The New Land: A Scouting Report

We are about to take a four-month journey together. I’m not exactly sure what this journey will look like. I’m not sure where we’ll be at the end of our journey. I’m hoping your journey looks at least a little bit like my expedition into the new land. I’ve been on these trails since 2010 and before. Today I’m going to tell you what my expedition has been like.

In August 2010 Cheryl and I, and the girls had been here for 12-1/2 years, serving as Associate Pastor of Worship. I didn’t know at the time that my dad would be dead in eight months. I didn’t know then that I would be leaving this church in 16 months. There were a lot of “future moments” that I was ignorant of, but I did know that God was stirring something inside me. What it was? I didn’t have a clue, but I was stirred.

So, as summer was closing, in August of 2010 Cheryl and I were on the way to Wisconsin - Rock Springs Family Camp - August 2-8, 2010. The Church of God in Wisconsin had asked Jeannette Flynn to be the evangelist for the week and she suggested that they contact me to be the music evangelist.

A music evangelist is a fancy name for someone who leads worship in the evening services of family camp and leads a conference every day in the morning. Family camp is just what it sounds like – families, couples, and individuals would spend the week at the church camp recreating and learning more about God. Jeannette was also called to lead conferences in the mornings (she spoke on Jesus’ parables about the kingdom of God); and in the evenings she spoke a series of messages that focused on

Hebrews 11:8-10(ESV) – “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

Jeannette said that God was calling the church, the Church of God in Wisconsin, the Church of God Movement, the church in North America, really the global church … God was calling the church to the same commitment that He asked of Abraham. God was calling Abraham “to a place that he would receive as an inheritance… to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land… for he was looking forward to a city with foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” God was really calling Abraham to Himself. And that’s where God accelerated my journey.

I remember the ride home from Wisconsin. I was so frustrated. I could see the New Land. I could SEE the church, and what it could be, but I couldn’t describe it. I tried explaining it to Cheryl, and I could only talk in half-sentences. “I can see what the church is supposed to be. It’s supposed to be ….” “It needs to be doing …” “God is calling us to …” “The change that needs to happen is fundamental. It’s …”

That’s how the whole conversation went! A conversation full of half-sentences! I was searching for the right words but kept coming up empty. The closest I could come is, “What if there’s more?” “What if God’s idea of the church is bigger, and more vibrant, than we can imagine?” “I know it’s there; I just can’t describe it.” “God is calling us to go out to a place that we will receive as an inheritance. By faith we need to go to live in that land of promise, as in a foreign land. We are looking forward to a city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

And that was the best I could do. I didn’t have any answers, but I could ask questions. I’ve been trying to ask those questions with you every time I step into the pulpit. Hopefully, I’ll jar your memory about conversations we’ve had in the past.

Pray

The question I kept asking starting in August 2010 was, “What If There’s More?”

In the last 13 years, God has taught me and led me to teachers like Jeannette Flynn, N.T. Wright, Dr. Michael S. Heiser, and many more. And this whole journey has helped me to develop words for what I saw in August 2010 at a campmeeting in Wisconsin. I’m still learning. And the journey has been longer than that. It really started 38 years ago when I told God that I wanted to learn to walk by faith. THAT is a dangerous and exciting prayer that God is waiting for you to pray.

But before we get too far down this trail, let’s go back to the head of the trail. We are about to take a four-month journey together. Starting next week, I’ll be leading worship almost every week. Jeannette Flynn will be opening the Word for us and sharing what she hears God saying to the church. God is going to call us to Himself.

There are at least four hallmarks of a journey to the New Land. Four areas in which God has been growing me. Four areas we’ll look at today in which Abraham had to grow.

Expand Your Holy Imagination – What If There’s More?

Here’s one of the hallmarks of the New Land; an area of growth that you will experience in the New Land. God wants to Expand your Holy Imagination – He wants you to discover the answer to the question, “What If There’s More?”

In Genesis 15:1-6 we read that early in Abram’s journey, “… The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”

Abram needed to have his Holy Imagination expanded. Just four chapters earlier, God had promised that Abram would father a great nation. In fact, God promised that all the families of the earth would be blessed because of Abram and his descendants. But it had taken so long that Abram lost faith. Abram just couldn’t see how God could give him even one child – let alone an entire nation.

4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

Abram had a hard time believing he would even have one child. He was OLD! Sarai was OLD! People that old just don’t have babies! So, God took Abram outside on a cloudless night and said, “Look up! Try counting the stars in the sky. Imagine what I am about to do. THAT’s how many descendants you will have.”

God has had to do that to others in Scripture. That’s what God had to do with Ezekiel. He wanted to expand Ezekiel’s Holy Imagination.

Ezekiel 37:1-3 reads, “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.””

Think about it, Ezekiel doesn’t just see dead bodies; he sees bones! And these aren’t fresh bones, with the marrow still inside. These are dry bones that have been dead for a while. Of COURSE, they can’t live … unless the One asking is God. Then we have to expand our imagination and say, “If God is involved then it’s possible that these dry dead bones can be brought back to life.”

