(bright upbeat music) Good morning. And welcome to FBA. A very warm welcome to those of you joining us for the first time in person this week. My name is Ben Banks, and I'm the Pastor of college and singles here at FBA. This is my lovely wife Laura and our three girls, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Olivia. And we want to thank you for joining us this morning. We know you started to take some special measures making reservations, wearing masks, maintaining social distance or tuning in at home. And we just want to say, thank you. I want you to know that here at FBA we don't take that for granted. We're honored that you've chosen to worship with us here today. Well, our 2021 theme is Always Pray. And so in keeping with spirit with that let's begin our time together with a word of prayer. Our Heavenly Father we are thankful for the opportunity to gather with your people on the Lord's day. Lord that's a privilege that has become so much more sweet to each of us over this past year. And we want to thank you for that. We want to ask Your blessing on today's service. We want to ask that You would give us minds that are free from distraction hearts that are open and that are sensitive to the moving of Your Spirit. We want to ask that Your anointing would be on all that we do today, and that Your blessing would be with all who participate, but all the we do be glorifying to You in Christ's precious name we pray. Amen. Is there anything you would like to say before we go? Welcome to FBA (church applause) Thank you. Please join me and continue to welcome Pastor Matthew Slemp as he comes to lead us in worship. (church applause)
(bright upbeat music) Good morning and welcome to worship, sail with us. We want to welcome those joining us online lets sing together about the amazing grace of the Lord today. He's so worthy lets sing. ♪Who breaks the power of sin and darkness ♪ ♪ Whose love is mighty ♪ ♪ And so much stronger ♪ ♪ The King of Glory ♪ ♪ The King above all Kings ♪ ♪ Who shakes the earth with ♪ ♪ A holy thunder ♪ ♪ Who leads the strength less ♪ ♪ In all the wonder ♪ ♪ The King of Glory ♪ ♪ The King above all kings ♪ ♪ This is amazing grace ♪ ♪ This is unfailing love ♪ ♪ That You would take my place ♪ ♪ That You would bear my cross ♪ ♪ You laid down your life ♪ ♪ That I would be set free ♪ ♪ O, Jesus, I sing for ♪ ♪ All that You've done or me ♪ And He has done so much for us hasn't He? He is worthy of our praise ♪Who brings our chaos ♪ ♪ Back into order ♪ ♪ Who makes the orphans ♪ ♪ A son and daughter ♪ ♪ The King of Glory ♪ ♪ The King of Glory ♪ ♪ Who rules the nations ♪ ♪ With truth and justice ♪ ♪ Shines like the sun in ♪ ♪ All of its brilliance ♪ ♪ The King of Glory ♪ ♪ The King above all kings ♪ ♪ This is the amazing grace ♪ ♪ This is unfailing love ♪ ♪ That You would take my place ♪ ♪ That You would bear my cross ♪ ♪ You laid down your life ♪ ♪ That I would be set free ♪ ♪ O, Jesus, I sing for ♪ ♪ All that You've done for me ♪ ♪ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain ♪ ♪ Worth is the King who conquered the grave ♪ ♪ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain ♪ ♪ Worth is the King who conquered the grave ♪ ♪ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain ♪ ♪ Worth is the King who conquered the grave ♪ ♪ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain ♪ ♪ Worthy is Your name ♪ ♪ This is amazing grace ♪ ♪ This is unfailing love ♪ ♪ That You would take my place ♪ ♪ That You would bear my cross ♪ ♪ You laid down Your life ♪ ♪ That I would be set free ♪ ♪ O, Jesus, I sing for ♪ ♪ All that You've done for me ♪ ♪ All that You've done for me ♪ ♪ This is amazing grace ♪ ♪ This is amazing grace! ♪ Give Him praise this morning. Everybody thank Him for His amazing grace He's been so good to us and we worship Him this morning because in Christ and Christ alone, we place our hope and our trust. He's our anchor in the time of storm. He's been good to us today. Let's worship Him as we singing together. ♪In Christ alone my hope is found ♪ ♪ He is my light , my strength, my song ♪ ♪ This cornerstone, this solid ground ♪ ♪ Firm through the fiercest drought and storm ♪ ♪ What heights of love ♪ ♪ What depths of peace ♪ ♪ When fears are stilled ♪ ♪ When strivings cease ♪ ♪ My Comforter, my All in All ♪ ♪ Here in the love of Christ I stand ♪ ♪ In Christ alone, Who took on flesh ♪ ♪ Fullness of God in helpless babe ♪ ♪ This gift of love and righteousness ♪ ♪ Scorned by the ones He came to save ♪ ♪ 'Till on that cross as Jesus died ♪ ♪ The wrath of God was satisfied ♪ ♪ For every sin on Him was laid ♪ ♪ Here in the death oh Christ I live ♪ ♪ There in the ground His body lay ♪ ♪ Light of the world by darkness slain ♪ ♪ Then bursting forth in glorious day ♪ ♪ Up from the grave He rose again ♪ ♪ And as He stands in victory ♪ ♪ Sin's curse has lost its grip on me ♪ ♪ For I am His and He is mine ♪ ♪ Bought with precious blood of Christ ♪ ♪ No guilt in life, no fear in death ♪ ♪ This is the power of Christ in me ♪ ♪ From life's first cry to final breath ♪ ♪ Jesus commands my destiny ♪ ♪ No power of hell, no scheme of man ♪ ♪ Can ever pluck me from His hand ♪ ♪ 'Til He returns or calls me home ♪ ♪ Here in the power of Christ I'll stand ♪ ♪ 'Til He returns or calls me home ♪ ♪ Here in the power of Christ I'll stand ♪ ♪ I'll stand! ♪ Amen
(church applause) We stand on Christ and Christ alone. You know, I love a lot of new songs and songs of worship and praise, but sometimes it's good to go back out of the book, and pulled back a song that just has a lot of truth in it. And in a world that's gone crazy. And with uncertainty and unknown, this morning we have a solid rock to build our life on and its Jesus. When we look around and see that there's a lot of shifting sand out there, it's good to know we can worship a constant faithful Savior and we can build our life on a firm foundation this morning It simply says this ♪ My hope is built on nothing less ♪ ♪ Than 'Jesus blood and righteousness ♪ ♪ I dare not trust the sweetest frame ♪ ♪ But wholly lean on Jesus' name ♪ ♪ On Christ, the solid Rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ When He shall come with trumpet sounds ♪ ♪ O may I then in Him be found ♪ ♪ Dressed in His righteousness alone ♪ ♪ Faultless to stand before the throne ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ I wonder if just the voices and sing that ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ Amen.
