Which story do we live by?

The world runs on stories.

SOME ARE DANGEROUS.

One has the power to heal and transform.

.

.

Societal SystemEquity Security

Prosperity

Think of our Societal System.

Societal MachineEquity Security

Prosperity

FRAMING STORY

It runs on a story … a framing story.

SIX FRAMING STORES TYPICALLY DIRECT HUMAN SOCIETIES:

1. THE DOMINATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY THROUGHBEING IN CONTROL

“If only we were in charge!” (Empire)

2. THE REVOLUTION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY THROUGHVIOLENT OVERTHROW OF OPPRESSORS.

“If only THEY weren’t in control!” (Revenge)

3. THE PURIFICATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY THROUGHSHAMING/BLAMING, SCAPEGOATING, AND EXCLUDING AMINORITY.

“If only THOSE PEOPLE would change - or disappear.”(Ifonly a minority would change.) (Genocide)

4. THE VICTIMIZATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY (and identity)THROUGH PRESERVING THE MEMORY OF A PAST INJUSTICE.

“If only our oppressors would be brought to justice.” (If only themajority would change.) (Alienation)

5. THE ISOLATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY THROUGHWITHDRAWING FROM THE CORRUPT, DOOMED MAJORITY.

“If only we could be left alone to be ourselves by ourselves.”(Elite/elect remnant)

6. THE ACCUMULATION STORY: PEACE AND SECURITY THROUGHACCUMULATING POSSESSIONS IN A COMPETITIVE ECONOMY.

“If only we could buy, enjoy, and stockpile what we desire.”(Economic Advantage)

DOMINATION PURIFICATION

ACCUMULATIONVICTIMIZATION

REVOLUTIONISOLATION

DOMINATION PURIFICATION

ACCUMULATIONVICTIMIZATION

REVOLUTIONISOLATION

CONFLICT!

In Jesus’ day, these stories were at work.

1. Domination story = Caesar, Pilate (with Sadducees and Herodians)

2. Revolution story = Zealots

3. Purification story = Scribes and Pharisees

4. Victimization story = Galilean farmers, Samaritans, “sinners”

5. Isolation story = Essenes

6. Consumption story = rich landowners, stewards, “Gentiles”

Are they at work today?

Domination: Us over them

Revolution: Us versus them

Purification: Us versus some of us

Victimization: Us in spite of them

Isolation: Us away from them

Accumulation: Us competing with them

Jesus came with a very different story:

the good news of the kingdom of God.

(“News” is a true story … and good news is a story of peace and joy.)

It invited people to join anew the story of creation … or to join the story ofNew Creation.

The good news/story of creation called people to see God as theProtagonist or Hero of the story.

It called them to become productive characters - not villains, and not justvictims - in this story.

good newsstory of creation

reconcile with God, neighbor, and enemy.

repent

defect

join

Domination: Us over them

Revolution: Us versus them

Purification: Us versus some of us

Victimization: Us in spite of them

Isolation: Us away from them

Accumulation: Us competing with them

Creation/New Creation/ Reconciliation:

Some of us for all of us.

DOMINATION PURIFICATION

ACCUMULATIONVICTIMIZATION

REVOLUTIONIONISOLATION

NEW CREATION/ RECONCILIATION

Hypocrisy:

Religions can intentionally or accidentally baptize,

support, legitimize, and camouflage the six

destructive framing stories.

They can cover up a wolf-ish message in sheep’s language.

A Dangerous Possibility:

Even so-called Christian religions can lose Jesus’ story, andinstead use biblical language to camouflage one or more of

the world’s framing stories.

RELIGIOUSDOMINATION

RELIGIOUS

PURIFICATION

RELIGIOUS

ACCUMULATIONRELIGIOUSVICTIMIZATION

RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUSREVOLUTION

ISOLATIONRELIGIOUS

We may be discipling people into the wrong story … or helping thembecome “christians” without challenging their stories.

