Additional Study
“Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.” Luke 6:43’

THE IMPORTANCE OF STORY
Every person has a story to tell. Whether the story of their day or the story of their life, the words they say are full of meaning and importance. If we want to grow in our ability to speak effectively about Jesus, to proclaim the gospel (to believers and not-yet-believers!) then learning how to listen to a person’s story is crucial.

In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus helps us understand the connection between words, actions, and the heart. “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

Listening to a person’s story is kind of like examining a fruit tree. Sometimes the fruit is obvious: financial difficulty, sexual sin, marital conflict, anger, mixed with love, joy, peace, etc. But the real action is under the surface, in the root structure of the tree. According to Jesus, actions and words reveal the heart. And the heart is of primary importance because the heart is the seat of faith. “With the heart a person believes” (Romans 10:10).

A person’s story has the potential to reveal where they have replaced Jesus as the only right object of faith. Jesus is the only one who can save, and we regularly look to created things instead. These false saviors will often be revealed in our stories.

Every great story contains four movements: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. God’s Story follows the same pattern. God’s Story is the Great Story, the story that helps us make sense of all other stories. God’s Story is the ultimate Good News, the gospel that we find on the pages of the Bible. Understanding the Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration pattern in God’s Story will help us make sense of our stories, and of the stories we hear from people everyday.

Briefly consider the four movements of God’s Story along with the themes that emerge in each one.

CREATION
God creates everything out of nothing, including Adam and Eve, who are made in his image. The key themes in this movement of the Story are origin and identity. It shows us where we’ve come from and what defines us.

FALL
Sin enters the world when Adam and Eve disobey God. Relational brokenness, hiding, shame, blame, separation from God, sickness, and death are all now a part of our world. However, future deliverance is immediately foretold.
The key themes in this movement of the Story are brokenness and blame. It reveals the source of all brokenness in the world and who is ultimately to blame for it.

REDEMPTION
God enters a covenant relationship with Abraham, and his descendants, Israel. Throughout their history, he rescues and redeems them in countless ways. He is their loving Father. Finally, God becomes a man in the person of Jesus Christ, and though his life, death, and resurrection, redemption from sin and reconciliation with the Father are made possible for all people.
The key themes in this movement of the Story are rescue and deliverance. It displays God as the only one who can rescue us and put the broken pieces of our world back together.

RESTORATION
After the resurrection, Jesus ascends into heaven and sends his Spirit to dwell in his followers and to restore them as image bearers. At his first coming, Jesus began his rule and reign in his people. He will someday return to judge the world and to restore all things by ushering in the new heavens and new earth. His kingdom will come in fullness!
The key themes in this movement of the Story are hope and transformation. It shows us what our hope should be for the future, and who will be the focus of that future reality.