Strength for the Vision

Introduction and Scripture

Exodus 3:1–12 NIV

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Mission Statement:

Call. Equip. Send. Love God. Love Others.

Vision Statement:

Growing disciples to show the love and hope of Christ

For more than a year now clergy and more than 50 lay leaders have the church have been meeting in prayer and discernment about the current state of our church and where God might be leading us in the coming years.

The text:

You know the story. The Pentateuch or the first 5 books of the bible are written to describe and give origins for the people of God (and for creation in general). Genesis is the journey from creation and the fall, themes of God’s generosity and love and cycles of brokenness that are there almost from the beginning.

Things seem to improve with Genesis and the story of Joseph and the redemption found through this family. But it does not take long for Josephs family to grow and come under new leadership in Egypt. Generations become enslaved by evil in Egypt.

Moses is born and from the beginning experiences the favor of God through his journey into Pharaoh’s household. At some point Moses defends a fellow Hebrew fighting with an Egyptian. Kills the egyptian and flees town when he learns that people know and Pharoah wants him dead.

Meets a family of shepherds, marries, and begins a new life as a shepherd.

Then God shows up. God has heard the cries of his people and will bring redemption into the world. He decides to do this with Moses as his representation.

Well, what does this have to do with strategic planning? Well listen, we are not Moses, or the Hebrew people for that matter. This wont be the most exegetical sermon where our primary goal is to understand the text and what is going on. But this text has become a framework for us to consider where God is leading us in this next journey.

There are 5 primary observations that I want to lift up about the calling on Moses and the calling on us:

1. The next journey is not unlike the one before

Moses is a shepherd when he meets God in the burning bush. He has spent time herding, caring, protecting sheep.... And his next journey is not unlike this. He will now be invited to herd, care, protect God’s people. Moses will deal with all the hardship that comes with shepherding all the way to his death at the promise land. Specifically, what he has learned on the journey will be important for the next one

God’s call is usually in alignment with your story and gifting.

God often times calls us in ways that line up with our past and what has been going on in our lives. After-all, do we believe he is the one who gives us gifts and passion?

Notice that Moses, came to the rescue of his fellow Hebrew in a time of need. That passion to protect and deliver is part of who he is.

God will build on what and who we have been about in this next season.

missions

discipleship

worship

stewardship

people

2. We have to focus on this work

Our attention is needed in this season. In the same way that Moses is called aside to see what is happening in the burning bush....

Exodus 3:3 NIV

So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

Strategic planning has and will require our attention and focus. Your staff and some of the leaders have already committed significant time to this work and we will need your support and company here.

I am overseeing 2/5 pillars to be specific and I need your help in this work. There will be invitations to join us in hospitality for people, for example. or asking you to participate in worship through different ways so that this is is worship gathering by the people with the people.

You have seen parts of this already with call to worship and ongoing inclusion of others in different parts of our services.

3. God is calling us to the people that are enslaved

What else can we learn from this calling of Moses. Well God calls Moses to a specific people. Yes the Hebrews, but in specific the ones that are enslaved.

look at verse 9

Exodus 3:9–10 NIV

And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

Strategic planning cannot be navel gazing.

(Show picture of statue)

Yeah so I always knew this phrase learned of the actual greek practice that spills over into Hindu and other spiritual yoga practices. Meditating on ones own belly-button. I am not kidding.

We laugh but is this not what we can do so often.

Listen....our calling, our vision, is to make disciples to share the love and hope of Christ.

This cannot be all about how to make everything we have here exactly what we want it to be so we can be comfortable and that everyone is happy and that our menu if full of all the choices under the son.

Here is an example:

Marvin is not going to create a discipleship strategy that will be a smorgosboard of everything you can dream of. Young single parents, young parents, older single adults, 30s-40s mixed families, college students, graduated college but not married, married without kids, chess club.

It is not that some of these affinity groups are not good and things will not come out of it but we will focus our attention on ministry that reaches the “enslaved, lost, oppressed” and those that are here it will be focused on moving them towards freedom.

Class meeting example, small group with mixed demographics.

4. God is the one rescuing

Next, we must remember that God is the one rescuing. Even though Moses is being sent, it is God doing the work. Exodus 3 makes that clear as God says....

Exodus 3:8 NIV

So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.

God makes it clear....it is I that is doing this.

We talked about this last week so I wont belabor it. But we are joining God in his work of redemption in our lives and in the world.

It has to be God sending us. It has to be us going with God.

If we go on our own, we will expound a lot of energy with very little fruit. We might be a great organization but will people of Tyler be set free as a result of what we do here?

Can I just call you to prayer on this?!

5. Humility is vital

Moses has serious doubts about his ability to pull this thing off. Humility, an acknowledgment that God is going to have to show up for it to happen....

Exodus 3:11–12 NIV

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

What I want for us is to go at something so big that if God does not do it, then we are kind of in trouble.

But also the humility to know that very truth....we can’t do it on our own.

I want us to ask the question: Can I do this without God?

Marvin church, you are beautiful. So caring and so generous, and so present in the community.

It will be in humility, and prayer, and devotion that God builds something beautiful.

And how do we know?

When you have brought the people out of Egypt.

5 Pillars

If one of these pillars were removed then the house would fall.

Worship

Discipleship

People

Service

Stewardship

All of these built on “Growing Disciples to share the love and hope of Christ”

examples:

Worship

Diverse worship unified in mission and vision. Ex. Bergfeld worship, online worship

Discipleship

Discipleship pathway

People

Hospitality, care for the vulnerable, focus on young families

Service

Continue focus on community, region, and international ministry

Stewardship

Increased transparency, efficiency, and focus of the resources God has entrusted us with.

What can I do?

Pray

Read strength for the vision and make sure you are here for the next several weeks. Definitely listen if you miss a week

Recommit to this church. Weekly attendance, explore ways to get plugged in, and say yes to invitations to be on this journey

Robert Quinn:

There is an important link between deep change at the personal level and deep change at the organizational level. To make deep personal change is to develop a new paradigm, a new self, one that is more effectively aligned with today’s realities. This can occur only if we are willing to journey into unknown territory and confront the wicked problems we encounter. This journey does not follow the assumptions of rational planning The objective may not be clear and the path to it is not paved with familiar procedures.

The paradigm is that we can change the world, by changing ourselves. And if I could change myself....I wouldn’t need Jesus.