40 Preaching/Teacing matthew 28: The Vision

The Vision

Pic of Jim Valvano-

Jim Valvano became the coach of the NC State Wolfpack. At this time, they were one of the weaker teams in the conference, so the prospects of winning the conference championship much less than the national championship were slim to none. But even with these prospects, every year for one practice, they would take the whole practice to cut down the nets. When you cut down the nets in basketball, it means you won a championship. Some of his players said it was funny the first time they did it, but as the years went on and they continued to cut down the nets, they could see it and feel the possibility of it.

Proverbs 29:18 says where there is no vision, the people perish.

Jim Valvano had a vision to win a national championship.

What is your vision right now?

What about your life?

What about your family?

What about your future?

Do you have a BIG vision?

Do you have GOD-SIZED vision?

One of the ways Heather and i used to communicate our vision to our kids was simply: To Know God and to Make God Known! It is simple and pwerful.

Proverbs 29:18 says where there is no vision, the people perish.

In college, I was 18, and my vision for my life was radically changed and rocked. I wanted the American dream: lots of money, a Beautiful wife, and fame. I realized God had something way more significant and more satisfying for me. One part of my old vision was that I did get a beautiful wife.

Followers of Jesus should have the most extraordinary vision of any people, thankful for how incredible the God we serve is.

Today, we are going to take a look at RCC's Vision. However, we must realize that we are not so worried about RCC's vision. We are concerned about God's vision.

Revelation 7:9 (NASB95)

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

There will be people from every Tribe, Tonge, and nation.

This is what God’s vision looks like and this vision will come to pass

God's vision is that his love would reach this entire world.

How do we accomplish this vision.

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV84

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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We accomplish this vision by making disciples.

 Mission was not made for the church; the church was made for mission-God's mission (14).

You were created to be on a mission with God!

Then, in the next three weeks, we will look at how we can live out God's vision in our own lives, family, and church. But today, I want to focus on a God-sized vision.

Proverbs 29:18 says where there is no vision, the people perish.

As followers of Christ, we always want to take steps towards God. Our life should be a life of moving towards and growing with God. That does not mean that we are perfect at moving toward God or that we don't make mistakes, but over the long haul, progress should be made. Would it not be sad if you had not grown in your relationship with God a year, five years, or ten years from now?

Today, I want to look at three steps of our vision.

My hope is that after today is that you would be able to communicate this vision to someone else.

Three steps in our vision-

Step #1-Non Believer to Convert (19)

Quote verse for each point!

Next week, we are going to talk about engaging our community.

Illustration: Don't we love new life? When we were pregnant with Nate, we were at that time moment. I attended our ministry meeting because it could be today or a week. When I got home, Heather was in that nesting phase; she was cleaning the house and getting Nate's room ready. We get to the hospital. Heather decided to have Nate all-natural, but we did not attend the Lamaze class. So our nurse was like we are out. Looking back, it was a comical experience. The nurse was telling Heather to blow the candle out. Art one point, I told Heather it is like pooping underwater. Before we knew it, Nate was born; watching each of our kids born has been the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed.

If having a physical child is this amazing, think about spiritual birth when someone is born again! Where someone crosses over from death to life (Jn. 5:24). Where someone goes from hell to heaven.

Wasn't last week fantastic to see three of our students get baptized?? They were celebrating their new life in Jesus.

What I love about our vision is it is for anybody.

This is both the most complex and most straightforward step in the process.

It's hard because we don't like to ask for help, we don't see ourselves as needing a savior, we like to earn our salvation, we want to do it ourselves, and the world teaches a different religion.

But it is simple because it is a gift.

The Gospel message is simple-****

John 3:16-If it sounds too good to be true, it is because it is.

John 1:12-Have you ever thought to yourself that sounds too simple?

John 5:24-Have you crossed this line of faith?

Have you taken the first step in a relationship with God?

Are you helping other people cross the line of faith?

Step #2-Convert to Disciple

When Nate was born, did we leave him in his room and let him fend for himself? No, he never would have made it. We had to feed him and change him all the time. As cute as he was as a baby, he was not self-sufficient. Then, he had to learn how to crawl, walk and run. Then he went to school and had to learn to read and so much more; you get the point. He had to grow.

God created us in the same way to grow. This seems common sense, but Christian growth is different from the norm for many.

Colossians 2:7 (NASB95)

having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

There are two significant commands in scripture: to love God and others.

There are so many commands in scripture, and if you can keep up with these three, you will understand what the Bible says. The three commands in scripture are to Love God, Love others, and make disciples.

If you want to grow as a disciple, you must grow in your love for God and others.

A disciple is a learner, so we are all learners of something. But disciples are learners and followers of Jesus. We need to grow in four essential areas to learn from him.

As we go through these four elements, one of which is my strongest.

Which one of these is my weakest?

Do I have a plan to grow in them?

Word

Prayer

Witnessing

Fellowship

The first two deal with our Love for God!

Word: What is the difference between a convert and a disciple in the area of the Word?

Josh. 1:8

Five ways you can get the Word of God into your life

Prayer: What is the difference between a convert and a disciple in prayer?

John 15:7

The last two deal with our love for others

The last two deal with our passion for people.

Fellowship-What is the difference between a convert and a disciple in the area of Fellowship?

Hebrews 10:24

Witnessing: What is the difference between a convert and a disciple in the area of Witnessing?

Clarification: As a follower of Jesus, I know that his love for us is not based on our growth; his love is unconditional. But his passion should energize us to grow; we should want to grow because of his love. It is the natural thing to do.

Progress chart: There are some steps back, but over time, you want more steps in the right direction than the wrong one.

How are you doing on step 2

Which of these is your strongest?

Which of these is your weakest?

Do you have a plan to grow in 2024

Step #3-Disciple to Disciple Maker

A great disciple maker in Basketball-

My dad.

Disciple making is not just thinking about this generation it is thinking about the next generations. That is why when we talk about children’s and youth it is not just kind of important it is essential (Did we mention se have a children’s meeting after church today.

Addition vs. Multiplication

Most churches focus on Addison. Now just to clarify you can’t multiply if you don’t add, so addition is important. But it’s not the ultimate.

1000 people every year

1 person and multiply every year

Drew little torchys

Conclusion-

Jim Valvano’s team had the greatest upset in college sports, he beat our very own Houston cougars on a last second play. On the most miraculous runs we have ever seen in the NCAA tournament. This happened because a man had vision where there was no vision.

Could you imagine the impact our church will have if we have vision. And not just any vision God’s vision.

Can you imagine a church that loves one another well, that reaches out to the broken, that continue to see lives changed for the glory of God. Isn’t this a church we all want to be a part of.

This is the vision that began to consume my life. I have shared this vision with a lot of people, but I remember I would used to share it with college students and after sharing it they would say I don’t want to be a preacher. I would joke around with them, I don’t want you to either. What they were saying is that they thought if they adopted this vision they would have to go into full time ministry. This vision is not based on whether you are full time ministry or not, this vision is for every follower of Jesus. Sometimes hat I have seen is that those who are not full time ministry can actually be better at many of the aspects on this vision that a full time person can be.

Who will you share this vision with this week!