no on ever told me

leaving was the easy part

A reading from the 16th chapter of the book of Exodus

O, I know I’m not the only one! 

I know I’m not the only one here thinking it it feel like we’ve been wandering in the wilderness. And for MORE than forty years, too!

And the truth is, we probably have. 

It’s probably been more than 40 years since the landscape in America shifted. Hasn’t it? But, all the while, we’ve been burying our heads in the sand. Trying to carry the way were. 

O Lord, I know I’m not the only one. I know I’m not the only one who feels like we’ve been wandering in the wilderness for more than forty years.

These are hard. They’re hard to hear, but they’re also hard to preach. 

And, if I’m being honest, I’ve felt called to preach a sermon like a time or two, but I’ve shirked back. 

This is hard for all of us.

And if you’re not so sure, let’s do an experiment: who’s anxious about this unification stuff? Raise you hand if you are. 

…Yeah. Me too.

Okay. Now, keep your hands up. 

Look around. See? This is hard for all of us. Like our bishop says, we’re in this together. Okay. You can put your hands down now. 

None of us know what the future holds. We’re all uncertain what the right course of action should be. Everyone one of us is afraid of what the consequences will be if we act, OR if we don’t act!

We’re between a rock and a hard place. Aren’t we?

And that’s right where God WANTS us!

That rock that’s holding us here, it’s no different from the one that tried to seal Jesus in the tomb! This rock we’re stuck behind, the one we can’t move; it’s no match for God!

Can I hear an Amen?

This is a hard sermon! Remember? Your preacher needs your help!

God rolls away that stone that would seal our fate. Don’t that make ya wanna say, “Amen?”

O Lord, I know I’m not the only one!

I know I’m not the only one who feels like we’ve been wandering in the wilderness for more than forty years. 

In fact, we’re finally at the edge of the place we were promised we’d reach if we tried! And now after YEARS. Years or trying, discerning, discussing, praying, and planning we’re about ready to step into this next place! 

BUT!

But, O Lord, there’s some of us here who still want to go back.

…Maybe that’s you today. 

Lord knows I’ve been there a time or two. 

After hearing yet another litany of rumors, complaints and excuses; I’ve been tempted to throw in the towel. Decide now’s not the time, and try and go back.

Back to the way we’ve always done it. Back to the way things were. Back to Egypt. Back to that place we live under the tyranny of slavery. Be it the master of fear, comfort or pride…

“Let’s go back to Egypt.” 

It’s nothing new, though. It’s what we always cry when we hit the slightest bump in the road? “Let’s go back,” we cry. Back to Egypt. Back to the way things were. 

Let’s go back…

In scripture today it had been a while since God’s dramatic intervention, and in the meantime the resources ran low and the rumors ran high. After getting all worked up, the congregation presented their complaints to Moses.

But God!
But God told Moses what we always need to hear in times like these; we don’t complain against God’s servants. We complain against God!

We’re not complaining against me. We’re not complaining against the council, either. We’re not even complaining against the synod. We’re complaining against God! 

This isn’t my idea! It’s not the council’s idea. And lord knows, it’s not the synod’s idea! Beloved, this is God’s idea!

Only God could have gotten us this far! 

Can I hear an Amen?

This is a hard sermon! Remember? Your preacher needs your help!

God’s gotten us this far. Doesn’t that make you want to say, “Amen?”

Lord, I know I’m not the only one!

I know I’m not the only one who feels like we’ve been wandering in the wilderness for more than forty years.

And we still want to go back! Back to Egypt. Back to slavery. Back behind the stone!

But, just like Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb he was dithering in; Jesus calls us out! “Lazarus, come out!” 

…Who’s anxious about this unification stuff?

Yeah. Me too…

So, what’s got you anxious? What’s that one thing? 

That one thing you tell yourself, if this were straightened out, then I’d march along with the congregation.

Is it a building? Is it a legal number? Is it a line in a budget?

…Is it having everyone agree? But not agree Jesus is Lord, but some flimsy agreement, built on personal preferences?

What’s got you anxious? What gets you tense? What’s that one thing you’re holding unto for dear life?

…I’ll bear witness. For me, it’s being liked. I fear making someone angry. Falling out of favor.

Well, beloved, it’s time to confess. Confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven and to you my brothers and sisters that I’ve based my confidence on the approval of mortals instead of God. 

And let me tell you, it’s rotting in my hands. 

Like that manna that can’t be saved, seeking approval has grown worms and become foul in my hands. Standing here today, it’s all too clear how being liked can’t save me. 

…So, what’s your moldy manna? What’s the thing you’ve been trying to hold on to? That manna that fed you yesterday, but now is rotting in your clenched fists?

Because we all need to lay it down. Don’t we? We need to repent. Turn from these idols we’ve been trying to hold on to, and instead look to the glory of God! 

God’s leading us. And what God has to offer is so much better than what we’ve been clinging to!

Let us put down our moldy manna and open our hands to receive what God has to give; the true bread come down from heaven, Jesus!

Jesus! HE’S what we really need!

Can I hear an Amen?

This is a hard sermon! Remember? Your preacher needs your help!

Jesus is what we really need. Don’t that make you want to say, “Amen?”

We need Jesus! Not some false unity based on opinions and personal preferences. We need Jesus! Not one ID number or another. We need Jesus! Not one building or another. We need Jesus! 

And the Good News is, Jesus doesn’t hold back! Jesus doesn’t wait for us to get it right. He comes to us. He feeds us with himself!

Jesus has gotten us this far! And he’ll get us the rest of the way, too! Feeding us every step of the way!

…Now, maybe it’s not the time. Maybe the Lord’s waiting for some of us to pass on before we get there. I don’t like to think about it, but it’s a possibility. I suppose. 

But you know who IS going to get there? Our youngest members. God’s hold on the future is strong. Stronger than any of us. God can out-wait us.

And that’s the promise. But don’t spurn it. 

Because our youngest members are watching us. We’re giving them a witness. Good or bad, we’ve giving them a witness.

Maybe one day, when someone asks why they go to church, they’ll tell a story of this wild thing their ancestors did. All because they believed Jesus was showing up, feeding them and leading them all in their little corner of the world! 

…Or, maybe they’ll say, from all they ever saw, the church was a place to bicker. 

Thank God, God can use our poor witnesses. And that the faith of our youngest members doesn’t have to be based on our shabby witness. 

But why not try? Why not try and give them something to be inspired by? Why not try and be a part of something you’re inspired by? Why not put yourself where the faithful have found themselves time and time again? 

Stepping out, saying God, if your mercies aren’t new this morning, if you don’t feed me today, I can’t make it!

Maybe you’ve been waiting. Waiting for me to finally gin up the courage to give a sermon like this. Well, the moment’s at hand! And if God can use a fearful, little preacher like the one you see standing before you. Then God can most certainly use a person like YOU!

The promise of the Gospel is that God loves nothing more than using folks like us! Fearful. Faithless. Complaining people like us! 

Like Fred said a couple of weeks ago, “this isn’t Jacob’s story, this is our story.”

Well, beloved, this isn’t Israel’s story, this is our story!

God is busy. God is busy, delivering us! Leading us. Feeding us!

Can I hear an Amen?

This is a hard sermon! Remember? Your preacher needs your help!

God is delivering, leading, and feeding us. Don’t that make you wanna say, “Amen?”