You can watch the video here
The Story of God
by Matt Papa
.
Let me tell you a story
it’s no ordinary tale
no it is the ordinary
from which every other story hails
.
it’s the story of God
it’s the story of history
and I’m not the author
no, the Author is a glorious mystery
.
see long before He would put
His pen to the paper
long before there was time
or before there was matter
.
He was there, all alone
Father Son Holy Sprit
1 God in 3 persons
everlasting in existence
.
completely satisfied
needing absolutely nothing
He was happy in Himself
and His joy was overflowing
.
the Son in the arms
of His holy righteous Father
the Spirit overshadowing
all glorifying one another
.
so why would this God
even bother to create
the fountain of all happiness
can you improve upon this state?
.
well the joy within Himself
welling up at such capacity
was so full it must be shared
with a glorious society
.
so the mighty Author, quill in hand,
to share His infinite mind,
His love His joy, sat down to write
His “once upon a time”
.
in the beginning God created
the Heavens and the Earth
He made all things to reflect
His beauty and His worth
.
mountains rivers oceans trees
all gladly testifying
endless stars and galaxies
declare His glory shining
.
He made it all and it was good
and to culminate His work
He fashioned man
and breathed to life
His special ball of dirt
.
man came to life with blinking eyes
& was welcomed by God’s face
they walked with Him every day and night
there was peace and no such thing as shame
.
God said
be fruitful, fill the earth
and eat from any tree
except for this one
cause if you do you’ll surely fall from Me
.
now why do this? and give this choice?
because He is writing a Story
and He’s about to show to whole world
The fullness of His glory
.
conflict enters
early on in the script
with a snake in the garden
doing was he does best running his lip
.
flashback to when
this evil was created
he was an angel of heaven
who fell when his head got inflated
.
banished from God
and from His endless mercy
he came down to earth
to tempt us with the unworthy
.
so there in the garden
on an ordinary day
he came to the woman and said
did God really say?
.
that you should not eat
from every tree in the garden?
He must not want your happiness
or you would have total freedom
.
so pridefully they listened
and sinfully they took
and scorned their creator
and they ate the forbidden fruit
.
injustice. this, my friends
this is injustice
that God should be seen &
then treated as a nothing
.
that man should completely forfeit his joy
and dig for fleeting pleasures
in the gutters of this world
.
fallen now is all mankind
and sure to face His judgement
a world of pain, of toil and strain
and hell forever after
.
but God would make a promise to
preserve Himself a people
and through the brokenness of man
o could there shine a hero?
.
the plot line continues
some character development
all supporting actors
all fantastic as embellishment
.
Noah found great favor
in God’s holy sight
and when God sent the floods
He mercifully preserved his life
.
we come to Abraham
and God made him a covenant
He said “I will bless you
and make your offspring abundant”
.
to Isaac and to Jacob
God would come and do the same
and though many dangers
came to threaten His perfect plan
.
the story would go on
with the Author’s full control
and He would lead His people
everywhere that they should go
.
flash forward now 400 years
in Egypt there’s a pharaoh
who doesn’t like God’s people
growing numerous in freedom
.
so he made them slaves
but God came down and chose His servant Moses
a burning bush… a call to go
His presence was His promise
.
go and tell that pharaoh now to
let my people go
so they can freely worship Me
in the place that I will show
.
plagues. numerous.
God would show that He is the I AM
that pharaoh’ rule is like a pawn
in His glorious hand
.
the waters part. the millions leave
to follow their great Savior
He guided them provided for them
though they were so ungrateful
.
at Sinai God gave the law
so perfect and so pure
His people soon discovered
they could not obey these rules
.
they tried they failed
they tried they failed
compelled to live in sin
they’d bow to worship idols
then they’d bow to God again
.
they said to God “give us a king”
and that will make things better
God, their rightful king, assured them
this would be a fetter
.
they insisted, God relented
gave to them their kings
some were good, led them to Him
some brought idolatry
.
God sent his prophets
“turn back to God”
sometimes the people listened
but mostly they just gave a nod
cause they all wanted to be Him
.
“God will not wink at your sin”
the prophets would all say
the people rose to eat and drink
and left to go and play
.
God finally seemed to have enough
and brought a blaring quiet
the prophets ceased, the people waited
400 years of silence.
.
enter our protagonist
mostly unannounced
the plot is quickly rising now
.
who is this guy?
nobody really knows
He meek…..He’s humble
unordinary hero
.
but the craziest thing
about this character is well
unlike the other characters
this is the Author himself
.
