We continue an overview of the Christian story in six acts with Act 2, Rebellion.

Unfortunately, you’ve probably figured out, this is not the world we experience today.

We live in a world where many of our needs are not so easily provided – it’s hard work.

We often feel disconnected from God.

And we hardly live in harmony with one another.

Why is this so different?

Remember: God created humans to love him, be loved by him.

The tough thing about love: must have free will.

God did not create us like robots, who had to follow the script he’d written: who had to love him.

That would be foolproof, but it wouldn’t be love or a real relationship.

True relationships, and true love means the person has the freedom to either love you, or hate you…to stay with you or leave you.

We humans had the same freedom:

To love God, or not love God.

To know and be connected to God, or to separate ourselves from him.

To let God be God, or to try and be gods ourselves.

To let God be the director of our lives, or to try and ad lib through life.

Every human who ever lived has chosen to try to be God, and control our own lives, instead of simply enjoying his gifts.

God said I love you, we said no thanks.  We have never been the same since.

Imagine if you knew someone was gunning for your job, and determine to replace you.  Even if you’d been the best of friends, that would introduce a separation into your relationship.

We see evidence of this separation between us and God all over the place.

• Broken Relationships with each other. Whether on a genocidal scale across the world or domestic violence closer to home.
• Broken relationship with our world. Global warming.
• Broken relationship with God. Emptiness inside us…nothing seems to fill.

All evidence that we’ve thrown away the script, God’s plan for this world.  And our version of the play isn’t going all that well.

What parts of our world do you see as “broken”?  Have you ever tried to fix them?  What happened?