You may be seated. Welcome folks to week number two of our grand reopening of First Baptist Atlanta! I told the first service I was more excited about today than last week because I've had all week long to soak it in. This really is happening. We really are open again. And there are people here filled with God's Spirit and hungry to worship. And even though we have some restraints with all of the face coverings we even had somebody let me know I was a hypocrite for not wearing mine. And I just thought, well, I wore it through the hall when I came in and I'm wearing it everywhere else. But I feel like I need to remove it to preach. I hope everybody understands that. (church applause) But I'm very grateful for everyone's willingness to help us know even if you don't believe in mask. And we have a lot of people here who don't I know that, but you're doing it because Romans 14 says you're willing to make sacrifices to help someone else feel comfortable in Christ. And that's something that's a small price that we pay and we know it's not forever. We know it's not forever. So I just want to tell you it means a lot to us that you're willing to do that for us. Happy Valentine's Day, everybody. It is Valentine's Day. And I hope every man who has a Valentine was prepared and you invested forethought into what would do to make this day special depending on the forgiveness quotient of your wife the day still may be redeemable. You know what I mean? And even if you forgot until right now, Costco has roses. Kroger has Roses. I mean, you can find a way to make up for it but you know what, if you've got a Valentine you ought to be thankful for your Valentine. And if she or he sitting next to you, just reach over there and just squeeze them that lets them know you're thankful for them. Thank you for being willing to do this reservation system. And it's pretty obvious that after this week that's not going to be something that we do. But we thought it was prudent to gate, to allow our staff to gauge, what type of crowd to anticipate. And when we look around it is very clear to me that we're exercising, responsible distancing and all of that stuff. But we are asking to use the reservation system just one more week, because next Sunday we're opening our ministry areas for Preschool, Children, and Students. And we're having a problem, getting a lot of our volunteers who serve in those ministries feeling comfortable to come and serve when we're opening next week. And we fully understand that no pressure here but we want to make sure that among the many of our volunteers who don't feel comfortable coming back to serve that we will have each classroom adequately staffed. So if you have a little one or a nearly grown one from Preschool through High School. We're asking you beginning today at three to use the reservation system, just to allow our ministry Directors and Pastors to make sure they are properly staffed for next Sunday. we're just asking you to indulge us one more week with that. And we'll be very grateful for your assistance with that. This is kind of a pre COVID times where we would pass the offering plate, but you know we're not passing the offering plate. Most of you give online. But we were completely overwhelmed last week by the generous gifts that were left in our offering collection boxes that are at each exit. So I just want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts as a Pastor and the staff, we are humbled that during this time, first of all, our people sent ties and offerings to a church that couldn't even get into for almost a year that blew our minds. And then now that we're back last Sunday's offering was over the top and it was amazing. So I just want you to know a lot of gratitude. And I know that's from years of this church being cultivated to give through Dr. Stanley and his example, his preaching. But it's also a testament just to your obedience. As God leads you, you give. And we just pray He'll bless. As the old deacon used to say in my first church, he'd always pray bless the gift and the giver. Have you ever heard that expression? The gift and the giver. So that's what we pray. Well, we've got service left. We want to give the rest of the service to God saying God have Your way do what You want to do in every heart and life. So let's pray together. Father, as we come to You we know we're living in very divided times and chaotic times, and it's good to be in a house of peace. A house of love, a house with family. And we missed the time that we had to be a part. We miss seeing each other. We miss being here, we could hear instruments and voices. And it's not just what we see in here but it's what we feel when we worship. We feel something that we can't even put into words. It's a spiritual feeling. It's knowing that where two or three are gathered there, you are with us. And it's knowing that as children of God we were meant to worship together. We walk with You individually, but we worship corporately. It's part of how we provide a witness to Your great name and to Your glory in the earth. And I thank you that this service today is such a witness. Lord we pray for people in this room today who are carrying very heavy burdens. I can't begin to understand all the things that You as they All Seeing and All Knowing God can look down and see. You walk with every person through their journey, You listen as they cry You laugh as they rejoice and You look down on them and on all of us, knowing that what we see here and now as painful as it sometimes is, You know what You've prepared for us one day, I pray God that today Your Holy Spirit would just wrap every hurting heart in a warm embrace of hope, comfort, and healing. And that we would all be reminded that our God is on His Throne and He shall not be moved. And we thank you that though the mountains be cast into the sea. And even that the sun should cease to shine. Our God will forever be the true and Living God. And that You will never forsake Your people. It is in these and so many other promises that we find our hope and our strength today, we ask You now to take the rest of this service, dear God, and by the power of Your Holy Spirit, use it to touch and move and to accomplish everything You want in every single person's life here today, as well as on our livestream, for those who are viewing right now. We trust You to do what only You will be able to get the credit for in Jesus name. Amen. ♪ I'm not a warrior ♪ ♪ I'm too afraid to