FREE.CHURCH - FREE CHURCH OAK PARK
FREE.CHURCH - FREE CHURCH OAK PARK
Priming the Promise III // Pastor Chuck Colegrove // March 9, 2025
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The year was 2007, and we were actually living in Houston. The twins arrived in July of 2007, and we didn't really know what to call them, so we called them, shock and Awe. We were actually trying for a baby girl. So we told all of our family and friends we're not having a boy and they were like, woo, finally getting a girl. I was like, no, we're having two boys, woo.
Speaker 1:So the boys arrived in July and we realized the house we were living in was far too small to welcome twins, because when you have twins, you get rid of one of everything that you already have. We had boys already, two boys, ethan and Elliot and so we didn't like you know, whatever we use for Ethan is what we use for Elliot. So we didn't like you know, whatever we use for Ethan is what we use for Elliot Same crib, same clothes, same I mean same everything. But when the twins arrived, we got rid of the one of everything and got two of everything, because now the two have to match. And then you got to go to stores that only sell blue and green, so you got to buy a blue shirt and a green shirt, a blue blanket and a green blanket, a blue pacifier and a green pacifier. This is too much detail for this story, but I'm just setting you up that it was a lot, can you just agree with me? It was a lot. So we moved to a new house and closed on this house and beautiful house, dream house, backed up to the school that Ethan and Elliot would go to. And Elliot was started kindergarten and Ethan, I don't even know he was in some kind of grade, but the house backyard had a fence that backed right up to the school. So we moved in on a Tuesday night and on Tuesday night I went in and cut that, cut a gate right into that fence, so I could just open the back door and the boys could walk through that gate to school, cause I knew, with twins, we might never leave this house again. So but we could send the boys to school. So that was Tuesday, well as the year, as the rest of the year went in 2007, you know, uh, the taxes were due and those taxes become due on the 31st of December, and so we had the tax bill looking at us for what we would owe for that year and, um, and I remember being, I remember looking at what our account said and looking what the tax bill said and I was just like, well, that doesn't, it doesn't match and it's it's negative on the wrong side of the ledger. You know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:It's like we're a little short and and you know how, sometimes you get a voicemail to your phone and you don't recognize the number, so you don't check it. Don't lie, on spring forward sunday, so there was this message that had been sitting in my voicemail box, that had been there for, I'll just say, a few weeks, maybe longer. I thought what is this number and what is this voicemail? And it was before 2007. There wasn't visual voicemail. And it was before 2007,. There wasn't visual voicemail where now you could read what they leave you. By the way, if you leave a message, you don't have to tell the number you're calling from, because it already shows up. Furthermore, if you're saying, if you're saying in your message, when your voicemail answers, you don't have to say leave your name and number. Think about it, just a little public service announcement.
Speaker 1:So I check this voicemail and I'm like it's like the 30th and this bill is due tomorrow and I'm like we're just going to have to pay it forward. I don't know what we're going to do, we're just going to have to pray. But something just prompted me to say you need to check that voicemail. And I said, well, I should check this voicemail. And I did and it was our title company. And they said Mr Colgrove, we hope you're doing okay today. And then they gave me the date, which was not December 30th and was not November 30th. It was October 30th, just a few days after we had moved in. But I never checked the voicemail and they said we have a check with your name on it because your escrow account was overpaid and we have such and such amount in this check for you, which more than covered the gap we had in our taxes. But check this out. That message was left two months earlier but I didn't check it. I didn't check the message and I never went to the mortgage company.
Speaker 1:So I showed up on the 30th they were about to close for the rest of the year and I walked in. I said you know this is funny. You left me a voicemail a while back and maybe there's a check here with my name on it, an envelope maybe and she was like. She came back. She said you can't believe this. We're about to send this back to your mortgage company, from the title company to the mortgage company. If you didn't show up today, we're going to drop it in the mail today and I said well, thank you, jesus. And it's the year I learned something that you might be looking for, you might already have access to hey, why don't you just turn to your neighbor and say we're about to prime the promise and to the one sitting next to you, just let them know. Listen, I might get loud up in here today. Today we close out this series that we've been in called Prime the Promise. And can I just say, what about last week? Listen, if you missed it, you missed it Because we closed the service and dismissed those who had to go.
Speaker 1:In our team and many of you stayed for about 45 minutes, almost an hour, worshiping God's moving. I heard of miracles that were happening at Monastery on Wednesday night healings, signs and wonders in the house. Come on, marriage is restored, Wayward son's coming home, prayers being answered. What a week. And that's just going to be the normal. Can I just tell you we're not going to say we're going to stay until 12 every single Sunday, but listen, if the Holy Spirit starts moving, we're going to get out of the way.
