Sermon Prep
Dan Metzger, pastor at St Marks United Methodist Church in Findlay, goes behind the scenes of weekly sermon prep, addressing cultural and spiritual issues, and what happens the other 6 days of the week.
Sermon Prep
Episode 17 - God's Plan
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Pastor Dan is joined by Youth Pastor Holly Metzger and their daughter Renee as they talk about what it means to know God's will for your life
Hey everybody, welcome to the Sermon Prep Podcast. I'm Dan Metzger, I'm the pastor at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, and you are in for a treat because not only do I have our amazing youth director and my beautiful wife Holly Metzger with us today. Say hi, Holly.
SPEAKER_02Hello.
SPEAKER_00But we also have our middle child and rising senior at Finley High School, Renee Metzger, with us. Say hi, Renee.
SPEAKER_01Hi.
SPEAKER_00Renee is here with us because we told her that if she's on the podcast with us, then we will take her out to dinner with us. And so anything she can do for free food, she's definitely in. So we are here together today. And uh we are in the middle of a series where it's called Rooted, and we are talking about uh what it means to be rooted in our faith and uh some of the the things that help us to uh be the kind of Christians that that we believe that we're supposed to be, and the things that uh really ground us so that when the storms of life come, we are uh we are firm in our foundation and we don't have to worry about um about being knocked over by the the things that come and might some sometimes tear us down. We talk a lot about like reaching wide in our community and all the the good things that we want to do, but this is really about what are some of the basic things that solidify us in our faith. And so today we're talking about how do you know God's will. And Renee, are you gonna be okay with this? Are you gonna be able to do this today? Mom's looking at you. This is a podcast, no one can see you.
SPEAKER_02Renee is thinking I know. So there's gonna be a lot of laughter during this podcast, and so I hope you're up for a lighthearted adventure these next 15 minutes. Real it in. Okay, we're good. We just can't make eye contact.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, just can't look at her.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we just can't look at each other.
SPEAKER_00But your hair is very nice, so thank you. She's got her hair done. Um, all right, anyway, so uh we're talking about some of the ways that we know God's will. How do we know God's will? And so um I think one of the questions that a lot of people have, and I you probably deal a lot with this with like high schoolers and stuff like that, is this like, what's my what does God want me to do? Like with my life, what does that look like? Um I think one of our one of the favorite Bible verses that a lot of uh especially I think kids in youth group, and maybe I'm generalizing, but one of the favorite Bible verses is the Jeremiah 29, 11. The I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans for hope in the future. And so how do you talk to how do you talk to kids uh and youth when they're kind of trying to figure out and you also work at college as kids are coming in, like orientation that's been happening at Bowling Green, and kids coming in trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. How do you talk to young people about what it is that their future is supposed to look like?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think we, you know, we focus a lot in youth group during the year on different topics and different subjects around just like learning, learning all about who Jesus is. I mean, obviously that seems like a very like elementary type thing. Of course, I hope that you talk about that at youth group, but learning who Jesus is so that people can be confident in who they are in Christ, because I think, as you mentioned, it's the sermon series is called Rooted, right? We want, we want our kids, we want our teens, we want, we want them to be rooted. We want ourselves to be rooted because life is full of storms and waves and twists and turns, and you never know what life's gonna throw at you, and there's all sorts of different things that could throw you off balance and really mess with your faith. There's um disappointment, there's grief, there's also times of great joy and um triumph and things to be celebrated. But I think when you have a faith that's rooted in who Jesus is and being confident and knowing who you believe Jesus to be, makes it so that you can weather those storms and weather those things without letting it ruin your faith or let you, you know, lose track of who you are and where you're going. I think it's hard to it's hard to talk about like your future on, you know, what do you want to be when you grow up? And you know, people want to know, like, you know, what about what college I'm gonna choose? Or, you know, should I play sports in college? Or, you know, do I move away? Do I stay close to home? What kind of job am I gonna get? What if I major in this and you know it it leads to nothing? Or what if it leads to something that I'm not happy doing? And then of course when you get to college, then it's who am I gonna marry? And um, are we gonna have kids and where are we gonna live? And so I think there's a lot of questions that we can get bogged down with of the the what if this and this and this specific, but I think it all comes back to just being rooted in our faith and in the knowledge of who we are in Christ, and that no matter what decision we make, God's gonna be there for us, and that's you know, that's gonna be there to catch us when we fall, and when there are times of disappointment or times of stress or times of sadness or grief, um, you know, that if we make a decision that we thought maybe that wasn't the right decision, you know, God's got us got our back to kind of turn it around and guide us in the right direction. So we just got to be rooted in the word and um constant in prayer for our kids, for ourselves, of just like, God, what do you want from me? What path do you want me to take? And you know, just to be kind of in tune with his voice to be able to take the next right step. And um, I don't know, I just don't think that there's like a way to know, like, am I is this right or is this wrong? It's just a matter of allowing God to kind of take the wheel and guide it and just be confident that wherever he leads, it's gonna be good because his plan for us is good.