lose ♪ ♪ I feel unqualified for what ♪ ♪ You're calling me to do ♪ ♪ But, Lord, with your strength ♪ ♪ I've got no excuse ♪ ♪ Cause broken people are ♪ ♪ Exactly who you use ♪ ♪ So, give me faith like Daniel ♪ ♪ In the lion's den ♪ ♪ Give me hope like Moses ♪ ♪ in the wilderness ♪ ♪ Give me a heart like David ♪ ♪ Lord, be my defense ♪ ♪ So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ ♪ You took a shepherd boy ♪ ♪ And made him me a king ♪ ♪ So I'm gonna trust You ♪ ♪ And give You everything ♪ ♪ I'll be a conqueror ♪ ♪ 'Couse You fight for me ♪ ♪ I'll be a champion ♪ ♪ Claiming Your victory ♪ ♪ So give me faith like Daniel ♪ ♪ In the lion's den ♪ ♪ Give me hope like Moses ♪ ♪ in the wilderness ♪ ♪ Give me a heart like David ♪ ♪ Lord, be my defense ♪ ♪ So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sing and shout ♪ ♪ And shake the wall ♪ ♪ Won't stop until I see 'em fall ♪ ♪ Gonna stand up, step out ♪ ♪ When you call, Jesus, Jesus ♪ ♪ I'm gonna sing and shout ♪ ♪ And shake the wall ♪ ♪ Won't stop until I see 'em fall ♪ ♪ Gonna stand up, step out ♪ ♪ When you call, Jesus ♪ ♪ Give me faith like Daniel ♪ ♪ In the lion den ♪ ♪ Give me hope like Moses ♪ ♪ in the wilderness ♪ ♪ Give me a heart like Daniel ♪ ♪ Lord, be my defense ♪ ♪ So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ ♪ Give me faith like Daniel ♪ ♪ In the lion's den ♪ ♪ Give me hope like Moses ♪ ♪ In the wilderness ♪ ♪ Give me a heart like David ♪ ♪ Lord be my defense ♪ ♪ So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ ♪ Give me faith like Daniel ♪ ♪ In the lion's den ♪ ♪ Give hope like Moses ♪ ♪ In the wilderness ♪ ♪ Give me a heart like David ♪ ♪ Lord be my defense ♪ ♪ So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ ♪ Give me faith like Daniel ♪ ♪ In the lion's den ♪ ♪ Give me hope like Moses ♪ ♪ In the wilderness ♪ ♪ Give me a heart like David ♪ ♪ Lord, be my defense ♪ ♪ So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ ♪ So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ ♪So I can face my giants with confidence ♪ (bright upbeat music) All of us are familiar with people of power and influence, people of notoriety. They're paraded in front of us all the time. Sometimes because of great accomplishments sometimes because of scandal and accusation. And at other times there are other reasons that I wouldn't even think to name. We've certainly had our share of that in recent days. And when you look into the lives of people who have climbed the ladder or who have achieved great positions of influence for some of them it is something that they have aspired to attain from the time they were small. They've always envisioned getting to the top. They've always figured out what it would take to get to the place that they've coveted and pursued. And they've innovated their way and they've persisted and overcome. And finally they got there and when they got there it was like, man, I was made for this. Then there are other people who were not so ambitious they didn't aspire, they never wanted to attain greatness. They weren't seeking the position. No, to the contrary there are many people for whom the position sought them. The opportunity knocked on their door rather than they're pursuing the opportunity. And it's the difference between ambitious leaders versus reluctant leaders. And when you look through the Bible, there are plenty of examples of both, but what you see more often especially with those whom God used in the greatest of ways is that they were not in the former category. They were in the ladder. They were the reluctant leaders. In fact They were so reluctant that many of those men and women tried to talk God out of using them. Because they said, I am no good to You, Lord. There is somebody else that can do this much better than I can. And one such person that we all know if you've studied the Bible very long is Moses. Moses. How many of you remember when the God caught the bush on fire and told him to take his shoes off because he was standing on Holy ground. And he basically did everything he could do to say God anybody but me and God said, no, I want you. And Moses was such an example of a reluctant Leader. And reluctant as he was, he was still the man for the job. And that's the title of the message Reluctant, But Leading. Reluctant, But Leading. And I want you to open to the book Exodus Exodus, the second book of your Bible, the fifth chapter. Just a little bit of background before we we'll begin reading Moses and his brother, Aaron went to the Pharaoh of Egypt. And God spoke to them and told them what to say to Pharaoh. The people of Israel, these Hebrew people had been slaves in Egypt for over four centuries long. And when they went into deliver God's message to let the people travel three days journey into the wilderness, because God wanted His Hebrew people to go out and sacrifice to Him and worship Him. He wanted them to have a big worship service. Pharaoh said, well, who is this God? And by the way, the answer is no I don't care which God it is. Who sent you in here to talk to me, which tells you as we all know of the unbridled arrogance of the Pharaoh of Egypt. And so they asked him again, they said will you please let the people go Jehovah God sent us in here to appeal to you. And he said, no, I will not let you go. In fact, I want to tell you what I think you're doing. I think you're in here stalling me because all of my slaves my Hebrew slaves out there, these Jewish slaves they have clocked out from their brick production to wait to see if I'm going to say yes to you representatives. And this is nothing more than an attempt to justify. What I've already known about those Jews is how lazy they are. That's exactly what the Pharaoh said. And Pharaoh got offended that Moses and Aaron had come in there and asked him to give the Jews permission to go out into the wilderness, to worship God. So in verse six, it says, the same day, Pharaoh commanded The taskmasters over the people and their officers saying, Don't give the people straw to use their bricks like we've done before.
