Carol Barriger

1^st Congregational Church of Redwood City, UCC

Rev. Carol Barriger

Sunday, September 25, 2005

19^th after Pentecost

Exodus 17:1-7; Philippians 2:1-13<= /o:p>

“Courage and Humility”=

Let the same mind be in y= ou that was in Christ Jesus. (Phil 2:5)

<= /o:p>

I read that = there was once a (very unofficial, unscientific) study in which “church people” – that would be you – were asked two questions. The first one was: Do you think you are a faithful person? And the vast majority answered “yes,” because after all, they were in church, right?<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> And that’s what you are supp= osed to say. Who would say no?

<= /o:p>

The second q= uestion was: So what is faith? All kinds of interesti= ng responses came back – and everyone came up with some answer. No one wanted to admit they didn&#= 8217;t know, or were still flailing around in the dark. Since they had just said yes to qu= estion #1, now they had to try to name what it was that each one did that w= as faithful. Some responses were= : faith is … praying, believin= g what I was taught in Sunday School, observing the ten commandments, trusting in = God, helping other people, showing up at church even when I don’t feel like it, reading the Bible …. And more.&n= bsp; Quite a list.

<= /o:p>

Those are no= t bad answers at all. Some are pret= ty good. They are also pretty safe. One thing no one said w= as that faith leads. Faith is being willing to step o= ut when the path is difficult or unclear. Faith is courage without a group.&n= bsp; Faith is courage without a group.&n= bsp; Think about Moses, up against the entire grumbling population of Israelites.

<= /o:p>

Here’s= a second answer in complete opposition to the first – faith surre= nders. Faith leads. Faith surrenders. In encouraging the church at Philippi, Paul reminds them to Let the same mind= be in you that was in Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5). Embrace humility. Turn it over. Release control. Understand that God is working thr= ough you.

&= nbsp; Faith leads with courage.

Faith surrenders with humility.

In other wor= ds, faith is leadership – servant leadership. Notice that the word “leader= ship” is so secularized that I believe if you inverted this little church study, and went and asked a bunch of corporate executives what leadership i= s, not many of them would respond “faith!” Leadership and faith is just not an equation we make too readily, but it is very real and alive in the life of = the church.

<= /o:p>

With that li= ttle introduction, I would like to take the liberty of sharing with you a revisi= on of the Hebrew Scripture (Ex 17:1-7) you just heard this morning. Think leadership … courage &= #8230; humility.

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the LORD commanded. = They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.

&= nbsp; From the discouraging place of being a shrinking, dying community, the people to= ok tentative steps forward as they felt led by God, and as they were nudged and pushed by the more outspoken types in their midst. It wasn’t easy. Some found it quite aggravating. Most of the steps were still in a straight line with the past; with how things had always been done. The community held onto lifelines = of familiarity until they were as frayed as old pew ropes. The people got partway on th= is journey of trying to find a new vision of themselves and discovered not much was happening. There was no flood of new people t= hrough the doors. They were still th= irsty and still dying, though they truly believed they had something good to share with others.

The people quarreled with Moses, and sa= id, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?"

The people questioned their leaders, who loved them dearly. They said, “Give us an answer. Make it happen. It’s up to you to fix our problems, and oh by the way, here’s how you should do it and hereR= 17;s the result we want.” The leaders said to them, “OK, then you need to trust your leadership. God led us all here together. And remember, whatever the p= ath is, it’s not about us, anyway. It’s about all the people out there we want to reach and serve= and invite in. We ask you to imag= ine something really different, and you tell us to re-create the past.”

<= /o:p>

But the people thirsted there for water= ; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us ou= t of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?"

&= nbsp; But the people were still reluctant and continued to look backward instead of forward. They claimed, “= ;You are taking us into a wilderness where we can’t be certain of what the church will look like. Especi= ally we can’t be sure that it will look like the good old days. We are not happy with uncertainty = and discomfort.” The leaders said, “Moses and the Israelites; Jesus and his disciples were alwa= ys uncomfortable.” = =

<= /o:p>

So Moses cried out to the LORD, "W= hat shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me."<= /o:p>

&= nbsp; So the leaders prayed to God in desperation and great fatigue. “What shall we do? We have put forth our best ideas, = we are trying our honest best, we are listening to everyone, but we are almost out= of energy. We know you are leading us, God.&n= bsp; We all hear your still-speaking voice…, but where shall this community go? We love each of= them – and each other – so much but we despair for the future.”