Speaker 1:So we've been leaning in to this story of Moses and we know that Moses was a man of destiny, a son of destiny, and and we know that that there was, there was a call on his life and and I just want to, I want to tell, like the reality is, destiny is a picture of what could be in your life, but the promise is the word for what will be in your life. So destiny is what God has planned for you, but that destiny is going to be tied into your obedience and your willingness to keep moving forward. But when you get a promise, you can rest assured that promise is the word for what will be. We used to say to students, when I was a youth pastor, that destiny delayed is the devil's delight and it was really just the prompting of like you got to work your way to that destiny and that destiny. As soon as you get a promise, it doesn't matter what's going on around you. You got to promise, you got a word, and so we've been leaning into this story of Moses and I'm going to tell you what if you get a word, you don't need much else. You don't need the weather to be nice. If you got a word, you could spring forward every Sunday Because all I know is I'm getting to God's house because I got a word.
Speaker 1:So let's pick up the story and remember last week we closed as the children of Israel were leaving Egypt it was the great exodus and remember I told you that as they were leaving Egypt, that God had actually caused the Egyptians to load down the Israelites with gold and silver from their home. And as I was thinking about that today this week, as I was preparing, I started to think about the idea that so many times we feel like we will come out of our past broken and hurting and less than and in bad shape. But the reality is God wants you to know as you come out of your past, you can be loaded down with blessings that will go to the next generation. I told you they gave the Israelites so much gold and silver that the kids had to help carry that gold and silver out of Egypt. And it's the blessing that we have for generations that God will bless us to the thousandth generation. And so the blessings you're feeling on your life right now are not only for you, but they are generational blessings for your children and their children and their children and their children and their children. May the favor of God and the blessing of God rest upon you in such a way that your children have to carry that blessing. Oh, some of you, students, some of you young people, some of you young adults, you need to know you're walking in the blessing of generations before you. You can walk with your shoulders lifted up and you can walk with your head lifted up and you can walk confident, because you're not walking in just some made up idea, You're walking in a generational blessing.
Speaker 1:And so here we are, the Israelites. They are standing now at the Red Sea and we pick up the text for today and it's pretty incredible what happens. So God leads the children of Israel out of Egypt, they get to the Red Sea, which is between them and the promised land, just like I'm between you and your brunch. But God has some ways he wants to work through you, that he has to work through you. So you're ready For what he already has ready for you. So let's pick up the text, exodus 14.
Speaker 1:Here they are now, before we show that, evan, don't show that yet they're at the Red Sea. Before them is the promised land, but Pharaoh, the Bible says Pharaoh's heart was turned again with contempt and he chased the Israelites to catch up with them. And so they camped just a ways off and here are the Israelites, next to the Red Sea. Behind them is Pharaoh and his army, and this is what happened. They start complaining Now. You know what?
Speaker 1:Last week, when I preached about them coming out of Egypt, you know, everybody loved Moses. Moses, our pastor, led us out of Egypt. He had a word man, we love Moses. Moses turned water into blood and the Egyptians hated him. Moses called down frogs. Moses called down locusts. Moses did the man. Our pastor is one bad pastor. We love Moses. And then they get to the Red Sea and they look at the Red Sea before them and the enemy behind them and somebody says man, I hate Moses. What is this guy thinking? And they start complaining because they're like did you bring us out here? Why don't you just leave us in Egypt? We were fine working. We were fine just doing whatever they told us to do. We didn't want this freedom. This was your idea. We hate you, moses. And this is what Moses says.
Speaker 1:So now we pick up the text Exodus 14, 13. And Moses said to the people do not be afraid, stand still. Everybody say stand still, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today, for the Egyptians whom you see today. You shall see again, no more, forever, no more, forever. Keep reading and the Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace. And then the Lord said to Moses why are you crying to me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
Speaker 1:So here we are, sitting on the edge of impossibility. In front of them is the Red Sea and beyond that is the Promised Land, and behind them is the enemy and Pharaoh. And here they are afraid, crying out to God. And God has a word for them Stand still and go forward. That's the word. Stand still and go forward. Well, is it stand still, or is it go forward and go for? Well, is it stand still or is it go for?
Speaker 1:And I'm gonna tell you, this is not the season for you, for what God is doing on your way to your best year. Yet it doesn't matter what Sunday you showed up. If this is number seven, maybe for you, if I'm counting right, no, maybe more. Let's see January one, two, three, four. February one, two, three, four, march one, two, ten Ten Sundays out of 52 to your best year yet. And if this is number ten or number one, it's still on your way to your best year yet. And this is not the season to freeze in fear, this is not the season to stop and keep looking back, but this is the season to keep looking forward and know that God has a word for you and you can step into the impossible Because God is with you and God is for you, and the word of God is clear you and God is for you, and the word of God is clear. If God is for you, then who can be against you? Nobody, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, nobody.