In such a way, the Christian religion can become the most dangerousstory, not the most healing and liberating story.

After John was put in prison, Jesuswent into Galilee, proclaiming the

good news of God.The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near.

Repent and believe the good news!Mark 1:15

So … what is the kingdom of God?

It is a life lived in liberation from the regimes and narratives

and stories of human society.

Jesus says, The time has come!

You can live life in a new dimension, a new way.

Not just a life of buying and selling, working and sleeping,

eating and digesting, breathing and dying.

Jesus says, The time has come!

You can live life in a new dimension, a new way.

Not just a life of dominating, getting revenge, shaming and blaming,isolating, nursing old wounds, and competing and consuming.

We must …

rethink everything.

And believe the good news.

What is the good news?

The kingdom of God is at hand, near, here.

And the time has come, now.

The word now is important!

You don’t have to wait.

In fact, you can’t wait.

This NOW may be the most radical challenge of Jesus’ message:Someday, everyone agrees …

The poor should helped

The rich should be generous

Racism should end

The environment should be cared for

Wars should cease.

Jesus says to stop procrastinating, postponing, and delaying.

He says that SOMEDAY IS TODAY.

Start living in the newstory now!

waking up

dissatisfied

versions of Jesus

Domesticated

Shrink-wrapped

Seeking

We’re tired of …

1. The DOMINATION Jesus who dominates through legislation andviolence.

2. The REVOLUTION/REVENGE Jesus who is planning revenge on hisenemies.

We believe Jesus proclaims the power of love, not the love of power.

We’re tired of …

3. The PURIFICATION Jesus who excludes and shames the impure ratherthan graciously including and healing them.

4. The ISOLATION Jesus who invites people to withdraw into a “holy bubble”of a “nice christian subculture” awaiting evacuation.

We believe Jesus calls us to incarnation and transformation, notcondemnation and evacuation.

We’re tired of …

5. The VICTIMIZATION Jesus who complains about how badly “we Christians”are being treated (and ignores the atrocities we’ve committed).

6. The ACCUMULATION Jesus who promises blessings and prosperity without amission or a cross.

We believe Jesus taught the joy of being a blessing, not the happiness of gettingblessed, the joy of giving over receiving.

More and more of us have lost faith in a domesticated,camouflage Jesus, but are rediscovering faith in the Jesus of

the (unfiltered) gospels …

a Jesus who shows the love of God for all people, all creation, inall our pain and trouble, here in history.

We want to build communities of faith and action around Jesusand his story (good news) of the kingdom of God.

Keep alert for these stories …

Domination: Us over them

Revolution: Us versus them

Purification: Us versus some of us

Victimization: Us in spite of them

Isolation: Us away from them

Accumulation: Us competing with them

Don’t be tricked into being characters in these stories …

Invite people to defect from these stories:

Domination: Us over them.

Revolution: Us versus them.

Purification: Us versus some of us.

Victimization: Us in spite of them.

Isolation: Us away from them

Accumulation: Us competing with them.

… and to become part of this story …

Creation/New Creation/ Reconciliation: Some of us for all of us.

DOMINATION PURIFICATION

ACCUMULATIONVICTIMIZATION

REVOLUTIONISOLATION

CONFLICT

DOMINATION PURIFICATION

ACCUMULATIONVICTIMIZATION

REVOLUTIONISOLATION

NEW CREATION/ RECONCILIATION

CONFLICT

Come.

Follow Me.

The Prayer of the Kingdom

Our Father, above us and all around us,

May your unspeakable Name be revered.

Here on earth may your kingdom come … on earth as in heavenmay your will be done.

Give us today our bread for today.

And forgive us our wrongs as we forgive.

Lead us away from the perilous trial,

But liberate us from the evil.

For the kingdom is yours and yours alone, the power is yours andyours alone, and the glory is yours and yours alone, now and

forever. Amen. (Hallelujah … Amen)

Come.

Follow Me.

Let my story carry on inyour story.