In Transit - Vision Sunday
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
A NEW THING | Last Week - Revealed the name | Had Vision Night | Excited | Explain teaching series & overall theme | God gave me word for His church, I was like “Really?” Should shape attitude of hearts, minds, walk.
God said, This theme not an “IF” or an “I” but it’s a “WE” - Done in Unity.
2 weeks ago - Exodus - Army around Moses, Against the Red Sea - No where to Go - Cried out to God - Be silent - to stand FIRM. and Then he said;
The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.
GO FORWARD. Our Theme -
IN TRANSIT - We’re on the Move AND We have BIG FAITH in Where we’re going.
3 Parts to this - 1st - We’re on the Move
Means we are moving - As a Church we are moving, As a Body of Believers we are moving, but as a Child of God, our Situation is moving |
New Thing - Do you not percieve it? | Your Addiciton…You’re not staying there, OTM | Relationship isn’t Dead, OTM | Feel far from God? OTM | it means as Body of Believers we are MOVING with GOD’s WILL to complete GOD’s PURPOSE, for GOD’s GLORY.
Just like Isrealites through Red SEA - There might be WATER Either SIDE, Not sure where you’re going - We just going to take the STEP - but TOGETHER.
2nd - BIG FAITH where we going - 2 weeks ago - Spoke about opposite of Faith is SIGHT - We love Assurances - Give me a gaurantee - Hoever faith;
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
3rd part to this;
If we are going to be IN TRANSIT, 1st must board the bus. Can’t be MOVING, without actually making the DECISION, to STEP, onto the BUS.
This theme coming after your RELIGION, IDEAS, IDEAOLOGY - because GOD is doing a NEW THING.
What I hope you’ll understand; Not “God Then US”, Not “God Not US” but “God Through us”
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
You have been SAVED for God’s Purpose and the same GRACE THAT SAVED YOU, is the same GRACE THAT’S GOING TO CHANGE YOU.
Do today - 3 Stories - About faith - how to get on the bus. Brief - then following weeks, deeper.
One story build doctorine “God Then US”, next one “God Not US” but then I hope you’ll understand its “God THROUGH us”
Get taxi from Airport - Oh yes, I know - I take you there. That’s us with God - WHERE YOU TAKING ME.
This series and today is to build your faith in the bus driver. That even though you may not understand, you’ll stay the course.
Ok First Story;
Jesus at Capernaum - Went back there to teach | Jesus had just come back - In Jewish House | Many in there | No more room |
And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.
Build the Context | Show the House | Would have been PACKED | Climbed on roof | Not like our Roofs | Sand would have been falling on peoples Heads - Imagine what they must be thinking;
“These guys are crazy” “What are they doing” “This is absurd”
Man was lowered down;
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
man came ot be healed- Jesus saw greater need - Jesus saw His Sinful Heart | His Lonliness | Jesus knew He was seperated from God (like everyone else) because of His sin | Now listen - It wasn’t their WORKS behind their faith that Jesus Saw - It was their HEART behind thier faith.
While the world may look at your actions Jesus looks at your heart.
And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
Now everyone else in the room started Murmering, thinking - It says that they judged Jesus in their hearts.
Question; Who is Jesus to you;
Faith in who Jesus is, is far more important than Faith in what he is about to do
Jesus says;
And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
What is Jesus saying? If you have FAITH to KNOW that JESUS can FORGIVE YOUR SINS, than you know that JESUS DEFEATED DEATH and JESUS CAN DEFEAT ANYTHING ELSE. See thier faith was their OUTWORKING;
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
What we do in FAITH, might seem CRAZY to WORLD but Obedient to God | Enough Faith to get on bus?
Works not MEANS to know Jesus, but RESULT of knowing Jesus.
fast forward - Second Story - jesus travelled by boat, storm - Met by a man at the tombs;
And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.
