Boomerang - Exodus 2:23-25, 3:7-12

BOOMERANG   May 21, 2006

SERMON

Exodus 2:23-25, 3:7-12

In Jimmy Buffet’s book Tales From Margaritaville, Buffet talks about one of his heros named Freddie who was always coming up with wise sayings. 

Buffet puts some of these sayings in his book.

I’d like to bounce some of Freddie’s sayings off of you and see how you respond.

(thumbs up…thumbs down….not sure)

“When you start taking your job too seriously , you’re in real trouble.”

“Jerks are born that way, and they usually never change.”

“Dreams are great, but they’re very costly. To see them fulfilled you’ve got to want them more than any thing in the world.”

Right now in my own family, my son and daughter in law are seeing one of their big dreams fulfilled.

Both of them have been working hard for years, and they’ve done pretty well, but neither of them have been really satisfied with their jobs. 

Eight or ten years ago they shared with me their dream.  

They’re both animal lovers and they told me that their dream was to some day buy some land and open up a kennel.

So they kept on working hard at their jobs, kept saving their money and they kept on dreaming.

Frankly, I wondered if they would ever be able to actualize their dream.

A couple of months ago I got this phone call from Mikey and was he excited.

He said:

Dad you’ll never believe it.

We’re closing on twenty acres in two weeks and we’ve already been approved for a small business loan. Dad, we’re going into the kennel business.

Mikey couldn’t even talk anymore he was so thrilled.

Well, I know I’m prejudiced about this turn of events, but isn’t it great to see someone who gets a dream and keeps on plugging and plugging and plugging and then sees the dream come to pass?

But make no mistake about it, old Freddie was right. Fulfilling ones dreams is a very costly business.

It’s this way in regard to vocations, careers.

It’s this way in regard to love relationships.

It’s this way in regard to political and social progress.

And it’s certainly this way in regard to the church of Jesus Christ in general…..and in our own church, the good old MABC.

We dream about what we want our church to be in the days to come.

We dream of the day when we might be larger numerically. 

We dream of the day when we might have more leaders.

We dream of a day when we might have a church program which would meet a wide variety of needs of people in our community…a day when we might have a more structured and comprehensive educational program for children and adults.

We dream of a day when our church might have more community ministries to reach out to people in need.

And of course the obvious question we are faced with as we think and dream is.

How in the world are these good dreams be actualized? 

What’s it going to take to make them become realities?

Oh, most of us know that most dreams are only fulfilled through very hard work.

But there’s something else I want us to consider this morning.

Let’s go back to our our scripture lesson for the day,  from Exodus chapters 2 and 3.

The Israelites were slaves in Egypt, greatly oppressed. The Pharoah ruled them with an iron fist.

Like the other Israelites Moses must have hoped and dreamed about freedom and an end to the oppression.

And like his countrymen, he must have prayed and prayed for an end to the captivity.

So ultimately God responds and God says:

The cry of the Israelites has now come to me;  I have seen also how the Egyptians oppress them.

So, Moses, come, I will send you to the Pharoah to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.

Well, Moses wasn’t expecting that.

Yeah, his heart ached for himself and his people, and he dreamed of a time when it would all be different, and he probably hoped so much that  God would raise up someone up to do something.

But, he wasn’t thinking it would be him.

But there God was saying to no one but him….Moses, come, you are the one. 

Well, then what happens is pretty funny.

Moses really starts squirming and he throws everything at God he can think of

First he says…But God I’m a nobody

God responds…That’s Ok Moses, I’m going to be right by your side.

Then Moses says to God….But I don’t even know your name. 

When the Pharoah asks, what do I tell him?

God responds…Just tell him that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, the God of Jacob has sent you.

Then Moses says….But God, he’s  not going to believe me, and not only that, I’m not a good speaker. I’m not a good communicator.   I get all tongue tied.

And God said…That’s OK, I’ll send your brother Aaron with you.  He’ll communicate for you when you have trouble.

Then in essence God said….That’s enough Moses. You are the one.

Now, get your things together, pick up your staff, and get going Bud.

Yeah, Moses wanted things to happen, but, he wasn’t expecting this.

He didn’t think it was going to come back to him.

Now I’d like for you to think about one more thing with me then I’ll try to make my point.

(My experience at the AU Track watching the man throw the boomerangs) 

OK, here’s my point. Listen well because I’m going to make it quickly. 

Within the church we can have minds and hearts that are so concerned and we can pray and pray and pray,  but as often as not,  if we’re listening with the ears of our souls, we will hear God say back to us….

You are the one.

What are you going to do about it?

We can dream and have great ideas, but dreams and ideas are like boomerangs….so often they come back and hit the dirt right at our own feet.

Have you heard that old saying…Be careful what you pray for.

I’d like to modify it a touch….In the church, be careful what you dream for.

Because dreams tend to be like boomerangs.

And the people said…..AMEN