From Tunnel Vision To Kingdom Vision
From Slavery To Submission • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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There’s a temptation in reading the Bible to only read it through the lens of our own life and personal experience — or more accurately…our PERCEIVED experience.
Illustration: The danger of Tunnel Vision
Use hands to create a tunnel
I can’t see side to side — I can only see straight ahead
So I MISS things on the sides
In Exodus 3, Moses is in the wilderness and he’s going to have an encounter with God.
And during it, God is going to remove the blinders and erase the tunnel vision to show him the big picture.
This morning, my prayer is that you would experience the same thing.
Remove the blinders and erase the tunnel vision and see the big picture of God’s Kingdom on the move.
Everything I’m going to say this morning is absolutely true — but until you reject the temptation of tunnel vision, it doesn’t connect well.
So before we start, let me give you the key to eradicating your tunnel vision…
THREE CIRCLES — emphasis on the power of the crucifixion/resurrection to usher in a Kingdom
PRAY
P. 39
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,
Remember…Moses was out in the wilderness tending sheep because he had let his anger get away from him and he killed a man in Egypt.
He Had been out in the wilderness for 40 years…
Licking his wounds
Remembering his failing
Carrying his doubts
and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”
5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
God meets us in the place where we are but when He shows up, He instantly transforms it into a holy place.
Story: 6:45 am
I got here at 6:45 this morning and let me tell you…
This was just an ordinary room
It was dark…with an eery and weird green glow from those windows
Everything was quiet
And the room just feels….expectant.
Just a little while later…
You start to show up
You bring your worry…regret…pain…frustration…bitterness…doubt
And then…
You can begin to hear it…
God calling to His people
And His people calling back to Him
6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
When you’re suffering and you’re questioning how God could have “given you more than you can bear,” you need to remember that God is always concerned with the suffering of His people…He never takes joy in it.
Satan points to your pain but Jesus points to your Next Step.
Moses was FEELING his pain
God was CALLING Moses to the Next Step
8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
The Kingdom of God has ALWAYS had a mission.
Moses was told to GO — bring the Israelites out of Egypt
You were told to GO — bring people out of brokenness
Moses was told to GO — show the Israelites how to move from slavery to freedom
You were told to GO — show your neighbors how to move from death to life
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
Moses’ first response wasn’t to question God’s authority…but to highlight his own dysfunction.
Even though God spoke clearly…Moses was quick to ask, “Who am I to do this??”
His question was rooted in insecurity…in doubt…
How could God use me after what I’ve done?
How coul God have a plan for me after what I’ve been through?
How could God restore me after I’ve failed so completely?
God erased your past so stop rewriting it in your mind.
We’re all unique and some of us have more obvious brokenness in our past than others do — but we ALL share the same insecurities…
Satan has whispered in all of our ears…
How could God ____________________?
How could God ____________________?
12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
God says — “When YOU (Moses) have done your job… then YOU (Israelites) will worship on this mountain.
He says — “When YOU (Moses) have done your job… then YOU (Israelites) will reap the reward.
He says — “When YOU (Christian / Connect CC) have done your job… then YOU (my people) will worship me on the other side of the challenge
You don’t get clarity BEFORE obedience…you get it BECAUSE of obedience.
13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
Even after God repeated and guaranteed His promise…Moses still couldn’t help but focus on what he was missing.
What if they ask me your name…I DON’T EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME!!!
What if they ask me to speak…I STUTTER WHEN I SPEAK!!!
What if they ask me to lead…I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M DOING!!!
14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
Moses had asked God’s name and the answer is… I AM.
When Moses asked … “I don’t know if I’m good enough” … God said, “I AM.”
When Moses asked … “I don’t know if I am smart enough” … God said, “I AM.”
When Moses asked … “I don’t know if I’m qualified enough” … God said, “I AM.”
When Moses asked … “I don’t know if I’m _______________” … God said, “I AM.”
Your insecurity doesn’t cancel God’s assignment.
*****
Our church is in the middle of an exciting season — most of us know about it but some of us are new to Connect since we launched things back last October.
Let me share a bit of history…
1885 — Launched with 37 people
1901 — Built a new building in Carl Junction
1970’s — Built the building we are currently in
1990’s — Added on the metal building that connects
October 2025 — Began raising funds to renovate space in that metal building
We call the project “From Now To NEXT”
Gym will become a new Auditorium
Hallway will be expanded into a Lobby
Restrooms will be updated
Last weekend, our 9:30 and 11:00 gatherings worshiped in that space — and it was great!
Much of the equipment in there was borrowed
The hallway was tight
The restrooms need work
But it was a tremendous glimpse of WHAT COULD BE as we continue to move toward what God has NEXT for us
This is all because we have leaders who first heard God call us — and we responded with… “Here we are!”
Then we had the whole Connect family hear God call — and you responded with… “Here we are!”
We heard God call us to the same MISSION He has always called His people to…
Lead broken people to COME to Jesus - and the power of the resurrection
Show broken people how to THRIVE in Family - the way it was intended to be
Challenge rescued people to GO on Mission — reaching more broken people
As we heard God call and we responded with… “Here we are!”… We began raising funds for the project.
Our estimated project budget is $485,000
CURRENTLY, we have raised roughly $170,000
That equates to 35% of the project need — already raised
Many of you made financial pledges to the “From Now To NEXT” campaign back in October and you’ve been faithfully giving toward the goal…
Thank you so much!!!
Some of you made a financial pledge…and you’ve already completed it!
Thank you so much!!!!
Today I want to ask you to consider making a new pledge.
Some of you have joined Connect since we launched the campaign and you weren’t able to make a pledge…
Or you were here but you weren’t in a position at that time to make a pledge…
Today, I want to extend an invitation to you to make a pledge and begin giving toward the “From Now To NEXT” campaign.
Pledge cards are in the back of the room on the pub table next to the sound booth.
You’ll simply take one and fill out both sides
Tear it in half
Keep your side
And place the other side in the offering box
OFFER INVITATION TO COME TO JESUS
INVITATION: COME TO JESUS
CHALLENGE: GO ON MISSION
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Where might tunnel vision be limiting your view of what God is doing?
What situation in your life currently feels overwhelming or narrow in focus?
How might God be working in ways you haven’t noticed because you're focused only on your struggle?
What would it look like this week to intentionally step back and ask God to show you the bigger picture?
How has your past shaped your hesitation to take a next step?
Is there a past mistake, failure, or regret that still makes you doubt your usefulness to God?
How does remembering God’s forgiveness change the way you view your future
What is one step you’ve delayed because of fear tied to your past?
What next step might God be calling you to take right now?
Where do you sense God nudging you to move—spiritually, relationally, or missionally?
What fear or excuse feels most similar to Moses’ “Who am I?” response?
What is one specific, measurable step you can take this week in obedience?
How does obedience lead to clarity in your walk with God?
Can you recall a time when you acted in obedience before you had full clarity
What keeps you waiting for certainty instead of stepping forward in faith?
What would change if you trusted God enough to act before knowing the outcome?
How does knowing that God says “I AM” change the way you face your insecurity?
When do you most often feel inadequate or unqualified?
How does remembering that God’s strength—not yours—is the foundation of your calling bring confidence?
What insecurity do you need to surrender so you can step into God’s assignment?
