THE NEED FOR A VISION
(multiple sermon points below)
Proverbs 29:18
Intro: It is important that each of us have a vision for what God wants us to
do. The church should have a corporate vision true, but each of us must see
ourselves as individuals with personal visions that come together make up a
greater vision.
Churches need to understand that today --- God has a purpose and plan for each
Church --- and they need to be devoted to accomplishing it.
The average Church today though is like a football game --- you have 22 players
in desperate need of rest being watched by 50,000 people in desperate need to
exercise.
So what should we do about getting a vision?
I. Seek God For Direction
1. You don’t need to ask God what you
need to do as much as how you need to go and do it.
2. Most want to make the idea of a vision a difficult accomplishment.
We want to sweat, toil and agonize over “What does God want me to do?”
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
a. Persuade men (2 Cor 5:11 KJV) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we
persuade men;
b. Fulfill ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18 KJV) And all things are of
God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation;
c. Be ambassadors for Him (2 Cor 5:20 KJV) Now then we are ambassadors for
Christ,
d. Mathew 28:19 - teach & baptize
e. Mark 16:15 -
f. (Luke 14:23 KJV) And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways
and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
g. (John 20:21 KJV) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my
Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
h. (Mark 13:10 KJV) And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
i. (Psa 96:3 KJV) Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all
people.
3. WE HAVE A MISSION and we cannot afford to lose sight of that mission
illustration (ILLUS):
About 350 years ago a shipload of travelers landed on the
northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The
next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government
planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness. In the fourth
year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it
was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a
wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway? Here were people who had the vision
to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome great obstacles to get
there. But in just a few years they were not able to see even five miles out of
town. They had lost their pioneering vision. Many preachers surrender to preach
with a vision for lost souls and leading God’s people in service to Him. In the
midst of a committee meeting far, far away, that flame, that fire of vision for
the Lord’s work begins to die out. Friends, if we fail as the leadership of the
Lord’s churches to have a vision, not our own mind you, but God’s vision for us,
we will be like the people in this illustration. We will lose our pioneering
spirit. We will become grumblers. We will become ineffective.
4. We need to seek God for His method.
- It is not God’s perfect will:
a. That any should perish
b. That should walk in sickness
c. That any live under a curse
d. Any remain under Satan’s bondage
ILLUS. Moses God told him to build a temple, but it did not stop with just a
vision for a temple God gave him the plans in detail.
Noah, God said it is going to rain, build an ark. Not only did he have a vision
but also God gave him direction or a detailed plan as to how it was to be done.
II. Trust God
1. One of the hardest things that God has
to deal with from us is our lack of trust in Him.
2. Don’t be afraid to do what he has called you
to do.
- If He has called you He will not only empower you but He will go with you.
3. It may seem impossible for you but God say’s,
“trust me”
Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible
with God.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to
him that believeth.
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches
in glory by Christ Jesus.
Psalms 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
4. We have all of these great promises from God’s Word but yet most live as if
they are not true.
- Many Christians live as if this Bible is not the never failing Word of God.
- “If God really wanted me to tell others about Him He would have made me a
missionary”
- “If God wants those people to get saved then He can lead them to a church.”
ILLUS. Gladys Aylward, missionary to China more than fifty years ago, was forced
to flee when the Japanese invaded Yangcheng. But she could not leave her work
behind. With only one assistant, she led more than a hundred orphans over the
mountains toward Free China. In their book "The Hidden Price of Greatness," Ray
Besson and Ranelda Mack Hunsicker tell what happened:
During Gladys’s harrowing journey out of war-torn Yangcheng ... she grappled
with despair as never before. After passing a sleepless night, she faced the
morning with no hope of reaching safety. A 13-year-old girl in the group
reminded her of their much-loved story of Moses and the Israelites crossing the
Red Sea. "But I am not Moses," Gladys cried in desperation. "Of course you
aren’t," the girl said, "but Jehovah is still God!"
When Gladys and the orphans made it through, they proved once again that no
matter how inadequate we feel, God is still God, and we can trust in him.
III. Be Persistent
1. We cannot allow anything to come
between us and our vision.
2. Satan will try to tell us:
- It is too hard to do.
- It is too big of a challenge.
- There is no way that you can do it.
