A Message From Our Pastor Regarding Faithful Transitions

THE CALL TO STAND FIRM IN THE MIDST OF TRANSITIONS

Metro is on the verge of the biggest transition we’ve experienced since our initial move into our current 4200 Ridge Avenue location in 2012. As a result, these types of transitions are rare and should not be taken lightly. Our current sermon series on Joshua and Judges was intentional with the purpose of providing the perfect, overarching counsel of the Scriptures towards a Christward vision that leads us through both our individual transitions and trials—but also as a body, as we metaphorically “cross the river” to our new home.

Transitions can be life-draining at times, but they can also be life-transforming. Any shift from one major place in life to another—whether it is a new home, job, or life stage can draw us into a season of uncertainty, fear, anxiety, depression, confusion, and frustration; one can easily get swept away into months—or even years, of a works-oriented, fear-driven lifestyle that distrusts, resists, and rebels against God in times of hardship.

The Apostle Peter, as he closes out the first of his two epistles, teaches that our enemy the devil (yes, the devil is real) “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8);” he does this with his lies and accusations, instilling distrust and disobedience. What can we do, then, to prepare against being held captive to our indwelling, sinful tendencies? Peter says, “Humble yourselves (1 Peter 5:6), cast your anxieties on Jesus (1 Peter 5:7), and resist the devil (his lies and accusations), standing firm in the faith (1 Peter 5:9).” In other words, Peter says that the only way to brave the onslaught of our doubts and fears in the midst of great inflection points in our lives is to remember and anchor ourselves more deeply in the gospel—that’s what it means to stand firm in the faith.

THE PRACTICE OF STANDING FIRM IN THE FAITH

That said, the following are some ways that we as a church (across all sites) can stand firm in the faith in this season of many transitions, temptations, and trials—applying the very lessons we’ve heard from the book of Joshua:

We enter transitions prayerfully. Sure, we pray for a successful transition. Sure, we pray for good outcomes. But that’s not all—praying for good outcomes will not sustain your faithfulness when times get tougher. God does not lead us into these moments in an arbitrary or pragmatic way; there is such great precision, timing, and intent for what God is doing in our trials. So, we need to pray for clarity and wisdom—literally, through every decision and step we take. To know and trust God’s heart for us in any trial and circumstance, even in times of blessing. Between Joshua 1-6, what do you see? He’s constantly talking with God, anticipating his instruction, and relying on his word. Pray for a deep sense of God’s presence and an even deeper trust in his wisdom in a way that gives us clarity and peace.
We enter transitions meditatively. Standing firm depends far less on how tight your grip is to the ground as opposed to how tight the ground is holding you. In other words, you need to be rooted deeply so that no matter how powerful the forces are around you, you are held fast to the rock of Christ. How? Meditate on God’s Word, the Scriptures. Again, refer to Joshua’s relationship with God—he’s constantly listening for, listening to, relaying, and making decisions in line with God’s Word. Even Jesus constantly depended on speaking with and hearing from his Father, and all the more as he rapidly approached his suffering on the cross. Engage meditatively in the Scriptures in a way that shapes your character, thoughts, emotions, decisions, words, and will. Those who delight in the Word of God are like trees “planted by streams of water who yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither; whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:2-3).” Trees grow deep roots and stand fruitfully tall.
We enter transitions worshipfully in the context of community. In Joshua 5:13-15, Joshua, a competent general and leader, falls facedown before the true commander, the Lord of his life. He worships him. To worship is to take every faculty of our lives and ascribe them to one who is worthy of them all; it means we direct our deepest emotions, thoughts, desires, and will to the only one who is truly worthy to receive them. Throughout the Bible, however, God not only calls us to render our lives individually, but as a church body—a local one at that. And we are called to set the day apart on a regular basis in the context of community for this purpose; God commands it (Exodus 20:8-11) and as a result, the early church prescribed it (Colossians 3:15-17), devoted themselves to it (Acts 2:42), and modeled it (Acts 20:7 and 20:11). Engage in the church in a way (or to the degree) that you place yourself under its authority—not just in your actions, but in your emotions, thoughts, desires, and words as well as an honor to God.

