Transitions
(Disclaimer to those not of the OSBC congregation: If you are reading this sermon, it is a little different than my normal. This week I got news that my Interim Ministry is coming to a close and I have two weeks left. I had a sermon series planned, but I am changing it due to this fact. God directed me this week to preach on this Scripture to the OSBC congregation for the change that is ahead. It is very specific to them and if there are parts you do not understand I apologize! Thank you for reading and we'll be back to normal soon!)
I have to apologize before I begin, because I am deviating from the plan. We had some fun with that this past weekend at the “Souper Bowl” Supper. You had to be there to get that joke! This week I was going to continue on our trek on “The Life of Christ: The Temptation”, but I got a phone call this week saying a candidate had been chosen and God led me to a different set of sermons for the last two weeks I preach.
Right now I am in the class Acts. It is a great class and we learn where the church as we know it today got its start. That is what the book of Acts discusses. During this week’s assignment, one of the questions pertained to the subject we are going to cover today. Transitions is the subject, Acts 13:1-5 is the Scripture. Acts 12 is the shift in focus from Peter as the main character to Saul, who we will find out is actually called Paul. It is some time after his conversion and he was stationed in the church in Antioch which is in Syria, North of Jerusalem. In Acts 12:25, the last verse of the chapter, states that Barnabas and Paul were in Jerusalem, finished their mission and headed home to Antioch. Chapter 13 picks up with Paul and Barnabas at home.
Before we go further, let’s read Acts 13:1-5.
13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
Have you ever gone through a time in your life where you thought you might be headed down the wrong road? I was driving along going to Taylorville to see the ladies at Meadow Manor. The plan was to go down to 104 through Pawnee and Kincaid because I did NOT want to take country roads. I got to the place where I usually turn to go to Stonington, and, out of habit, I turned down the country road. I started thinking immediately that I wanted to turn around, but it occurred to me I was already going this way I might as well keep on going. As I went I discovered the road wasn’t too bad, but there were spots where it was a slushy icy mix. I hit a puddle and it splashed up into my windshield, but when I turned my wipers on, it had already frozen on to the windshield and I couldn’t see very well. So, now I’m driving down a country road in an icy and slushy mess trying to look out my windshield in which my vision was very impared. So I did the only thing I knew how…and used my windshield wiper fluid to clean it off. However, the washer fluid was empty! What little that was in there, came out and made the situation worse. As I kept driving I got behind cars that of course made it worse. I tried using the liquid they would splash up to clean the windshield, but it would just smear all over and make it worse. On the way home, I was naturally heading west into the setting sun and it lit up that dirty windshield and revealed just how bad the smearing was. I really couldn’t see then.
But after awhile I was reflecting on the passage from Acts and I realized that what I thought was a wrong turn, was God showing me the world of transitions in our lives. Transitions can be messy. Sometimes we get going down a road in our lives and we think maybe we should turn around, but because of the fact we already committed to going down this road, we continue anyway. And then when God comes along and we are walking into the light, and the perfect light that Jesus shines seems to make our mistakes look worse. But, the mistakes really aren’t mistakes, we are just looking through a cracked, broken and dirty lens. God uses the Holy Spirit and sometimes even different people in our lives to usher in eras of change and transition.
The church here in Antioch is a very healthy and vibrant church. I know this because they were praying and fasting and above all, the Holy Spirit told them to set apart two men for his work, Paul and Barnabas. In order to do this, they had to be a very healthy church. It is very difficult to lose good pastors. I remember when I was a kid losing some of my favorite ministers to moves. However, this is the nature of the faith.
Paul and Barnabas probably did not want to go either. The reason I say this is the use of two different Greek words for sent, one in verse 3 and a different one in verse 4. In verse 3, the word is apoluō, which means to set free. They fasted, prayed and set them free to go.
Now, in the next verse, the word used is ekpempō. This could be considered splitting hairs, but I think there is an emphasis here on the word ekpempō because it means to send out, or, quite frankly, get going. I think Paul and Barnabas, however long it was, delayed in leaving. This to me shows that sometimes when the Spirit prompts it is difficult to leave.
A minister friend of mine was at a church quite few years back and felt the Holy Spirit’s call to another church. Specifically, a friend of his offered him a job. Resisting, he stayed where he was at because he did not want to leave. Three months later, he was prompted by the Board to find another ministry because they wanted someone else. He called his friend and the ministry was still available because they hadn’t found anyone they liked to fit their position.
