The Need for Vision
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The Need for Vision
The Need for Vision
Turn to - we’ll get there later
Do We Really Need Vision?
I want to begin this morning with a few questions to get us thinking about God’s purpose for our lives and for Sunnyside – might want to get your pens out. Some you may be able to answer right away, others you may need to ponder these throughout the week – either is fine.
I want to start off with a few questions this morning to get us thinking about God’s purpose for our lives and for Sunnyside – might want to get your pens out. Some you may be able to answer right away, others you may need to ponder these throughout the week – either is fine.
1) What is my immediate vision for God?
Here’s what I mean - what are my expectations of God right now. What do I expect God to be doing in my life – yesterday, today, tomorrow? Do you have any expectations during this service? What about later today or this week? Write down a few if you can.
Curious – how limited are those expectations? Of all your expectations for God, how many of them are centered upon me and my place in this world versus upon something bigger? Is your vision for God limited to God providing a better career, fixing an appliance, healing a pain or just making life better?
Not that any of those expectations are wrong, but how often do we limit God or squeeze Him into our little world.
Are my expectations for God more along the lines of “help me survive” or “thrive?”
Let me ask you this – how big is God? Theologically, most of us would agree that God is the biggest and bestest – He’s sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing, in control etc., but practically, do our lives reflect what we say we believe?
Let me ask again – how big is your God? I challenge you to take time this week to answer that question. You might be surprised. … small / limited to my corner
Now, we’re good at placing expectations on God, but what about knowing His vision for me? So, let’s flip this around a little:
2) What is God’s immediate vision for me?
What are God’s expectations of me right now? We’re good at saying, “God, this is what I would like you to do in my life right now.” But what is God asking us to do today? What is God asking me to start, to stop, or to work on, to change …? What is God doing in your life right now? What is He doing to shape you or prod you?
I’ll never forget the first time my friend Dwight Johnson asked, “Chad, what is God doing in your life?” I was like … uh… but I’ll tell you, I’ve never been afraid of that question ever sense.
Now expand that a little.
3) What is God’s greater vision for my life?
What I’m talking about here is direction. It might be a dream or a passion that is somewhere down the road. For example, when I began to sense God’s call to ministry, I had no idea what to do, where to go or where I would end up. I didn’t know any details, all I knew is that I had a desire in my heart to preach and that desire never went away.
So, what is God’s greater vision for you? What is in your heart that says there is something bigger and better out there? What is God calling me to that is bigger than me?
Some of you might say, “I had this idea, but I don’t think I can do that ...”
You’re telling me that is a lie? You’re telling me that God can give you a vision but He can’t fulfil it? It’s impossible for God?
You may need to reflect on these during the week, and I would encourage you to do so. Now, I ask those questions not to shame anyone (if you don’t know), but I ask to reveal something - if you don’t know God’s immediate and greater vision for you, or for your home or for this church, then where are you going?
If you’re not allowing God to shape you and if you’re not moving toward something, then where are you going? I’m not asking if you have all the details … we rarely do, but if not we’re just kind of existing. Tozer – Rut, Rot, Revival
And my fear is that too many Christians are visionless. In other words, they are content status quo, content with same ‘ole same ole,’ content with mediocre, content with comfortable. But let me ask you, where is that belief in God’s Word? You won’t find it!
As a matter of fact, you will find the opposite! God calls us to excellence. , we are to live lives worthy of the Gospel! we’re told to add to our faith goodness, and knowledge, and self-control and so on so that we will not be ineffective and unproductive. tells us to move on toward maturity. God began a good work in you and He wants to carry it on to completion. – we were created in Christ Jesus to do good and life-changing works. , Jesus says we can do greater works than He did. tells us that as we drink of Christ, rivers of living water should flow from within us.
So here’s what I’m asking – if God calls us toward excellence, to be the best we can be (I didn’t say the best, but the best we can be in our context – the best husband, the best wife, the best single, the best employee, the best son, daughter, the best church member, the best church, the best … ), are you and I being our best? Am I being the best pastor I can be?
C.S. Lewis uses this illustration – we are all like eggs. It is impossible to remain an egg forever – as much as we like. We can either hatch, gain our feathers and learn to fly or we go bad. We can either embrace God’s call to be our best, to embrace His vision, or we become rotten eggs.
