The Purpose Of The Vision

INTRODUCTION

We have spent 6 weeks looking at Scripture as it relates to the topic of vision.

We started with a brief look at Nehemiah, and how his experience shows us the steps to developing a vision, and the process of seeing it through

Next, we looked at what Christ’s expectation is for the church and what the Apostles’ practiced in the early church. Based on that, a vision statement was developed for FBS:

First Baptist Shapleigh will make disciples by being witnesses of what Christ has said and done for us. These disciples will then be baptized, as a public proclamation of their identifying with Jesus Christ as their Savior. These baptized disciples will then be taught the Word of God and equipped to go make disciples.

This vision may seem like no vision at all, but merely a restatement of a commandment by Jesus.

Yet, I contend that church vision statements and goals have been so influenced by the ideas of men, that a return to the “simple” is what is necessary and best.

Who knows better than the Lord Himself what His followers are expected to be doing?

Who can determine better than the Lord Himself whether or not His church is doing what He wants it to be doing?

By what standard can a vision be held to, to determine if it is true to Christ’s intention?

His own standard!

The Word!

And if a vision is based on His Word, it cannot miss the mark.

Having determined the “what?” question of the vision, we can now explore the “why?” and “how?” questions.

This week, we will look at the “why?” as we explore The Purpose For The Vision.

Why are we doing it?

We Are God’s Image Bearers

Mankind is Created in His image

Men and women – Genesis 1:27 God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Every creature was created after its own kind (cattle, creeping things, beasts of the earth)

Man is unique in that we were created after our Creator.

We learn about our Creator by what He has revealed in His Word.

Thus, we are responsible to learn about Him so that we can show Him to others.

We Are Called To Represent His Image Through Our Lives

Instinctively, we are inclined to disobedience and we are separated from God because of that disobedience

READ: Ephesians 2:1-3

Dead in our sins

Following the course of this world… the prince of the power of the air

Children of wrath… like the rest of mankind.

BUT, Christians are new creatures in Christ

READ: Ephesians 2:5-10

Made alive by God’s grace

Seated with Christ

Evidence of His grace

His workmanship

2 Corinthians 5:17 if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

As new creations, we are expected to walk in newness of life – Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Can you fathom the meaning of this text?

Because we have been buried and raised with Christ, we have the responsibility to walk in a different manner than our old sinful way.

This is an event that should change the way we approach living our lives, for the rest of our lives.

ILLUSTRATION:

There was a Chinese farmer who had cataracts removed from his eyes at a Christian mission clinic. A few days later, the missionary doctor looked out his window and noticed this farmer holding the end of a long rope.

In single file holding to the rope were several dozen blind Chinese who had been rounded up and led for miles to the doctor who had worked a miracle on this farmer’s eyes.

That’s how we who have received God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ should be.

We are so blessed that we want everyone to know, so that they can receive the same good news.

Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

READ: Philippians 2:14-16

Matthew Henry

Do all things, do your duty in every branch of it, without murmurings. Do it, and do not find fault with it. Mind your work, and do not quarrel with it.

We Have Jesus Christ As Our Example

The writer of Hebrews tells us, in Hebrews 12:2, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

He is the One whose life is an example of how we ought to live and love others.

Colossians 1:15

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation

Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature

We are God’s image bearers, but Jesus is the one that shows us the exact representation of His nature.

When Jesus called His disciples, He told them, “Follow Me”

The Apostle Paul pointed to Christ as the one he was following, and encourages his readers to do the same (1 Corinthians 11:1, Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.)

READ: 1 Peter 1:14-16

Our obedience is seen in our commitment to being like the Holy One in all our behavior.

CONCLUSION

We are God’s image bearers who, being in Christ for salvation, are called to represent His image through our lives…looking to Jesus as our example of what that image ought to look like.

ILLUSTRATION:

Two boys were playing in the snow one day, when one said to the other, “Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow.” His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started.

One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along without taking his eyes off the object selected. The other boy set his eyes on the tree also, and, when he had gone a short distance, he turned, and looked back to see how true his course was. He went a little distance farther, and again turned to look over his steps.

When they arrived at their stopping place, each halted and looked back. One path was true as an arrow, while the other ran in a zigzag course. “How did you get your path so true?” asked the boy who had made the crooked steps.

“Why,” said the other boy, “I just set my eyes on the tree, and kept them there until I got to the end; while you stopped and looked back and wandered out of your course.”

If we fix the eyes of our hope, our trust, and our faith upon Jesus Christ, and keep them continually fastened on Him, we will find that our course is straighter for having done so.

As our lives are lived to His glory, we will find ourselves carrying out the vision He has given to His Church.