SPEAKER_00That's very wise. Renee, what do you want to be when you grow up?
SPEAKER_02I don't know. Renee's in the um phase of starting to do college visits, and um I think she's landed on Bolton Green, anyways, but there's a big question mark around like what you want to major in and what you want to study. I mean you think you want to work with kids, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, definitely. But I don't know if that means like education or like the healthcare path. I don't know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Not sure yet.
SPEAKER_00Well, I think a part of it, and and this is a little bit what we'll talk about on Sunday, is the idea that there's there's maybe there maybe is and maybe isn't. And maybe sometimes there's like a specific thing God really wants you to do, this actual thing for building the kingdom. But I think I think just generally speaking, God wants you to be, and not just you, Renee, but all of us. Um, God wants us to be like, there's a kind of person he wants to be. And a part of what we're gonna talk about is like it's not so much God, what do you want me to do? It's God, who are you making me into? Uh, who are you creating, like, what kind of person are you creating me to be? And uh, and I think like for you, and uh, and hopefully for for all three of our kids and and others that we've and other people we've gotten to work with, whether it's in youth group or church or wherever, like hopefully what we've what we've instilled in in you is is like this idea of um that that you know we want you to be, and we believe God wants you to be happy, we wants you to be fulfilled, wants you to be, and wants you to be kind and wants you to be loving. And I think like if you're you know a kind and loving person and you are someone who loves God at the heart, mind, soul, strength, and loves neighbor as as yourself, and then whatever it is that you decide to do, or like whatever, you know, whatever job or major or whatever it is, like you're the right kind of person to be around these kind of people, if that if that makes sense. Like, I think about that sometimes with with people are like, I don't know, should I move to this place or not? Like, I think what God wants you to do is be a very loving neighbor, and then wherever you move, it's gonna become a good thing for that neighborhood, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we talk a lot about that um in the workplace, about like employers. Like, it's interesting to see like you know, research, and I don't have the specifics or the numbers or like where the research is from, but we talk a lot about like um students in college and you know what employers are looking for and making themselves marketable, and you know, it it seems like for a lot of employers it's becoming less and less about like your job experience in the actual role. I mean, obviously, if you're like a doctor or something, that's kind of important, but um, but more about like kind of the um the adaptability skills that you have. Are you an adaptable person? Are you a are you a team player? Um, do you know how to do you know how to lead people? Do you know how to manage? Do you know like leadership skills, that sort of thing? So like a broader, a broader, you know, set of skills instead of just like, do you know how to do this one thing? Do you know how to read a spreadsheet? Can you manipulate Excel? That sort of stuff. And I think it relates to like our God's will for our lives, right? Of like it's we can get caught up in the nitty-gritty of like the the little small details, but really it's all about are we are we a person who you know is somebody who's created in God's image? The answer is yes, but are we displaying those qualities? And if so, and if we're trying to grow the fruits of the spirit in our lives and being able to show those as evidence of God in our lives, then I think everything else falls into place, and maybe the small details don't really matter of what we do or how we make money or what college we go to, um, because those things just kind of fall into place if we've got that other stuff right.
