There was a blonde at work who just got sick and tired of all the blonde jokes. So one evening she went home and memorized all the state capitals. Back in the office the next day, some guy started telling a dumb blonde joke. She interrupted him with an announcement, "I've had it up to here with these blonde jokes. I want you to know that this blonde went home last night and did something probably none of you could do...I memorized all the state capitals." Of course, one of the guys said, "I don't believe you. What is the capital of Nevada?" She just smiled and confidently answered, "N”
Exodus 3:11-14 who sent you???
In 1 Chronicles 28 (that’s the OT), King David had the plans in his hands for the new temple that was to be built for the God. He wanted to personally build it, but God had other plans. He told the king that his son Solomon would be the one to build the temple.
David chose to not see himself as being cut out of the action and grand plan, but undertook his new charge.
He must convey the plans and vision to Solomon . He must communicate the vision for the temple in a manner that would enlist Solomon’s support. King David rose to his feet, standing up on the platform above all the people in the court and made this announcement.
“Of all the many son’s my LORD has given me, he has chosen Solomon to sit on the throne after me. He said to me ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my house, for I have chosen him. I will establish his kingdom as long as he follows me.” Did you hear that? David got the vision from the Lord that a marvelous temple would be built, but he would not build it.
His son Solomon would be the one to build it. Can you imagine if you were Solomon? “I’m supposed to do what??” he asks. This vision is from God, and you Solomon will be leading the charge to undergo it. Halfhearted commitment will not work or be tolerated. Such a task will require total devotion to the God and to the work.
Next, David gave his son sufficient detail about the temple that Solomon could visualize what it would look like. He went thru all the plans of what the porches and gold ornaments would look like. Nothing was left out.
Finally, after casting this vision, the king gave his son another dose of encouragement. “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God is with you.
He will not fail you or forsake you. Everyone will obey your commands.”
What authority did David have?? He was king. Was that great communication or what?? David had grad plans in front of him ready to go. All his kingdom is awaiting his command. The ships are ready to sail to get the wood. Gold has been mined. The craftsmen are ready and waiting. But God says no, your son will be the one to take on this project.
How would you feel? You have these big plans and dreams. You have the resources and the desire. But you are stopped dead in your tracks. I’m surprised David didn’t get disgusted with the whole thing. But David saw the bigger picture. Instead of looking thru his narrow field of vision, he looked from above as God would. It’s like when E. F. Hutton talks. God talked and David listened. And David did what he should. He communicated to his son.
Do you have that kind of communication with other people?? Before you talk, do you seek the wisdom of the Lord? Before you send a letter or an email, do you wonder, “what would Jesus do?”
When you communicate, is it God talking thru you? Let’s envision a conversation for a minute. Bob is on the leadership team of the church and goes to talk to Jacob. (No there is no Bob or Jacob in our congregation. I made up the names.)
“Jacob, you need to lead the men’s group. It starts on Monday.” There you go. How is that? What do you think will happen? Maybe Jacob will go home and forget all about it. Maybe he will start a Men’s Group that is second to none. Probably not. How could the conversation have gone differently??
Bob goes to Jacob. “Jacob. I’ve been praying for our men’s group every day for the past month. I’ve asked God for wisdom and vision for leadership for this group. He has given me what he is wanting and now I’m bringing it to you.” Sounds good so far right? Bob started off praying for guidance. He didn’t jump into leading the men’s group because no one else would step up and do it. He waited for God’s vision and didn’t jump the gun. Then he passed on the vision.
Bob says “Jacob, God has shown me the future of the men’s group with you and another brother leading it. He says that both of you will have disciples under you to bring up in a Godly faith and understanding. As those brothers mature, they will disciple brothers under them.
You will form a chain going up the spiritual mountain of faith. As you go along brother, there will be some who don’t see the vision you have. They will only see change and believe it is not good. But you must persevere and stay the course. God almighty will be with you always, just as he said.”
Bob goes into detail with Jacob on the vision of God to lead the men’s group. Where does Bob get his authority? From the leadership team.
What happens when there is bad communication or no authority given? How does it affect the outcome? Have you seen the cell phone commercials on TV? The guy is talking to his soon to be father-in-law. “call me Jim. We are going to be family.”
The boy opens up “Ok Jim, Jimbo, jimborama, Jimmy crack corn and I don’t care.” Then nothing on the other end of the line. The phone goes dead. The boy panics. Dropped calls are bad. Miscommunication is terrible. Because of the communication problem, he automatically thinks he offended his father-in-law.
Communication problems can happen in the church also. Here is an example (no this has not happened so don’t start any rumors). I say something to Ed, knowing he just told me a story about getting his hair cut yesterday. “Boy your hair is really short.”
Mike hears my comment, assumes the worst, that I’m making fun of Ed or trying to hurt his feelings. Mike tells Tammy who is mad at Brandy because Brandy didn’t say hi to her this morning in SS (although Brandy just didn’t hear her). Tammy is talking to Melanie before church and tells her that “The Pastor was rude and inconsiderate to Ed, and I can’t believe he was sent to our wonderful little church.”
I’m in the hallway shaking hands after service. Everyone is smiling. Melanie comes stomping by, gives me a look that could easily kill me (if looks could kill), doesn’t say anything and leaves. She doesn’t talk to me or return my calls. How’s that for our communication??
What did I say before about communicating?? Is it of God? Did it come from a prayer or vision from God? Jesus says in Matthew 12 “A healthy tree produces good fruit and a diseased tree produces bad fruit. How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-mouthed? A good person produces good deeds season after season.
An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Words are powerful. They can be your salvation or your damnation.” These are big words from our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is saying that no amount of skill or technique will compensate for an empty or an evil heart.
Jesus stated that the heart is the key to salvation. Personal relationships are to be entered into and continued out of a sense of strength, fullness and vitality.
And now Moses. In our scripture reading today, Moses was daunted by the mission to which God was calling him but he received God’s assurance that he would be empowered to accomplish his divinely appointed purpose. Moses had to convince the Israelites to follow him out into the wilderness.
He had to convince Pharaoh that 2.5 million slaves had to be let go. He had to convince himself that God actually wanted him to do this. “Who am I?” He was overwhelmed, over his head, and challenged beyond understanding. “What should I tell them? What if they don’t believe me?”
And God said “This is what you are to say to the Israelites. “I am who I am. I am has sent me to you.” Moses soon discovered that one plus God equals a majority. Without question, Moses was one of the greatest leaders of world history. God validated each of Moses’ statements and addressed them.
As Moses concerns went away, so did his resistance to the vision. “Who am I?” God said, in effect, “I have called you and I am doing this. It’s not who you are, but who I am and what I want you to do.”
Moses was called by God to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. His authority came from God. I am called to lead this church. My authority comes directly from God. He reached down and grabbed me by the heart and said “I have called you and I am sending you to Sardis.”
And now some of you are feeling a call right now. There are two to lead the men’s ministry. There are two to lead the youth. Why two? Because Jesus sent out the 70, two by two. Where do they get their authority? I give them all the support and authority they need because it was given to me.
The vision is being put in place. God sent his only son down to earth to live among us and to even die for us as a sacrifice for every bad thing we have done in our lives. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he said “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.” And now it’s time to go. You have been called. You have your orders. And you have the authority of Jesus Christ who is always with you.
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