(GENTLE MUSIC)
I'M JACK BECK, ALONGSIDE THE JORDAN RIVER
TO TALK ABOUT CONSEQUENTIAL TRANSITIONS IN LIFE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU KNOW ABOUT THE JORDAN RIVER.
IT'S A VERY, VERY LONG RIVER THAT RUNS FOR ABOUT 65 MILES
AND FORMS MOST OF THE EASTERN BORDER FOR THE PROMISED LAND.
THIS RIVER LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE RIVER THAT WAS HERE
IN BIBLE TIMES. THE JORDAN RIVER OF BIBLE TIMES
WAS ABOUT 80-100 FEET WIDE AND ABOUT TEN FEET DEEP.
AND THINK ABOUT THAT,
FOR PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE BRIDGES
AND DIDN'T TAKE SWIMMING LESSONS,
THAT'S A NON-STARTER.
SO IF THEY HAD TO CROSS THE RIVER
THEY WOULD LOOK FOR A SPOT LIKE THIS,
A PLACE THAT'S CALLED A FORD,
A NATURAL SHALLOWING OF THE RIVER ITSELF,
WHERE THEY COULD TRANSITION ACROSS WITHOUT HAVING TO SWIM.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ALONG THE JORDAN RIVER,
STORIES OF PEOPLE TEND TO COLLECT AT RIVER FORDS.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS RIVER FORD JUST EAST OF JERICHO,
WHAT I SEE IS STORY AFTER STORY AFTER STORY WITH ONE THEME:
TRANSITION.
SOME OF THOSE TRANSITIONS ARE TRANSITIONS IN LEADERSHIP,
LIKE THE TRANSITION FROM MOSES TO JOSHUA
OR ELIJAH TO ELISHA.
AT OTHER TIMES WE'RE LOOKING AT TRANSITION IN MISSION.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE ANCIENT ISRAEL
CAME ACROSS THE JORDAN RIVER
TO ENTER A NEW PHASE OF THEIR LIFE AND MINISTRY
ON THIS SIDE OF THE JORDAN,
AND IT'S WHERE JESUS HIMSELF WAS BAPTIZED
AND ENTERED A BRAND NEW PHASE OF HIS MINISTRY.
YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? WHEN I COME TO THE JORDAN RIVER,
I READ STORY AFTER STORY AFTER STORY
THAT'S ABOUT CONSEQUENTIAL TRANSITIONS,
AND IT MAKES ME THINK AND REFLECT
ON THE TRANSITIONS THAT I HAVE MADE IN LIFE.
YOU LIKELY DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH
A SERIES OF PROFESSIONAL TRANSITIONS TO GET HERE.
I PASTORED A CHURCH. I WORKED AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.
I WORKED AS A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR FOR 16 YEARS.
IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE MINISTRIES I WAS HAPPY AND COMFORTABLE
WITH WHO I WAS.
I FELT ABSOLUTELY NO NEED TO MOVE,
AND EVERY TIME I LOOKED AT THE MOVE, THEY LOOKED SCARY TO ME,
BUT EVERY TIME THE LORD BROUGHT ME
FROM ONE BANK OF THE RIVER TO THE OTHER,
HE CHANGED ME AND USED ME IN A WAY HE COULDN'T BEFORE.
AND I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL FOR YOU,
BECAUSE IF YOU'RE STARING A TRANSITION IN THE FACE,
A TRANSITION THAT LOOKS SCARY,
A TRANSITION THAT LOOKS COMPLICATED AND UNCERTAIN,
IT COULD BE TRANSITION IN CHURCHES OR JOBS
OR SOME OTHER DIMENSION OF LIFE
THAT'S CAUSING YOU SOME LEVEL OF ANXIETY OR STRESS.
WHATEVER THAT TRANSITION IS,
REALIZE THAT THE LORD IS WITH YOU AND HE MAY BE LEADING YOU
FROM ONE BANK OF THE RIVER TO THE OTHER
IN ORDER TO BEGIN A NEW PHASE IN YOUR SERVICE TO THE KINGDOM.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF TODAY THE LORD ISN'T SAYING TO YOU,
IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR FEET WET.
(MUSIC)