One Vision
Notes
Transcript
18 When there’s no vision, the people get out of control, but whoever obeys instruction is happy.
One Vision
One Vision
Over the last several months we have been hearing about revival. The most profound example was as Asbury Bible College and Asbury Seminary in Kentucky. The revival fires have spread from college to college across our nation.
This past Sunday at the CrossRoads Cowboy Church of the Nazarene in El Paso, Arkansas, a small town of 267 people had more than 3,000 people attend their Easter service. The Nazarene News article reported that hundreds came to faith in Jesus at that service.
The article went on to state that they just celebrated their 10th anniversary since the church began and now has a membership of over 1,500 in a town of 267 people. It began with a vision of planting a Cowboy Church to reach the Western heritage culture with the gospel. Since beginning that have baptized over 900 individuals.
Over the past 20 years or so in church circles there has been a lot of emphasis placed on a church having a mission statement and a vision statement.
The mission statement of church was first given by Jesus himself when he said
18 Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”
MISSION defines our purpose and gives us the “why” for everything that we do. Our MISSION in the Church of the Nazarene is to make Christlike disciples in all the nations. This is why we exist. Jesus gave us that mission. The mission always stays the same.
So the Mission gives us the “why” for what we do. We do it because that is what Jesus said.
VISION sets the course for where we are going. It represents the dream of what could be and
clarifies the goals to be accomplished. This is how we live out the mission in our generation. The vision will sometimes change.
Going back to our Scripture text and reading it again
18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.
The Hebrew word that is used for revelation or vision does not refer to looking into the future. It is referring to a prophetic vision or oracle. Isaiah opens his book with these words Isa 1:1 “1 The vision about Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw in the days of Judah’s kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.”
This vision that Isaiah had revealed the will of God for Judah and Jerusalem. One author used the phrase “inspired guidance” to define this biblical vision.
In the second part of our text it says that “the people cast of restraint.” Another translations says that the “people get out of control.”
One of the biggest examples of that getting out of control in the Old Testament was when Moses was up on the mountain getting the Law from God and Aaron is persuaded to make an idol for the people to worship. They got out of control. We read in Exodus 32:25 “25 Moses saw that the people were out of control because Aaron had let them get out of control, making them an easy target for their enemies.”
Remember God had been speaking through Moses. He was now up on that mountain so they temporarily lost their source of revelation or vision from God and they got out of control.
Without vision we walk toward an unspecified destination, like the Israelites wandering in the desert. Without vision we have effort without outcome. Without vision we lack alignment and unity.
Isn’t that what we have been witnessing in the Church over the last 20 or more years? Why are we witnessing churches abandoning the Christian faith and blessing things that God calls sin?
The prophetic voice has been silenced. Many churches have turned to the idolatry of sexual sin. Look at what we are seeing with the transsexual movement. Our children are being raised in an unrestrained world.
George Kufeldt in his commentary on this passage wrote:
The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 2: Job–Song of Solomon E. The Second Collection of Proverbs of Solomon—Continued (29:1–27)
Out of touch with God, man loses his humanness, and thus goes wild, becoming little better than the animal world. It is our capacity for fellowship with God that separates us from the animals; and if we refuse this, we reject our claim to being human.
Why would we operate without vision? Because sometimes we have to wait for God to reveal his vision to us. In our impatience, we tend to fall into the trap of just “doing the work” even if the appointed time has not yet come.
Your board and I the last two months have been talking about where we are going as a church. I spoke leading up to Lent about who we are as Christians. The first message in that series was being Crucified with Christ because that is where it begins. If we have not been crucified with Jesus we are not really a Christian.
I reminded us of how we are supposed to live and I quoted from one of my favorite authors who wrote
Our words do not reach them, because we have forgotten our mother tongue. So the mother tongue, our “first language”, is a language of confidence in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and a language of certainty about the power of the gospel to transform. (Maxie Dunham)
In the last message in that series I spoke about pursuing holiness. Be holy as I the Lord Your God is Holy.
The USA/Canada Region of the Church of the Nazarene has been praying and developing a fresh vision for our denomination here in North America.
The Vision Statement for the Church of the Nazarene’s USA/Canada Region is as follows:
Mobilizing all Nazarenes in unity
Blessing our communities
Bringing people to Jesus
Becoming Christlike disciples
These for statements are being translated into our emphasis over the next 4 years. This year is about mobilizing in unity. Without unity we are not going to get much done because everyone will want to do their own thing.
Your board and I have talked about the principles of Nazarene Discipleship International and how they can guide us.
The first principle is Fervent Prayer. You are going to be hearing more about this in the upcoming months. James wrote
James 5:16 (NKJV)
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Fervent prayer is a deep, focused, and passion-filled petition to God. It means we purposefully spend sufficient time in intercession. Fervent prayer means we cry out to the Father, sometimes in tears, with our heart and soul. Fervent prayer comes as the Holy Spirit assists us in praying with groanings too deep for words.
So, how do we live into God’s Vision for our generation?
The story of Samuel offers a way for the church to shift from Mission to Vision of God in
these days. Samuel’s mother, Hannah, couldn’t have imagined the results of her prayer. She prayed for a child and literally gave him to the Lord. Her act of earnest crying out and her costly obedience were the beginning of a powerful change in that generation and beyond.
