1
WADE OR WATCH?
Bishop Laurie Haller - Calvary UMC Building Consecration
October 2, 2016 - Joshua 1:1-11, 3:14-17
Grace and peace to each one of you. It is a joy to be here this afternoon to celebrate the completion of your new building. It is gorgeous! This is my first trip outside the Des Moines area as your new episcopal leader, and what a beautiful part of God’s world it is!
As I was looking at the map last week, I realized that I was in this area before. Two years ago I and three other people, including Pastor Chad Jennings from Iowa, rode our bikes a thousand miles in twelve days across the North Central Jurisdiction from Brandon, South Dakota to Port Clinton, Ohio. This was a fundraiser for Imagine No Malaria.
The first day we rode eighty-two miles and stayed the night at the Lake Okobogi United Methodist Camp and Retreat Center. I had this image in my mind that Iowa was a completely flat state, so that first day was a rude awakening for me, and my muscles were sore the next morning as we continued our journey. I loved every minutes of our ride through Iowa and am so glad to be living in this wonderful state. Thank you for your kind invitation to be here today and for your warm welcome.
The scripture that I want to share with you comes from the Old Testament book of Exodus. It’s the story of how the God called the Israelites to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
After the death of Moses the servant of theLord, theLordspoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying,2“My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites.3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses.4From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory.5No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.6Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them.7Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go.8This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful.9I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for theLordyour God is with you wherever you go.”10Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people,11“Pass through the camp, and command the people: ‘Prepare your provisions; for in three days you are to cross over the Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land that theLordyour God gives you to possess.’”
And then from chapter 3:
14When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people.15Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water,16the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing toward the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho.17While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of theLordstood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.
This is the Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.
Let us pray. Lord God, you’ve been troubling the waters here at Calvary United Methodist Church for many years. You’ve continually prodded them to wade into the waters of outreach, evangelism, and ministry in the name of Jesus Christ. As we gather here today as your people, you are calling us again. As we hear your Word for us, may we receive it with open hearts and respond with faithful obedience. Amen.
Water and I have had our challenges over the years. I took swimming lessons as a kid but never had an opportunity to really learn the different strokes. Seventeen years ago I began doing triathlons as a way of keeping in shape and also for stress relief. A triathlon is a race where you swim, then bike, then run. My biggest fear has always been swimming because I’m not the strongest swimmer, and the thought of being kicked, shoved, and pushed around in open water by a thousand other swimmers terrifies me.
My worst experience with water was competing in an ironman triathlon in Louisville, Kentucky in 2010. I’d heard going into the race that the Ohio River is dirty, smelly, and polluted, and I’m here to testify to you that it’s true. It’s kind of like the Jordan River in Israel. We like to romanticize the river that the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land and the river in which Jesus was baptized. But the reality is, you don’t want to drink the water of the Jordan River, and you probably don’t even want to set foot in it!
The most difficult part for me of any triathlon is wading into the water. It’s always tempting to say to myself at the start, “You don’t really want to do this, do you, Laurie? Why don’t you just watch from the shore?” My stomach churns, and I feel queasy, but there’s a voice in my head that always says, “Be strong and courageous.”
The ironman swim is 2.4 miles, so we’re in the water a long time. After jumping off a dock into the Ohio River along with 2,600 other competitors, I began to swim. I was doing fine until someone kicked me in the foot, and my little toe was bent back. It was excruciatingly painful.
As the race went on, I began swallowing water because of all the churning. Then I began to feel sick from the water I was coughing up and from the smell, which was overpowering. I wanted to quit and told myself, never again am I going to set foot in the Ohio River. But that little voice in my head kicked in again and said, “Quitting is not an option. Be strong and courageous.” So I made it through the swim, a little behind schedule and with a bum toe, but otherwise intact.
This is a special time in the life of Calvary Church because you have a brand new building! As I read your church history a few weeks ago, I learned that the first religious service held in this lakes area was in 1857 by Rev. Prescott, a Methodist circuit rider, several months after the Spirit Lake Massacre. In 1859 Prescott asked the Methodist conference to send preachers to the frontier settlement. One of them was Rev. Samuel Pillsbury, a circuit riding preacher, who retired in Arnolds Park in 1863. In 1865, the first camp meeting in northwestern Iowa was held in a grove, at what is now known as Ft. Dodge Point.
This congregation has a long and rich history as a result of that courageous beginning. For a hundred and sixty years, the gospel has been preached, this community has been served, the Bible has been taught, lives have been transformed, and Jesus has been glorified.
What does it take for a congregation like Calvary to remain alive, vital, and connected with the needs of their community? It takes momentum. You are in a unique place. It’s great to give thanks for the past, and it’s wonderful to be in this fine building, but now you are on the verge of a brand new day in the life of Calvary United Methodist Church. How are you going to continue to gain momentum for God’s work here in this community? God’s a troubling the waters, friends! Are you going to wade into the water of ministry or watch from the shore? Are you going to continue to grow and transform lives for Jesus Christ, or are you going to rest on your laurels? Are you going to lead others into God’s future or stand on the sidelines? Now what?
In many ways you’re just like Joshua and the Israelites in our scripture. They were on the brink of the Promised Land when their leader, Moses, died. Moses had led them faithfully in the wilderness for forty years, but it was not to be for him to lead them across the Jordan River. That mission was for Joshua, Moses’ successor, a man filled with the spirit of wisdom. The Israelites were at a crossroad. Would they turn back to the safety of the wilderness or risk continuing the momentum into an unknown future?
