S4 E14 - Simon Says

Our summer intern Daniel was teaching the very young children last night, and they needed to get their wiggles out. So, he decided to start up a brief game of Simon Says in order to accomplish that. The kids enjoyed playing along, trying not to get tripped up and only moving when "Simon Said" to. 

The name of the game in our Christian walk is not Simon Says, but the Lord Says. Just as Israel only moved when the Lord directed them through a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night, so we are still directed by God through his Word. We must not go beyond what the Lord has said or take away from what he has said either. When he speaks, we listen and act. 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day? 

What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths? Would you believe me? 

 Welcome back to season 4 of the Set Your Mind Above Podcast! My name is BJ Sipe, and I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father. And I’m excited to share a few moments together with you learning some important lessons from the simplest things. Thanks for tuning in! 

We are currently in the middle of the busiest time of the year over here in Danville. Camps, fair booths, and vacation bible school are just the beginning of June’s busy schedule – and it just keeps getting busier. Among the events of June and on into the rest of the summer is our youth devotionals that are taught by our summer preacher intern. This summer, our intern is a young man by the name Daniel Schoenholz – a current student at my alma mater Florida College.  We have kept Daniel very busy over the summer, and I have to say that so far he has done a wonderful job. He is a good student of the world, receives instruction well, and just has a personality that you can’t help but love. Over the summer at some point, he will appear as a guest on the podcast – so you have that to look forward to. Until then, I’ll just have to tell stories on him, which is exactly what I will be doing today. Daniel taught his second youth devotional last night which was hosted by one of our families here at the church in Danville. In these devos, the kids are divided into two groups: the older kids and the younger kids. The younger kids range from as young as 4 years old to about 8 or 9 years old. While the 8 & 9 year olds do pretty good, the youngest ones (including my chaos filled son Dane) can get distracted pretty easily and are very energetic. It has been fun to watch Daniel try and learn how to teach very young children, as it is something he has never done before. Not long after they had gotten started, it was evident to him that the kids needed to get all their wiggles out first so that way they could focus on the lesson, so he came up with a fun solution. He stopped and said, “Alright, everybody on their feet. It’s time to play Simon Says.” The kids jumped up with glee, eager to engage with their new teacher and anxiously awaiting his first command. I am fairly confident that each of you know what Simon Says is – but just in case – here is a brief synopsis. In the game of Simon Says, someone calls out commands of things that those participating must do, such as, “touch your nose,” or, “hop on one leg.” However, the participants must only do so if what they are told to do begins with the phrase, “Simon Says.” The goal of the game is to stay in as long as possible, because if you move and follow a prompt that did not begin with the phrase “Simon Says” then you’re out. And so they began, and one by one the kids started to phase out of the game. After about 2 minutes, all that was left were a brother and sister duo going down to the wire to try and outdo one another to try and win the game. I don’t even know who won, but it was the perfect way to get the kids attention before reeling them back in and concluding their devotion with the remainder of their time. 

As I drove my kids home after the devotional, my mind went back to a passage that the youth were studying at the camp I just returned from down in Tennessee. The passage is taken out of the book of Numbers, as it details the Lord’s presence leading the people of Israel through the wilderness in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Let us begin in chapter 9 vv. 15 and continue down through vv. 23, “On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and it appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning. It remained that way continuously: the cloud would cover it, appearing like fire at night. Whenever the cloud was lifted up above the tent, the Israelites would set out; at the place where the cloud stopped, there the Israelites camped. At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at the Lord’s command they camped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they camped. Even when the cloud stayed over the tabernacle many days, the Israelites carried out the Lord’s requirement and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days. They would camp at the Lord’s command and set out at the Lord’s command. Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning; when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out. Or if it remained a day and a night, they moved out when the cloud lifted. Whether it was two days, a month, or longer, the Israelites camped and did not set out as long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle. But when it was lifted, they set out. They camped at the Lord’s command, and they set out at the Lord’s command. They carried out the Lord’s requirement according to his command through Moses.” 

I want you to notice something specifically that is reflected in this text. On not one, not two, but on three different occasions we see the following expression used: they set out at the Lord’s command, they camped at the Lord’s command. In other words, what dictated all of their movement from one place to the next was not Simon says, but THE LORD says. They were not to move on without the Lord’s direction, and they were not to remain behind when the Lord proceeded forward. No matter what direction or turn the Lord made, no matter what time or duration he remained or proceeded forward, the people were to follow step for step with the Lord. 

What we see literally played out in this account in Numbers is what we see spiritually played out in our lives as Christians. Growing up I have always heard a phrase that is not necessarily found in Scripture, but the principle certainly is, and that is the following, “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.” What is being brought out in this expression is what is commonly referred to as the issue of Scriptural authority. When we discuss Scriptural authority, we are bringing out what we are permitted or not permitted to do by God. While we might have many opinions as people as to what we should or should not do, the topic of Scriptural authority seeks to ask, “but what does the Lord say?” Very simply, if God has not asked for us to do it, then we should not do it; but if he has asked us to do it, we do it. We don’t move beyond the commandments of the Lord, nor do we take away from them. The book of Revelation would bring out this principle in its conclusion as John would write, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, which are written about in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)

Imitation is the name of the game in our walk as Christians. Consider the common theme throughout all of the following passages. Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.” 1 John 2:3-6, “This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.” And finally Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” My friends, this is the point. Our lives are not about our pursuit of whatever it is we want or decide. We are not in the business of getting people to follow us but follow Christ. When he speaks, as his sheep we listen. May God grant us ears to hear, and a humble heart that is willing and ready to follow the footsteps of Jesus wherever he may take us. 

This has been the Set Your Mind Above Podcast, season 4 episode 14 – and I’m so thankful that you decided to tune in today! A new episode is dropped most Fridays, so be sure to tune in next week.  Also, if you’re able to, go ahead and like and subscribe to the podcast, as well as share it with someone else – it would help me greatly in trying to reach others. And more than anything, always remember the following: know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.