(Embrace The Gift Of) One Entrusted To Guide Souls Series

(Embrace the Gift of) One Entrusted to Guide Souls

Series: Navigating New Seasons

Brad Bailey – June 2, 2024

Intro

Concluding series... Navigating New Seasons... allowing God to speak to us about navigating

seasons of change in life... and particularly the transition at hand for the Westside Vineyard.

Next Saturday... we are holding the 50th Anniversary Celebration...and it will culminate with

Josh Shaw being installed as the new lead pastor...to carry the story forward...and guide

the NEXT season... a NEW season.

So this is my final week as the Lead Pastor... a journey that began in 1985... 24 years old...

joined staff in 1987... found myself leading in 1991 (33 years ago).

I am genuinely excited... about how God has led...and what God has prepared.

I want to reaffirm what Josh captured so beautifully and brilliantly last week: God is in it

all... what was ...what is...and what is to come.

These are not separate... at the very heart of navigating this season is the ability to honor what

has been... anticipate what is to come... be those who dream with God... and embrace the

present in which God is right here.

Today...I want to speak to the unique role for which a transition is now at hand...that of a

pastor... particularly what we refer to as the Lead Pastor.

I don’t want you to miss how much lies in the wider group of lives which serve to oversee this

whole body... Joel serving for over 22 years.... Ron for years.... Josh Call...Brody, Emily, Bob.

The one who serves as the Senior Pastor... or Lead Pastor...is something of a first among

equals. They are entrusted as the lead leader.

Our text comes from Biblical Book of Hebrews. It has long carried that name...presumably

because it expounds to those of Hebrew background... essentially Jewish background... how

Christ is the fulfillment of all that God was preparing... Jesus brings the true fulfillment of the

priest... of the sacrifices....and of the way to live.

How can we get through the challenges of this life?

Hold fast to Christ... who is supreme...and is the finisher of life...

And it concludes, in the final chapter...chapter 13...with one of the most valuable summaries of

how to live....and live in relationship to others.

Our focus will be the verses at the end of this text...

Hebrews 13:1,3,7-9, 15-18

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to

strangers..., 3 Continue to remember those ... mistreated as if you yourselves were

suffering.

7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of

their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and

forever.

9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit

of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with

others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch

over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a

burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

18 Pray for us.

I want to engage us in verse 17 [1]...

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch

over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a

burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. – Hebrews 13:17

This is a text I have never focused on... and like many... knowing how we react today to being

told to obey and submit... I would avoid this.

So why would I bring a text like this before us today?

1. It’s my last week as Lead Pastor...so I don’t really have anything to lose.

2. Because it serves this Saturdays installation. (It’s common that as part of an

installation...there is a message from the Scriptures to speak into such a role being conferred...

and with the nature of combining the various elements...today provides an opportunity for that.)

3. But most notably...it’s because God spoke to me about this text this past year... and I

believe it was fitting for today.

God impressed on me the beautiful sense of mutual responsibility...that it speaks of the

responsibility of the spiritual leader....and the responsiveness to that responsibility.

This is a word primarily to all who gather....we will come to that...but first...There lies

A charge to Josh...

Josh... there is nothing new to declare about this calling ... you have served in such a

role...that of a spiritual leader...and specifically as a Lead Pastor...for several years...