Vision Essentials
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In Alice in Wonderland, Alice asked the Cheshire cat a very important question. “Which way I ought to go?” The cat replied with an equally important question: “where do you want to end up?” She said, “It doesn’t really matter.” His reply “If it doesn’t matter where you end up, then any old road will do.”
Vision Essentials
In Alice in Wonderland, Alice asked the Cheshire cat a very important question. “Which way I ought to go?” The cat replied with an equally important question: “where do you want to end up?” She said, “It doesn’t really matter.” His reply “If it doesn’t matter where you end up, then any old road will do.”
There are many people and churches who are like Alice - they don’t know which way to go or what they should be doing or where they should end up and consequently, they don’t know if they’re accomplishing God’s will.
We don’t want to be like that. We want to know if we’re being effective for the Kingdom of God. We want to be a church who follows God’s plan, God’s vision.
Is vision really necessary for me and for the church? That’s a valid question, so understand this - the purpose of a vision is to establish a clear definition of who we are, what we need to do and where we need to go.
Remember, God’s vision gives us the best purpose, boundaries and perspective -
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
- Where there is no [divine] revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
When pastors talk about vision - a lot of different thoughts and images can run through our minds. Without a clear understanding of what the pastor is talking about, we can find ourselves disengaged, or fearful, maybe angry, confused, or maybe feeling left out - and none of those are healthy for a church.
When pastors talk about vision - a lot of different thoughts and images can run through our minds. Without a clear understanding of what the pastor is talking about, we can find ourselves disengaged, or fearful, maybe angry, confused, or maybe feeling left out - and none of those are healthy for a church.
For example - as I have mentioned vision in the past, I have heard a few responses like “What is wrong with us?” or “I like this church just the way it is.” Vision doesn’t necessarily imply that we’re bad or that something is wrong. And it doesn’t necessarily imply that we will lose who we are. Again, vision helps us establish a clear idea of who we are, what we need to do and where we need to go according to the Spirit’s direction and biblical principles (or ethos).
As we move forward to discover God’s vision for Sunnyside … must remember that
Vision is not about church growth.
Vision is never about what we can do to attract more people to make our congregation bigger. Vision is not about marketing schemes, fancy logos and catchy phrases.
Vision is always about Kingdom growth
- how can we bring more people into the Kingdom of God. And the best way to do that is to know God’s specific vision for our congregation. As we grow the Kingdom, inside and outside, and as we exalt Christ and proclaim Christ - Christ builds His church. We do our part and He does His.
So this morning I want to look at Philippians chapter 1. The apostle Paul was not necessarily writing about vision - but this church was a model church and we can learn a lot about vision from this letter.
People can get way off track when it comes to developing a vision for the church. I don’t want to do that. So what I’m doing this morning is inviting every person into a covenant, if you will, of accountability - that we will hold each other accountable to these four essentials of vision.
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Essential Number 1
Essential Number 1
1. Remember Who We Serve
Paul wrote this letter to encourage the Philippian congregation, the first church he ever planted. So, they had great mutual affection, which is noticeable throughout his letter. They were familiar with one another. Regardless, right from the beginning Paul emphasized, as he did in several of his letters, that he was above all else a servant of Christ Jesus. James and Peter did that as well - “I am a servant of Christ Jesus.
The word here is doulos - a bondservant. A bondservant is someone who has willingly sells himself into slavery, and not necessarily out of drudgery or desperation, but out of joy and affection for the master. A bondservant is one who is willingly committed solely to another.
Scripture consistently emphasizes that in the Kingdom of God, we are to be servants of who? Christ only. For example,
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Christ and Christ only is to be my master. He is to be the one I serve. Can’t serve two masters. We are to be servants of Christ - not servants of self, or of people or of ….
Christ and Christ only is to be my master. He is to be the one I serve. Can’t serve two masters. We are to be servants of Christ - not servants of self, or of people or of ….
In the next chapter, we are to have the same servant attitude as Christ - which if you read it, you’ll notice His attitude is characterized by humility and obedience.
In keeping with vision -
Vision is a call to humble obedience in service to Christ.
Any church vision or mission that is void of humility and obedience and pushes away from service and Christlikeness - it’s a misguided vision and we want nothing to do with it.
Somewhere in the vision, there must be a call to humble ourselves and serve to Christ by serving those whom He wants us to serve. Right now, we don’t know who that is, but whenever we think we have the vision, it cannot be about us - it must be about serving Christ.
So essential number 1 - remember who we serve
Essential Number 2
2. Remember Why We Serve
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now …
Paul is grateful that they are partners together in the gospel - in spreading the good news about Jesus Christ.
Paul is grateful that they are partners together in the gospel - in spreading the good news about Jesus Christ.
