Why Do We Need a Vision?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
In 1975, a movie was released about a young fashion designer named Tracy. Tracy, an aspiring designer from the slums of Chicago puts herself through fashion school in the hopes of becoming one of the world's top designers. Her ambition leads her to Rome spurring a choice between the man she loves or her newfound success. The movie starred Billy Dee Williams and young singer named, Diana Ross. You may not remember the movie Mahogany, but I bet you remember first few words of the theme song:
Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showin' you?
Where are you going to?
Do you know?
You might be asking, “Mitch, what in the world does that movie and those words mean to us here in church on this Sunday Morning?”
What if we added the word “church” into the song?
Do you know where your CHURCH is going to?
Do you like the things that your CHURCH is showin' you?
Where is your CHURCH going to?
Do you know?
It is a struggle when you do not know where you are going. It is also a struggle when you are part of a church and you wonder where it is going. That is was what happening in the world before Christ came to us in His humanity. For example, in the Old Testament time, we see that there was a period when the people did not have have the Word of the Lord. Amos 8:11-12
11 “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord,
“when I will send a famine through the land—
not a famine of food or a thirst for water,
but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 Men will stagger from sea to sea
and wander from north to east,
searching for the word of the Lord,
but they will not find it.
We see in 1 Samuel 3:1
1 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
This is the setting for a familiar proverb that have as our text for today. You may remember it from the old King James Version:
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish:
But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Here is again in a more modern translation:
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.
But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
Going back to the King James Version, the Bible says the people of God needed to have a vision or they would perish. That means they would be exposed to danger, they would rebel from God, and they would become idle. 2 Chronicles 15:3 shows that the people would scatter as sheep without a shepherd. Hosea 4:5-6 says they stumble and their prophets stumble and all are destroyed.
For our purposes as we go forward, a vision is divine communication from God. It gives us direction in how we serve Him and how we follow Him. A vision compels people to hear the Word of the Lord and practice the Word of the Lord. Without, as we have already stated, the people perish or as the New Living Translation says, “they run wild.” That in itself is a reason to cast a vision, to keep people from running wild. However, I want to give you four compelling reasons that we need to have a vision for both our individual lives and for our church.
A Vision Personifies
A Vision Personifies
First, we are fortunate to be this side of the New Testament. What I mean by that is that the word of the Lord that was being sought by the people is ready accessible to us in Jesus. God wants us to have a relationship with the Living Word. Jesus is for us! Hebrews 6:19-20
19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 20 Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus is for us. When we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, He reigns in us. Jesus said in John 4:13-14
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Do you see how the vision of the Lord is personified in Jesus? Not only is Jesus for us and He lives within us, Jesus promises that He is with us. Listen to what He said in John 14:23
23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
The vision we can have is personified in Jesus.
A Vision Points
A Vision Points
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” What else does that imply? It implies that if there is a vision, the people are alive and living life fully, which is the opposite of perishing. A vision points the direction with clarity. I cannot think of a more robust point of clarity than when Jesus said in John 14:6
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Every vision of the Lord goes straight through Jesus, the way, the truth and the life! Everything we do should point to Him. He is our waymaker! He is our compass! A compass is a device that shows the main directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with magnetic north. A godly vision will point to Jesus just like a compass.
8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
A vision that points will also be compelling. Isn’t good to know that God will give us the direction He wants to have? All we have to do is ask!
3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
God will also give us a vision that permeates.
A Vision that Permeates
A Vision that Permeates
I love that word. Permeate means to pass into or through every part of! A vision from God will permeate you all the way through! It will invade you in a powerful good way. Think about those leaders that were visionary in your life. They cast a vision that invaded your heart and soul. Hebrews 13:7
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
A vision that permeates will infuse its way into you very being. It gives you the strength to stand firm and believe it to be true.
8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
Interestingly, the second part of Proverbs 29:18 says, “Whoever obeys the law will be joyful.” Did you know that a vision that permeates you will inspect you as well? It is about to be canning season for many of you. As you prepare your fruits and vegetables, you will inspect them to make sure they are good enough for the process. What will you do with the bad pieces? You will through them out right? When we are casting a vision, will will inspect our actions and outcomes in a way that if we are not doing what is required of the vision, we will throw it out.
26 I recounted my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.
A permeating vision will go through a regular inspection and evaluation to make sure it stays on course.
41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
God requires holiness so that we can experience His fullness.
A vision of God will be one that prospers.
A Vision Prospers
A Vision Prospers
This does not mean that we need to have a health and wealth gospel. Creflo Dollar is name you nave heard over the years. He is a pastor that has long been about proclaiming the prosperity gospel. You know, the name and claim it kind of gospel. In fact, several years ago, he told his congregation that he needed a $60 million dollar jet so he could effectively do global ministry. You may remember that many ridiculed him for that and he was actually investigated. Nothing came out of the investigation of any merit. I ready an article this week that he is not retracting his name and claim it approach to the gospel. He has withdrawn from teaching prosperity gospel. I was impressed to see that he is now teaching that we should not be materially wealthy, but spiritually wealthy. A vision that is of God will prosper because it will be of God. Daniel tells of a great vision he was given in Daniel chapter 10. The vision had him exhausted and without strength while his face was pale and he was helpless. Daniel 10:9-12
9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.
12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
A vision that prospers will make you spiritually wealthy and it will make you strong and well.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
A vision that is of the Lord will make you sensible and wise.
15 A simple man believes anything,
but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.
Why do we need to cast a vision? Without it, the people make serious mistakes. Without it, people run wild. What I have noticed in these last days is that people need the knowledge of the Lord. People need the grace of the Lord. People need the hope of the Lord. When we cast vision and seek the Lord’s way, people will find the Lord and experience His grace and hope. As a result, they will be blessed.
