The congregation I am serving on an interim basis decided, to their credit, to have a once-a-month worship service as a “Family Service”, in which the children would stay present instead of having their own time after the children’s time in the service.
We had, as the topic of this service this morning, “What is the Bible?”
We recognized that the Bible represents some contradictions, or at least seemingly so:
1. As a collection, or library, of books, yet telling one story, of God’s renewing creation.
2. As a variety of kinds of writing (poetry, history, letters, etc.), yet setting our God’s Word (human words, divine Word).
3. The Bible is old, yet the subject of renewal in understanding and application today.
4. The Bible is not simply a set of rules, yet does set out high expectations for us, as those who are part, already, of a new creation.
In sum, the Bible is the story of each of us, as we are being created anew through God’s Word, through our own chaos and darkness, toward new creation and life.