The Installation

ENGAGE: The Dishwasher Cabinet

Before we moved from our old house, for the longest time, we had a portable dishwasher. I couldn't find an actual picture of it, but it looked roughly like this.

We had gotten it used from a friend of Missy’s and our intention was great—

it was designed to make our life easier and help keep the kitchen clean.

We moved it in the house and into the kitchen.

But we never got it installed.

It wouldn't fit under the current countertop, and we would have had to run the water lines half way down the kitchen, and it would have been expensive to get it installed...

and so it sat there, day after day, month after month, year after year.

But we didn't just leave it empty.

Oh no!

It became a storage cabinet.

We had an ice maker and fruit container sitting on top of it.

Inside, we stuffed extra paper towels, dishcloths, and even a tiny little waffle maker that I’m pretty sure we have still never used.

We got so comfortable and complacent with it as a cabinet that we never used it for its intended purpose.

It was just easier to live with the clutter than do the work of the installation.

So when we sold the house, the portable dish washer turned storage cabinet stayed in the house for the new owners to install,

or to continue using as a storage cabinet.

TENSION: The Museum of Good Intentions

We do the exact same thing with our lives.

We have these "projects"—the versions of ourselves we intended to be.

We intended to be more honest.

We intended to be more generous.

We intended to finally get that addiction under control.

But then we look at the cost of the "installation."

We realize it won't just fit neatly into our current schedule.

We realize we might have to run new "lines" of accountability halfway through our personal life.

It looks like a lot of work.

So, we do what I did: We re-purpose our stagnation and call it good.

The Comfort of the Shadows:

We get comfortable and complacent in the daze. We like the shadows because no one can see what’s actually inside the cabinet. No one sees the "tiny waffle makers" of our secret sins or the "extra paper towels" of our excuses. We aren't just "lost"—we are just choosing the convenience of the cabinet over the purpose of the dishwasher.

Transition Statement:

Intentions don't move us; actions do.

If you feel like you're sitting in a daze today—decorating the top of your stagnation while the inside is full of things you were never meant to keep—there is a way out.

But it’s not a way we find by "trying harder" to be a better cabinet. It’s a way we find by answering a Call.

Let’s open our Bibles to Genesis chapter 12 and we will take a look at our friend Abraham and compare him to his nephew Lot and his wife.

TRUTH: The Call and the Character

1. Abraham: The Immediate "Yes" (The Movement)

Transition:

Abraham, Lot, and his wife were all in the same house.

They heard the same promise.

But while Abraham moved his feet, Lot and his wife kept their heart in their old life

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 12:1–4

Genesis 12:1–4 ESV

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Commentary:

The Radical 'Go':

As we saw last week: God doesn't give Abraham a blueprint or a zip code.

He just gives him a direction.

For us, the "installation" of a new life in Christ often feels like that.

We want to know where the water lines are going to run before we agree to move the dishwasher.

Leaving the Cabinet Behind:

Abraham lived in Ur—a place of comfort, family, and history.

It was his "storage cabinet."

But he realized that the "tiny waffle makers" of his old life were taking up the space where God’s blessing wanted to live.

Installation via Obedience:

There is no record of Abraham arguing about the countertop height or how far he’d have to haul his belongings.

He simply arose and went.

His "Yes" was the start of the movement.

2. Lot: The Hesitant "Wait" (The Struggle)

Transition:

Lot went with Abraham, but while Abraham was looking for a city built by God, Lot was wanting to stay a city that had a better countertop for his ice maker.

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 19:15–17

Genesis 19:15–17 ESV

15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.”

Commentary:

The Lingering Heart:

When the angels arrived to rescue Lot from the fire, the Bible says he "lingered."

This is the "cabinet life" in action.

He knew the city was about to burn, but he was still thinking about his life there.

He was captivated by the darkness.

The "Wait" Mentality:

Lot wasn't saying "No" to God, he was just saying "Not yet."

He wanted to stay in the comfort of the shadows for just one more night.

He was more attached to the cabinet than the purpose for which he was saved.

Violent Grace:

Notice that the angels had to seize him by the hand.

This is God’s mercy.

Sometimes, God has to forcibly pull us away from the things we are using as shelves because we are too comfortable in our clutter to move on our own.

He loves us too much to let us stay a storage cabinet.

Its violent, but its still grace.

3. Lot’s Wife: The Fatal "Turn Back" (The Monument)

Transition:

The saddest part of this story isn't the fire in the city;

it’s the heart that refused to leave it.