No. let the Jews go and gather their own straw for themselves. And you're going to lay on them. The same quota of bricks that they have been making before don't reduce their production quota because they're idle, they're lazy. Therefore they cry out saying, let us go and sacrifice to our God. And Pharaoh says, no, let more work be laid on the men that they may labor in it and let them not regard false words. So you see what the Egyptians had been doing. They had been supplying the straw to be the binding agent in the bricks. And now to prove that he was the boss to prove that you don't need to offend me anymore by asking me insulting questions, Moses and Aaron I am going to deprive the Jewish slaves from having straw provided for them. They're going to have to not only keep making the same number of bricks they'd been making, but now they're going to have to go out and harvest their own straw to use. So when you look at that, there is no doubt about it. these are unfair requirements. These are unreasonable requirements. I would argue they are impossible requirements. They could hardly meet their production quota. When the straw was being provided. Now that they've got to go get the straw that's time away from the assembly line of producing bricks. It was an impossible scenario. And as you can imagine these Hebrew brick makers who were Egyptian slaves They complain to their officers, their representatives and they got their representatives who are called the officers to direct line Pharaoh without Moses and Aaron involved. And to say, we're coming on behalf of the Hebrew slaves can you please reconsider these unreasonable measures that you have imposed on their production? And what happened is these officers when they went into Pharaoh and Pharaoh said the same thing to them that he said to Moses and Aaron said, no these are the rules. I set the rules and you don't challenge the rules. They got to thinking about it. And as they're walking out of Pharaoh's office there they see Moses and Aaron and it dawns on them before you guys showed up. We had it pretty good. But you guys go up in here and upset the Pharaoh and all of us are having to pay the miserable price. And in verse 20 is where we read what happened. It says then as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. And these Hebrew officers said to Moses and Aaron let the Lord look on you and judge because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, you've basically put a sword in there hands to kill us. Now I want you to stop and think about how Moses would have felt. What did he do? He just did what God told him to do. And now he has the people resenting him because his decision caused them hardship. What I want us to do today is I just want us to learn some things from this passage of Scripture from this account in the life of the Israelites and Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the Israelites. I want us to apply some of these things to our lives because you may never put yourself in, in the realm of being compared to Moses. I know I certainly would not. But the Bible says that God put the stories of Scripture in here as examples for us. And though you may never consider yourself a Moses. I certainly don't. There are parallels that we can all draw to our own life's experiences from any story in the Bible. God wouldn't put it in the Bible if there wasn't some relevance for what what our experiences look like today. And I want every one of you to know if you have to make a decision of any kind you are a leader. If someone looks to you and will be affected by the decision that you make, you are a leader. You may not consider yourself to be a leader but any person who is presented with dilemmas, choices and options, and you have to decide. And there are consequences for your choices. You are a leader, no matter how you view yourself. Now, there are some of you in this room. Some of you watching online and you know you're a leader because you have an important position but there are other people who have positions of influence who probably don't see themselves as significant and valuable as a leader. But you are a leader nonetheless. And what I have seen through this pandemic is many of our church members have had to make leadership decisions. How to move forward when their hours are so drastically scaled back, how to move forward when your job is completely pulled from you many parents have had to make leadership decisions. What to do with my kids during the pandemic when the schools are closed we could go on and on down the list. Two weeks ago, faithful members here whom I love dearly. She had to make the terrible decision to put her husband in a healthcare facility because she can no longer provide for his needs there at home because she herself is aging. That is a leadership decision. These are the kinds of tough calls that demonstrate that whether you think of yourself that way or not, you are a leader. So I'm speaking today to leaders. And I want to just draw some principles from this passage that I hope every one of you will take to heart. As I take to heart, I want you to write it down. If you write things down, when you listen to the message and that is this taking the right action often creates the wrong reaction. Taking the right action often results or creates wrong reaction. Moses did not choose to be in this role. God chose him. Moses begged God, pick somebody else. I'm not up for the task. But Moses and Aaron obeyed God. And they appealed to the Pharaoh. And the result was this. This is what's so sad. The very people they were trying to help ended up suffering. God raised up Moses to set the Hebrews free. But in the very first act of going to Pharaoh to present his appeal to Pharaoh. Pharaoh's response, created more hardship for the Jewish people than they had before Moses showed up on the scene and did what God called him to do. That doesn't seem right to me. That doesn't seem fair to me. But it's because I don't understand the ways of God. You don't understand the ways of God. And what I want you to understand from this is that Moses was not responsible for the consequences of his action. He was just responsible to take the right action. This is very important for all of us to remember today because sometimes the right action creates wrong reactions. And one of the wrong reactions, one of the undesirable reactions is when someone does what is right but it creates difficulty for other people. I would call removing the straw provision from the brick production without diminishing their decreasing the quota. I would call that hardship. Enough to cause Hebrew lives to be lost actually doing what is right result in difficulty for others. That's no fun for anyone. Sometimes misunderstanding is the result of a leader making the right decision. You've seen that in your household. You've seen