“May God’s Will Be Done”
Making the Most of Transition
Matthew 6:5-13(quotes taken from The New King James translation unless noted)
Wakelee Church ~ May 29, 2005
Theme: Acceptance of transition comes when we allow God’s will to become our will in our lives.
Introduction – “Twelve Steps…”
This morning I need to tell you about a guy named Greg.
Greg pastored a country church for seven years, and as his tenure came to close, he wanted to give his congregation some way to deal with the inevitable transition that was about to occur.
Greg pulled out his Bible and looked for terms like change and transition, and stumbled across a passage in Proverbs that said it was the Lord who directed our paths, but that one passage didn’t answer all the transition questions.
So Greg read a bunch of books and read through some commentaries, but none of them seemed to fit the bill. Greg knew his congregation would need more.
So he went searching through his “sermons to be preached someday” files and stumbled across a sermon series he had always wanted to do, but never had done. For some reason, now felt like the right time.
The sermon series was based on the 12-step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous and other recovery groups. But in it were solid Biblical truths that deal with God’s power, our free will, honesty, God’s mercy and grace, forgiveness, humility, setting priorities, and acceptance. Greg prayed. God said yes. And so we are here.
To some, we’ve probably talked about transition way too much over the last eight weeks. I have to
admit that it’s possibly the longest sermon series I’ve ever attempted.
To others, they might still want to hear more. If so, I invite you to Rosebush, where I’ll probably be
preaching some of these again.
And, unfortunately, there are others still, who instead of taking this opportunity to make the most of
the situation, are simply content to let this whole thing completely pass them on by.
Greg can’t help that. But what Greg can do, and what he is doing today, is to lead this congregation
into a point of acceptance.
Starting July 1, Pastor Greg and his ministry will be a part of Wakelee’s history.
Starting July 1, Pastor Nelson and his ministry will begin.
Today is the day, when we start putting the past behind us, and move on.
We’ve taken this journey for a purpose….to arrive here…to arrive at acceptance.
I – The Model Prayer – a prayer of acceptance
Acceptance is a part of our Christian life in many ways. In fact, each Sunday we pray the prayer that was read for us in our Scripture passage.
In this prayer, we celebrate the glory of God, we pray for God’s provision, and we look forward to God’s eventual reign among us…but there is one part of it that sticks out for me this morning, and that is verse 10…
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
And just in case God didn’t hear it the first time, we say it again as we close, “For yours in the kingdom and the power and the glory forever…” (Matthew 6:13)
This prayer is a prayer of acceptance. It is not our kingdom…it is not our will…it is not our power…it is not our glory…but God’s.
Did you hear and engage in the last two months worth of sermons? Everyone of our topics are covered in this astonishing prayer. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer we do so recognizing…
That God’s power is greater than ours.
That we choose to follow him.
That we need to be honest with our baggage.
That we need God’s mercy and grace.
That forgiveness is something to give and to receive.
That when we stand in the Spirit, we don’t fall to pride.
And, that it’s not about us, but all about God!!!
Once we accept these things, we recognize that God’s will is that we do all of these things.
There isn’t anyone out there who can pray each week “Your will be done” in a meaningful way and not see the results of it.
If we say, “give us our daily bread” meaningfully, then we accept God’s will to feed the hungry.
If we say, “forgive us as we forgive” meaningfully, then we extend God’s forgiveness into our
relationships.
If we say, “lead us not into temptation” meaningfully, then we don’t put ourselves into situations to
be lead from.
Is this making any sense out there????
If we’re looking for “God’s Will to be done on earth as it is in heaven” doesn’t that mean we have to
accept God’s will as our own? How else could anyone do it?
Acceptance isn’t setting this all aside, and doing what we want to do anyway…
Acceptance is when we allow our will to become God’s will.
II – Our acceptance is based on our faith…
And that can only happen when we make our decision to accept on faith.