The LORD said to Moses, "Go on ahe= ad of the people, and take some of the elders of Isra= el with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.

&= nbsp; Then God said to the leaders, “Go on ahead of the people. Go on ahead of the people! I mean ‘way out there. Lead with courage and humility. Take your faith and your pas= sion for the gospel and try the untried path.&n= bsp; Do it. Trust me. I will be with you all, for I love= you all. I will not abandon anyone along the way. Be courageous = but not full of yourselves. Be hu= mble and allow me to act.”

<= /o:p>

I will be standing there in front of yo= u on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that = the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.=

&= nbsp; ”I am – and I will be – standing there in front of you, encouraging you who love me more than anything. More than the security of the past – that is how much y= ou must love me. Go forward brav= ely, and there will be water for the people to drink, water for the nourishment of spirits in this community.&= nbsp; I promise it, and I have never broken covenant with my people.” So the leaders= went for it.

<= /o:p>

He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the = LORD among us or not?"

&= nbsp; And all were aware the whole time that God was walking with them in a time of testing and discernment.

<= /o:p>

Tomorrow or = Tuesday you who are church members will receive materials informing you of the deta= ils of our congregational meeting October 9.&n= bsp; It is a watershed season in the life of our church and a true honor = and blessing for each of us to be present in this moment – to hold with faith, and that means with both courage and humility – the decisions placed before us. This is an opportunity to thank and affirm our Church Council for all they have done, in faith, to lead us forward. That good faith has been characterized not only by incredible hard w= ork, but by their personal courage and by humility in honoring the voices of the congregation.

Remember tha= t God never guaranteed an easy journey. The struggle of the Israelites was not over merely because the people had managed to escape the heavy hand of the Egyptians. Salvation is not a walk in the park. Our struggle is not ove= r just because we have managed to name the issues facing us, recognize the choices= we have to make, and attach names to the paths. We have a journey to take into “what will be.” S= o did the children of Isra= el, so did the early churches established by Paul. The faithful life we seek to lead = is one where each of us leads, and each of us surrenders.

<= /o:p>

Do nothin= g, Paul wrote, from selfish ambition or conceit,…Let each of you look not to your own interests, but the interests of others. Let the = same mind be in your that was in Christ Jesus (Phil 2:3-5) In other words, set aside your per= sonal agenda and look to the interest of the whole Body of Christ in this place.<= o:p>

<= /o:p>

And there= fore, my beloved … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it= is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his go= od pleasure. (Phil 2:12-13) =

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God is at wo= rk in you – gently, persistently.

Lead with courage. Surrender with humility. <= /p>

Amen.

<= /o:p>

Exodus 17:1-7

1 From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by sta= ges, as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for = the people to drink.

<= /o:p>

2 The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses s= aid to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?"<= o:p>

<= /o:p>

3 But the pe= ople thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our chi= ldren and livestock with thirst?"

<= /o:p>

4 So Moses c= ried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready = to stone me."

<= /o:p>

5 The LORD s= aid to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the sta= ff with which you struck the Nile, and go.<= o:p>

<= /o:p>

6 I will be = standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the si= ght of the elders of Isr= ael.

<= /o:p>

7 He called = the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the L= ORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"

Philippia= ns 2:1-13

1 If then th= ere is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy,

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2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord a= nd of one mind.

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3 Do nothing= from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.

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4 Let each o= f you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.<= /span>

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5 Let the sa= me mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

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6 who, thoug= h he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,

&nbs= p;

7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,

8 he humbled= himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.

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9 Therefore = God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

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10 so that a= t the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

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11 and every= tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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12 Therefore= , my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but mu= ch more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling= ;

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13 for it is= God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleas= ure.