Speaker 1:So here we go, look at this divine dichotomy in front of us, stand still and move forward. Well, god, which is it God? Do you want me to stand still or do you want me to move forward? Yes, yes, and that is the tension of our faith that we trust God because everything depends on him, but we work hard as if everything depends on us. Put that up there, evan. We trust God because everything depends on him. We pray first because everything depends on him, but we work hard, because every, as if everything depends on us. Because here's the problem. You can trust God. You know everything depends on him, but that doesn't mean you go back and lay on the couch and wait for it all to work out.
Speaker 1:So the first thought I want to leave with you today is this you can stand still, but don't get stuck. Stand still, but don't get stuck. Look at the scripture says Exodus 14, 13. Moses said do not be afraid, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will give you today. Stand still. You know what's interesting to me? Because I think that when God says stand still, it's not because he doesn't want you to do anything. It's because he wants you to watch what is about to happen. Stand still and change your focus. Stand still doesn't mean do nothing, but stand still means correct your vision, turn your focus, because before you is the promised land, behind you is Pharaoh and his army and the enemy against you. And the question is where you put your focus? And as long as you're always looking back at your enemy, you will take your eyes off the promised land in front of you and you will not make it. You will take your eyes off the promised land in front of you and you will not make it.
Speaker 1:Last night we were driving from the wedding. Now, listen, sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to work out. No-transcript. It's not fair. She's good and beautiful and she's going to take over. She's going to take over.
Speaker 1:So this wedding was at a venue right next to an airport in Houston called the Hobby Houston Airport, and that's where Southwest flies into for Houston, and we fly Southwest because bags fly free and if you've ever traveled with Urshana, that'll save you some money. I'm just doing my work here, that's all. Fly for free, roll those two bags, check them in. I worked hard to get her down to two. That's all I'm going to just tell you. That's all I'm gonna just tell you. So, but the thing about Hobby and Southwest Airlines is they don't fly very late back to Chicago. In fact, the earliest flight was about 6.30 or so, so that meant she would have had to do the wedding and leave right after. They said I do and basically try to find we couldn't do it. We couldn't make it work, so we had to go to the other airport, 37 miles away, to fly out, to be home, so we could be in service today with you, which we're thrilled to do, we're happy to do it.
Speaker 1:But we're driving the rental car and it's raining and traffic in Houston is a nightmare. I don't know how we lived there for 13 years, because in five days I want to kill somebody, and so the traffic is terrible. Chicago you, we are blessed Don't ever complain about your traffic. So, all right, I got to speed up, anyway. So we're driving and traffic comes to a stop on the highway. There's six lanes, however many lanes there are. It's all stopped.
Speaker 1:And I'm like, well, and I saw what they call the HOV express lane and this is another whole highway, like one lane highway that goes off away and just goes around. So I took I'm like I'm taking that and we're going a good speed above the speed limit, to be honest, but it was a good speed Windshield wipers going, trying to get to the airport so we don't miss our flight Because we can't miss our flight because we got to be here. So we're driving and I'm reading the signs of this and it's trying like, and you know how GPS is telling me I should they think I've made a mistake to go over in this HOV lane. So they keep. They keep wanting me to exit the HOV lane off through another way and get back on the regular highway. And I'm like, no, this is good, we're going, we're cruising, we're passing all the traffic and I'm just like and I literally read a couple of signs realized where I want to be right here in the middle of this lane. And so I'm in the middle of the lane and I make sure the exit is not what I want.
Speaker 1:And I look back. Well, when I look back, the HOV lane split into two lanes and one lane said HOV express and the lane said HOV Express and the other said I don't even know. I don't even know what it said Because I was going so fast I missed it. But what I didn't miss Were all the little things Right in front of me, the little plastic reflectors that separate two lanes. And before I saw it, I looked up, I said uh-oh, and it just went like this and I just can't. And then it went back to one lane, same lane, but for some reason, for that little bit about 30 foot of space, it split into two lanes and because I wasn't looking forward to where I should have been going, I ran right through the middle of those reflectors.
Speaker 1:And that's what happens to you if you are not keeping your eye fixed on Jesus, fixed on the promise that you will run into stuff you didn't mean to run into Because you're looking back or you're looking to the side. I'm telling you, when you're standing at the precipice from the promise to the destiny, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. So stand still, but don't get stuck. And my question is for this what are you looking at? Your Pharaoh or your promise? The second thing I want to tell you is this Stop crying and start charging forward.
