Neglected Virtues: Flexibility, Going Where God Wants, 6/29/14

Sermon 6-29-14  neglected virtues- flexibility Jonah 2:10 -3:5=-

Neglected virtues.  A new series.

Like this old car, forgotten in the pasture.

Something to find, rediscover and restore.

Today the familiar story of Jonah

¹⁰ And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3:1Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Today’s virtue is Flexibility – flexibility -right……….

It means, Dealing w change

Do you like change?

let’s be honest, some of us were never flexible to begin with.

Maybe we should call it the undiscovered virtue

Sometimes I think about what we have dealt with at WCC

New ministers came and went - Add a service

Change service times - Add a contemporary service

Sell our building - Take the old stained glass windows out

Move to the hospital - Set up church every week and tear it down

Church in the gym - Church in the sanctuary

Finish the balcony - Buy five more acres

Go to 4 services - Build the youth and mission building

Build the connecting wing - Add the branch service as a simulcast

Attempted New church start -Build the worship center

Buy the missions center -Open a branch in Raytown

Life is crazy for us – and for Jonah.  you must be flexible to survive

Jonah- ahh what a week.

At home watching tv

The world cup is on

God speaks and his life is disquieted

On a boat - In a storm- in the water- swimming for his life- in a whale’s belly- on the beach

That’s one trip to the beach that no one would enjoy.

In a belly, on the beach- suddenly a preacher- resting- pouting

At home watching tv

Friends do you want God to be at the center of your life, leading you?

If you do then be ready to be disquieted.  Get ready to become flexible

The biblical characters are so human.  I hope you see this and love this.

The psalmist is up and down. - Job is struggling.

Thomas is a doubter. - Peter doesn’t get it.

Jonah is a mess - The Israelites want to go back to Egypt.

A great question of spiritual merit for us to consider is this

What is God doing in this world and how can we stop trying to fight it?

What is God doing in this world and how can we stop trying to control it?

We want things to remain the same

How can we become more comfortable with it

Go with the flow

There is a relationship between worry and trust.  Fear and trust

You never depend on god until you stop trying to be in charge

And here is my problem with the story of jonah.

Not that the fish couldn’t swallow him

But that he was so stubborn that it took him three days to repent

You can never follow God until you stop trying to be in charge.

Whether it is Jonah, or us, there is the pattern of movement in our lives

From start to the middle to the end

Egypt.  The wilderness.  The promised land

Sometimes we feel like we are forever in the middle

Wm bridges – managing transitions identified things that people need to understand in regards to changing times

1.    Those who are bothered most by change are those who are most affected

2.   To deal effectively with change, a person needs to understand that the tools of yesterday will not help them understand today

The young people of today are not going to be won to the church by the ideas that I had when I was young. 

The church near st Louis.  David hyatt.  Wont change worship styles

3.   Where there is a painful, troubled time – an invitation to become a different kind of person is taking place. God is trying to teach you something

Questions for you to consider as a spiritual person

Are you  more Stubborn or accepting

Can I see it if I am wrong?

How hard is it for you to see god at work in a thing

Joseph - You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good

Change is hard for churches

Consider the folks at Raytown…what they have had to endure

we can forget that Churches have wilderness times. Times  of struggle
we can forget what we are about-

can act as if we never knew what we were about….
Harrisonville…….The church that didn’t want to grow
The church that preferred the pastor visit them in the hospital than new
people who were visiting.
Forgotten what we were about
are we on or Off mission.

“Spiritually developed people are those who have set aside their personal preference and comfort for the sake of the mission”

Wilderness isn’t always lost, sometimes its more like the time in-between…
This is good time…..
In-between the last season of growth and change.
Praying, looking to what is next.
Time to clarify the vision

It happens a lot
In-between jobs, in between stages of life

where your kids are at
In between where you are and where you want to be

The wilderness is a time of natural worry and concern
Yet, good leaders help people be ok, even in the wilderness.

Being in the wilderness can also feel like being lost

there is fear when the water is troubled
If you are feeling lost. If you are struggling

This is a normal part of life
Not our favorite part, but a normal part.

Three things that help us in the wilderness of change
1. God wants us to Listen- circumstances will get your attention – let them!

2. God wants us Learn- once they have your attention, learn the character for success

the ways of the past may not take us where we need to be for today

learn the lessons that are needed for today

3. God wants us to Trust- we usually trust God the best when we can no longer make it on our own.

how flexible are you?  How trusting?

Very well, very well story.

Virgin Mary – angel Gabriel - May it be unto me as you have said

Jesus in the garden……Not my will but thine be done

If you are alive, things are changing. 

There is only one way to get things to stop changing, and that is for a person or an organization to die.

Successful Christ followers will deal proactively with change, difficulty and chaos,

And will see these things as a sign that god is with them working with them.

Taking them into his purpose

You may not hear God’s voice, you may not see the pillar of cloud by day.

You may not see the fire by night.
But God is still there. The bush of Moses is still burning.

The key to dealing with change is trusting in God
Trust in God. He will provide. He is with us. Always.
Let us pray.