that where you work. Here the leaders of Israel are blaming Moses. They're saying, Moses, this is all your fault. Now I see the point, two plus two equals four. It was a logical conclusion was it not? Before Moses went in there to talk to Pharaoh. We had straw provided for the bricks. After Moses comes out from talking to Pharaoh we have no straw provided for the bricks. This means Moses created the problem. But what they misunderstood Is that the God who sent Moses in to talk to Pharaoh is the same God who could see in His foreknowledge, that there was coming a time when the waters would, would be parted. And those Hebrew slaves would be set free through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea, right? And those Egyptians pursuing them would be drowned in the aftermath. So human understanding does not take into account what God Himself can see in the distance. And that's what they didn't understand. Then there's anger. I see these Hebrew officers when Moses and Aaron are standing there as these Hebrew officers come out from Pharaoh's court, they lash out in anger. And there's no doubt that the reason they were lashing out at Moses and Aaron is because the Hebrews had lashed out at their leaders. And anger is a chain reaction. Have you noticed how contagious anger is? In fact, it's amazing to me that anger is much more contagious than joy. Anger rubs off quicker. Anger is like a domino because this person gets angry and takes it out on that person. And that person takes it out on that person. And it's just all the dominoes start to fall until anger has spread like the virus. And that's what had happened among these Hebrews, you know something else that is often the result. This is many times a case when you take the right action but it creates the wrong reaction. It can result in spiritual confusion because I want you to stop and think about it. The Hebrew slaves who had these unfair quotas kept on them without straw being provided, they took it out on their leaders who were called the officers. The officers took it out on Moses, right? Because they said, Moses, this is all your fault. And do you know who Moses took it out on? Moses took it out on God. If you look down in verse 22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, Lord why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it you sent me to them. In other words, I didn't want to do this to start with but I'm doing what You asked me to do but they are suffering because of what I did. And Moses says, God, this isn't fair. What are You doing? Now I want to go out on a confessional limb today and tell you I've prayed prayers like that. Have you? I know a lot of righteous people. That was a very weak yes, we got a lot of people in here who have never questioned God. No, I just think we were a little reluctant, it's a mask But here's the thing. All of us, if we're honest, we prayed prayers like that. Maybe not as intense, but all of us have looked up. We've looked at our circumstances. We'd looked at the Bible. We've looked at our heart and we've looked at God. And we said, God, what are You doing? We've all wondered that before. See, this is one of those reasons why I was saying I'm glad God lets us learn from the examples of people in the Bible. That even a great man, like Moses he would you believe he had faith? I believe he had faith. Would you believe he was a strong man of God? I believe he was a strong man of God, but even a man of faith and a strong man of God questioned God sometimes. And God gave him the permission to do it. He had spiritual confusion and we've all been in Moses shoes when it comes to that. And here's the thing we've got to resist though because when you see that sometimes you're making a decision in the very people you were trying to help and bless and do something that was their best interest. Turn on you don't understand why you decided it and you know in your heart, you were doing it for them. How many parents have ever felt that way? When your kids hated you lashed out at you, but you knew in your heart, you were doing what was best for them. It's a very bad feeling, isn't it? When you are resented because you did what you knew was right. And if you're not careful the more that happens in life, you can get into a very dark place of living by the philosophy. Well, no good deed goes unpunished. You ever heard that expression? It means why try to do right? Why try to help people? Very few people appreciate it anyway, we've got to resist getting to that place. And what I'm talking about in this first point is simply that doing the right thing can often create wrong reactions but wrong reactions do not undo what is right. And we have to be as men and women of integrity men and women who are obedient to God, men and women who are in leadership in some way, we have to be in the place in our lives where we simply say, Lord I'm going to do the right thing. And I'm going to leave people's reactions between them and God but I've got to do what's right. Amen. Here's the second thing I want you to write down. And that is this that leading the way means taking the hits. Leading the way means taking the hits. Although Moses was reluctant he led, he was kicking and screaming the whole way but he led, He was insecure, felt inadequate and had many questions. And even question God is we just saw a moment ago but he still led. How encouraging should that be? That even when you feel unqualified, sometimes disqualified overwhelmed, inadequate, uncertain. You still have to keep going forward. But the truth that I'm pressing to you is this that leading the way puts you on the front lines to take the hits. And these officers of the Israelites lashed out at Moses for the difficulty that his words and actions had caused the Hebrews. Now I happen to believe this was basic training for Moses That ought to encourage every senior adult in here because he's still learning at 80. Yeah? You don't ever stop growing. You don't ever stop learning no matter how old you are. And this episode was basic training but it goes little did he know the hits that he's taking. What hits? These Hebrew offers are saying our life was better before you ruined it. These are just the warmup for the rest of his life. He'd have to deal with this pitiful bunch. And when you have studied the life of Moses and his ministry did he not have to contend with a bunch of integrates? Every time they hit a bump in the road every time they got