His name was Jesus
He was born of a virgin
fully God He was perfect
fully man He was learnin’
.
different from all the others
but tempted just the same
in every single way we are
without a single sin
.
He made the lame to jump
He caused the blind to see
and unlike the religious leaders
had some real authority
.
cause He came from high
and He came to redeem
not to be served but to serve
His haters and enemies
.
He loved, He gave
showed us the heart of the Author
claimed no glory for Himself
cause He came from His Father
.
and we hated Him for it
cause we wanted to be God
despised and rejected
we esteemed Him not.
.
conflict escalating now
it’s starts with a betrayal
Judas whores his eternal Lord
for 30 pieces of silver
.
a final meal a prayer and then
they head into the garden
where Jesus sweat with drops of blood
preparing for our pardon
.
The soldiers took the Lord away
and led him to a trail
“are you the Son of God?” they say
I AM there’s no denying
.
Except of course for His disciples
who left their Lord in fear
Jesus looked up to the sky
He was all alone from here
.
they led Him to the Pretorian
and then began to beat Him
“who hit you?” they would shout and say
“oh Father please forgive them”
.
they made His back a bloody mess
they whipped Him till he lost his breath
they threw the cross upon His wounds
the weight of sin 300 pounds
.
the great eternal Lord of all
the Author of all things
now like a lamb unto the slaughter
would this be His defeat?
.
they nailed Him to the rugged cross
they shouted out “where is Your God?”
He said “have You forsaken me?”
He takes a breath, His final three:
.
“It is finished” the Savior’s cry
and then He bowed His head
the Author of life the Lord of all
the Son of God is dead
.
they laid His body in a tomb
then everything was quiet
as God’s people find themselves again
in everlasting silence
.
2 days pass.
.
on the second morning after Jesus died
Mary went to the tomb to take a look inside
.
and when she arrived she was
met by an angel
she fell to the ground but he said
there’s no danger
.
this Jesus, Jesus
is He the one that you seek?
Mary He is not here
He is risen indeed!
.
Climax, its true
every good story has one
the part where you feel
a slight shift of momentum
.
Mary sprints to go
tell the disciples
the Lord, He’s alive!
He’s alive like he promised
.
Peter and john go
and see for themselves
but there’s nothing there
they said “perhaps He truly lives?”
.
then Jesus’ words
came flashing to mind
they will kill the Son of man
but after three days He will rise
.
momentum is surely building now
the enemy is limpin’
Jesus finds the 12 and then
He gives to them the mission
.
all authority is mine
all in Heaven and on Earth
go and tell them I’m alive
go and tell the whole wide world
.
and don’t get slack
I’m coming back
.
Acts now the church is born
the Holy Spirit given
the news of Jesus
like the most contagious sickness spreadin’
.
thousands saved. A mighty wind
is blowing through the region
the promise God gave to Abraham
we’re finally starting to see it
.
Repentance and forgiveness preached
All in the name of Jesus
Sinners and saints alike proclaim
Our God has come to save us!
.
the Gentiles hear the story and
the news is blowing up
the plan is working, the gospel spreading
from Asia to Africa
.
martyrs laying down their lives
cause they know this story’s true
it’s a story like no other
it’s a movement you cannot undo.
.
Constantine tried to slow it down
and turn it into steeples
but an angry monk from Germany
wrote some holy gospel thesis
.
it’s spread like fire, then it came
to America by sail
and here we are the twenty-first century
the gospel cannot fail
.
It’s the greatest story
that’s ever been told
by the greatest Author the world has ever known
.
but there is some still left to go
yes there is some still left to go
.
see GO was the command
to every tribe and nation
and carry this great story to
this dying generation
.
cause when this gospel finally spreads
across the whole of earth
we’re gonna hear a trumpet sound
and Jesus will return
.
Heaven will be opened
and a white horse shall appear
and the One who sits upon it
all His enemies shall fear
.
His eyes will be like fire
and His purpose will be glory
justice for all evil
life for all who love this story
.
He’ll come to judge the quick, the dead
and all who’ve trod this world….every
knee will bow
and tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord
.
death and hades He will throw
into the Lake of Fire
and Satan too that serpent foe
that coward that old liar
.
the church will rise
surround the throne
and clothed in glory His
with every nation tribe and tongue
we will worship Him
.
singing Worthy Worthy
is the Lamb
The Lamb who has been slain
blessings honor glory and power
forever to His name
.
and for ages and ages
we will sing
the praises of
our God and King
.
it’s the greatest story
that ever been told
by the greatest Author
the world has known
.
yeah the bad guys lose
the good guys win
Jesus is Lord of all
The End.