Lot’s wife had her feet on the path to rescue, but her soul was still in the darkness.

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 19:26

Genesis 19:26 ESV

26 But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Commentary:

The Heart’s Gravity:

She didn't just glance back; she longed back.

She loved the "storage cabinet" of Sodom more than the movement of God.

Her body was moving toward the mountain, but her heart was still under that old countertop in Sodom.

The Pillar of Salt:

In that moment, she stopped being a traveler and became a landmark.

She became a permanent fixture in the very land God told her to leave.

The Warning:

She is a warning to every one of us who wants to "follow Jesus" but still keep our extra paper towels and unused waffle makers tucked away in the dark.

She stayed a storage cabinet when she was meant to be a dishwasher.

She became a monument to a life she was too complacent to install by trusting God and not looking back.

The Installation Cost

Transition:

Why did Abraham say 'Yes' while Lot's family chose 'Wait' and 'Turn Back'?

It comes down to what they were willing to pay the price for the installation.

The Countertop Problem:

In our kitchen, the dishwasher was too tall for the counter.

In our lives, God’s purpose is often 'too tall' for our current lifestyle.

We want to follow Him, but we don't want to remodel our schedule, our budget, or our lives in general to allow Him in.

So, we just shut Him out.

Running the Lines:

To get that dishwasher working, I would have had to tear up the floor to run the water lines.

To get our faith working, we have to run new lines of Accountability and Obedience.

Abraham was willing to tear up his 'floor' (leaving his home and friends and family in his home country).

Lot wanted to keep his 'floor' (his comfort and wealth in Sodom) intact.

He wanted the rescue of God without the renovation of God."

Transition Statement:

The difference between Abraham and Lot’s wife wasn’t their potential; it was their posture.

One was willing to rip up the floorboards of his life to let the water run, while the other would rather be a pillar of salt than lose her place in the shadows.

But the question remains:

How do we actually start the renovation?

How do we move from being a storage cabinet for our secrets to a movement for His Spirit?

Paul gives us the installation manual in Ephesians chapter 5.

Part 2 — The Roadmap of Installation

Transition:

If you're ready to stop being a monument to your intentions and start being a movement of His grace, here are the four steps to 'Installing' your faith.

1. Step One: Admit the Location

SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:8

Ephesians 5:8 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Commentary:

"The installation begins with radical honesty.

You have to stop calling the cabinet a dishwasher.

You have to admit that 'at one time you were darkness.'

The Purpose Problem:

The problem isn't that we use our lives and live every day.

The problem is that we’ve re-purposed our stagnation. \

We’ve taken a life that was designed to be a movement of God’s grace—designed to wash away the rot and keep things clean—and we’ve turned it into a storage unit for our own convenience.

The Shift:

We aren't 'slightly off-track'; we are fundamentally using our lives for something other than their intended purpose.

The work starts the moment you stop settling for being a 'nice-looking cabinet' and admit that you are actually a 'non-functioning dishwasher.'

You have to admit you're in the dark before you can reach for the switch."

As part of this we have to realize that Paul says we WERE darkness, not just we were in darkness. We need something outside of ourselves to give us the ability to change.

2. Step Two: Compare the Harvest

SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:9–10

Ephesians 5:9–10 ESV

9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

Commentary:

Once you admit you've re-purposed your life for convenience, you have to look at the 'fruit.'

Look at that tiny waffle maker, those extra dishcloths, and the hidden paper towels.

The Question:

Does your current 'cabinet life' produce goodness, righteousness, and truth?

Or does it just store things that you never actually use?

Paul tells us to 'discern' what is pleasing to the Lord.

If your 'storage unit' is full of secret habits or comfortable dazes that don't produce life, then it’s time to stop hoarding and start installing."

3. Step Three: Turn on the Flashlight

SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:11–13

Ephesians 5:11–13 ESV

11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,

Commentary:

We often think we have to be the light that shines into the cabinet while it's getting cleaned out and installed as a dishwasher.

But we are not.

God’s Word is the flashlight.

Our job is simply to hold the Word steady—for ourselves and our friends—until His holiness reveals the re-purposing.

And in our own lives, the light shows us where we need to reach to clean out the cabinet.

Showing where are the little things that are keeping us from our potential.

4. Step Four: The Call to Arise

SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 5:14

Ephesians 5:14 ESV

14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Commentary:

Awake, Arise, and Christ will shine on you.

"Awaking" is realizing the cabinet life is a dead end.

“Arising" is the decision to install.