pressed against the wall, they blame Moses. God was feeding them. They blame Moses. They were tired of manna. We need a menu change. God was leading them by fire and by cloud. And they said, you brought us out here to die. We're having to follow a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire and a cloud. And what have you done to us? We want to go back to Egypt. They were pitiful ingrates. And he bore the brunt of their criticism. And I mean, he took it so much so that one day he got so ticked off that instead of doing what God told him which was to talk to the rock, what did he do to the rock? He hit the rock. And what did he get to do because of that he was told he could not go into the promised land. And I just want you to know, I don't want to question God but that's probably one of the questions I have. That seems a little severe but I don't want to question God. That just seems a little severe. He just lost it for one moment. He hit a rock, but you don't mess with God. You don't disobey God. I get that. And he went to a heavenly promised land which was better than an earthly promise land anyway but I can relate to him because all of us can get frustrated with people being critical. You know it, and I know it. But here's something I want us all to remember this leading, leading, say leading (church) leading leading requires that you release the need to be popular. You have to surrender the need to be popular. because when you make the right decisions there are going to be times when you are very unpopular. As every parent in this room knows. I just want you to understand. I was raised by old school parents. I need a witness in here. I need somebody to tell me that you were brought up old school. I had an old school, Mississippi mama. My mom had not read any books about how to negotiate when your child. There was no negotiation when I grew up I sometimes wish I'd grown up in a different era because And my dad, Whoa, you did not negotiate with Freddie. Let me tell you Freddie he's in heaven now but you did not negotiate with Freddie. Because he was old school. And what I'm telling you is my parents, Neither one of them was interested in my vote They were interested in my obedience. And we got some people who grew up that way that maybe you've got scars because it was too excessive. But I'm going to tell you what? I'm thankful I was raised that way. I'm thankful that both of my parents were not as interested in being my buddy as they were my boss. Now through the years before my dad died years before he died and we became buddies and my mom and I are buddies. But before the buddy came the boss. And now these parents they just want to build this meaningful connection. And I don't want to ever hurt your feelings and make you feel like I was too stern. Oh, come on. It's time to take that belt off. We're going to get blocked off of YouTube right now because they're going to sensor me for talking about spanking your kids. The woodshed, somebody went to the woodshed I heard about. And if you went to Grandma's, it was a switch. I'm talking to some old school up in here. But you know, it's one thing for parents to realize popularity isn't the best way to be a parent. But that's true of any role of leadership that you have. All of us want to be liked, all of us want people to affirm us and to understand why we decide what we decide. But at the end of the day, when you are in a leadership position, you've got to surrender. This need to be affirmed, stroked, encouraged and be committed to doing the right things. Because when you are out in front, you will be the first to take the hit In a field of combat it is the frontline that gets shot first Yes or no. So here's what I want you to think about. when you are in a leadership position, as you've been in many facets of your life. This is what leadership wants to say, but sometimes cant are you ready? One thing leader she wants to say is, I know things, you don't know. How many of you have ever made a decision based on information that you were privy to but that no one else was aware of. But you had to make that decision because you knew what you knew, even though those affected by your decision did not know. I know what you don't know. Here's another thing that leadership often wants to say. I know what you cannot know. In other words what I know, I'm not allowed to tell you. It's classified. It's confidential. I not only know some things you don't know. I know some things you can't know, you just can't know them. It's not permissible for me to divulge what I know. And then here's another thing that leadership often wants to say. And sometimes does. I know things you will one day know. Now I remember growing up, my Grandmother used to tell me this all the time. And she's watching right now Betty Jane Black, my last living Grandparent. She is a true quintessential Southern lady. Let me tell you. But she used to tell me all along. I would go to Betty Jane, I would say. And that's what I called her by the way. Cause she was only 39 when I was born. And she said to my parents, he's not calling me Granny. I called her her name my whole life. And that means Grandma to me. So Betty Jane, I go to Betty Jane and I'd say Betty Jane. My mom did this or my dad said this or Betty Jane I don't understand this. And she would always say, honey one day I'm going to sit down and have a long talk with you A long talk? Why don't you have it right now? Can I just tell you something? She's never had that long talk with me. She never has. You want to know why she never has because life had it with me. Life had the long talk with me. And what she knew is there are things that grown ups know that little kids can't handle. And therefore we just say one day we'll have a long talk and explain it all. And she doesn't owe me anything because now life has taught me so many of the things that my parents and grandparents wanted to tell me but couldn't because I wasn't at a place where I would be able to handle it. Does that make sense? We used to say, well, that's with grandparents and parents and children, but the same is true in any leadership position there are things that you know, that people don't know. There are things that you know, people can't know but there are things that given enough time people will eventually know and it may take them a while but once they know they'll look back and say that decision makes total sense now. And what I have to do is I have to