Even when it is the Spirit prompting us to make a move, we delay in our actions. Paul and Barnabas did this too. They were human, yet when they did finally leave, God blessed their endeavors greatly.
In the situation here at OSBC, I don’t see hesitation, but healing from what was a tough situation before I arrived. What happened has been a year in the past and God has provided healing from a tough situation. The year that has been since I’ve been here, time has allowed for a smooth transition to the next minister because in our lives, change is inevitable. Change happens whether we want it to or not, but when it is directed by God things go much smoother.
I want to reassure everyone that this vote for transition and change coming up in two weeks, in my opinion, is a God directed move. Let me share with you why. Little over a month ago, I started getting the feeling that even though I had put my name in for consideration for the position here, I was not going to get it. At first I thought it was doubt on my part. But then I realized as the feeling got stronger that it was the Holy Spirit prompting me to prepare for what was ahead. But then, out of the blue, I thought I needed to come to church on a weekend where there was a candidate preaching. I do not like to do that because I like to give that candidate their time without the “Interim” there. But once again, it was a Holy Spirit directed move. I came, realized I knew the candidate, and after hearing him preach, was prompted by the Holy Spirit that he was the man who was directed by God to lead this church. Sure enough, as usual, God was right. He turned out to be the candidate chosen.
You see, change works when we all pay attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The problems come when we ignore that. Paul and Barnabas knew that. This is why they eventually after delaying, packed up and started out on their First Missionary Journey. Directed by God, the Gospel spread out through the land of Asia Minor and eventually Greece and Rome, simply because two men obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Change and transition are inevitable. Change comes like we change cars, politicians, houses, clothes, ministers. The face of our families change with moves for jobs, when we lose precious loved ones, things change. We have to realize that even though it sometimes seems like a wrong path is not a wrong path indeed; it is just the path being used to get us to where we need to be. I see wonderful things about to happen at this church under the new minister. The congregation is full of people who love the Lord. It is a vibrant and healthy congregation, and change and transition are inevitable. The key is, our attitude toward that change.
At first, I am sure Paul and Barnabas’ attitude toward this change and transition was probably like any other…sad, mad, upset, and reluctant. But after a change of attitude and heart, they embraced their mission and the transition directed by God.
I’m not sure where you stand on this transition, but take the example of Paul and Barnabas…embrace the change with a great attitude, because rest assured, I personally believe this change to be God directed.
So whether it is a change because of a job, death of a loved one, on the political scene, or even a change in ministers, embrace the transition with the idea that God is directing it and he has it all under control. Let go, and let God.
I have to apologize before I begin, because I am deviating from the plan. We had some fun with that this past weekend at the “Souper Bowl” Supper. You had to be there to get that joke! This week I was going to continue on our trek on “The Life of Christ: The Temptation”, but I got a phone call this week saying a candidate had been chosen and God led me to a different set of sermons for the last two weeks I preach.
Right now I am in the class Acts. It is a great class and we learn where the church as we know it today got its start. That is what the book of Acts discusses. During this week’s assignment, one of the questions pertained to the subject we are going to cover today. Transitions is the subject, Acts 13:1-5 is the Scripture. Acts 12 is the shift in focus from Peter as the main character to Saul, who we will find out is actually called Paul. It is some time after his conversion and he was stationed in the church in Antioch which is in Syria, North of Jerusalem. In Acts 12:25, the last verse of the chapter, states that Barnabas and Paul were in Jerusalem, finished their mission and headed home to Antioch. Chapter 13 picks up with Paul and Barnabas at home.
Before we go further, let’s read Acts 13:1-5.
13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.
Have you ever gone through a time in your life where you thought you might be headed down the wrong road? I was driving along going to Taylorville to see the ladies at Meadow Manor. The plan was to go down to 104 through Pawnee and Kincaid because I did NOT want to take country roads. I got to the place where I usually turn to go to Stonington, and, out of habit, I turned down the country road. I started thinking immediately that I wanted to turn around, but it occurred to me I was already going this way I might as well keep on going. As I went I discovered the road wasn’t too bad, but there were spots where it was a slushy icy mix. I hit a puddle and it splashed up into my windshield, but when I turned my wipers on, it had already frozen on to the windshield and I couldn’t see very well. So, now I’m driving down a country road in an icy and slushy mess trying to look out my windshield in which my vision was very impared. So I did the only thing I knew how…and used my windshield wiper fluid to clean it off. However, the washer fluid was empty! What little that was in there, came out and made the situation worse. As I kept driving I got behind cars that of course made it worse. I tried using the liquid they would splash up to clean the windshield, but it would just smear all over and make it worse. On the way home, I was naturally heading west into the setting sun and it lit up that dirty windshield and revealed just how bad the smearing was. I really couldn’t see then.