Interestingly enough, in the midst of trial and trouble, the author of Hebrews says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,” which is to say, “Stand firm,” but then offers his prescription: “Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing (Hebrews 10:23-25).” In other words, there is a direct correlation between those who are not in the “habit” of submitting themselves within a worshipful community and their inability to process their suffering well; many in the church often use the church and its community as a means of self-orientation, self-expression, and self-centered relationships. However, the centrality of the gospel always leads to a centrality of the church; Jesus himself sacrificed his life for his church (his bride) for the glory of God.
We enter transitions with resolve. In every major movement in our lives, there are things we must resolve to do in order to accomplish that which will honor God through the process and things we resolve not to do in order to honor God as well. Some of the resolutions are deeply specific to the circumstance, but many are common that can be viewed through the lens of biblical history. To resolve to honor the Lord in and through our circumstances requires faith in the Lord and simultaneously is a practical expression of faith in the Lord.

For example, we must resolve to obey with precision. In Joshua 1:7, God says, “Be careful to obey all the law…and do not turn from it to the right or to the left.” In Joshua 2, the spies provide Rahab with specific instructions that lead to the salvation of her household. Joshua 3-4 shows us the specificity in which God commands Joshua and how Joshua (and God’s people) obeyed. In Joshua 5:14, Joshua says, “What message does my Lord have for his servant (in other words, ‘Command me.’)?” We also must resolve not to despair, be afraid, complain, dissent, or rebel; in fact, fear and rebellion go hand-in-hand (refer to Numbers 13-14) because fear and distrust go hand-in-hand—we rebel because we distrust because we are afraid.
We enter transitions as we remember. Remember what? In Joshua 1, God reminds us of his covenant. In Joshua 2, the spies remind Rahab that they have entered into a covenant. In Joshua 3-4, Joshua calls God’s people to set up a memorial in which they will remember God’s covenant love and promises through every generation. In Joshua 5, Joshua calls God’s people to worship with the covenant reminders by which his people can remember his relationship with them (the circumcision and Passover). In Joshua 6, God reminds Joshua that the battle is already won and that his presence would be with them (represented by the ark they carried with them); they need only to receive.

So, what does it mean for us to remember? Look to our memorial—every time we look at the cross of Jesus, we are given an eternal reminder that God himself crossed many chasms to save, redeem, and be present for and with his people for all time. Jesus moved from the infinite to the finiteness of the incarnation; the invincible High King became a vulnerable baby in a manger. He crossed from immeasurable wealth to poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9). He transitioned from the throne room to homelessness. He walked among angels who praised him, then stepped into a world that rejected him (Isaiah 53:3, John 1:10). The Almighty God was “crushed for our iniquity (Isaiah 53:5).” He lived the life that we should live and died the death that we should die. And prior to his death, at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Matthew 26:38)”—and then, he died. When he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he was enduring the full penalty of the wrath of God—unseen, unheard, unmediated, unprotected—if there was ever anyone who should’ve succumbed to the temptations of despair, fear, complaint, dissent, or rebellion, it was Jesus, and yet, Jesus remained wholly faithful to fulfill God’s covenant promises through his work on the cross because of his deep love for his church.

As Christians, there is no way to look at the cross of Christ and then say, “God will abandon me. He will not protect me. I am on my own. I cannot trust him.” Distrust takes very common forms and patterns among God’s people ever since the days of the Garden of Eden; don’t give into these patterns. Rather, give into the pattern of Christ at the other garden in Gethsemane—where, in the face of the ultimate abyss of God’s punishment against our sin, Jesus said, “Thy will be done.” He prayerfully, meditatively, worshipfully, and resolvedly trusted and obeyed God with precision through every transition, even unto death. As people who profess faith in the person and work of Jesus, we can be faithful with every faculty of our being, then, to the honor of Christ because we trust that our transitions are for our good. Every step of the journey is made in faith as a result.

