First off I want to thank each of you for being out this morning.
It’s a bit of a surreal feeling for me.
I don’t suppose I will be long winded this morning so perhaps in my last message you can say that you saw a miracle.
Something the Lord has reminded me of recently is that He always has the next man in place to take up the mantle of leadership.
The first church that Dee and I pastored in Fordland Missouri we had pioneered, and like any greenhorn novice when the time came to move on I fretted over what would become of them. I remember for several years looking into the annual church listings sent to each pastor. I would turn to Fordland Missouri first just to be sure they were still there.
Several years later I had the honor of going back there to preach on a Sunday morning.
The man who followed me in our second church in Sailsbury Center, NY is in fact still there. So I know they are safe.
Our last pastorate before coming here was in Gowanda New York.
They had both a church and a K-12 school over which I was pastor, principal, Gym Teacher, Basketball coach, and yearbook advisor.
I will confess on the same trip that I got to preach at my first church I also stopped in to a midweek study in Gowanda and was treated unusually cold by my replacement. I knew God had called us here and I knew He was in control there so I let it pass from my mind.
But I will say I was very excited to hear a few years later, that a young man who I had pastored, coached , was his principal and did his wedding had now assumed the position of Senior Pastor there.
So you see while I admit to a genuine sadness this morning, I instead find a deep abiding peace that God has someone more than able in store for his church here.
The Bible is rich with examples of exactly what I am saying to you here, so lets just look at a few.
Moses a man called by God, but clearly not the most confident of bloaks would be the first person I would look to this morning.
Something I always appreciated about him was he always seemed aware that he hadn’t done something to earn the honor of leading Gods children.
He never lorded it over the people, and because of that at times had to rely on God asserting his leadership. Thankfully Ive not had to have the ground open up and swallow anyone for me.
I relate to his 40 years on the backside of the dessert status. Its exactly 40 years since God graciously opened my eyes to his son, and then called me to ministry.
But the area I most wish to relate to him is in his ability to train faithful men who immediately were able to step in at his passing and lead the people of Israel.
Moses had his brother Aaron, but perhaps even better were the combination of Joshua and Caleb.
• Two men who he mentored and taught.
• Two men who weren’t afraid to stand against public opinion when Public opinion was wrong.
I can relate to Moses in that he had lead the people for years with one intent in mind, to enter into the land that God had promised to Abraham. But he never got the chance to enter.
Perhaps the hardest part for me – When the Lord said NOW was thinking but God what about the Nightcare.
We read in Deut 34 -
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land—from Gilead to Dan, 2 all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, 3 the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”
It’s a little bit of how I feel with the Nightcare Center –
I always thought that because God gave me the vision I would get to see it built, but that is saved for someone special who God is going to bring to this fellowship.
David knew that feeling with the Temple – But scripture tells us one plants, one waters, but its God who brings the increase.
A funny thing about all of today was I wasn’t sure how I would feel, or how any of you would feel, and God even there had words for my heart.
Vs 8. talks about the fact that there was a time of grieving. Its ok that we feel mixed feelings.
• But at the end of that time God is going to take this church forward with a new man of God a Joshua to Moses.
One vs. later we read - 9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit[b] of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.
Further– We read in Joshua 1
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
Somewhere out there today is your next Pastor. And I believe that is Gods promise to him.
Your great Pulpit Committee is doing its due diligence to present the right choice, you as a body will have the chance to confirm that, and then I believe Its on to a new and powerful portion of the life of this church family.
This is my prayer for the Leader you all will eventually choose –
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
I wont read it now for time sake but the very next verses tell us that he hit the ground running, and the people were with him as they were with Moses.
Another example of godly transition is found in – II Kings Chapter 2
It’s the account of Elijahs being taken up to the Lord and his replacement taking his place. Here is what we read.
And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
Scripture goes on to tell us that Elisha did see him taken up and did receive from God an even greater annointing.
Church, I have never fooled myself. I had a calling here and quite honestly it was a prophets type confrontational one.
It may well be that the pastor who God is calling will be totally different than me in fact I can pretty much say that will be true.
But he will be a man with Gods anointing on him and I actually hope it is a double portion. I pray this church sees the miricles that God promised.
When doing this I kept reading in II Kings hoping for the Lord to give me something else to say about that transitions.
What I saw and I wont attempt to say this is prophetic but that God used him mightly in healing.
First the Shunamites son brought back to life, then the military leader Naman cleansed of leoprasy in the Jordon.
I DON’T KNOW what the new pastors giftings will be but I do know they will be the ones necessary for you and for our community.
God will always have a person to follow the person before.
The Apostle Paul knew that, Peter knew that.
Paul had the privledge of working with Timothy and tutoring him.
Truthfully if you go with a younger Pastor, its possible they will not have been a Senior pastor before and if so because of the precious spirit of this church I believe you will be the greatest gift a new Pastor could ask for.
Mentors, who will be there to help. A pastor can be no more successful than the people he leads. You are living proof of that.
In all of my 37 years of Senior pastoring I have never been more privledged than I am right now to have a particular people to have led.
Your new pastor will need you to come along side him. Much like the people did with Joshua.
Paul knew the timing of his leaving -
In one of my favorite verses he states - 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing..
My prayer is on another day in heaven we will stand face to face with each other and with the Lord.
MY CHARGE TO EACH OF YOU – would be what he said in the verse right before saying that.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Choose careful and prayerful – And then stand shoulder to shoulder with the Man God brings you and fight the good fight of faith.
In closing let me quote the words of Paul in II Cor. 2
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.[a] 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
If I could pick one moment in time that seems to fit what I am feeling this morning it would be Pauls closing words to the Ephesian Elders as he prepared to return to Jerusalem to an unknown situation.
17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
I would like to close with these words and then ask our Elders and Deacons to come to the front of the platform and I would like the church family to come around them and pray for Gods anointing all they do for this church.
27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.
PRAY
