From 2014 Series: New Horizon_pt 3: Between Here and There

Can You See It?_pt3: Between Here and There

Isaiah 43:19 NIV

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah

[RECAP]

“See” = God is not so mysterious… His plan is there in front of you!

“New thing” = It’s always better, always ahead of you, always new!

Can you see it?

[HAVE YOU EVER] - driven to work, pulled into the parking spot thought - whoa, how did I get here? I don’t recall one minute of that drive!

Has that ever happened to you?

[STORY] - that has happened to me many times, I’m on my way out the door...

Misty says, “Wait! I need you to drop off the dry cleaning on your way to work.... DON’T FORGET!”

Then you pull into the parking space at work, look down, and - there - the dry cleaning is still in the seat next to you.... ugh!

What’s happening there?

Are you just so used to the routine? - probably...

Or, maybe your mind is just so focused on your destination (positive or negative) that you fall into “tunnel vision.”

[EXERCISE] - Close your eyes...

Imagine you are in some wide open country space...

Ahead of you is the horizon

Something God is calling you to...

Something amazing that you want to get to...

[BUT] there is more to the picture! = All the space between here and there!

[PAYOFF] - That is your journey. That is life.

Life happens between here and there.

[ASK] - What is between now, and what is on the horizon (your vision)?

[PAYOFF] - What is between now, and what is on the horizon (your vision)?

Can you see what is between here and there?

[POINT] - Jesus was in that open country.

He turned and He looked to the horizon.

He knew the hope of His calling - “for the joy set before him He endured the cross.”

He understood that what was at the end of His journey was for those along the way in His journey.

He didn’t bypass them due to tunnel vision, fixated on the destination.

The journey gave the destination purpose.

Matthew 9:36–38 NIV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

[AGAIN] - The journey gave the destination purpose.

Our purpose (individually and corporately) is a continuation of His.

The destination is amazing. Keeping our eyes on what is ahead will keep us on track.

But we cannot miss the many stops along the way… the moments that matter. The moments the give purpose to the destination.

Career, family, ministry… in all areas of life, this is important.

And, in all areas, you’ll find, its all about those you meet between here and there.

Between here and there

[ASK] - How can I live with this purpose?

New eyes

Matthew 9:36 NIV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew

[ASK]

Who is between you and your destination?

Are you looking past them?

Aren’t they the destination?

[PAYOFF] When Jesus saw the crowd, He didn’t just see a mass of people. He was moved with compassion – He saw them with His heart. He saw their need.

He “saw the crowds” - New eyes

o New eyes.

He called them the “harvest”… God has prepared this field to be harvested… He has made the field ready… He only needs His laborers to SEE! NEW EYES!

[STORY] - Jesus, while on a controversial trip through Samaria, is left alone with a woman - the Samaritan woman at the well, where a remarkable exchange takes place...

Upon the return of the Disciples who when into town to buy food, they offer him something (he sent them away to get food)

He tells them “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

[POINT] - With his eyes on the horizon (the Cross) he knew what was between here and there, because the horizon was the completion of “God’s will/work”

That sustained Jesus. That fulfilled Jesus. It was his mission.

[PAYOFF] - He changed His mind about eating that afternoon. He was full.

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work...”

John 4:35 NIV

Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

“Open your eyes “- Just then the people began to arrive at the place of the well - “look at the fields!”

[PAYOFF] - With new eyes - “Christ-eyes” - we will see...

the path differently.

the journey differently

the “here and now” as important as the “there and later!”

[TRANSITION] - With new eyes, we see a...

New mission

Matthew 9:38 NIV

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

These workers - who are they, church?

It’s us! It’s the Church!

Jesus said, “pray Disciples!” There is coming a day when we will need more workers. There will be a day we will need Connect Church in Forney!

At Connect Church, we’ve made these words of the Apostle Paul our mission:

Colossians 1:28 NIV

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.

Now, listen to the extent in which Paul exerted himself in this mission...

Colossians 1:29 NIV

To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

[TRANSITION] - “But, I’m no minister!...”

I disagree!...

Fisherman

Businessman

Businessman

Tax collector

Physician

These were the occupations of the Disciples before they followed Christ. Some returned to these occupations after His death.

Paul was a businessman/tentmaker

We are ALL ministers, and so by a...

New power

Matthew 10:1 NIV

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

[ARGUMENT] – Sounds tough… Super-spiritual…

Speak the truth in bad circumstances

Pray healing for your family and friends

Now do these with the AUTHORITY Christ has given you!

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

[PAYOFF] - Our purpose, everyday, is to be in the field.

You are not just a teacher, branch manager, instructor, engineer, contractor, employee, boss, student… you are a minister! – A laborer in the harvest field!

Our plan is simple…

In the field

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 GW

God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others.

2 Corinthians

2 Corin

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 GW

God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others.

The plan is simple…

Pray!

2 Thessalonians 3:1 NIV

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.

How do I have new eyes? How do I see like Jesus?

PRAY! Begin to build a compassion and visions for the crowd.

Go!

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

All of our thoughts and actions should proclaim this to the world: “Be reconciled!”

We are His ambassadors, His representatives, His instrument!

Give!

In , Jesus tells a parable about a farmer sowing seed…

Some fell on the path – trampled on, birds take away

Some fell on rocky ground – it withered

Some fell among thorns – it was choked

Still some fell on good ground – yielding 100X more than sown!

Luke 8:11 NIV

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

“path” – Devil takes away the word from their hearts

“rocky” – Receive but have no root

“thorns” – Choked away by life’s worries and pleasures…

Luke 8:15 NIV

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

We can pray, and we can go… and when we give, we are sowing seed: The Word of God in people’s hearts!

“path” – Devil takes away the word from their hearts

This is why we give!

“rocky” – Receive but have no root

You may have only done so because you heard you were “supposed to”… Or maybe the Lord put it on your heart to…

“thorns” – Choked away by life’s worries and pleasures…

But this is why we give: Supporting the message… sowing into the lives of those who are ripe and ready to be harvested!

Take Away

The Disciples had brought Jesus some food (from inside the town)

John 4:

John 4:34–35 NIV

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

“My food” - my everyday, my fulfillment, my purpose...

Luke 8:15 NIV

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

The path towards the horizon leads us through the harvest field!

Way in the wilderness… steams in the wasteland - You are that for the lost!