You don't wait for the kitchen to be remodeled before you commit to the change.

You decide in the middle of the mess, and the moment you do, Christ provides the power to complete the installation.

APPLICATION:The Role of the Light-Bearer

The Lure of the Cabinet Life

Let’s be honest: some of us love the 'cabinet life' because it’s low-pressure. If the dishwasher never gets installed, we never have to worry about leaks. We stay in the daze because the storage unit is comfortable, even if it's a malfunction of our purpose.

Our Mission

But look around this room. You aren't in this kitchen alone. As disciples, we are the Installation Crew for one another. We don't judge the clutter in someone else's cabinet; we just hold the flashlight of the Word steady until they can see the path to the sink. We are here to help each other Arise.

INSPIRATION: From Landmark to Legacy

The Choice

Lot’s wife isn't just a story about salt; it’s a story about stagnation. She chose to be a landmark in a city that was already burning. She chose to be a monument to her clutter rather than a movement toward her calling. She stayed a storage cabinet when she was meant to be a dishwasher. And because she refused to 'Arise,' the only legacy she left behind was a pillar of salt—a permanent reminder of what happens when you're too comfortable in the daze to move.

The Invitation

But you? You were made for a movement, not a monument. You don't have to leave behind a cabinet full of unfinished projects and uninstalled intentions for the next generation to deal with. You can choose to be the one who finally 'runs the lines' and hooks up to the Source.

Today, the water of the Spirit is ready to run. The grace of Christ is ready to power a life of cleansing and purpose. When you make the decision to install, you aren't just changing your kitchen; you’re changing the legacy of your entire house. You are clearing the way so that those who come after you don't inherit a storage unit—they inherit a movement.

REFLECTION: The "Waffle Maker" Toss

The Reminder

Remember that portable dishwasher in my kitchen?

It was full of stuff—paper towels, dishcloths—

but the one thing that sticks in my mind is that tiny little waffle maker.

It was small.

It was harmless.

But it was taking up space in a machine that was meant to be washing our dishes.

We all have 'tiny waffle makers' in our lives.

They are those little things we want to hold on to—the small habits, the minor resentments, the 'harmless' distractions that we’ve tucked away in the cabinet.

Just like Lot and his wife, we linger because we aren't ready to let go of the clutter.

But in order for our lives to function as God intended, we have to let them go.

The Decision

You can’t just move the clutter to a different shelf.

You can’t just re-organize your stagnation.

You have to toss it.

You have to take that thing and physically, mentally, and spiritually throw it in the trash can.

This is your decision to install the life God intended for you.

You do that by discerning—by discovering—what pleases God.

And you find that by getting into His Word and seeking Him daily.

Stop being a monument to what you intended to be, and start moving toward what God called you to be.

ALTAR CALL

Paul says we WERE darkness.

We re-purposed our lives for convenience.

If you’re lingering like Lot—waiting for a 'better time' to change—the cost will never be lower.

The cost has already been paid for by Jesus; what we have to pay is faith and our commitment to constantly seeking to please our Father.

If you’re ready to stop being a monument—a landmark of 'what could have been'—and you're ready to become a movement of His grace...

if you're ready to toss the waffle maker and start seeking Him... then this altar is open.

Don't leave the 'project' for someday and think you will deal with it later.

You won't.

You will just keep doing what you have been doing and nothing will change until you see the light and realize that you are darkness.

Lets close service today and take a few minutes of silent prayer.

SILENT PRAYER TIME

Closing Prayer & Benediction

"Father, we admit we’ve re-purposed our lives for convenience. Stop us from calling the 'dishwasher' a cabinet and help us see the malfunction for what it is.

Thank You for being the Light that reveals our potential."

"Jesus, You paid the cost for our installation; give us the courage to pay the price of commitment.

We don’t want the rescue without the renovation.

Help us rip up the floorboards of our comfort to follow You."

"Holy Spirit, help us identify and toss the 'tiny waffle makers' taking up Your space.

Don't let us just move the clutter to a different shelf; give us the resolve to throw it away.

We choose to seek Your pleasure and Your Word daily."

"Lord, let our legacy be a movement of grace, not a monument of salt.

Awake us and arise us so that Christ may shine on us as we move toward what You called us to be.

In Jesus Name

Amen.

Benediction:

Now, go from this place as children of the Light.

Do not turn back to the darkness, but look to the One who leads with light.

Arise, keep moving, and be the light that shows someone else their true purpose.

Remember you are called, you are loved,

and you are dismissed.