I Peter 4:11 says, “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength that God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” (NIV)
Notices here that Peter doesn’t say, if you speak, speak on your own behalf. Or if you serve, do it to your own ability and nothing more. If you were listening last week, you know that it’s not about us and our wants at all.
Peter said, “Speak as if you’re speaking the very words of God. Serve with the strength that only God provides.” Why? “so that God may be praised.”
If you’re thinking that you can make it through this acceptance thing all by yourself, you are sadly mistaken. Change in whatever form it presents itself, requires faith. And the only place to find the faith we need is found in Christ who has the “glory and power forever and ever.”
Acceptance calls us to a higher level of faith.
III – We are called to SHOW our acceptance to others…
But then the question remains…once we’ve found a level of acceptance…then what?”
The answer is we show our acceptance to others…
That is why Paul wrote the Colossians, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV))
This was the reason I told you to tell me about any rumors. This was the reason, why I, in numerous situations and locations, had to explain how this transition took place.
It was the very reason why we went through this whole process with so much transparency. Whether you believe that this was a good decision or not, you cannot dismiss the fact, that as we searched out God’s will together, we have made the most of this opportunity.
That’s why I agreed with the decision made with the Pastor-Parish committee…
That’s why I agreed with the decision of our bishop and district superintendent…
That’s why I agreed and am excited about Pastor Nelson Hall coming to this congregation…
If I didn’t, where would we be at right now??? Think about it for a minute…
When a soldier is in the midst of battle, and the only thing he can hear is the command of his commander, does he question it or debate it…of course not…he follows it. Not because he wants to be a good soldier or because that’s what he was trained to do…it does it for his own survival. Amen.?
Think for just a moment…if I hadn’t found in acceptance in the Pastor Parish decision….or I hadn’t agreed that Rosebush was where I should be…or if I showed no support for Pastor Nelson when his name was mentioned…where would we be right now?
I have accepted all that has happened because I know that God doesn’t make any mistakes. I’ve prayed for his will, and I know for a fact that God knows what his will is even if I don’t!
So why should I complain and be negative and build division? There is no reason. In short, to not accept this plan that God has placed before me is to say that I don’t have enough faith that God can handle it.
Instead, because I believe it to be God’s will, because that acceptance is there, that’s the message I’m sharing with others.
Acceptance demands integrity.
Conclusion – The Serenity Prayer – written by Reinhold Niebuhr
Now, has this acceptance thing always been easy for me…no.
When I sat in Grandma Mary’s living room with our prayer team, this whole thing began to hit me.
When I served Carrie Hartman communion for the last time, my heart broke, and it began to sink in.
As we begin to pack up, and make the arrangements, the remaining days don’t seem to be enough.
So how do I get through…
To be honest, I’ve developed a strange craving for Hershey chocolate bars and Coca-Cola.
But I have also taken on a prayer that I hope will give you as much direction as it has me…
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen.
Acceptance comes when we allow God’s will to be done in our lives.
Closing Prayer
Lord, you know your church. You know your people.
You know our willingness to accept your will, and about our ability to follow ours, instead of yours.
You know us…and because we are known by you, we stand before you, not because of what we have done… but by what you have done by your grace and mercy for us.
Acceptance does not come easy. But we know that it will never come unless we turn our hearts, our
minds, and our souls toward you.
Lord, give us the faith. Give us the willingness and ability to share that faith with others.
May our acceptance of all that you have done, be a beacon through us, so that others may feel the joy
and wonder at walking in your will as well.
May all that we do, build our foundation on Christ.
May all that we say, draw people closer to Him.
May all that we believe, come from a better relationship with our Lord and Savior.
May our acceptance be found in the acceptance shown to us upon the Cross, and in the empty grave.
We pray this in the name of One who is, was, and always will be…your son, our Lord…Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Closing Hymn - #368 – My Hope Is Built
Join in Circle around the sanctuary…Church Council response – Annetta Thornburgh
Benediction – The Lord’s Prayer in unison
