Facing Transition & Change

Notes from Dave Dunn's Sermon 10/9/05
Facing Transition and Change

Chuck always liked to joke about life and death. Death is our greatest transition...one that Chuck looked forward to. We too can either look forward to death or fear it.

What does the Bible say about death? It is appointed unto man to die once, and and then comes judgment. All have sinned. We are born into a sin filled world and we are sinners. Each one of us has a choice to make about the gospel message. What will we do with the gospel message? Where will we spend eternity?

Kindred Community Church...has always been committed to preaching the gospel message. Chuck's death will not change that commitment. God is in control and he is sovereign.

Change upsets our little apple cart. Transition and uncertainty are kind of like jogging partners. "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." - Robert Burns. Instead we need to approach it like James did, "If the Lord wills, then...". We are all creatures of habit. Ruts become like second nature. But in reality, we live in a state of flux, transition and change. We may not realize it until it effects our lives.

Ecclesiastes 3 - A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Transition can bring stress and anxiety into our lives. We all get into those ruts...those areas of comfort. God brings us change and transition to help us realize that we need him and help us to turn to him.

We have two perspectives on change. Sometimes we like it...when we feel like we are in control. Sometimes we don't like it...when we are not in control. Change seems to come in waves in our life. We face change in all areas of our lives. It's important that as we face change that we turn to God's word.

Deuteronomy 34:1-10 - The Death of Moses - Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."

And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses. Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.

Because Moses had not followed God's instructions...and hit the rock twice instead of speaking to it, to call forth water...he was disqualified from entering into the promised land. (Note...the rock symbolized Jesus. Moses had been instructed to hit the rock once and then speak to bring forth water. This symbolized that we can go to God and speak to him. Instead...Moses hit the rock twice.)

Moses was a man picked by God. He was chosen by God. In Numbers 12:3 we learn that Moses was the most humble man ever. He understood that God was in control and in charge. Moses was the only leader Israel had ever know. The Jews had been in captivity for 400 years in Egypt as slaves. Moses was to move them from a state, an attitude of slavery to freedom. They left Egypt and were then faced with a wall of water.

Moses life was consumed with caring for the Israelis...millions of people. He was respected deeply, dearly loved ...a great man of God. With all his heart and soul he always stood in the gap between God and the Jews. But Moses was the leader for only one leg of the race. After that then came Joshua...later David and then the Judges.

When Moses died...the Jews mourned him...they wept and remembered him for 30 days. All great leaders will die. It surprises us...but not God. When a man of God fades...nothing of God fades away. God is never caught off guard or surprised. He always knows what will take place.

God always has a Joshua read to step into place. Joshua 1:1-9 - The LORD Commands Joshua: After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates all the Hittite country to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Joshua was picked by God. God picks the leaders and places them in leadership and authority. God already knows the next man who will lead our congregation. "After the death of Moses", God waited until after Moses had died and was mourned. The people had to come to grips with the fact that Moses was dead. There was a new leg of the race to be run. God gave Joshua guidelines. Love the Word of God...and love the people. A man who will stand in the gap.

We are to meditate on the Word of God day and night. God will be with you...right by your side, day and night. Vs 5..."As I was with Moses, so too will I be with you.". Moses had been a peacemaker and stood between God and man. Now God needed a warrior to go to battle as they entered the promised land. Joshua was the next person to lead the next leg of the race.

Men many years before had prayed that God would use Kindred to take the gospel message to the world in a greater way. God stated working in a reluctant leader who acquiesced. God placed us as the Elk's lodge to give us time to grow and transition. There we became a church body. The potential that God has give us a group believers is incredible. Just as with Moses and the Jews...God took Chuck.

We all need time to grieve. We need time to reflect on past well well as the task at hand. The Jews took time to remember what God had done through this great man Moses. So too we need time to remember our own great leader. The next man who takes this pulpit will be a great man of God.

Will he be like David...who was unimpressive looking...but had a heart for God? Remember...we are not to consider the outside of a man...but his heart. We need to face the transition process as God leads the way. But keep in mind there are pitfalls. One pitfall is to act too quickly. Right now we are vulnerable. But we need to be careful that we don't pick the wrong person. We need to know that we will never find another man just like Chuck...and we shouldn't be looking for that either. Chuck was unique...when we look for someone like him...that will only set him up for comparison.

Moses and Joshua were entirely different. Joshua was equipped for the next leg of the race.

What do we need to do? We need to stay the course. Don't change and don't step back. Nothing has changed...God is still in control. He is still on the thrown. We need to ask ourselves do we really believe that God is absolutely sovereign? God will not abandon us.

We need to follow God's word. Meditate on God's word. Communicate with God...be in prayer. We need to be obedient. Be strong. Don't be discouraged. God says, "Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

If we do what God asks he tells us, "You will be successful in many eyes and I will be with you where ever you go."

Stay the Course!