King David would have been in the Army... // February 28, 2008
When Sara and I got married, she introduced me to the postmodern concept of the meta-narrative. The prefix "meta" means "beyond"- and we all know that a "narrative" is a story- so the meta-narrative of Scripture is the bigger story of God's workings. The individual stories weave together, giving insight into the larger narrative. It looks at the Bible not as a collection of independent stories nor as a system of theology, but as one overarching story - a story with many interpretations and applications.
It has become my favorite style of preaching. I love to just tell Bible stories when I preach and hope that the congregation experiences the Bible the way I have started to. This year Sara bought me "The Message" (a paraphrase of Scripture as rendered by Eugene Peterson), and I am reading through the Bible as a story. As I read, I am thoroughly enamored with the characters I am meeting. As I read, I read into the character common emotions and reactions - they were after all not super spiritual giants but common folk experiencing life not essentially unlike ours. For instance, what if (and I fully understand that I am reading into Scripture here - but what preacher doesn't read his own personality into the Word?) what if Joseph was not the uber spiritual, squeaky clean Mike Huckabee of the Bible - what if he was just the spoiled rotten son of the favorite wife of a very wealthy man? If you were his brother and he decided to tell you at the breakfast table how you and all the rest of his brothers were just going to serve him? How would you feel if you worked hard for your father's affection and it all went to the baby of the family who never worked a day in his life? I mean, what if Joseph was a jerk and it took getting thrown into Pharaoh's dungeon to straiten him out? (I understand that there are passages that demonstrate the Joe was a man of character - Potifar's wife is a prime example but still...) I tell ya - its way fun!
At any rate - my favorite story in the Bible is the story of David's ascension to the throne of Israel, his military conquests, and rein as king. I like to call him the Godfather of Israel. I mean, you gotta love it - here's this bastard son of a marginal man who is chosen because of his love for God who has the guts and patriotism to stand up to the biggest, most hardcore dude the Philistines can bring up - totally gangster. Then, he runs to the hills, leads this band of outlaws, debtors, scrappy men and their families as a para-military, mercenary force to be reckoned with! He has a temper, loves beautiful women, (come on - you KNOW that one is true - every time he meets a woman, she gets her way! Abigale, Bathsheba...), has strong code of ethics (well, except where women were concerned), is loved by his men (I love the story where he is out in the field running from Saul and he is reminiscing around the fire with his band of merry men. He remembers a well from his childhood and speaks fondly of it - his boys hear that and decide to sneak behind enemy lines just to bring their leader some water from that well. When they bring it back to him, he is so moved that he offers it as a sacrifice. I love it!), and has a tender heart toward God. He's a man's man, a warrior's warrior - he lives life the extreme - he is passionate, almost to a fault. He is a man who has to learn the hard way - just like me.
I love to tell his story to soldiers cause he is one of us. He's the leader we all want. I love the characters - his warlord, Joab. The man who kills for David so he doesn't have to get his hands dirty. Joab is so hardcore that when David is on his deathbed and calls Solomon to him, he tells him to make sure he kills Joab! No one but David can control him! Think of David's kids - David, like many soldiers, is extremely good at soldiering, but has a hard time disciplining his kids and has to pay for it - dearly. I mean, it goes on and on.
All that to say that last night, I found myself telling the story again. One of my soldiers asked me for a Bible and I dropped by the Chapel here at the Camp and picked him up one. When I gave it to him, I asked him what he wanted to read in the Bible - he didn't really know. Someone has told him to start with John but mostly, he found that the Bible didn't have much to do with him - he just felt that he should read it.
So I just started telling him stories. I told him the story of David. He looked at me and said, "that's in there?" For an hour I just told him stories from the OT about the Kings and Judges - it was so much fun. Later, I saw him reading the OT.
We'll get to Jesus tonight...
It has become my favorite style of preaching. I love to just tell Bible stories when I preach and hope that the congregation experiences the Bible the way I have started to. This year Sara bought me "The Message" (a paraphrase of Scripture as rendered by Eugene Peterson), and I am reading through the Bible as a story. As I read, I am thoroughly enamored with the characters I am meeting. As I read, I read into the character common emotions and reactions - they were after all not super spiritual giants but common folk experiencing life not essentially unlike ours. For instance, what if (and I fully understand that I am reading into Scripture here - but what preacher doesn't read his own personality into the Word?) what if Joseph was not the uber spiritual, squeaky clean Mike Huckabee of the Bible - what if he was just the spoiled rotten son of the favorite wife of a very wealthy man? If you were his brother and he decided to tell you at the breakfast table how you and all the rest of his brothers were just going to serve him? How would you feel if you worked hard for your father's affection and it all went to the baby of the family who never worked a day in his life? I mean, what if Joseph was a jerk and it took getting thrown into Pharaoh's dungeon to straiten him out? (I understand that there are passages that demonstrate the Joe was a man of character - Potifar's wife is a prime example but still...) I tell ya - its way fun!
