The art of storytelling has been here since the beginning. In fact, God frequently uses story to impart His Truth. Every good teacher knows the value of a story and even Jesus used parables to teach a lesson.
As the art of theater developed, story was told for a purpose, initially to honor the god Dionysus. Greek plays were set in an open-air theater without a façade behind them. It reflected the idea that what was happening onstage was true to the world you saw beyond. They understood that what was being communicated reflected a certain ideology and was not just “entertainment”. Only later did the Romans build freestanding theaters that were enclosed behind the stage, in a sense, removing it from the world out there. As such, it becomes less obvious, although no less true, that theater is communicating a message.
Living in that world, Jesus was comfortable with the language of theater. He seems to quote from the play “Trojan Women” when he laments over Jerusalem (Matt 23:37). Interestingly, it is just preceding that, in the same chapter of Matthew, that Jesus twice charges the Pharisees with being hypocrites, the same word for actor.
Our culture today is filled with media that impart a message. The author’s worldview is reflected in the story he tells, whether we are aware of it or not. A recent play I witnessed reflected a world without hope, without grace. It struck me as pointless and depressing. I spent two hours engulfed in that world, but sadly, there are many that live there. They walk through this life without grasping that the gift of redemption is real. That mercy and grace exist. Someone needs to tell them.
Let’s embrace the art mediums that exist today – and use them to tell God’s story. We have a great Author who has given us very good news. There is a world that needs to hear.
What message do you hear from our media?
Is there a story from today that we could use to speak hope into the world?
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