SPEAKER_00I think about it too, it's like like um as people are dating and that kind of thing. I think that's another I'm not gonna put you on the spot with this. But but so who do you like? Um I I think sometimes people are very like caught up in the I is there like this right person that I'm supposed like like who I I need to find the one, the person that somebody has has that God has in store for me to marry, and that there may be like an exact person that God's like, I have this person in mind for you to marry. Uh but I think also a big part of what you're supposed to do is become the kind of person that the right person would want to marry. Like that you are it it's less about it's less about finding that person and make sure they're the right person and more about making yourself into the person God created you to be so that the right kind of person wants to be somebody who who dates you and and and you you might ultimately marry, like if that if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, I just heard a quote the other day that I thought was really good, kind of about that. It was um I saw it on TikTok actually. Oh the TikTok. Oh, the TikTok. But it was a pastor saying, you know, if you're if you're living the single life and you're looking for that, you know, forever person, you need to, you need to just run as fast as you can towards Jesus. And if there's somebody along the way who can keep up with you, maybe introduce yourself. And so I thought that was just kind of a good way to look at it for like, you know, when I was back in college and before we had met and trying to figure out like, you know, gosh, who am I supposed to, how am I supposed to find the one in this big sea of people in this big world? Like, how do I know?
SPEAKER_00I was right there, baby.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Stop. Renee's very uncomfortable right now. She just wants a burger, that's it.
SPEAKER_00But that is actually a part, and actually, Renee, you and I were talking about this the other day, I think. Um, I think I was talking about this with you, but um, I'm gonna tell a little bit of this story on Sunday. Like, I remember the first time I had to ask the right question, less about like what am I supposed to do, and more about who do I want to be, like, or who is God making me into, was um when I was it was somewhere after my senior year of high school, and it's when I found out that I had had knee surgery, and basically a doctor told me, yeah, you've got like this weird bone condition that basically, long story short, blood flow doesn't go to all of my joints in a proper way, and so sometimes they get brittle and they break. And so I was gonna play some college football, but I was like the the the doctor said if you keep doing that, you're going to continue to hurt yourself, and kind of made the point of this could affect you know your mobility in the future and stuff like that. And I just remember my dad when I was a kid playing with me on the floor and you know, get being able to wrestle and do whatever things, and like and it and it came to this point where it was like it was gonna be less about do you want to play football or not, but it was more about like what kind of dad do you want to be someday? Do you want to be the kind of dad that can do these kinds of things and and be active and and have fun with your kids and that kind of stuff? Or you know, are you gonna choose this immediate kind of thing? And it and it really was the first time I remember asking myself the question, like, oh, what kind of person do I want to be? Or what kind of person is God making me into, and like looking at a larger picture of things. Um and I think that for for all of us, like we can tend to get really caught up in like the nitty-gritty little like what do I do on these daily basis kind of things? But there's really in almost every decision that we make of any significance, I think we can ask the question, is this something that's making me into the kind of the kind of person that God wants me to be? Is this something that's helping to build God's kingdom? Is this something that's helping me to live more of a Christ-like life? I think that that's more of what God's will is than like I want you to do this exact thing or go to this exact place or have this exact kind of job and that kind of stuff. It's more of a what kind of things, what kind of things are you doing to to live into the kind of life in person that that God maybe has in mind for you?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and I think the more rooted we are, right? There we just you know did a series a little while ago about the fruits of the spirit. Were you gonna say that, Renee? Did I say your thunder?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's exactly what I was gonna say.
SPEAKER_02Okay, the continue. I won't say it. Oh, I'm joking though. Anyways, but yeah, the more rooted we are, right, the more evidence there is of the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our life. And I think those are the things that um that God calls us to, and that you know, that's that's what that's what it's all about. It's not about the is this the right next step? It's the it's the who we are and what are those evidence of the fruits of the spirit in our life.
SPEAKER_01I think a lot of times I get more caught up with the like am I doing good in my sport? Am I like where I need to be in school? Am I like spending enough time with my friends? I get really caught up in like the that kind of as aspect. And then I have to be reminded that it's not just about like how you look on the outside, but like how you're handling it on the inside, like how you're treating the people around you and like what kind of person you are. It's not about where you are or if you're better than someone.