At any rate - my favorite story in the Bible is the story of David's ascension to the throne of Israel, his military conquests, and rein as king. I like to call him the Godfather of Israel. I mean, you gotta love it - here's this bastard son of a marginal man who is chosen because of his love for God who has the guts and patriotism to stand up to the biggest, most hardcore dude the Philistines can bring up - totally gangster. Then, he runs to the hills, leads this band of outlaws, debtors, scrappy men and their families as a para-military, mercenary force to be reckoned with! He has a temper, loves beautiful women, (come on - you KNOW that one is true - every time he meets a woman, she gets her way! Abigale, Bathsheba...), has strong code of ethics (well, except where women were concerned), is loved by his men (I love the story where he is out in the field running from Saul and he is reminiscing around the fire with his band of merry men. He remembers a well from his childhood and speaks fondly of it - his boys hear that and decide to sneak behind enemy lines just to bring their leader some water from that well. When they bring it back to him, he is so moved that he offers it as a sacrifice. I love it!), and has a tender heart toward God. He's a man's man, a warrior's warrior - he lives life the extreme - he is passionate, almost to a fault. He is a man who has to learn the hard way - just like me.
I love to tell his story to soldiers cause he is one of us. He's the leader we all want. I love the characters - his warlord, Joab. The man who kills for David so he doesn't have to get his hands dirty. Joab is so hardcore that when David is on his deathbed and calls Solomon to him, he tells him to make sure he kills Joab! No one but David can control him! Think of David's kids - David, like many soldiers, is extremely good at soldiering, but has a hard time disciplining his kids and has to pay for it - dearly. I mean, it goes on and on.
All that to say that last night, I found myself telling the story again. One of my soldiers asked me for a Bible and I dropped by the Chapel here at the Camp and picked him up one. When I gave it to him, I asked him what he wanted to read in the Bible - he didn't really know. Someone has told him to start with John but mostly, he found that the Bible didn't have much to do with him - he just felt that he should read it.
So I just started telling him stories. I told him the story of David. He looked at me and said, "that's in there?" For an hour I just told him stories from the OT about the Kings and Judges - it was so much fun. Later, I saw him reading the OT.
We'll get to Jesus tonight...
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Iraq Part Dux...4 Comments
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Chaplain Jon Fisher
I found your website and have read through the entire thing. Wow. What a life you have been give by God. It is amazing to how God moves us through the journey of growing and depending on Him. Thank you for your service to our God and our country!
Currently, my wife and I are praying about joining the Army Chaplaincy. Originally the thought was for the Reserves, but now we are seriously considering Active Duty. We love God and trust in His plans. Reading through websites likes your's has shown us the sacrifice AND joy that comes with such a calling.
I will pray for you as you are away in Iraq AND I will pray for your family left behind in the states. May God bless you and keep you for His glory.
Wow, Jon!
Thanks for a wonderful message. I've got to get that book!
You have written about one of my favorite insights into understanding Holy Scripture ---- that God, over and over again, chose ordinary people, just like you and me, to do extraordinary things that never-in-a-million years they (or anyone else) thought they could possibly do.
The people in the Bible that do His work are the most unlikely folk we could imagine: from a young shepherd boy to rough fishermen to a much reviled tax collector.
And don't forget the increduality of those who asked, "Is this not the carpenter's son?"
God knew most of his choices would stumble and fall and make mistakes and let Him down and even argue and protest and try to get out of doing His will.
He chose them anyway.
Even Jesus asked something like, "Are You really, really sure this is what You want .... could not this cup pass from me?"
The strength of God's word, in my opinion, is the very real "human-ness" of the characters in the stories.
Simply brilliant.
-Jean in SC
Sir, David is one of my favorite people of the Bible. I have been pastoring a church in SW Georgia for 9 months and have only begun 2 Samuel. David is a warrior after God's own heart. One of my favorites is when David goes to Nob and what seems to be in such a hurry orders something from the supersize menu, five loaves (why would one person need that many) and a supersize sword (Golaiths to be exact). Some people forget the fact that he put the sword there to begin with, so the way I see it since Nob is home of the preist (let's say church), you can get out of church what you put into it, or you get out of Christianity what you put into it. If you desire all of God, then give Him your all. Right after he asks for the sword, Goliaths sword he goes into Philistines territory, actually Goliaths home town, I'm sure they won't notice this sword. I could go on and on about David and what we have uncovered is nowhere near the surface. I am thinking about doing a Bible study with the soldiers on this one, I could probably take a year when I get in country and do this and have plenty of information.
Sir, David is one of my favorite people of the Bible. I have been pastoring a church in SW Georgia for 9 months and have only begun 2 Samuel. David is a warrior after God's own heart. One of my favorites is when David goes to Nob and what seems to be in such a hurry orders something from the supersize menu, five loaves (why would one person need that many) and a supersize sword (Golaiths to be exact). Some people forget the fact that he put the sword there to begin with, so the way I see it since Nob is home of the preist (let's say church), you can get out of church what you put into it, or you get out of Christianity what you put into it. If you desire all of God, then give Him your all. Right after he asks for the sword, Goliaths sword he goes into Philistines territory, actually Goliaths home town, I'm sure they won't notice this sword. I could go on and on about David and what we have uncovered is nowhere near the surface. I am thinking about doing a Bible study with the soldiers on this one, I could probably take a year when I get in country and do this and have plenty of information.