It’s Time To Move
From Now To NEXT • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Story: Moving to Ohio
Had been through a church split in Indiana
Had spent 5 months working as a school janitor
Everything was boxed up from moving back to Missouri
The day to load the truck came…
That night, I got sick…all nerves…
The next day, the truck left…
I took some time to start feeling better and then Grace and I took off to catch up…
I was terrified but I still had to go…if I was going to be faithful in following the call Jesus had put on my life
NEXT can be scary
Tonight, it’s time for us - in this room - to take a Next Step and move
It might be scary…
It might seem daunting…
It’s still time to head off on the journey.
PRAY
1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,
Nehemiah learned about the state of Jerusalem and the Jewish people
He was devastated and began to mourn, fast, and pray
11 I was cupbearer to the king.
He felt compelled to do something because he was positioned near enough to the king to make a difference
I’ve often assumed he just “went and did it”
BUT…..
1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king.
Back in verse 1, it was the month of Kislev – somewhere around November
In chapter 2, when Nehemiah is actually able to talk to the king, it is the month of Nisan - somewhere around March
This means possibly 2 things:
1 - Nehemiah wasn’t close to the king every day and had to pray and wait for an opportunity.
He patiently waited for his position to be an asset, rather than allowing it to become a hurdle
2 - Nehemiah took time to prep and to plan before he revealed the vision God had given him
He didn’t run in and start shouting things before he had a plan and was ready to communicate the direction God was leading him
We’ve been in the middle of that season right now…
1 - We’ve been patiently waiting for God to identify our Next Steps
2 - We’ve been taking this time to prep and to plan as we prepare for the Next Steps God has called us to take
And NOW…we find ourselves in the moment when we commit to the Next Step we are going to take
Each one of us might have a slightly different step…
But we ALL have a Next Step and it’s time to commit…
THIS is the step that leaders take as we prepare to invite the entire church to take their Next Steps this weekend
EXPLAIN HOW THE COMMITMENT CARDS WORK…
Fill out and turn in
Three Year Campaign
Might be…
Up front gift
Gift given over the next 3 years…weekly, monthly, etc.
Gift given annual…beginning, end, tax time, etc.
Combination of those ways
CHALLENGE: Fill out a commitment card
