Vision: A Holy Purpose

(S1)

Suppose I were to ask you all to meet me at a specific destination: restaurant in downtown Howell Monday at noon. You would have all the information you need: time, the date, and the destination. How you reached that destination, though, would be up to you.

To get there you might choose to travel straight down M59…take the freeway…weave through back roads to avoid most of the traffic. It wouldn’t matter to me how you got there. Once we agreed on where and when to meet, you would have the freedom to plan your own route.

Of course, there would be some values that would affect your decision.

BUDGET LIMITATIONS would prevent you from taking a helicopter.

ETHICAL IMPERATIVES would deter you from speeding 75 miles per hour on the way.

A MORAL CODE would prevent you from stealing a car to get there.

Within the guidelines indicated by those values, you would be free to arrange the trip in whatever way seemed best to you.

“An organization must clearly define both its vision and its values so that people will be empowered to enact the vision” Clear Vision: How 16 churches Harnesed Power of a shared vision, Jack Lynn

(S2) — New Name/Mission/Vision—More than a name...

Three principles vital for the church to revive and to thrive as an effective vessel for the kingdom of God

MISSION—Why we exist?—Christ’s Mandate—Revive mission

—The Church’s mission…telling people about Jesus! Anything less than this is not the church God intended.

“I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:1–2

Next Week-Pastor Rod-’Focus on Mission’

2. VALUES—The principles that guide us…website

3. VISION—Today’s message

—Where we are going? What is our God-preferred vision and what does it look like?

In O.T.times…prophets were charged with bringing God’s word to the people; revealing His plans to put them in places of influence as a nation…

(S3) —

Habakkuk 2:2 “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”

So that the people will know, where they are headed—God’s-preferred future!

Without this divine revelation the people were left unrestrained— to wander without purpose, or affect of their intended Godly influence in the world around them.

Proverbs 29:18 “Without a vision, the people will perish.

The same is true for the church today. Without a vision, it becomes only a place we come to get our needs met...keeping us ineffective in influencing others for Jesus.

We are on a JOURNEY together here at Revive—Gather/Grow/Go

—To be effective at telling other about Jesus, we have to always be inviting others to journey along with us.

(S4)

Two goals today—first, to make clear our vision here at Revive (3 parts)

What we LOOK and ACT like when we are at God’s BEST

“Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”” 1 Peter 1:15–16

When the Bible speaks of vision, it is generally directed toward the church collectively.

“Wesley is very hard on individualistic religion. He really rejects it, and he severely criticizes it because we cannot be a Christian alone. We can only be a Christian as a part of a community, as a part of the body of Christ.” Dr. Ken Collins

Second goal—Jesus’ vision for his disciples…and the church revealed in his prayer..

— twofold: first, he was SENDING them…second, was his desire that they would be made whole or Holy

18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy...

Just as Jesus’ showing his disciples God’s preferred future, he was giving all believers, the church...

(S6) — Vision: A Holy Purpose

The disciples and the church set a part for a Holy Purpose

PRAYER — Lord, Revive our vision…make clear our destination…your intended best for us…your church

CONTEXT

Jesus’ PRAYER for them…(17:1,9)

Jesus’ PROMISE to them… (11)

Jesus’ PREPARING them… (14)

word — “message” in the flesh

(S7)

15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

— not of the world — do not belong—Eternal destination

IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT—Set apart from it—

The church…was never meant to look like the world—Its message and its deliverer were not of the world. What does this Holy vision look like? God’s preferred future for all believers, his church?

(S8)

17 Sanctify them (believers) by the truth; your word is truth.

When we are justified by faith...something you are because of Jesus—child of God.

—Sanctification—something we are becoming because of Jesus...

to be sanctified (holy) — to be or become as dedicated to God; either in distinction, in devotion, or in moral purity. 1 Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).

God loves you just the way he found you...but he never intended to leave you that way!

“And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.” 1 Corinthians 15:49

…set apart’ for Holy purpose

Our vision in 3 parts as the sanctified body of Christ

(S9)

…to be a church where the Gospel of JESUS is taught, lived, and proclaimed!

Jesus’ Holy Work to which he was sent…

John 4:34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

Jesus commissioned his disciples to this Holy Work

John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

This Holy purpose; the sanctification of the body of Christ—Jesus would set them apart by showing

I. How to ENGAGE in God’s Holy WORK

— Taught…Lived…Proclaimed…

Acts 26:18 “I am sending you to them…to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

Followers of Jesus, ENGAGE in the Holy work of becoming like Jesus

How are you ENGAGED in God’s Holy work?

(S10)

...where people are welcomed, loved, forgiven...

Jesus’ compassion...on the crowds…for the sick, the lost…his own disciples

Jesus prayed for their protection, not from danger, but from deception, delusion, and departure from the saving truth. John: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition

This Holy purpose; the sanctification of the body of Christ…Jesus would set them apart by...

II. EMPOWERING them by his Holy LOVE

God’s Holy love brings together two very distinct dimensions of His very nature.”

— Holiness…of God (majestic, splendor, purity, goodness…)

— Love…fatherly tenderness, caring, sacrificial and giving nature

This Holy Love seen in the very nature of Jesus…

11b Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me...

Holy love which brings both GRACE and TRUTH together, along-side one another

For Wesley grace was always meant to be a pathway defined by truth. God’s Holy Love, that would lead to a transformed life…

— If I’m the same as before I met Jesus, then I have not truly submitted my life to his grace and truth?

Jesus prayed...(17) make them Holy by your truth

Followers of Jesus, are EMPOWERED to the Holy work of becoming like Jesus

(S11)

…transformed, healed, delivered, fed, saved, and set free in Jesus' name!

In the sanctified church lives are being forever changed....

This Holy purpose; the sanctification of the body of Christ is to be…Jesus set them apart by

II. EQUIPPING them for Holy LIVING

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2

How has jesus transforming your heart? have you been...How is our church eqquipping beleivers for Holy living

Jesus EQUIPS his followers for Holy Living so they would be an example to the world…

Set apart for…Holy Work—Holy Love—Holy Living. Saved and sanctified for a Holy Purpose

Followers of Jesus, are EQUIPPED for Holy work in Jesus’s name

(S12)

19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message

How are you ENGAGED in the Holy work of Jesus?

— Where do you feel called to teach and to whom can you be the feet of God’s good news?

How has Jesus EMPOWERED you with God’s Holy love?

— How do you reflect that in the world?

In jesus’ name, you are EQUIPPED to live a Holy life

— How is that going for you?

Maybe you don’t see yourself as being Holy? Jesus’s pray’s for you and me so that we can live into our Holy Purpose—Holy work, Holy love and Holy living. Only by grace are we set apart for God’s Holy Purpose.

What is our destination? The picture of God’s preferred future? Our Mission—Core Values will help us get there but our vision as to be clear

(S13) —

Seniors doing puzzles

The destination is like a puzzle, a picture of God’s preferred future, being put together piece by piece by those who are being sanctified for a Holy Purpose

Our Vision

...to be a church where the Gospel of JESUS is taught, lived, and proclaimed!

...where people are welcomed, loved, forgiven,

…and transformed, healed, delivered, fed, saved, and set free in Jesus' name!

Our vision has a Holy Purpose

— to ENGAGE in God’s Holy Work…telling people about Jesus

— EQUIPPED to be God’s Holy Love in the world...

— and EMPOWERED to a life of Holy living so other’s will come to know grace and truth