1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.
2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,
3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down,
4 that the Lord called Samuel. And he answered, “Here I am!”
5 So he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” And he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” And he went and lay down.
6 Then the Lord called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”
7 (Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.)
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy.
9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”
Verse one describes the conditions of Judah when Samuel was a boy. I Samuel 3:1 “1 Now the boy Samuel was serving the Lord under Eli. The Lord’s word was rare at that time, and visions weren’t widely known.” It was a time of great wickedness in Eli’s home by his sons.
We are familiar with this passage, the verse to take note of is there in verse 10 where Samuel said “Speak, for Your servant hears.”
God has woken him three times and each time he thought it was Eli that was calling him. He didn’t recognize that it was God who was speaking to him.
Keep LISTENING. The vision has to come from God. We must wait for the vision to come from
him. His plan in his time. Eli got himself in trouble because he didn’t listen.
It is a common problem that we try to rush God or try to make him operate on our time frame. It doesn’t work that way. We need to be listening to God.
I read the following example of the importance of listening to God. There was a man who wanted to know if the Holy Spirit was real. He prayed and asked God how he could serve him. He said that God impressed on him that he should send some money to Dwight L Moody the evangelist. He sent him a check and told him that he could use the money for himself or if he didn’t need it he could give it to someone else who needed it. Moody wrote a letter to the man after receiving the check.
"Your letter arrived at the same time as a letter from a distressed brother requesting the same amount. You've made him happy, my heart joyful, and the Lord will reward you." D. L. Moody.
This was more shocking to that Christian than a direct revelation from heaven. How amazing that his request was met regarding his seek for Holy Spirit evidence!
This amazing conjuncture of time, desire, and amount could never have happened by accident or the natural heart and will. Strangest of all, the parties had never met, known, or corresponded. Mr. Moody didn't realize he wanted one or needed the other until he opened the letters. The prayer was in one envelope, the answer in the other.
We need to listen to God.
11 The Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of all who hear it tingle!
12 On that day, I will bring to pass against Eli everything I said about his household—every last bit of it!
13 I told him that I would punish his family forever because of the wrongdoing he knew about—how his sons were cursing God, but he wouldn’t stop them.
14 Because of that I swore about Eli’s household that his family’s wrongdoing will never be reconciled by sacrifice or by offering.”
15 Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of the Lord’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.
16 But Eli called Samuel, saying: “Samuel, my son!” “I’m here,” Samuel said.
17 “What did he say to you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide anything from me. May God deal harshly with you and worse still if you hide from me a single word from everything he said to you.”
18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. “He is the Lord,” Eli said. “He will do as he pleases.”
Keep LEADING. Don’t hold anything back! Samuel had to face his fears and speak the truth to Eli.
You will need to face your fears. You will need to choose the difficult path. You will need to
obey. Is it easy to share your faith? It can be scary, but God will be with you.
Listen to this, There is no growth in the comfort zone. There is no comfort in the growth zone.
We need to get out of our comfort zone so that we can grow.
19 So Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not allowing any of his words to fail.
20 All Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was trustworthy as the Lord’s prophet.
21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh because the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh through the Lord’s own word.
Keep LEARNING. If you stop learning, you stop growing.
This is an importance aspect of fulfilling the vision that God has given. We have to keep learning so that we can keep growing in our faith.
Going deeper with God will actually confront all our broken ways of relating to people and how we interact with the world. God will not work in our lives while we avoid the people around us, which usually makes this area the most uncomfortable. In growing deeper with God, He will provide us with the breath and stamina to make the climb, walk the path, and experience growth.
First Samuel 2:26 says, "Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the LORD and with the people." Samuel had not arrived . . . he continued to grow in favor with God and people. It was a lifelong journey of learning and growing.
Be intentional about your choices: Consider how your actions and decisions reflect your faith. Seek to make choices that honor God and reflect His character.
Seek to grow in your faith: Look for opportunities to learn and grow in your understanding of God and His ways. Attend conferences, read books by Christian authors, and seek out mentors who can guide and encourage you.
Remember, living out your Christian faith is a journey that requires intentional effort and commitment. Stay connected to God and seek His guidance as you seek to follow Him faithfully.
Shifting from Mission to Vision must be intentional. You will need to identify the opportunities God is giving you to fulfill His mission for your life.
Mobilizing all Nazarenes in unity - Am I actively engaging in God's vision for his church?
Blessing our communities - How can I be a blessing to my community?
Bringing people to Jesus - Who in my life is desperate for the hope of Jesus?
Becoming Christlike disciples - What step out of my comfort zone is God asking me to take?
How do I live into God's Vision for our generation?
Keep Listening.
Keep Leading.
Keep Learning.
Our dreams and visions are not limited by our own imaginations. God has a vision for us that is beyond anything we can think, dream, or do. We are relying on God to actively work in his unlimited power to bring us where he wants us to be for his glory.
Ephesians 3:20-21 “Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen.”
Father, we praise your name. Give us courage to dream kingdom-size dreams and to trust that you will do more than we can ever imagine. May everything we do be for your glory alone