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Happy New Year

I’m sure many of you are feeling a sense of freedom and expectation for this next year

After last year, it seems like the bar has been set pretty low

It’s always at the beginning of the year that we lean heavily into planning

We’ve got the influx of people at the gym, we have all the planners sold out at walmart, we have people saying this year is going to be different

Please hear me, there is nothing wrong with being hopeful about the new year

There is nothing about setting goals and planning

The issue comes in when we forget who is the true author of our plans

I don’t know if you do the thing that I’m so quick to do which is to turn in my paper to the Lord

To give him my plans and to say okay… go ahead and stamp that

I mean, I thought it through. I’m good. It’s all there on the paper. You just have to put your name on it.

What we’re doing whenever we start to make plans that are rooted in self-will or in selfishness or simply without prayer

We are forgetting who the Lord is

Now we use the term Lord to reference Jesus, but we use it so much that we forget the weight of it

Lord

Adon/ Adoni in the Hebrew

Kyrios in the Greek

One who possesses and exercises power and authority and to whom respect is thus ascribed. Several Hebrew and Greek terms are represented in English translations by “lord” and “master,” with reference to both human masters as well as God and Christ.

When it comes to the concept of Lordship we have to understand that the weight of being Lord means that there has to be obedience involved on the one calling the other Lord

I use this reference a lot because its the only time I can think of the term Lord being used in our American context that makes sense

You can’t go to your LandLord and tell them what you are going to do with their house and just expect them to be cool with it

Because they are the Lord, they are in charge of what happens and as long as you call that person Lord… you have to be obedient to what they are saying.

The other side of Lordship is that there is some assumed responsibilities that and protections that the Lord must extend

Your water heater goes out… the landlord has to fix that

The covenental relationship that takes place is that the master, or owner of the home will provide protection and will take the weight of dealing with the major issues as long as the tennant maintains relationship

which in the case of landlords means… pay your rent. Don’t tear stuff up

But taking this concept out of the basic and jumping to our passage for today

In Luke 6:46

Luke 6:46 ESV

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?

Jesus is talking to the people who say they want to follow him and he asks why do you say That I’m your Lord yet you’re not listening to what I’m saying

Thats like someone squatting in a house and calling the owner their landlord… its like nah man.. we aren’t in covenent together.

Jesus goes on and tells this parable

the one who hears and does is like a man who builds on the rock

The one who hears and doesn’t do is like the man who builds on the sand

See when you are in a living relationship with Jesus it will cause you to respond to his instruction

But you can believe that the instruction is not simply for you to jump through hoops

When he says dig down to the bedrock its not to see you work and sweat but because he is providing a foundation for you to build on

When you listen to the Lord and follow where He is leading, he will provide stability.

He will take the responsibility for the outcome of the work he’s calling you to do

In other words. If you are listening to the words and the instructions of the master, he is going to take care of the growth

he is going to take care of the overall structure of what it is you’re doing

Now to counter that point. If you get the instructions and you ignore them. You can’t go back to the Lord and say, “you messed this up”

If you’re not willing to follow where he is leading, then why call him Lord?

If you’re not willing to give him the authority then don’t come along after your house has collapsed and try to assign the blame

Jesus says that when you strike out on your own and don’t follow the leading of the master, then you heading out ADA. Against DOctors Orders

So whatever consequences you reap are ones that are based on your disobedience

This is why scripture tells us in Proverbs 16:3

Proverbs 16:3 ESV

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Not submit your plans for approval after you’ve already ignored what he’s already told you to do.

THis is a new year and though the Lord’s mercies are new daily and you don’t have to wait for a calendar year to experience his goodness and grce

There are moments in our life that accent change and seasonal shift.

So if you are feeling the need to make some new plans, make sure that you are seeking the leadership of the Lord and you are not treking out on your own accord

And if you have been following your own leadership and then blaming God for the results… I want to challenge you to flip that whole scenario

Submit to the leadership of the HOly Spirit. He will not lead you astray

When you are walking in the Lordship of Christ not only are you being led in the way that is best for you

but in the will of the Lord there is Grace. There is provision. There are difficulties yes, but here is strength to get through them.

I’ll tell you. Being quarantined is not how I wanted to start the new year, but God is growing us and leading us through it.

God is giving you the grace today not to say … strive and do better

But seek me and follow where I’m leading

He already has prepared good works for you since before you were on this earth. That’s what the book of ephesians says

So take some time and submit your ways to him.

If you have felt the Lord tell you that you have been walking inyour own ways… its as easy as repenting. That is turning from your ways and saying yes to what it is he has for you

Now before I pray I have some news that i need to deliver

It’s not the way I wanted to deliver this news being online and all, but as I just preached, I have to also be obedient to the leading of the Lord

Kylie Jo and I have served Plainville Church of the Nazarene for just over 4 years and God has let us know that our season here is over. I will be stepping down as pastor as of January 24th

Please know that this decision was not made lightly nor was it made in response to anything other than God’s leading

God is calling us, not to another church, but to a different ministry where we will get to bless the lives of children form underprivileged circumstances and we will be able to share the love of Christ in tangible ways to developing lives in need of grace

We have grown so much in our time here and we will miss you all. However, as I am under the Lordship of Christ, I have to go where he is calling us

And as this Church is operating under the Lordship of Christ, he will assume the responsibilities and provision of providing for the next season of growth and ministry here at Plainville church of the nazarene

Because I know that God has called our family away, I know that he has already prepared the next pastoral family to serve the body here in Plainville.

I have 3 more Sundays after today that I will be preaching. After that Kylie Jo, the kids and I will be moving to Pennsylvania to begin the next season that God has for us

Please know we will continuously be in prayer for the church and the people here that have grown to be a part of our journey. As we hope that you will continue to lift us up in prayer.

I’m so grateful for the love and support that we’ve received and though leaving is never easy, we are hopeful for what God is still doing through the people and the ministry of this church in this community.

Let’s pray