PRACTICAL REMINDERS OF STANDING FIRM IN METRO’S TRANSITION

What about those who are part of the Cherry Hill campus? What’s this to me? When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and entered into Jericho, they did so with men from the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh who served as warriors. The interesting thing is that they ultimately resided in the land east of the Jordan; this means they crossed the perilous Jordan and entered Jericho at tremendous risk for a land they wouldn’t even be living in themselves. They did it because they were a unified people. And so are we.

Metro is one church across multiple campuses; when the Cherry Hill Campus was launched, it was the East Falls community that said, “We are going to advance the gospel together.” Time, expenses, volunteering resources (to this day), and much dedication were consumed for the launch of this site with gratitude and celebration for a site that 90% of the East Falls community will never even see—literally, across the river.

As an example of support among many other ways both campuses can demonstrate support and partnership, please consider attending our Inauguration and Dedication Ceremony at the new location on Friday, September 12 at 7:00PM.
The location and address. We will be moving to the Second Floor of Building M at 4700 Wissahickon Avenue. A large billboard along Route 1 has been reserved to point to the location itself; our Hospitality Team members can guide you to the proper parking areas nearest to the building. Refer to the picture of the entrance of Building M and our new sign! Stay tuned for more details on the transition via social media and our website (link here).
What’s the best way to get there? We will provide maps corresponding to the directions most appropriate from your starting point via the website; although Google maps will get you to our new location, please refer to the upcoming map snapshots as a resource to provide the ideal route (taking into account Sunday morning traffic and safety as we travel through unfamiliar territory); you can refer to the website for these maps and any additional updates, anytime. Keep in mind, the new location is very close to the 4200 Ridge Avenue location. Stay tuned.
Is there anything else I can do to prepare my heart for this transition? Absolutely. Please pray for the clarity and wisdom of our leaders to provide faithful and timely guidance in every large, small, and unnoticed way; pray for your own heart to be invigorated and reminded of the values and vision of the church. We are in a rare moment for our church; we recognize not every church gets to experience anything close to what we are receiving and entering into. Pray that we enter with gratitude, closure, vision, God’s glory, a deep love for Jesus, and a sincere and dedicated heart for Metro. Pray personally, pray as a household, pray in your Community Groups, and pray as a church; we will be providing opportunities for prayer as a body throughout this transition.

The Lord has been so faithful to us, has he not? Never forget. So, prayerfully meditate on each sermon this season as we enter reflectively, preparedly, and ready with a heart to worship, service, generosity, and commitment to the Lord like you’ve never done before. Resolve to magnify Christ, to put down any heart of resistance and disobedience, and to enter into this new place with the faithful reminders of Christ’s promises already fulfilled; Jesus didn’t die and rise again to make Metro a perfect place, but to make Metro a foretaste and reminder of the ultimate resting place that all believers will enter through Jesus when he returns. Remember the gospel, that Jesus crossed every “river” to come to his people—so that salvation is not us earning our way to him, but God making a way through Jesus to come to us so that we can be reconciled to him—let every word and deed be pleasing to God as we cross this smaller “river” and enter our new location together.

CONCLUDING REMARKS AND GRATITUDE

Metro, at the dawn of 14 years as a church (our anniversary is August 26, a week after the transition), we embark on a new era as God’s people in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill. What an amazing journey so far—filled with joys, sorrows, many stories of God’s faithfulness, and a wider responsibility as a gospel presence in this beautiful city. They say not everyone makes it through transitions like these; inevitably and statistically, some will bow out of this community for various reasons—perhaps, because our values were not core to them. As a result, we need to remind each other what it means to be faithful along the convergence of our personal trials and the church’s transitions so that we make every effort to remain intact with one heart.

They also say, inevitably and statistically, that churches with new locations open up the possibility for new friends and new believers—many who are not aware of our values, vision, and mission. Then, all the more, we need to remind each other what it means to be faithful so that we make every effort to sustain our values and culture. Through many trials, toils, and snares, we have already come; ‘tis grace that brought us here this far, and grace will lead us home. So friends, regardless who remains and who newly arrives, I will always be grateful to be doing this with you, to have braved this with you, to have crossed the mighty rivers of transition and trial together.

With love, see you on the other side.