Am I being my best? If the answer is no, or even I don’t know, it’s usually because we lack vision - vision for who God desires for us to be and what God desires for us to do. When we lack His vision, we don’t reach our potential. Therefore,
Vision is essential - individually and corporately.
I’ll define vision in a moment, but let first me ask this - Name one organism or one organization that can thrive or fulfill its purpose without a vision, without something to accomplish or without a greater purpose (besides the government)? You can’t. If any organism or organization ceases to fulfill its vision or purpose, it dies. For example, if the cells in your body cease to fulfill their vision for what they were designed to do – what happens? You have problems.
Do you think it’s any different with us? When we lack vision to fulfill what we were designed to do, what happens? Same thing, right – we have problems in our lives and in society. So, vision is essential. Vision is life-giving and the opposite is true, without vision – people perish – cover that in a moment.
And because God is prolife, physically, spiritually,
God is a vision-giver
God gives vision because He wants us to live, to thrive … (again, Eph. 2:10)
Let me show you what I mean. Turn to Genesis chapter 1 verse 27.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Now, God could have stopped there, but what would have happened? Probably not much. Seriously, without vision, all we have is two naked people sitting around wondering what to do. “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” “What are we supposed to be doing?” “I don’t know?” “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know.” But God didn’t stop there.
Now, God could have stopped there, but what would have happened? Probably not much. Seriously, without vision, all we have is two naked people sitting around wondering what to do. “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” “What are we supposed to be doing?” “I don’t know?” “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know.” But God didn’t stop there.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
God blessed them and said to them, He communicated a vision, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
God gave Adam and Eve a vision, something to accomplish - a purpose. Of course, Adam probably only heard “be fruitful!”
God gave Adam and Eve a vision, something to accomplish - a purpose. Of course, Adam probably only heard “be fruitful!”
God is the vision-giver. If God is the vision-giver, we need to answer two things - I) What is Vision and II) Why do we need Vision?
1) What is Vision?
Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
- Where there is no prophetic vision (or revelation) the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps he law (ESV).
Prophetic vision or revelation is divine communication.
Prophetic vision or revelation is divine communication. Some people think prophetic is some mystical means of telling the future. Sometimes, but rarely. Prophetic vision is a message from God communicated to people. “This is what I want you to know/do.” That’s what we just read - God communicated, gave a prophetic vision to Adam and Eve.
Some people think prophetic is some mystical means of telling the future. Sometimes, but rarely.
Prophetic vision is a message from God communicated to people.
“This is what I want you to know/do.” That’s what we just read - God communicated, gave a prophetic vision to Adam and Eve.
God communicates through various means– His Word, people, nature, dreams and so on. Is God still communicating today? So we still need vision.
2) Why Do We Need Vision?
We’ll be talking more about this next week, but let me give you a few things to think about. Vision has a positive and negative side. I think the positive side is clear - the person who keeps the law (vision) will be blessed - blessed meaning happy. Happy in God’s Kingdom has more to do with a sense of identity, peace and security than anything else. If I know that I’m doing what I am supposed to be doing - there is a sense of purpose, confidence, peace.
To ignore God’s vision or communication, of course is negative – it leads to chaos, death. People cast off restraint - literally to let down their hair. Meaning they let loose, become out of control or to run wild. When we lose sight of God’s vision, we become complacent, reckless, we create own morality, our own identity – chaos.
So why do we need vision? Just look at our world. Without divine revelation, people perish – including God’s people. We are just as susceptible to complacency and recklessness and mediocrity as anyone. We’re not exempt from this – that’s why we more than anyone need Gods’ vision.
So, let me close with some thoughts about what vision provides that we’ll revisit this with more clarity in the weeks to come. If you look at again, you’ll notice a pattern that is throughout God’s Word and is applicable to our lives.
God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
God … said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish ….”
Put these in terms of what is best – God’s vision is best; man’s vision is less …
Put these in terms of what is best – God’s vision is best; man’s vision is less …
a) God’s vision provides the best purpose
God gave Adam and Eve a reason for existing, something to do
b) God’s vision provides the best boundaries
The text is clear. The only helper suitable to Adam was who? Eve. He told them to multiply – that’s a good boundary. (God’s vision for marriage …)
c) God’s vision provides the best perspective
This vision from God was way beyond Adam and Eve.