release my sense of obligation that I've got to make people understand why I make certain decisions why I exercise leadership in certain way. And I've got to trust that it's between God and them to figure out why I do or choose or decide as I do. And that's what all of us have to do. But what you have to do as a leader is you have to be, you have to be geared up suited up and get braced for the attack. Because when you make decisions, you will be criticized. It means that as a parent you absorb the criticism of your children. As a teacher, you absorb the criticism of your students. Managers absorb the criticism of their employees. CEOs absorb the criticism of their shareholders, Customer Service Representatives all of whom need our prayers. They absorb the criticism of their customers. I mean, I feel so sorry for people knowing that their job is simply to listen to people complain and curse and tell them how horrible their experience has been. All of us in our respective roles, we have to deal with it and what I'm comforted by is that even Jesus had to deal with critics, Jesus dealt with critics. He said, this generation, God sent Me to, I can do nothing to please everybody. Someone is always upset. And you said, well, where is that? Well, He talked about it in Luke chapter seven. He said, Jesus told the Pharisees, John the Baptist he came and he didn't eat bread, drink wine. He was always fasting. And you said he has a demon but the Son of Man that's Jesus. He says, I came eating and drinking and you say, look he's a glutton and a wine bibber and a friend of tax collectors and sinners. So John the Baptist was as perfect a man as a sinner can be, Jesus was a perfect man because He was God in the human flesh. And Jesus was saying y'all are so intent on complaining. You found something to pick apart with John the Baptist and you find something to pick apart about Me because Jesus knew you can't please everybody. Have you learned that lesson? You have? Who's learned that lesson. Can I go to lunch with you? I need you to impart that to me because there's still a part in every optimistic, idealistic leader. I want as many people as possible to be happy. And I want to tell you something here in our church, people are happy, people are kind, people are encouraging, but there have been moments rare here but there have been moments along my ministry journey. And I mean that before I came here, for sure there've been moments when I've been so hurt because I was like Moses, I was trying to lead. I was trying to be helpful. I was trying to make the right decisions and knowing what was in my heart. I thought, how can you attack me? When my heart is so pure? And Jesus had told about the Pharisees, guess what? He even had His own guys complaining against Him In John 6:61 it says Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining. And He said, is what I said, offend you? I mean, he had his own guys upset with him. Now here's the thing about Jesus. Somebody said to me last year through difficult hardships said what would Jesus do, Anthony? I said, I don't know. I'm not Jesus. Amen. Jesus did what He did because He was God. Now I understand there are times when we can act like Jesus would act, but that what would Jesus do? Isn't always an accurate standard to measure our lives against. And there are times when Jesus Jesus didn't have to answer one of His critics. But depending on who you're working for you have to answer criticisms. You have to figure out a way to respond sometimes when you're brought into criticism. So I want to give you a few words about criticism because remember leading the way means taking the what? (church) Hit taking the hit, the hits or criticism. Let me give you some things criticism that I've had to learn. This is testimony one-on-one from AG. And that is that just because someone is critical does not make them an enemy. And we're living in a day in time, especially now, when if you voice something that is less than flattering or you voice disapproval or a different perspective somebody immediately feels threatened, undermine and attack. How dare you attack me and the person saying, well I was just making a suggestion. So we have to kind of toughen up a little bit don't we? Because I want to share with you that God can use criticism to be a great instructor. That many times there is such a seed of truth in a criticism that is something God can use to show you something He wants you to learn. And we have to be mature enough to say, well the way they said it you have to be mature enough to say maybe they didn't say it right but is there a nugget of truth? I had a mentor in college, brother, Vic Bass, Pastor Vic. And he said, I'm going to tell you, he called me boy. He said, boy, I'm gonna tell you the watermelon philosophy. And I said, okay, what is that? He said, criticisms like eating a watermelon. You swallow the meat and spit out the seed. I have never forgotten that in all of my years, because he was right. Because what you've got to do is you've got to find what is valid and legitimate. If someone is voicing a criticism there can be truth in that which if you just categorically rejected, you would have missed what God was using a critic to teach you. Oh, come on. So realize that someone criticizing you does not qualify them as your enemy. Sometimes they're offering a different perspective. Sometimes they can be wrong and that's okay. Sometimes they can be mentally off. I'm not saying it had to be unkind but a lot of people are critical because you know, they're not all there. And then sometimes it's unfair. Sometimes it's illogical. And sometimes I'm just going to tell you sometimes people are critical. Cause they're just dad gum mean. Mean as a snake, mean as the devil. And these are the ones that it's hard to learn from because they're so hateful about it. And here's what I have noticed also throughout years. See, I didn't realize when I became a Pastor at age 22 that you're not really a Pastor. You're the supervisor of the complaint department. That's what you really are. It's not true here. I'm telling you our members. I'm being honest with you. I get emotional talking about the stacks of cards that I get here from people from you. Cards, notes, emails, yes. My cup runneth over. I'm being honest with you. But there are so people who are out there in places of leadership, who aren't blessed to be in a situation like I'm in with so many encouragers around you. And