Stewardship Series

STEWARDSHIP #5 CROSSING OVER

Joshua 3:1-13

Today is our celebration Sunday.

For 8 months we have been waiting for this Sunday to

complete what our early forefathers started in 1886

It’s been an interesting journey as we have invited you to

Be challenged to give sacrificially to something that is bigger than yourself.

Some of you have accepted the challenge.

Some of you have just floated along with us in the challenge.

Others of you are scared that you are in over your heads with your challenge.

But this is the critical moment of crossing over.

Once we cross over that which is anticipated become an accomplishment.

And a thing done.

A political campaign should end in an election.

A interview with a job

An engagement with a marriage.

A pregnancy with a birth.

A CROSSING OVER TIME to stop all waiting and do what were called to do.

While I was in Pittsburg for the last two weeks at General Conference..

I spent time talking with people around the world.

Especially those from Liberia, South Africa, the Congo.

They asked me about SD.

What it was like where I lived.

I told them about the vast plains and prairies.

Bad lands and the black hills.

And about the wonderful people.

I didn’t want them to get their impression about SD

From the HBO Series DEADWOOD.

What a sad commentary.

I told them of Mount Rushmore

Carved into the face of Granite is a glorious artistic depiction of four presidents.

President who did great things for our country.

That when we look at that we see more than just four faces.

We see the affection of the America people for their president.

We see the cost of leadership in the lives of these men.

We see men with vision who cared and than proceeded to dare.

Men who were willing to sacrifice ands stretch

Who acted with courage to leave our world a better place.

for our children and the future generation.

MEN WHO CROSSED OVER.

I. CROSSING OVER TURNS OUR ATTENTION TO GOD

In Joshua 3: when the people of God came out Egyptian Captivity

In the Exodus, they were to enter the Promised Land.

It is the most famous period of procrastination of human history recorded.

For 40 years they detoured in the desert.

Because they were afraid to cross over.

The giants in the land were too big.

They saw themselves as grasshoppers.

But once they made up their minds to trust God.

They could no longer evade, avoid, step over, or around the crisis.

And they entered the promised land.

What a celebration they had.

When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.” Joshua 3:3

These desert bound slaves must have been scared to death

They had never been this way before.

Never seen that much water,

then to be asked to plunge into that flooding river

Following a box that contained the ark of God’s covenant.

Vs. 4 says: “Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.”

Are you glad that we don’t have to follow a box.

We can follow a living God.

Who does not live in the Ark-- but in our hearts.

They saw God open the Red Sea three mile wide

so the Israelites could walk across 5000 abreast on dry ground.

What a celebration they had.

The world is craving to hear the good news.

And we need to find the spirit and the enthusiasm to say:

He lives, He lives, He lives in my heart,

and in the United Methodist church.

There is a time to cross over.

There is a time to stop analyzing everything that paralyzes our actions.

And cross over.

What a celebration they had.

I. CROSSING OVER TURNS OUR ATTENTION TO GOD

II. CROSSING OVER BRINGS US TOGETHER.

After months of preparation we stand on the brink of our own Jordan.

Today we are crossing over.

God’s work in this place has brought us together.

And FUMC will not be the same for years to come.

We will build for the future and we will do it together.

We will follow God’s leadership not just to guide us into the future.

But to guide us when we deal with an unfamiliar future.

Consider the Israelites:

They had fought with one another in the desert.

Argued how long to wait for Moses to come down from the mountain.

Disagree over when they should enter the promised land.

Complained about food

Whined about water.

But once they crossed over.

They moved as a body.

Defeating and destroying Jericho,

Slaying the 5 southern kings,

Crushing more then 15 northern kings.