Speaker 1:Look at this passage of scripture in verse 14. God says do not Moses. Moses says do not be afraid. In the next passage, verse 15, god says why do you cry to me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. Why are you crying to me? It's like God is saying I already promised you I would take you to the promised land. I already promised you you were not going to be destroyed by Pharaoh's armies. I've already promised you. I've got it under control. I've already promised you my plans are for hope and for a future for you. I've made the promise. Why are you crying? Start going forward. We get to a difficult situation and we need to be pacified. We need to be prepped all over again. We need to post itpped all over again. We need to post it on Instagram so somebody will tell us we're good and we're beautiful and we're famous and we're lovely and we're amazing. No, god already gave you the promise. Stop crying and start moving forward.
Speaker 1:At some point you've got to wipe the tears away, square up your shoulders and just take a step forward, because I can tell you this you will never take a first step in the promised land until you take your first step toward the promised land. You want to get to the promised land. You're going to have to take a step now, and after that, another one and another one about 40,000 steps to finish a marathon, and you don't finish a marathon at the finish line until you put your toe on that starting line and take that first step. And that's what God's telling you. Stop crying on at the finish line. Until you put your toe on that starting line and take that first step, and that's what God's telling you. Stop crying. I've given you the promises that are yes and amen, through Jesus Christ, my son. It's been accomplished, it's been paid for, it's been set up. It's on the other side of the obedience of your first step. Other side is the obedience of your first step. So stand still but don't get stuck. Stop crying and start charging forward. And finally, the last one Look at this passage in chapter 16, or verse 16, chapter 14.
Speaker 1:But lift up. Look at, this is what God says to Moses. Lift up your rod, your staff, stretch it out over the hand, over the sea, and divide it, and the children of Israel will go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. I'm going to promise you that most of us are in a position in our life where we're waiting for God to give us the next new resource to get where we want to go in his name. And he's standing here saying listen, I've already given it to you, just use it.
Speaker 1:The staff that Moses used to shepherd those sheep is the same staff he raised up over that sea to part the waters. What was the staff of a shepherd became the symbol of freedom for a nation, and all he had to do was use what was in his hand. Became the symbol of freedom for a nation, and all he had to do was use what was in his hand. And God has given you the tools to the victories of your life. Already you have the resources you need If you have the word of God. You already have it. You need a sword you've got a sword. You need more bread. You've got the food. You need the courage. You've got. You've got the word of God on your side. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Whatever you need, god has already given it to you and I'm just going to tell you, if you'll just use what you've already got, god will resource you with whatever else you need. The reason why I'm so excited about this is because what you've been using for one situation, god has the capacity to expand its purpose for the next situation. But you've got to recognize you already have it. It's just like my opening story.
Speaker 1:The check was there, it covered the balance, it was going to more than take care of what I needed, but I was sitting in fear wondering how I was going to pay this and God says I've already given it to you. Go, cash the check. Come on, sean, let's close this out today. So I'm just asking you, church, what is in your hand? Is it a skill, is it a calling? Is it a vision? Is it a heartbeat for a invite. Those people around you, whatever it is, whatever is in your hand, stop underestimating what God has already given you. You have enough. You have enough. Tell your neighbor you have enough. Come on, build the faith of one another. You've already got it. Do we have time for one more? Let me just tell you.
Speaker 1:Here we are at the Red Sea. Moses has raised the staff. The children of Israel charge forward on dry ground. Notice this the hand of God is holding back the water on one side and holding still the water on the other side, and they walk through on dry ground. In what looked like Israel's greatest problem, became their greatest asset. What they thought was the end of their journey, what they thought was going to be the end of them becoming a nation of God's people, actually became the burial ground for the enemy chasing them.
Speaker 1:And I'm just telling you, church, if you'll stand up, stand still and watch what God will do, but don't get stuck, and if you'll wipe away the tears and charge forward in obedience to where God's calling you, and you'll realize what's in your hand is enough to bring the victory into your life. If you'll do all of that, the very space that God is leading you through will be the end of the enemy chasing you. But the enemy won't go into that territory until you make it through it Because, listen, the who is like our God, who is like our God that God would use dry ground for us to walk through in obedience and bury our enemy behind us. You're worried about the enemy chasing you. Don't look back. Keep looking forward. Don't worry about who's behind you. Focus on who's leading you forward, because what has been chasing you won't survive. What God has planned for you. Come on. Can you receive that word today?