeper into what they've learned on the weekend. Now, we have existing groups, and we're starting new ones all the time to help meet the needs of a growing community here at Menlo.

Today is a special weekend. We call it Group Connect Sunday, where you can learn more about life groups, where you can ask questions of people at your campus who are a part of one of those life groups, and you can even sign up for more information.

As a result of COVID and the last few years of life, we really need your help with this. This is like, think Jerry Maguire, help me help you. That's kind of the situation we're at right now. We know that there are a lot of people who need community, who are new or newer. And there are some of you who have just slowly let community fade from your life. And it's time for you to regroup.

And so that's what we're going to spend a few minutes doing today. With all that in mind, I would love for everyone here to complete a form online. And so sometimes I'll ask you to get your phone out, and then you have to pretend that your phone hasn't already been out this whole time. You know what I'm talking about? And you're like, oh yeah, I've seen people do that.

So if right now you wouldn't mind pulling your phone out for me, it'd be great. And every seat across Menlo, you'll be able to find a QR code that you can scan through your camera app on. If you're like, I don't like doing that, you can just go to menlo.church/connect, either one of those options.

And we're going to walk through this form together. And you thought this screen was absurd already, but look, now it's an iPhone. Isn't that fun? That's exciting. Somebody today was like, I have an Android. I was like, well, maybe your screen is about as big as mine then.

So if you click on that link or you go to menlo.church/connect, you will get to this page. This page, by the way, is always curated for the kind of next steps we think are likely the ones you're looking to take. So if you're wondering, you can like bookmark this page on your phone because this doesn't change, but the things on it do.

And so when you're on this page, you're going to click on this third button down that says group connect. And if you're thinking to yourself right now, Phil, it feels like you're doing this slower than you normally do things. Are you stalling? I am absolutely stalling to give you time to get your phone out, to be able to open your camera app, to scan the QR code.

And if you need help, because you're like, I'm not sure how to do that, just look for somebody around you that looks like they figured out how to do this and then have them help you. Last service, somebody told me like my grandchild was sitting next to me. He helped me. So just have somebody do that for you.

Once you click on it, you'll get to a form that looks like this, that will ask for your name, your email, the campus you attend. And look at that. That's my actual information. That's my real email. It actually works if you want to email me, but put information on there under name and email.

And then if you scroll down, you will select the campus that you attend, as well as what is your next step into community at Menlo Church. So you can say, I'm in a life group. Honestly, that would be very helpful information for us to make sure that our database is accurate. That would be really good.

Maybe you're going to say, hey, I want to join an existing life group. That's the step I hope to take. Fantastic. Let us know. Maybe you think, I want to start a new life group, either as a life group leader, or I just want to be a part of a group that doesn't exist yet. Can I join that?

And then there's this last option down here that maybe for you, this is all a brand new concept. And you're like, I'm not sure I'm ready to go to a stranger's house. I get that. So we've created something for you called Menlo Next. That is a three-week group experience at your campus where you can kind of try it before you buy it. You can try it for three weeks without having to commit to an entire year.

And you'll learn some of the same practices that we do in our life groups. You'll learn a little bit more about Menlo, and you'll get a great meal out of it. So select whatever option you want to select there. And then you may need to click submit one more time, depending on the options that you have selected.

And that's it. If you would click on, remember this button right here, that button right there, and then fill that form out, it will help us to get better information to better help you.

Now, I know that you may be skeptical, especially if things in your life right now are going okay. Because you're like, I don't even know. Why do I need this? I'm telling you, your life actually will grow closer to Jesus if you move from rows to circles. Because we are designed to have intertwined stories.

The storms of life this side of heaven are coming. And so that's not like, I'm not trying to threaten you. I'm not trying to make you scared. I'm just saying this is a reality of life. And the best time to get ready for the storms of life, do you know when it is? Before the storm, right? Like that's a thing we understand in life.

But sometimes in relationships, we wait too long. I've been doing pastoral ministry a long time. And oftentimes when people come to me and they are in the greatest need, unfortunately, we are trying to triage because they have not spent the time before that moment building the kind of community that will help them in that moment.

And so I'm telling you, please, please, please, please, please invest in your future. Invest in the story that God is trying to write with your life and invest in the way he wants to intertwine your story with someone else's story for a bigger story to change the world.

This week, you'll hear from someone at your campus. If you sign up for this form about next steps, and if you're a part of a group that's being formed, I'd say just be patient. It may take a little bit to get all the details sorted out. But I am so hopeful about the stories that God will write through people saying yes to community at Menlo. I'm so hopeful for it.

