We talk about stories a lot around here, especially the redemption stories God is writing in our lives. If you follow Pastor Jonathan Martin on Twitter, you know he has a tendency to preach spontaneous sermons 140 characters at a time that make you want to retweet every phrase. But these words from him about stories deserve more than just retweets, so I’m sharing them with you here today. 

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If the Pharisees want you to take the “right position,” give them a parable – tell a story.

If the world wants a sign, you owe them no miracle save the way the power of the cross works through a broken vessel.

Do not manufacture one.
Do not try to prove yourself to them.
Do not try to impress them.
Do not try to meet expectations God didn’t impose on you.

Your objective is not to bring clarity, but to baffle, bewilder, and mystify people enough to go to your source with their questions.

Followers of Jesus aren’t given permission to reject their crosses, but we can and should resist falsely imposed labels, categories, and cages. People can and will reject our arguments. But the mysterious power of faith working through love in a humble witness is hard to dismiss.

Keep the gospel simple, but don’t dumb it down. And for God’s sake don’t let anyone pressure you to paint it less beautifully than it is. The world has nothing as sinister, as insidious as Christians who would rob the beauty from the gospel.

Resist them at all costs.

[ read  Jonathan Martin’s Prototype ]

[ image: UrbanMuser ]