During the 1950s-1990s, when radio was still at its peak, there was an on-air voice that was instantly recognizable. If you were flipping channels and heard the words, “stand by, for news,” or his closing, “Good Day,” in that lilting brogue, you knew Paul Harvey was on the air. During those years, Paul Harvey’s radio program reached as many as 24 million people a week, and was carried on 1200 different radio stations. His daily News and Commentary program was known by many, but it was the unique show, The Rest of the Story, that seemed to catch the fancy of the nation. It premiered in 1976 and ran for 33 years, until his death in 2009. 33 years – six broadcasts a week.
What exactly was, The Rest of the Story? It was a fascinating study – a mix of mystery and history – using stories and news items that were well known, but the added twist was always an addition to the story, something that previously had been unknown to the public – The Rest of the Story. As you would expect, Paul Harvey told the known story, gave a hint of what was to come, went to commercial (you would expect that), and then, finally, back on the air with The Rest of the Story.
This Sunday we will experience Jesus’ The Rest of the Story, as told through the eyes of two of the gospel writers, Luke and Matthew. In Luke 4:16-20 Jesus preaches his first sermon in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. Matthew 28:16-20 conveys to us Jesus’ final words – the Rest of the Story. What do Jesus’ first things – spoken from his synagogue, and his last things – spoken from a mountain – teach us about how we, as Christ followers, are to join God on mission in the world? Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
- Pastor Jane