Life groups, they have helped people stay connected to hope and help through the last few years with so much uncertainty in the world and at Menlo. And they are available to you too. Life groups, this is not like an abstract. These things have actually happened.

They've been places where people who have navigated through divorce have been able to navigate through that with other people who have similar experiences. They've been places where people who have needed help to be able to relate to one another, even through loss, like losing loved ones, have been able to navigate that together.

Life groups have been a place where people who are new to faith or new to the area have found their people at Menlo. That Menlo goes from being a place they go to people they know and people that know them. Life groups are open to you too, because more than rows, but circles make a huge difference in our lives.

What if the next step in your story is to say yes to a circle? Some of you used to do groups, and it's kind of been a while, and it's time to regroup. It's time to lean back into the story that God is still writing in your life. There's a group of people at Menlo who need your story, and your story needs them.

Can I pray for us that God will use this season in a brand new way to help our community to be drawn closer to Jesus every day?

Thank you. Thank you for the gift of this community. Thank you for the people that are sitting in rows in rooms all across the Bay Area, people that are maybe sitting in a row of their own couch at home watching online, and they're thinking, God, they're thinking, is it time? Is it time for me to not just know Menlo, but to be known by people at Menlo?

Is it a chance for me to have Menlo go from a place that I go to people that I know and that know me, for me to believe that circles really are better than rows? God, would you just move in our hearts to create a greater appetite and a greater opportunity for us to be known by people at Menlo?

God, would you just move in our hearts to create a greater appetite and a greater hunger that our journey with you would not just be about what we learn in our minds on the weekend, but what we actually get to walk out every life, every story, every day, that this hope could be something we carry with us all the time.

Thanks for the people who have said yes to these for decades here at Menlo. I pray that you would bless those groups, that God, we would create a problem because of how many people are saying yes to community this weekend. God, be with us now. It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

1. "Some of us, maybe for you, if your life was a story, you came today, and you're in the middle of a chapter that makes you want to give up on the story of your life. And I hope that you won't. I hope that what you'll discover in the coming moments and weeks together is that even when you want to give up, your story is still being written." [24:54] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "Don't give up on the power of your story for the problems of your situation. We all have things in our life that would lead us to believe that our story has already had its conclusion predetermined, but it actually hasn't. You know, from your perspective, you have every day in front of you, and God has this long arc of history that he is working on your story." [28:51] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "We are made for shared stories, for characters, for plot twists, for tragedy, for resolution. They're all a part of it. The reason that we like good stories is because we are hardwired for living a story. Now, some of you, you're wondering what to do with all this. Stories matter to God." [43:19] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "We can trust that God's power is bigger and it can turn our mess, even messes of our own creation, into a message of hope for others. That's what happens when we live intentional and aware of the stories that God is writing in our life and through it." [36:47] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "The power of story, it isn't just the power to live out the truth. It's the power to live out what we believe. And sometimes the challenges that are in our lives make us live a story that we believe. Even if it isn't true." [27:36] (11 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "Our story has an author who is not us, and that's really good news. God of the universe is walking with you through every chapter, through every page, through every sentence, through every letter. What's tricky is when we try to live on our own, and we live a story that's a mixture of truth and error, because oftentimes we will live into the thing we believe, whether it's true or not." [26:14] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "We all have a story and we all have a story that's worth sharing. Now, before we get started, I'm going to pray for us. And if you've never been here before, never heard me speak, before I speak, I pray kneeling. And part of the reason that I do that is because of the humbling reaction. And I'm going to pray for you. And I'm going to pray for you. And God is writing stories just like Metz at all of our campuses today, right now." [23:32] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "Life groups have been a place where people who are new to faith or new to the area have found their people at Menlo. That Menlo goes from being a place they go to people they know and people that know them. Life groups are open to you too, because more than rows, but circles make a huge difference in our lives. What if the next step in your story is to say yes to a circle?" [51:32] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9. "We are one church in multiple locations with the same belief that hope is for everyone. And our stories are the way that we see and show that to one another. And to the world. Met's story of finding Jesus at Menlo and becoming a vital part of our church is a beautiful example of that. Her joy is contagious and we are better, not just because God wrote part of her story here, but because she was willing to share it." [22:21] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


10. "Paul is the pen. He's God's instrument to get the message of the spirit from the work of Jesus onto the hearts of people. And so are you. See, I'm sure Paul's critics at this point, they were seething. As he took this thing that they wanted to use to disqualify Paul's message, and he masterfully uses it to point them back to Jesus, which Paul was amazing at. And that's what God can do with our stories. Even when they're messy, even when they're hard, even if you wish you could rewrite parts of them, God keeps using them." [40:40] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)