But after awhile I was reflecting on the passage from Acts and I realized that what I thought was a wrong turn, was God showing me the world of transitions in our lives. Transitions can be messy. Sometimes we get going down a road in our lives and we think maybe we should turn around, but because of the fact we already committed to going down this road, we continue anyway. And then when God comes along and we are walking into the light, and the perfect light that Jesus shines seems to make our mistakes look worse. But, the mistakes really aren’t mistakes, we are just looking through a cracked, broken and dirty lens. God uses the Holy Spirit and sometimes even different people in our lives to usher in eras of change and transition.
The church here in Antioch is a very healthy and vibrant church. I know this because they were praying and fasting and above all, the Holy Spirit told them to set apart two men for his work, Paul and Barnabas. In order to do this, they had to be a very healthy church. It is very difficult to lose good pastors. I remember when I was a kid losing some of my favorite ministers to moves. However, this is the nature of the faith.
Paul and Barnabas probably did not want to go either. The reason I say this is the use of two different Greek words for sent, one in verse 3 and a different one in verse 4. In verse 3, the word is apoluō, which means to set free. They fasted, prayed and set them free to go.
Now, in the next verse, the word used is ekpempō. This could be considered splitting hairs, but I think there is an emphasis here on the word ekpempō because it means to send out, or, quite frankly, get going. I think Paul and Barnabas, however long it was, delayed in leaving. This to me shows that sometimes when the Spirit prompts it is difficult to leave.
A minister friend of mine was at a church quite few years back and felt the Holy Spirit’s call to another church. Specifically, a friend of his offered him a job. Resisting, he stayed where he was at because he did not want to leave. Three months later, he was prompted by the Board to find another ministry because they wanted someone else. He called his friend and the ministry was still available because they hadn’t found anyone they liked to fit their position.
Even when it is the Spirit prompting us to make a move, we delay in our actions. Paul and Barnabas did this too. They were human, yet when they did finally leave, God blessed their endeavors greatly.
In the situation here at OSBC, I don’t see hesitation, but healing from what was a tough situation before I arrived. What happened has been a year in the past and God has provided healing from a tough situation. The year that has been since I’ve been here, time has allowed for a smooth transition to the next minister because in our lives, change is inevitable. Change happens whether we want it to or not, but when it is directed by God things go much smoother.
I want to reassure everyone that this vote for transition and change coming up in two weeks, in my opinion, is a God directed move. Let me share with you why. Little over a month ago, I started getting the feeling that even though I had put my name in for consideration for the position here, I was not going to get it. At first I thought it was doubt on my part. But then I realized as the feeling got stronger that it was the Holy Spirit prompting me to prepare for what was ahead. But then, out of the blue, I thought I needed to come to church on a weekend where there was a candidate preaching. I do not like to do that because I like to give that candidate their time without the “Interim” there. But once again, it was a Holy Spirit directed move. I came, realized I knew the candidate, and after hearing him preach, was prompted by the Holy Spirit that he was the man who was directed by God to lead this church. Sure enough, as usual, God was right. He turned out to be the candidate chosen.
You see, change works when we all pay attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The problems come when we ignore that. Paul and Barnabas knew that. This is why they eventually after delaying, packed up and started out on their First Missionary Journey. Directed by God, the Gospel spread out through the land of Asia Minor and eventually Greece and Rome, simply because two men obeyed the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Change and transition are inevitable. Change comes like we change cars, politicians, houses, clothes, ministers. The face of our families change with moves for jobs, when we lose precious loved ones, things change. We have to realize that even though it sometimes seems like a wrong path is not a wrong path indeed; it is just the path being used to get us to where we need to be. I see wonderful things about to happen at this church under the new minister. The congregation is full of people who love the Lord. It is a vibrant and healthy congregation, and change and transition are inevitable. The key is, our attitude toward that change.
At first, I am sure Paul and Barnabas’ attitude toward this change and transition was probably like any other…sad, mad, upset, and reluctant. But after a change of attitude and heart, they embraced their mission and the transition directed by God.
I’m not sure where you stand on this transition, but take the example of Paul and Barnabas…embrace the change with a great attitude, because rest assured, I personally believe this change to be God directed.
So whether it is a change because of a job, death of a loved one, on the political scene, or even a change in ministers, embrace the transition with the idea that God is directing it and he has it all under control. Let go, and let God.
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