Unclean Spirit / Demon / Fallen Angel - Scripture tells us - No one could bind him - - No one had strength to Subdue him - Crying out, Cutting himself with Stones - Lived in Angquish | Unable to do anything, but to CRY OUT |
Imagine Living near him | The World, had done, everything the World could do to help the man - They tried,
Behaviour modification, but this man needed a spiritual Transformation. Tried solutions of this world, to fix something only Jesus could Fix.
And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”
Ran toward Jesus - Fell down - and calls Jesus by HIs NAME and TITLE - Interesting - Demons know who JEsus is - Men not so sure.
For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
Legion = 6,000 Demons | - Demons Begged Jesus - and it says;
So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
Jesus, Gave them Permission - Jesus’ Will WAS DONE - Question - Where was the faith?
No Record of anyone having Faith, and yet - Jesus was able to perform miracle. presentes mystery of Faith | Jesus responded to the situation;
They then see him, sitting in his right mind | at the feet - and like the pharisees;
And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
it goes on to say they BEGGED JESUS TO LEAVE.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
2 kewords - MORE THAN ASK - More than we pray for - How comforting -then it goes on to say “More than we think” - Thought man was gone | Have you got a problem, you think is so far gone? Have you got a mountain, that is so far gone? A family member, that is so far gone? Aren’t you glad, that what we think doesn’t limit God?
His ways, not our ways - His thoughts are not my thoughts - Are there getting too many people in here? YES - Is it Hot in here haha - YES - Do we want to Christ’s Love to effect every single soul in this community - YES - Do we want to change the world - YES - - Do we know how? NO - WHat do we do? We surrender.
Don’t focus on the HOW, Focus on the WHO.
Does Jesus have authority over your life? Can he work through you? He surrendered, so you can surrender.
The world looked down man at the tombs - Anguish, Cried out - This is a picture of Jesus Christ on the Cross - With the WRATH of GOD on Him - Taking on Sins of World - In Anquish The man on the tombs, looked down upon - Jesus - SPAT UPON - man at the tombs had no Hope in this world - The paralysed Man had no hope in this world - We had no hope in this world and Jesus came DOWN to make a way when there is no way -
and because of THAT - Because HE took my SINS on the CROSS, Your Sins on cross - because HE is the one that Died and on the 3rd day ROSE AGAIN, because I know JESUS as my LORD and SAVIOUR - I have FAITH that His Will can be done on this earth as it is in HEAVEN! He conquered the GRAVE and so I WILL HAVE BIG FAITH IN WHERE WE ARE GOING.
Don’t have FAITH that JESUS will come through on YOUR PLANS. Have faith that Jesus will come through on HIS PLANS and be willing to be USED BY HIM to get there.
Inspo and CLose
Inspo and CLose
1st Story - Builds this Narritve, God Then ME - God Saves ,than it’s about how much faith I have - Does our faith matter to God - Absolutely.
2nd Story - Man at the tombs - God, not Me. It’s all God, I don’t and can’t do nothing - Can God do it without you - Absolutely.
God meets us where our faith is - Jairus and the daughter - Jesus had to touch the girl - Did Jesus HAVE TO touch her, of course not - The girl that touched Jesus Cloak , did she HAVE TO, of course not - HIs clothes where not holy - the centurian - JUST SAY IT’S DONE - What ever outward ACTION, displays for you that you have FULL FAITH in what GOD IS DOING - Is enough - Jesus looks at your HEART!
It’s not about how much we do - GOD THEN US.
It’s not about pouting in the corner waiting for God - GOD NOT US.
IT’s about complete surrender to His Will - GOD THROUGH US.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Remember When Jesus preached faith of a mustard seed - He had just finished preaching, he looked to disciples and said;
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”
They knew this channel had storms | Wind | Trouble | But that’s not where their focus was. Their focus was on Jesus - And where He was taking them. My Focus is on Jesus, and Where He is taking us.
We’re in Transit - We’re on the Move - And we have BIG FAITH on where we’re going - But I can’t do it alone. I am asking you, to come with us.
**Prayer**
**Altar Call**