God wants to do the same thing to us. He wants to expand our Holy Imagination.

Ephesians 3:20-21 reads, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

I can ask, and think, and imagine a LOT! But, God can do more than anything I could imagine.

Maybe you remember, I tried to communicate that on November 21, 2010. Right here in this pulpit I asked, “What If There’s More?” and the answers at that time came in the form of analogies.

So, we talked about the Lady and the Tramp – Are you content with a Disney puppy love church, or are you experiencing life-long, lasting love?

We talked about Electronic Football – Are you content playing church like tabletop electric football, or are you experiencing church on the NFL level?

We talked about the Monopoly game – Are you content with Monopoly-style church, or are you ready to acquire REAL real estate for the kingdom of God?

And we talked about Buzz Lightyear – Are you Flying or Falling with Style? We talked about whether we are content to stay inside the church of Andy’s Bedroom, or are you going to explore the real world full of real dangers where real kingdom growth can happen? Are you content with just having Andy scrawl his name on the bottom of your shoe, or are you going to pursue with your whole heart the One who has etched His name on your soul?

Embrace Your Identity

A second hallmark of the New Land; another area that I pray you grow in; another process you will experience in the New Land is Embracing Your Identity.

A little bit later in Abram’s story, in Genesis 17:1-8 reads, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.””

Abram needed to embrace his new identity as Abraham. Abram was 99 years old and had no legitimate children. He took matters into his own hands. He acted out of fear and created a mess that still haunts us today. God knew who Abram was, but Abram didn’t see himself that way. God said, “I’m changing your name. No longer will you be known as Exalted Father. Your new name, your new identity, is Father of a Multitude or Father of Many Nations. Even though it’s hard to see, and impossible to believe, you need to see yourself the way I see you!”

On November 25, 2018 we revisited the question I had been asking, “What If There’s More … To Christmas?” … What if There’s More?

If you are going on the journey that God called Abraham to go on, and if you don’t know what the “new country” looks like, at least it would be helpful to know who you are – Who God says you are. This hallmark has at least six components.

What If you ARE the Light of the World?

Yes, John identified Jesus as the Light of Men (John 1:4), but Jesus says we are now the Light of the World (Matthew 5:14-16).

You need to Embrace Your Identity as The Light of the World.

Matthew 5:14-16 reads, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Embrace Your Identity as The Light of the World.

What if living water is supposed to flow through YOU?

Yes, Jesus said He would give the woman at the well living water (John 4:10), but He also said that those who come to Him will have living water springing up within them.

You need to Embrace Your Identity as The Conduit for Living Water.

John 7:37-38 reads, “37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’””

Embrace Your Identity as The Conduit for Living Water

What if God wants to partner with you to accomplish His will in the world?

Yes, Jesus told us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-13), but He also expects us to act in ways that bring God’s will to reality.

You need to Embrace Your Identity as an Agent of God’s Will.

Matthew 6:9-13 reads, “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

In Hebrews 13:20-21 the benediction reads, “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good (WHY?) that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Embrace Your Identity as an Agent of God’s Will.

What if God commissioned us in the Garden to be co-regents and stewards of His Creation?

Yes, God is God Almighty and Christ is King (1 Timothy 6:15), but He also commissioned us to have dominion over God’s Creation and steward it according to His will.

You need to Embrace Your Identity as a Co-regent & Steward.

We’ve visited Genesis 1:26-28 (the Genesis Commission) several times in the last 13 years. “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Embrace Your Identity as a Co-regent & Steward.

What if we really are a kingdom of priests?

Yes, Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16), but God repeatedly calls His people to be a kingdom of priests, interceding on behalf of the world before God, and representing God to the World.

You need to Embrace Your Identity as Kings & Priests.

Exodus 19:3-6 reads, “Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

See also, Isa 61:1-6 (links to Luke 4:16-21); 1 Pet 2:9-10; Rev 1:4-6; Rev 5:8-10.

Embrace Your Identity as Kings & Priests.

What if we really DO bear His Name?

Yes, Jesus has been given the Name above every other name (Philippians 2:9-11), but the people of God also carry that Name.

You need to Embrace Your Identity as a Bearer of His Name.

Exodus 20:7 reads, “You shall not take (carry) the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes (carries) his name in vain.”

Numbers 6:22-27 reads, “22 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 24 The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. 27 So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Embrace Your Identity as a Bearer of His Name

That wraps up six areas where we need to embrace our identity.

Adopt a Lifestyle of Intentional Discipleship – DOING Not Just KNOWING

A third hallmark of the New Land; one of the areas that I pray you grow in; one of the processes you will experience in the New Land is A Lifestyle of Intentional Discipleship – DOING Not Just KNOWING.

Genesis 22:9-14 reads, “When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.””

