Remember! Seize the Future

The Beginning of the End

My visions are mine! - The Lord

But can’t I see them? - Steven

From afar. - The Lord

Trust me with the timing. - The Lord

Deuteronomy 34:1–12 NLT

1 Then Moses went up to Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab and climbed Pisgah Peak, which is across from Jericho. And the Lord showed him the whole land, from Gilead as far as Dan; 2 all the land of Naphtali; the land of Ephraim and Manasseh; all the land of Judah, extending to the Mediterranean Sea; 3 the Negev; the Jordan Valley with Jericho—the city of palms—as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “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 now allowed you to see it with your own eyes, but you will not enter the land.” 5 So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. 6 The Lord buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. 7 Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. 8 The people of Israel mourned for Moses on the plains of Moab for thirty days, until the customary period of mourning was over. 9 Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. 11 The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, and all his servants, and his entire land. 12 With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel.

Joshua 1:1–9 NLT

1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. 3 I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—4 from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. 6 “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The End of the Beginning

Like Moses, I see the future.

I see the building full. I see multiple services. I see hundreds of small groups learning together. I see multiple concurrent discipleship classes planting the seeds for growth. I see hundreds of volunteers serving both each other and the community. I see multiple campuses with team leadership. I see a Senior Pastoral Team working to lead collaboratively and in mutual submission. I see a 20-30 member Pastoral Team leading dozens and dozens of Ministry Team Coordinators, while cooperating with the Senior Pastoral Team in vision. I see hundreds of guests a year. I see baptisms happening every day. I see the infilling of the Spirit happening naturally and without constraint. I see more and more of our own people being sent as missionaries.

Like Moses, God has allowed me to see it before it has happened. But I cannot go with you.

Like Joshua and the congregation of Israel, you - Jacob’s Well - have to seize it. You do not see it like I do from the mountain top. You will seize it one step at a time.

Remember! Seize the Future

I would submit to you today that in order to seize the future you must remember the past.

Remember James & Eleanora Beardsley

Remember Steven & Regina Beardsley

Remember the new birth experience

Remember the pursuit of holiness

Remember the founders prayer: Give us the people no one else wants

Remember to break down barriers and divisions

Remember to oppose racism and prejudice

Remember to not tolerate gossip and cliques

In order to seize the future, you must remember the past. But remembering the past cannot become the focus. Mourn James & Eleanora Beardsley. Mourn Steven & Regina Beardsley. Remember all that we taught you in word and by example. But you must also remember to seize the future.

Remember to create a safe space where all can worship in their way of putting God first

Remember to commit to constant learning whereby you pursue truth unflinchingly

Remember to call everyone to serve as you express your love for God by caring for your neighbor

Remember to challenge yourselves and each other to play - live life with joy!

Remember to Worship, to Learn, to Serve, to Play

Seize this Future! Make it happen one step at a time. I can see it, but you must make it happen.

These things will happen if you develop and maintain a culture where you

Love the Word

Demand biblical preaching

Respond to biblical teaching

Exercise your faith

Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you ALL

Pursue Discipleship

Follow Jesus

Study the Scriptures

Apply the Scriptures

Pursue ongoing transformation of ALL

Value Honesty

Make your speech true

Make your actions true

Be candid in your speech

Be candid in your actions

Value genuine speech

Value genuine action

Let your speech and actions that are true and candid and genuine be for the edification and assurance of ALL

Be Kind

Make your speech gentle

Make your actions gentle

Be patient in your speech

Be patient in your actions

Value sincerity in speech

Value sincerity in action

Let kindness characterize your care and safety of ALL

Engage in Service

First, love your God

Second, love your neighbor

Be intentional in caring and giving and hospitality for ALL

Live in Community

Love one another

Respect one another

Value one another

Develop authentic relationships

Fight for diversity

Create a place for ALL

Remember the past, yes, but please remember to seize the future. You have a mission of ALL making disciples of ALL through Worship, through Learn, through Serve, and through Play. The culture that motivates you and that you are committed to continually creating is characterized by the Word, Discipleship, Honesty, Kindness, Service, and Community. Everything you are and everything you do as Jacob’s Well should be measured against this vision. Remember! Seize the Future. You are Jacob’s Well - a safe place to speak the truth.

Tell the Story

John 4:1–30 NLT

1 Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” 21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!” 27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

The Past

The past can blind you to future

Prejudice

Hurt

Habit

Loneliness

Pride

Defensiveness

Circumstances

Choices

The Future

But our future is sitting at the well.

He came specifically to reveal himself - he is our future - to us.

Remember!

This that I have challenged you with today is captured in Communion.

Remember!

His broken body

His shed blood

Seize the Future

Our future is not his broken body.

Our future is not his shed blood.

The cross was the beginning of the future. Because of the cross we have access to

forgiveness of sins

a Spirit-filled and empowered life

daily discipleship following Jesus

community with fellow disciples

ultimately, Heaven and reunion with him

Remember the past in order to seize the future

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NLT

23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” 26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.