my heart goes out to people who've been hurt through harsh and painful criticism that was unfair. Much of it can be debilitating to them. And it's just not right. So you can't control how haters gonna hate, right? But you can control whether you allow them to cripple you whether you allow them to pull you down. What you and I have to decide is my value is determined by God. God considered me worthwhile to purchase me with the blood of His Son. I don't understand that, but He says, it's true. And if God is smiling on me at the end of the day that's what I call a good day. So you need to remember let God's pleasure be your insulation from unkindness and from personal attack. And many times what you will find is that some of the people who are the most harmful in your life the most critical and ruthless in your life. When you do some investigative work you will find that everywhere they go they leave a littered trail of casualties you're just the next victim on the list. When you look at it that way you realize I don't need to personalize this this person has done this to many people along the way. In the years, in my position here is different than what I've had before. when I came here, I was like Dr. Stanley's right arm. And for years I was with him most of the time, I'd had very little involvement at the church with staff and members. So most of the hands-on ministry that I had was prior to coming here, interacting with people and so forth. I used to know more about who was coming and joining us church. And sometimes the people most eager to meet with you to take you to lunch. A lot of times you, you get a friendship out of that but sometimes you realize they're not taking you to lunch. They're going to have you for lunch. So I don't do that anymore. But anyway, some of the ones most eager, most zealous. they're coming inside the church with their own agenda. And in my last church, I started picking up the phone and calling the churches where they had left. I just started doing that. And for some of them, it was, yeah she's she's strong-willed. But if you can channel that energy she'll be a fighter for the Lord. She'll be right. And then there were other times where I called the Pastor said, well I knew it was a matter of time. Once I heard they were over there worshiping with you. I wouldn't believe the chaos they caused here. What are you kidding me? They didn't like a decision we made so they just left. So you just need to realize first time you tell her, no the first time you tell him, no, they're going to go down to another church and find somewhere where the Pastor will let them bring their agenda into the church. And that's the kind of thing you've got to be careful about. There are people who just go from relationship to relationship church, to church, company, to company you hear what I'm saying? I'm looking at this with hiring people as well. When you see this person was only here two years this person was only here six months. This person worked here only two years and you're like, Ooh maybe this is just the nature of the industry but you have to stop and say, am I just the next stop along the way? So don't let unfair treatment and unkindness from someone don't personalize that until you know the rest of the story about the pattern. Leading the way means taking the hits. But here's the last thing I want you to write down. And it is this moving forward means leaving things behind. It means leaving things behind Because Leadership is about moving forward. But in two, you're willing to let some things go. You can't move forward. And in that great hall of faith, Hebrews chapter 11, it says it was by faith that Moses when he grew up, refuse to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, he chose to share in the oppression of God's people, instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin, he thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt. For he was looking ahead to that great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt not fearing the King's anger, the King whose daughter raised him, the King who had fed him, the King who had given him all the rights of royalty. Moses left that behind. And he went on because he kept his eyes on the one who is what? The one who is invisible. And what we're saying about that in Hebrews 11 before Moses could go and tell Pharaoh, let God's people go. Moses had to first let go of certain things in his life. Would you think that'd be hard to let go of living in the palace, having a household of servants that you're beck and call. Having the key to the treasury, where all the gold and silver were stored. But he had to let go in order to go forward. And I can't help but wonder How would the world have been different if Moses had not let go. If Moses had not been willing to value God's plan over his own comfort. And I wonder If there's someone in this room today, or someone watching on livestream, and you're stuck right where you are. And perhaps the reason there's no forward motion is because there's something God is telling you to let go of Because moving forward means letting go. It's true in your life. It's true in your work. It's even true in our church. That moving forward means letting go. We went through that last year. We let go of a beloved iconic leader it's painful but God has never, ever, ever, ever asked me to do anything that moves forward without requiring me to let go. What about Abraham? God said, you want to go forward Me. You got to let go of what, your only son that you waited your whole lifetime. And thankfully God kept him from taking his life. But Abraham had to prove he was willing. So what I'm saying to every person hearing me today is God might've brought you here just for this part of the sermon to say if you want to go forward there may be some things you got to be willing to let go of. And it could be that you will never take another step forward in what God wants to accomplish in and through your life until you let go of what He's identified. And He said, let go. And it could be that when you say I'm willing He won't require you to let go, but He just wants you to be willing. Father thank you for these little lessons from Moses life. And I pray that every person in this room can apply it to their experience in life. I can't imagine the many ways that You can use Your Word to intersect with people's needs and their experiences, but I trust You to do it. And I pray it in Jesus name. Amen.