- No one will come
3. God says go, don’t stop, and ‘don’t give up!’
ILL. A father had just put his young daughter to bed. He had just settled
himself in the living room, when she called out from her bed, "Daddy, will you
please bring me some MILK?" "No, Sally," said her Dad, "you’ve already HAD your
milk!" A few minutes later she called out again: "Daddy, I want some MILK,
please!" "No, Sally," said her father, "I’m busy now. Go to sleep and don’t call
me again!" Her father thought that that should settle the matter. However, not
two minutes later, Sally called AGAIN: "Daddy, PLEASE bring me some MILK!" "Now
listen, Sally," said her father, "if you aren’t quiet, I’m going to come and
give you a SMACK!" There was a short silence. Then Sally called out: "Daddy,
WHEN you come to give me a smack, will you please bring me some MILK?"
4. Persistence leads to Perseverance
ILL. A page from John Wesley’s Diary reads as follows: Sunday morning, May 5,
preached in St. Ann’s, was asked not to come back anymore. Sunday p.m., May 5,
preached at St. John’s, deacons said, "Get out and stay out." Sunday a.m., May
12, preached at St. Jude’s, can’t go back there either. Sunday p.m., May 12,
preached at St. George’s, kicked out again. Sunday a.m., May 19, preached at St.
somebody else’s, deacons called special meeting and said I couldn’t return.
Sunday p.m., May 19, preached on the street, kicked off the street. Sunday a.m.,
May 26, preached in meadow, chased out of meadow as a bull was turned loose
during the services. Sunday a.m., June 2, preached out at the edge of town,
kicked off the highway. Sunday p.m., June 2, afternoon service, preached in a
pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me.
5. Cannot allow past failures to keep us from what God has called us to do.
IV. Be Passionate for the Vision
God has given you.
1. An anointing
- A program is just a program until God pours His anointing upon it then it
becomes a ministry.
2. A desire for souls
Like Paul:
Rom 9:3(NIV) For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for
the sake of my brothers, those of my own race,
Like Stephen:
Acts 7:56And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing
on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped
their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city,
and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet,
whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying,
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud
voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he
fell asleep.
3. A God given Vision gives a desire to work.
- God does not want you shamed into doing what it is that you have been called
to do.
- He expects us to walk with excitement that we are called chosen and set apart
for doing His work.
1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the
glory of God. (NIV)
Col 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (NIV)
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
(KJV)
Eccl 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (NIV)
The Necessity of a Real Vision
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision,
the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.
I. VISION IS: THE ABILITY TO SEE: AWARENESS.
A) Webster: 1. The faculty of sight, 2. Unusual foresight, 3. A mental image
produced by the imagination, 4. The experience of the supernatural as if with
the eyes.
B) To see like Joshua and Caleb did Num 14:6-9
1) Optimist or Pessimist? I read about a schoolboy who brought home his report
card. It was heavy with poor grades. "What have you to say about this?" asked
his father. "One thing for sure," the boy replied, "Dad, you can be proud. You
know I haven’t been cheating!"
2) Having a vision is more than just looking on the bright side. It is looking
on God’s side.
Finding the vision God has for us takes time and prayer. God’s training is the
time of prayer seeking God’s location.
3) What if the vision God gives is not the vision we would have chosen?
Then "Bloom where you are planted."
II. VISION IS: THE FAITH TO BELIEVE: ATTITUDE
A) Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation’s deserts. All
vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on
that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead,
they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what
was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But
hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with
freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.
B) Satan’s greatest attack on the vision that God gives each of us is our
attitude.
1) An attitude that says "No body else cares so why should I."
2) An attitude that says "No body appreciates anything I do so let’s see what
they do when I don’t."
III. VISION IS: THE COURAGE TO DO: ACTION.
Faith is the food that visions live on. Without faith, our vision will
wither on the vine.
That is time between me and God.
B) The courage of vision is to say "Lord if that is you, let me come to you
walking on the water."
C) The courage of vision is to say "As for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord."
D) The courage of vision is to say "If God be for us, who can be against us."
E) The courage of Vision is to say "The trials of this life are not worthy to be
compared with the glory of the next life."
The Necessity of a God-given Vision for the Local Church
"vision for ministry is a reflection of what God wants to accomplish through you
to build His Kingdom." (not your kingdom) Vision is the God-given ability to see
possible solutions to everyday problems of life.
John Maxwell defines vision in a three-fold manner; "The ability to
see---awareness. The ability to believe---attitude. The ability to do---action."
