For all the care you put into artistry, visual polish frequently doesn’t matter if you are getting the story right.

Ed Catmull, former President of Pixar Animation and Disney Animation

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration (NYC: Random House, 2014), 37

Unknown

A couple of weeks ago I began the frightening task of preaching through Judges. In 6:22 Gideon realizes he has seen the angel of the Lord: “Alas….I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” Dale Ralph Davis comments:

“There is nothing amazing about grace as long as there is nothing fearful about holiness.”

Judges (Beanies House, Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2000), 97

paintbrush

I’m always looking for broad brush strokes that explain what Scripture is and how it functions for the Church. This helps keep the purpose of my sermons in line with what God is doing in His Word. Here’s how Robert Jenson explains Scripture in two broad categories:

“think of Scripture as both an encompassing narrative of the Creator’s history with his creatures, and as torah, his gracious communication of what is good for participants in that history.” (p. 34 in, It’s The Culture, First Things, May 2014, Number 243).

Hope this helps you convey theology from narrative or torah this weekend. Preach well!

Randal

First Things 34