Faith: I love to tell the story of Jesus

One of the hymns that sticks out from my childhood is “I Love to Tell the Story.”

I recall learning this hymn back when I first started Sunday school. I can still envision sitting in the basement of that church and one of the women from church would play the piano and we would all sing along. I still like that hymn.

I like how it speaks of telling the story of “unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love.” I like this hymn so much, I included it in my ordination service.

I like it because it clarifies my “job description” not only as a pastor but also as a disciple of Jesus. In other words, my “job” or calling is to tell the story of Jesus, to speak of God’s love so that others might come to love the story and the source of the story as well.

With Easter we have heard the greatest story ever told; the story of God’s victory over death once and for all. We have followed Jesus into Jerusalem with palm branches waving and shouts of “Hosanna!”

We joined Jesus and disciples in the upper room where they received a new commandment to love one another as Jesus has loved them.

They were given a command to gather and remember with the bread and wine. We followed Jesus to Gethsemane as Jesus prayed and the disciples fell asleep and eventually fled.

We stood at a distance as Jesus hung on the cross. And like the disciples, we are mystified at the news of Jesus' resurrection.

It truly is the most wonderful of all stories.

I heard a story some time ago about a seminarian who would get together with friends to play basketball at a local school on Sunday evenings. On one particular night the janitor came into the gym, and he had his Bible with him and just sat and read as the young men played ball.

The seminarian eventually asked the janitor what he was reading when he realized that it was the Bible in his hands.

The janitor said he was reading the Book of Revelation. The seminarian confessed that that he always had a hard time reading that particular book and asked the janitor what he understood from the strange story.

The janitor simply smiled and said, “God wins!”

The story of Holy Week is a reminder to each of us that God wins, that love wins and by the grace of God we all win!

And this, my friends, is a story worthy of our telling and sharing with others!

May you bask in the joy and love of Easter. And may you also find ways to tell your story of God’s love for you and your neighbors near and far.

Stephen Blenkush is pastor at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Pequot Lakes.