Vision is the ability to see beyond the surface of human potential. It is not
what we are but what we desire to become. Vision is a mental picture of a
desired future. It is a picture that can be seen of what is not yet, but of what
can be. Our present belief is a reflective of our vision. Where we are in life
is directly connected to our vision or the lack thereof. There is a Japanese
proverb that says; "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision
is a nightmare." Vision will turn lukewarm, lazy, sleeping church members into
red-hot, living soldiers in the grand cause of changing a generation. Vision
gives us stability, guidance, joy and excitement. The God-given vision will
bring glory to God and fit us into His eternal purpose. A true vision from God
is not self-seeking, but praises God and brings glory to Jesus Christ.
No organization will survive without vision. Apart from vision, individuals will
perish. Without vision our children will perish. Without vision, communities
will perish. Without vision, churches will perish. Without vision, societies
will perish. Without vision, lost souls will perish. Without vision, the sick
and the elderly will perish. Without vision, we as a people will surely perish.
The word perish as used in the text, infers that apart from vision, the people
will run wild. It means, a lack of restraint. Our world has gone wild, it is a
reflection of a people who are without vision. Someone has said, that vision is
foresight with insight based on hindsight.
I. We Need Vision to Lead Us into Divine Purpose.
We need the God-kind of vision that will enable us to find our self-worth in
helping to build the kingdom of God.
A. Pray for vision.
B. Pursue the vision.
C. Ponder our vision.
II. We Need Vision to Empower Our Inward Man. We need the Word of God to
enliven our vision. True vision is a result of the logos and the rhema word. The
logos is the revealed word of God. The rhema is the spoken word of God. The
rhema word is the Holy Spirit quickening the logos and transferring it into our
hearts. The lifeline of vision is God’s Word. The church must not simply start
at 11:30 sharp and end at 13:00 p.m.
A. Search the scriptures.
B. Sift the scriptures.
C. Share the scriptures.
Our work is to take this vision of Jesus and reproduce it in others, sharing the
good news of deliverance.
III. We Need Vision to Keep Us Connected to Each Other.
Vision will place the church on one accord. It gives us what was present in
the early church. Both: vision and mission are two important components of the
church. Mission is the general rule for all churches. Mission includes outreach,
fellowship , worship, discipleship and service. But vision is specific to the
uniqueness of a specific church. Whenever the body of Christ can get on the same
page with the Holy Spirit, the church will experience the unlimited power of
God.
IV. We Need Vision as a Trampoline for Change. Vision will catapult us beyond
the blockades of life.
A. Evaluate our present condition.
B. Enforce the need for change.
C. Energize our efforts.
V. We Need to Know What Our Vision Encompasses.
We must have vision to share the gospel.
We must have a vision to grow in the grace of God.
We must have a vision of a people with a greater respect for God’s church-house.
VI. We Must Be Mindful of the Vision Killers.
A. Complacency
B. Carnality
C. Carelessness
D. Critics
E. Customariness
VII. We Must Give ourselves Totally to the Fulfilling of Our Vision.
A. Commitment
B. Compassion
C. Contributors
D. Commonality (unity)
E. Combatant ( solder of Christ)
F. Courage
G. Communicators
God's Vision For a Church
Rev 3:7-13
From Revelation, we are going to see God give a church such a vision one that
will change it into a dynamic soul winning church, life-changing force in their
community.
Four times, God commands the Philadelphian believers to behold. Then, He tells
them what He expects them to see.
He is giving them a vision. He wants every church to be Philadelphian in its
character.
He reminds them that He is holy and true.
He makes the rules, and He has the power to enforce them.
When He opens a door, no power in hell or earth can shut it. When He closes a
door, there is no power that can open it again.
He governs the events on earth. He is the head of the church and the Lord of the
universe.
I. Their Opportunity
A. What it meant to them
1. A divine opening to reap a harvest of souls.
Throughout the New Testament, an open door always refers to
an occasion for preaching the Gospel with fruitfulness
a. Acts 14:27
b. 1 Corinthians 16:9
c. 2 Corinthians 2:12
d. Colossians 4:3
2. That God would supply the resources they needed to accomplish the task.
a. He'd give them the workers
b. He'd give them the want to.
c. He'd give them whatever it would take to get the job done. He
will not withhold anything necessary from a church that is required for it to
evangelize its community.
B. Why it was given for
1. Their outlook a little strength
What is the significance of little strength? Until we admit our helplessness, we
aren't going to seek strength from someone else. And a church realizes that it
only has a little strength is one that has learned its real power must come from
God.
a. This congregation had discovered they had no strength in themselves,
but great power in God.
b. They had learned to fast, pray, and wait upon God to rely upon God, to
expect Him to do great works.