Abram believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), but God still expected Abraham to ACT on that belief. After waiting so long for a son, God wanted to know if Abraham believed in God enough to give Isaac back; if he believed God enough to sacrifice his future dreams.

God always wants us to believe in Him and know things about Him and his character. But in the New Land, God also expects us to act on that knowledge.

On June 19, 2011, we talked about “It’s Not What You Know.” It’s about DOING not just KNOWING. What you do doesn’t MAKE you saved, but what you do reveals THAT you are saved.

In John 13:17 (NIV), Jesus says, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 reads, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (WHY) for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Learn To Walk By Faith – Being All Shook Up!

A final hallmark of the New Land; another growth area; the ongoing process you will experience in the New Land is Learning To Walk By Faith.

Hebrews 11:8-12 reads, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

Hebrews 12:26-29 tells us that at that time when Moses received the Law on Mt. Sinai, God’s voice shook the earth, “but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.”

As you learn to walk in faith, your world WILL be shaken!

What I’ve learned is that you don’t just wake up one day and walk by faith. You must LEARN to walk by faith. And that means that everything in your life will be shaken (Hebrews 12:26-28). When everything that you depend upon to support you falls away, only then can you begin to learn what it means to walk by faith.

A Love Story From the New Land

As I close, I want to tell you a love story that I found in the New Land. Earlier I told you that 38 years ago, I told God that I wanted to learn to walk by faith. I didn’t realize it then, but when I prayed that dangerous prayer, that is when I stepped into the New Land. God began to grow me, and stretch me, and challenge me, and discipline me.

A few years later, while I was living in Detroit, I was working with the Michigan Singers and, on the weekends, I was also helping a church attempt a relaunch in Kalamazoo; about a two-hour drive from Detroit. Cheryl Walker was also working with the Michigan Singers and the church that was trying to turn things around in Kalamazoo. Cheryl and I were part of a group of twenty-somethings that hung out together on the weekends in Kalamazoo.

And one day God told me to ask Cheryl what her deal with him was. Apparently, she had made a deal with God, and God wanted me to ask her what it was. And I thought, “What if she doesn’t have a deal with God? She’s going to think I’m crazy!” Well, God kept pushing. So, I did the crazy thing – I asked Cheryl what her deal with God was. She told me that her deal was, when the right man came along, she would have no questions - no doubts. Well, that question and answer was kind of shocking … to both of us, I think.

It wasn’t too long later that I had to go to Anderson, IN for some reason (I don’t remember why) and Cheryl said she also wanted to visit Anderson, so we decided to take a day trip and ride together. On the way home we decided that we should start dating. That was the Saturday before Mother’s Day in 1991. On the Monday after Mother’s Day, my boss at the building graphics plant in Detroit said that they were thinking about opening a plant in California. They wanted to know if I would be interested in moving to California to run the plant.

Well, I didn’t want to go to California without Cheryl, but we hadn’t had an official date yet. So, Tuesday after work I drove to Kalamazoo and asked her to marry me … May 14, 1991. 32 years ago, today. She said, “Yes!” We were engaged before we ever really had an official date. I love her and she loves me, but that’s not the love story I wanted to tell you about.

The love story I wanted to tell you is the one that talks about a God who loved Cheryl and I so much, that he asked us to step out in faith – even when it sounded crazy – so that he could give us more than we could ever ask or imagine.

God loves you and He loves South Memorial Drive Church of God. And He is asking you to step out in faith into the New Land. He wants to expand your Holy Imagination. He wants you to embrace your identity; not who you THINK you are, but who God SAYS you are. He wants you to walk in intentional discipleship – every day. He wants you to walk in faith, even though it will shake up your world.

For me, the upside to walking by faith has resulted in seeing Scripture in a brand-new way. Reading Scripture now is like climbing to the top of a ridge, standing up, and seeing a beautiful vista – an incredible landscape of texture and color combinations I had never seen before. I’ve fallen in love with Scripture. I’m energized by our common calling. I am overwhelmed by the grace and mercy that draws us into a right relationship with God. When I stand on that ridge, and I look down into the stunning terrain of the Word of God, I see the future of the church. I see who God wants us to become. But it’s still hard to put adequate words to what I see. In almost every way, the New Land defies explanation because … there IS MORE! And God is calling us to dwell there!

Conclusion

The question today is, “Will you join me on a journey into the New Land?”

If you are ready to say, “Yes!” to join me on the journey into the New Land, then I’m going to ask you to do four things, every day, for the next 7 days.

First, every day ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you read Scripture.

Second, every day for the next 7 days take at least 5 minutes and read Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians.

Third, every day for the next 7 days actively listen to see how God wants you to respond.

Fourth, every day for the next 7 days do what you hear God is asking you to do.

Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you

Read Paul’s letter to the Ephesians

Actively Listen to understand how God wants you to respond

Do what you hear God is asking you to do

We’re going on a journey the next few months. The question today is, “Will you join me? Will you do these four things, every day, for the next 7 days?”