In recent decades it has become increasingly common to talk about story. Through stories humans try to explain life and to give it meaning. To the postmodern mind, there is no “truly true” story, but cultural groupings and individuals make their own stories, trying to create meaning for themselves.

Christians, however, know the real story.

God planned the real story before the beginning and has been working it out in time and space, on earth and in heaven, until it comes to completion.

This story has a hero: God, the King of the Universe, the One who created the world and everything and everyone in it.

The real story includes the creation of the first humans whose choice to disobey God caused them to fall from their calling to be God’s family on earth. Their fall brought corruption to all humans and unleashed conflict, suffering and pain upon the whole earth.

In the climatic event of this real story, celebrated as Christmas, God became a man. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son…” (Galatians 4:4) to be a man, to live as a man, and to obey the Father in every way, thereby, breaking the power of sin.

Then in obedience to the Father, the Son offered himself to death — in order to overcome death and to restore fallen humans to our high calling to enjoy life as members of God’s family.

When God raised Jesus from the dead, the new creation, the restoration of all things, began. Jesus arose from death, the first fruits of the promised restoration, and his resurrection unleashed the new creation.

That restoration is unfolding now as “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth” (Revelation1:5) continues to rule until “his enemies have become his footstool” (Psalms 110:1; Acts 2:34-35), culminating when God has made “all things new” (Revelation 21:5).

The restoration continues in the present as, by the Holy Spirit, Jesus raises human beings from death in new birth, setting us free from Satan’s tyranny and making us alive in God’s eternal life to live as sons and daughters in God’s family.

The restoration will be complete when God unveils the bride, the heavenly Jerusalem, on the earth. At that time, the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb will be the temple in that city.

God’s throne will be there and he will make his home among his redeemed human family.

God’s glory will be the light of the city, and by the light of that city the nations will walk (Revelation 21, 22).

History (his story) will have come to its end. But, we who have been raised in Christ will have resurrected bodies, and we will live with God our Creator, Redeemer and King forevermore!

The real story will continue after time has ended.

Steve Humble has been an elder at Winchester Covenant Church since its beginning in 1991. He can be reached at 771-7138 or by email at steve.humble@twc.com.