2. Their obedience kept the Word.
a. They read God's Word, taught God's Word, preached God's Word, loved
God's Word, and stood by God's Word.
b. God blesses those who honor His Word by con-forming their lives to it.
One reason why so many churches today have no power and no vision is that they
treat God's Word like they would any other book. The Philadelphian believers had
respect for the Word of God. They lived like it as a holy Book, an inspired
Book, and an authoritative Book.
3. Their outreach did not denied my Name
a. This congregation was made up of people who refused to hide their
allegiance to Jesus Christ.
b. They were not ashamed of their faith, nor too embarrassed to speak
boldly for Jesus Christ. That is the kind of character in a church that gets
them an open door a great evangelistic opportunity.
II. The Opposition
A group that was opposing the work of God in Philadelphia. Although the
conflict was real, the outcome was already determined.
A. A familiar opponent verse 9
1. This is the second time that God has identified a group of people as
the instruments of Satan.
2. This is what makes authentic spiritual power necessary.
b. Satan hides his armies behind false fronts of religion and
society, but we must always remember that our real opposition comes from the
devil.
B. The final outcome verse 10
Jesus was commanding this church to look to the end of the age. He was
reminding them that all God's enemies will bow at the feet of Jesus and His
bride the church.
In verse 10, Jesus speaks of the hour of temptation, the worldwide, great
tribulation. The final chapter of human history has already been written, and
the people of God will be on the winning side.
III. Their Reward
The last things that Jesus mentions about the open door are His coming and
our rewards. That is because the two are so closely related. Hold that fast
which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. He was telling us that there is no
place for quitting until Jesus comes, until we stand at the judgment seat of
Christ and the crown is placed upon our head.
The final words of verse 12 remind us that that the rewards of heaven, unlike
those of earth, are eternal. The overcomer the one who finishes the race and
wins the prize will be made like a pillar in the temple of God. They will bear
the Name of God .
Seven Visions that speak life
into your family
Habakkuk 2:2 Then the LORD answered me
and said, "Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads
it may run.
1. PURPOSE
Seeking God’s purpose above your own.
2 Tim 1:9NKJV who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to
our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in
Christ Jesus before time began,
2. RELATIONSHIP
Pursuing a deeper relationship with God and others
Ps 63:1NKJV O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
3. PROTECTION
Divine protection from evil
Ps 1:6TEV The righteous are guided and protected by the LORD, but the evil are on
the way to their doom.
4. GUIDANCE
Seeking direction from God
Ps 37:23NKJV The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his
way.
5. ENCOURAGEMENT
Rom 14:19NKJV Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the
things by which one may edify another.
6. KINDNESS
Eph 4:32NKJV And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
just as God in Christ forgave you.
7. FUN
Eph 5:18-19NKJV
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with
the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Vision
Mark 10:46-52
Bartimaeus was physically blind and that’s bad but listen to what blind Helen
Keller said - ‘It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.’
That’s true for many believers. They received the Lord and are on their way to
heaven, yet they are living life without any sense of vision and purpose.
Proverbs 29:18 tells us that when there’s no vision, people perished.
Three things happen to us when we lack vision:
1. It will rob us of our blessings and leave us in a perpetual state of
need.
Many Christians go through life having a ‘handout’ mentality. Like Bartimaeus,
they live off the little that they receive from others. They constantly look to
people to provide for their needs when the Lord’s will is that they may ‘prosper
even as their souls prosper.’
God wants to bless us so we can be a blessing. He wants His children to walk in
that abundance of grace.
2. It will keep us out of God’s plan and purpose and cause us to miss a
move of God.
Bartimaeus was on the side of the road. His blindness has completely immobilized
him. He went through the motions everyday but there is no movement. Life just
passed him by.
God is on the move. We have to ride the wave of His Spirit. He has anointed us
to act and given us the unction to function in His Kingdom.
3. It will prevent us from seeing Jesus and instead we see problems and
limitations.
I’m so glad Bartimaeus was blind but not deaf and dumb. The key to vision is in
hearing and shouting!
Jesus did three things and got back
His vision:
1. He chose to believe in the Jesus’ reputation as healer.
Faith pleases God and rewards the seeker.
2. He had a shout that got Jesus’ attention.
It was a shout of desperation. He recognized that he’s a sinner and cried out
for mercy. When the crowd tried to silent him, he ignored them.
3. He pursued his miracle and went all the way.
By throwing away his cloak, he’s saying ‘I’m not going back to the same-old
routine anymore. I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired – having to beg and
live off the crumbs.’ He refused to be denied. Let’s all be people of vision
