Tell Me the Old, Old Story
They say the old ones are the best! In the case of the gospel story, they are right! It is the oldest story in the book: from day one of the fall, God has been working to redeem humanity and the planet.
There is something about redemption that we all love.
Whether it’s sports stars like Tiger Woods or Ben Stokes, - or musicians and actors who fall from grace and then reemerge in later years to become national treasures - we all love a redemption story. Year after year, Shawshank Redemption tops critics and individual’s greatest films list, despite being a gritty, hard-to-watch film, the feeling of relief at the end when justice is seen to be done lifts the soul and leaves a broad smile on your face.
Now for a confession. I am old enough to remember singing this hymn at chapel when I was little.
“[1] Tell me the old, old story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.
Tell me the story simply,
As to a little child;
For I am weak and weary,
And helpless and defiled.
[2] Tell me the story slowly,
That I may take it in -
That wonderful redemption,
God’s remedy for sin.
Tell me the story often,
For I forget so soon;
The early dew of morning
Has passed away at noon.”
The last article I wrote I encouraged everyone to listen to other people’s stories, before looking for an opportunity to tell yours and God’s story. Redemption describes a large part of that. Redemption means being saved from our sins, but there is a wider meaning in society of regaining back something which was lost, like the stories of the lost coin, sheep and son in Luke 15. So the idea of being part of God’s broader mission to bring about His kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven is also part of the redemption story. Hence, verses 1 and 2 of this old favourite hymn can help us…
Verse 1:
It is an old story and it may seem hidden to many, but it is just as powerful and compelling as it’s ever been. Read Ephesians 1:11-14 for a quick reminder of what Jesus has done for you. Jesus literally paid with his life to redeem your life from the back of a dusty shelf in the pawnbroker’s! We need to be reminded of the magnitude of what Christ has done for us and once again be refreshed with the truth that nothing now stands in the way of God’s love for us.
We also need to be able to communicate it simply to others “as to a child.” One of the best ways to do that is to tell our own story. Our church recently had a weekend away together in Derbyshire. One of the best things we did was listen to a broad range of testimonies from members of the church. As a result people were literally in tears hearing how faithful God had been in so many difficult circumstances and how He had brought good out of them in such beautiful ways. In fact, at least one person described themselves as being “born again” as a result of what the Spirit was saying. Now that is good storytelling! Can you tell stories about your life with God in the mix? In my experience, some are naturals and others could do with practice! Here’s a simple template:
Verse 2:
Verse 2 has an English word in it which people keep telling me is unwelcome and out-of-date: “SIN”. It is unwelcome because society says that as long as our actions don’t intentionally hurt anyone else and it pleases us then it is not wrong. So when the word “SIN” is heard, phrases like “Who are you to judge?” and “Who gave you the right to set the rules?” are quick to follow. To that we can quickly assert, “Indeed no one has appointed us as judge and we don’t set the rules” – even Jesus did not come to condemn but to save (John 3:16-17). However, when we tell our own story of redemption, we mustn’t miss out the first half of the gospel! We need to make clear that it was only when we truly came to the end of ourselves and admitted to God that we were unable to do it on our own - and that we are sorry for our actions (repentance) - that Jesus could lead us out of the pit through faith in Him, and belief of what He will do in our new life.
If the word ‘sin’ sounds old-fashioned, that is because it is! It is the old English word used to describe an arrow that falls short of its target. In fact, that is a really good image for how we should imagine sin, because whatever we have done, even if we think we’re one of the good guys, we have still fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) that He intended for us in living right. There is no one righteous – not even one (Romans 3:10).
Pointing out the sins of others doesn’t always go down very well. However, if we tell our own story of redemption, we can happily speak of our own sin, and that brings humility, openness and vulnerability to the conversation. It also then gives us the opportunity to speak of God’s grace when He rescued us from the pit we were in and forgave us and gave us new life so that others might put their faith in Him, just as David declared (Psalm 40:1-3). The second verse captures how God deals with our sins quite beautifully with “The early dew of morning has passed away at noon.”
So, when you get the opportunity this summer to speak deeply with a friend – perhaps round a campfire, or on holiday, or over a brew, why not tell them the old, old story. But don’t leave it half-baked – tell it warts and all; it may be a story of how you came to faith, or it may be about how God rescued you from financial ruin, or a medical emergency, or depression, or mourning the loss of someone close. Then tell of how Jesus entered the situation and rescued you and brought you out of the pit. Everyone loves a redemption story and when they have finished listening you could give them the opportunity for Jesus to pull them out of any mire they might be wallowing in. If I was sinking, that’s what I would do!
Giles Holloway is the leader of King’s Centre. He has a passion for seeing Sheffield transformed into the prosperous, creative and beautiful city it is called to be through its people coming to know how prosperous, creative and beautiful they are as God’s children. He focuses on getting others praying, sharing their faith and caring for their community. He is very fortunate to have a wife and three wonderful kids and when the weather is right he can be found riding the peaks or hitting a golf ball in the vague direction of the green.