We talked about this last week so I’m not going to elaborate much, but remember God calls us into partnership with Him, to join Him in the rescue of sinners, of helping bring freedom to those in captivity to sin.
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe .... I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose …. For we are co-workers in God’s service…
Why do we serve? It’s not to be busy. It’s not to impress others; it’s not so we don’t feel guilty. One of the main reasons the Church exists, and one of the main reasons why we serve is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ - that we can have new life now.
Why do we serve? It’s not to be busy. It’s not to impress others; it’s not so we don’t feel guilty. One of the main reasons the Church exists, and one of the main reasons why we serve is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ - that we can have new life now.
It is essential that the vision and the church be gospel-centered - that Jesus Christ died on a cross, paid for our sins, rose from the grave, so that we can have everlasting life - now and later. The vision is not about becoming relevant or about becoming or trendy or attractive. The Gospel is already relevant and attractive. We just need to make certain to live in such a way that validates the relevance and attractiveness of the gospel. We’ll talk about that later.
Essential Number 3
This one can get a little touchy, so let’s spend some time here.
3. We Accept Progress and Perfection
Progress means things change. Culture, technology, people etc. We don’t do church like we did 50 years. Things change, like it or not and we have to accept some progress or we really do become irrelevant.
The word Perfection refers to the process of being perfected.
Understand that
Progress and perfection are not the enemies of Christianity.
The opposite is true, that God often orchestrates change, progress, perfecting those He loves.
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Paul continues that … being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Who began the good work? God. He is the initiator, but He’s also the One who carries out the process until the work is finished. In , Jesus is called the author and perfecter of our faith. Again, He’s the initiator and perfecter. And perfecter simply means that He’s the one who completes the work. And completing the work is a process - there is a beginning, then there’s all the middle work and then the end.
Who began the good work? God. He is the initiator, but He’s also the One who carries out the process until the work is finished. In , Jesus is called the author and perfecter of our faith. Again, He’s the initiator and perfecter. And perfecter simply means that He’s the one who completes the work. And completing the work is a process - there is a beginning, then there’s all the middle work and then the end.
When will the work be completed? When either we go to meet Jesus or He comes to meet us. In the meantime, there’s a lot of process of perfecting that needs to take place. God doesn’t leave us the way we are - He’s continually shaping and molding us and His Church to become everything He desires for us to be.
This is
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What does that sound like? It sounds like progress and perfecting to me. Nowhere in Scripture is our faith to be static. Nowhere in Scripture does it ever indicate that any individual or church arrives. We are to never stop learning about God and His Word; we are never to stop growing in the faith - we are to never become static as individuals and as a church.
What does that sound like? It sounds like progress and perfecting to me. Nowhere in Scripture is our faith to be static. Nowhere in Scripture does it ever indicate that any individual or church arrives. We are to never stop learning about God and His Word; we are never to stop growing in the faith - we are to never become static as individuals and as a church.
The moment a person or church loses its willingness to change, to progress and to be perfected is the moment it dies.
1) What was the initial vision of SCN? Do you think that vision is complete? Do you think we’ve reached everybody for Christ that we will ever reach? Is now the time to rest? No. Now is the time, with God’s help, to carry on the vision until Christ says we’ve finished the race.
We must remember who we serve and why we serve; we must accept progress and the work of being perfected, and lastly,
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.
So here, Paul is saying that no matter what happens to me - whether I am in prison or out there preaching the gospel, we share in God’s grace. The word share here means we are mutual partakers of the same thing. In other words, we’re in this together - no matter what happens, we’re in this together. We share God’s grace together. We share His death, His resurrection, His story … we share God’s vision. We share God’s purpose.
So here, Paul is saying that no matter what happens to me - whether I am in prison or out there preaching the gospel, we share in God’s grace. The word share here means we are mutual partakers of the same thing. In other words, we’re in this together - no matter what happens, we’re in this together. We share God’s grace together. We share His death, His resurrection, His story … we share God’s vision. We share God’s purpose.
Essential Number 4
4. We Encourage Unity
Unity in the church is imperative - it is not optional. As we move closer to the vision, we must be on high alert. The Devil and his angels would like nothing more than to disrupt, discourage and destroy the good work of God in this church. Unity to Christ; unity to grace; unity to truth; and unity to love is imperative and it must be cultivated; it must be intentional.
Unity must be an act of the will - we must choose to make it a priority. Unity doesn’t automatically happen because we’re Christian or we go to the same church. Unity, not uniformity (don’t need to dress the same, smell the same …) - unity to the Christian essentials must be intentionally cultivated.
We’re a family and we’re going to disagree, but we can’t allow those disagreements to take root and give way for the enemy to destroy what God wants to do.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
… Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus ….
As we move forward in discovering God’s will and vision for SCN, let us remember who we serve, why we serve Him, let us accept progress and the Spirit’s perfecting work and let’s do it all together.