SPEAKER_00So it's not about like all the awards and all of the other stuff, it's about yeah, what kind of person are are you becoming? So let me ask you this how have you watched your I and I won't talk about me, I'll talk about your mom. Like, I think I think your mom has done an awesome job of trying to be that kind of person who is just trying to is trying to live into what it looks like to follow God's will for the right being the right like you watch her make decisions and do different things for whether it's with her job or way she volunteers or coaches or whatever it may be. How do you see mom kind of going after those kind of things and trying to be that kind of person?
SPEAKER_01She never makes decisions for herself. It's always she always has other people in her mind. Like she'll like the other day with Millie, she went and coached her volleyball team when she really just wanted to watch, but she wanted Millie to have fun. So she went and coached Millie. Like she just makes decisions based on the people that she loves and put puts their interests before hers. So I think that's really good.
SPEAKER_00And I think that's not just uh because she's a good person, I think that's a Christ-like thing to do, right? I mean, that's the kind of stuff that Jesus did, is he put others before himself and showed us what sacrificial love looks like. And so maybe it's just coaching a volleyball game, but it's I think it's more than that. It's because your mom is so rooted in her faith. Those are the kinds of decisions that she makes. They're always selfless things, and you know, she works long hours and then goes and does those things because she just cares about cares about other people, and not just and it's not just Millie, it's all the other kids that she coaches and stuff like that. And I think there was one kid who was uh even on the volleyball team that was like, oh, she comes to youth group sometimes, and so there's like, oh well now I'm in youth group mode, and and uh right, it's like how has your summer been?
SPEAKER_02We haven't seen you since April.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so so yeah, I I love getting to watch it, and I think it does, it flows into every part of your life.
SPEAKER_02Well, and honestly, like I could turn that around and say the same thing about our kids. Like, I don't this podcast was not meant to be a like Metzger family like praise sort of session, but um, but I do genuinely like um I think the greatest reward that I have gotten out of parenting so far, having a 20-year-old, a 17-year-old, and a 13-year-old is learning from my own kids' faith, like and just seeing them, you know, lead each other. Like, I don't tell them you need to bring your Bibles to church and highlighters and pens to take notes. Like they do that on their own. And I don't even do that. I am guilty of not bringing my Bible to church and using the Pew Bible and you know, not doing my devotions every day. I catch myself all the time going to bed at night and being like, I didn't even read my Bible once today. But I am always encouraged by our girls and how dedicated they are to not only coming to church but to youth group and to other things and to just be faith leaders for their friends. And it it honestly is something that helps me go deeper in my faith, is how they lead me too with with how they show their faith. So I think it yeah, definitely goes both ways.
SPEAKER_00It's all, and we had this a person in college that's that said this phrase, but I don't think it's probably not he's probably not the only person. It's all about relationships. And it's the relationships that we have with one another that I think have instilled that some in our kids, but it's also the relationship that you have, that I have, that that we've tried to model with with Christ in like what that what we feel like that's supposed to look like. The closer you are to someone, the more you are kind of in tune with what their will for you might be, right? Like what their hope for you might be. And the more you know Christ, the more you know maybe the direction that you're that you're supposed to go and some of the things that you're supposed to do. And it becomes more natural, and it's not like a decision that you have to try to make, and it's just a natural outflow of who you are because of your relationship with him. And so I think things like that happen. You become selfless, you become someone who's dedicated to reading scripture, you become someone who wants to grow deeper in these things because of your relationship with him. And so I guess that's my encouragement to you all. We'll wrap this up. My encouragement is that it's if you want to know God's will, it's about knowing God more. The more you know God, the more you're gonna be able to know his will for your life. And it's just gonna become this kind of natural thing, and it's less about what exactly he wants you to do, and it's more about who he wants you to be and who he's making you into. So I think that's it. Thanks, Renee. Thanks, Holly.
SPEAKER_02You've earned your Finley Brewing Company burgers, all right. Or whatever it is you might want.
SPEAKER_00Shout out to Finley Brewing Company. We're coming out June. Do they have mac and cheese? Yes, they do. And it's delicious. So the this podcast is sponsored by Finley Brewing Company. That's not true. Um, but if you want to sponsor, throw some money at St. Mark's Way, that'd be great. All right. Hey, have a great week, and thanks for joining us for another Sermon Prep Podcast.