I would like to suggest today that momentum is gained by first recognizing the need for a new beginning. As soon as Moses died, God indicated to Joshua that things were about to change. “Joshua, my servant Moses, the spiritual giant, is dead. And guess what? You’re the leader! Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to the Israelites. It’s time to move.”
In the Bible the crossing of water is often a sign of change and commitment. Of course, along with change comes a loss of identity and familiarity and a resistance to the new. Transitions are tough times for churches as well as for individuals. That’s why, when churches embark on new ventures, they need to allow people to grieve what is past so they can move confidently into the future. When we wade into the water and move on, we don’t reject the past, but we learn from and celebrate the past as we forge ahead.
Are you ready to wade into the Jordan, or will you watch from the shore? Are you preparing for the new things God has in store for you as a congregation? You really are at a time for new beginnings, just as Joshua was. How are you going to follow God’s call? Are you ready and willing to move? Will you wade or watch?
Momentum is also created by having a clear and focused vision. Notice in our scripture how God set the boundaries for Joshua and the Israelites. “From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory.” For forty years the Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness without direction. They were only interested in having their own needs met and became dependent on the manna, quail, and water that God provided. They even worshipped a golden calf. Because of their unbelief, God sentenced their forbears to die in the desert.
Do you remember when Moses sent twelve spies to check out the Promised Land? Ten of them said, “No way! We’re not strong or mighty enough to defeat the people in the land.” Two of the spies, however, Caleb and Joshua, had a greater vision and said, “Go for it,” but they were voted down.
Now Joshua finally had a chance to implement his vision. But notice how God set boundaries and gave a clear focus to the vision. “This is the land I’ll give you,” God said. “You can’t go everywhere, but you can do this, with my help.” Boundaries are sort of like the banks of a river. Banks create depth and increase momentum as water flows. By contrast, rivers without banks are shallow and slow moving. If our ministry is a mile wide, it may also be an inch deep. Our ministries need to be clearly defined to have depth.
Joshua couldn’t do everything. Neither can Calvary do everything. But there is so much that you can do and be. When you designed this facility, you did it in light of your mission and core values. Can you recite them? What is your mission? Sharing God’s love with all. And what are your core values? Worshipping God, Serving our Neighbors, Ministry to Children and Generosity. What is it to which God is calling you as you serve your neighbors in the future? How will you keep ministering to the children? How will you reinvent yourself as a congregation? Momentum is created by focusing on your mission and core values. Will you wade or watch?
Third, momentum is created when everyone gets on board. Sarah can’t reach out into the community and do ministry by herself. She needs the support of the lay leadership of Calvary, and the lay leaders, in turn, need to inspire and encourage you, the entire congregation, to get on the bus.
Do you see how Joshua enlisted all of his officers? He had them pass through the camp and tell the people that in three days they were going to cross the Jordan, so they’d better prepare. Did you catch that? The Israelites were not asked to move immediately. They were given three days notice.
Joshua was smart enough to recognize that there is immense value to a waiting period because it takes time for people to adjust to a new reality and get on board. As I read about the history of this building project, I realized that you, too, had a waiting period because the land you felt God calling you to purchase wasn’t up for sale. Now that you have the land and the building, you are likely not going to rush right into a bunch of new ministries tomorrow. It’s critical to take the time to listen to God and each other, create opportunities for discernment, and then communicate well. When everyone is encouraged to be a part of the process, we all wade into the water together. Will you wade or watch?
A fourth way we gain momentum is by having the strength, courage, patience, and persistence to act upon God’s will. Winston Churchhill once said, “Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts.” Did you notice how many times the phrase, “Be strong and courageous” is used in Joshua chapter 1? Four times. The first three times God is telling Joshua to be strong and courageous, and the fourth time, it’s the officers who say to Joshua, “Wherever you send us, we’ll go. Only you be strong and courageous because if you’re strong and courageous, then we can be, too.”
Being courageous does not mean being foolhardy, however. In Joshua chapter two, spies are sent out again, only this time just two people are sent, not twelve. Do you remember who protected them in Jericho? It was Rahab, the prostitute. Joshua learned from his previous experience and wanted to make sure that his plans were realistic and that it was okay to proceed.
To be strong and courageous includes checking and double checking. It means gathering data, asking questions, and listening to others. It means risking and being willing to be out there in the lead. It means being consistent and not wavering. And it means believing the words of God, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not fail you or forsake you.” In his book Ministry Momentum, Wayne Schmidt says, “Courage will take you anywhere you believe God is leading you. Without courage you will go only where you are comfortable.”[i]
Do you have the strength and courage at Calvary UMC to move boldly into the future, knowing that God is with you? Are you willing to keep your eyes focused on Jesus and not be distracted from your mission by looking to the right or the left? Are you willing to serve God by sharing Christ with all the people in this area who hunger and thirst for meaning and spiritual food? God’s a troubling the waters here. Will you wade or watch?
Finally, we gain momentum by leaving a legacy. It’s in chapter three where Joshua and the Israelites arrive at the Jordan River. One priest from each tribe carried the art of the covenant, which contained God’s presence, and stood in the waters of the Jordan. When their feet dipped into the edge of the water, the waters stood still, and the Israelites crossed over on dry ground. Afterward, God instructed Joshua to have one man from each tribe each take a stone from the Jordan River and construct a memorial on the other side. They left a permanent legacy to God.
Calvary United Methodist Church has begun to create a permanent legacy in Arnolds Park and the surrounding communities, hasn’t it? In fact, this church has had a ripple effect throughout the entire county. You’ve created a legacy for your children and grandchildren by providing a safe and beautiful place in which to love, grow, reach and repeat. But calvarylovesall.com wasn’t started many years ago just for the pleasure of you, its members, was it? Of course not.