Monday message recap

Well, I'm a little behind in posting this as my normal day of posting was interrupted by the celebration at Lambeau Field!!! Here I am standing on the front steps right before we went inside and saw the Packers return from Texas with the Lombardi trophy. The reason that I bring that up is because that is what my message was about on Monday - The Packers!!!

Now, it wasn't a review of the play-by-play from Sunday night as the Pack won their 4th Super Bowl. It was just an illustration for the point that I was trying to make.

That point being, even through devastating injury after injury (14 on IR, three during the game) the Packers pulled through and played at a very high level. It was a testament to the management of the team to have the right guys on the team. It was also a testament to the "back up" players that were there who stepped in and carried the load. Many of which no one other than extremely die hard stat guys would even know their names.

We looked at the Biblical account of Moses and Joshua. We picked up the story with one of the first times we see who Joshua is in Exodus 17 where Moses tells Joshua to fight the Amelekites. This is the cool story (and another completely different message!) where Moses held out his hands and while he did so, the Israelites would be winning. Whenever he dropped them, they would begin to lose.

Another example was when Moses was going up to get the 10 Commandments, we see that Joshua is his aide. This idea was what I was trying to get across to the teens - Joshua had a mentor and it was Moses.

You see at the time Moses was the rock star! God used him in unbelievable ways, from the plagues to the crossing of the Red Sea. The people ALL knew who Moses was, not so much with Joshua. But Joshua was learning, growing, and gaining trust with both Moses and God! He was being prepared to be the next leader!

Then in Numbers 27 we see that Moses and God both make his transition official. Moses lays his hands on Joshua and commissions him.

Well, we all know what happens next, Joshua found favor with the Lord as one of the two spies that gave a good report of the Promised Land. He was the leader who walked THROUGH the Jordan. He was in charge as the Israelites conquered the land.

We saw the effects of a man who was willing to be used by God. A man who was prepared when his time came. A man who affected an entire nation, a nation that followed his example and worshiped God.

Perhaps one of the greatest final words ever in the Bible is found in Joshua 24 where he is addressing the nation. He challenges them to "Pick a team!" and then lays it all on the line - "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord".

It goes on to say that the nation continued to serve the Lord after his death. He left a legacy.

So going back to the opening illustration, when one player would get hurt - another would be ready to take his place on the team. Not only taking his place, but performing just as well if not better than the person before him. Performing well enough to win the Super Bowl.

So the question that I left the teens, and now leave with you is two fold: who's your Moses, and who's your Joshua? Who is pouring into your life? Who is holding you accountable and building you up in the Lord? Also, who are you pouring yourself into? Who are you grooming to be the next spiritual leader?

We need to be prepared to do battle. We can't leave all the work for our Pastors and "Church People". Are you ready to "get in the game" if your name is called? Or are you hoping that someone else will do it? Let's all be ready, prepared, and chomping at the bit to affect this world for Jesus!!!