Dreams That Continue

“Dreams that Continues?"

Multiple Verses

Dreams of Past

Dreams of Future

Dreams in View of Christ’s Calling

Today we seek to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and we will start with a portion of Dr. King’s "I have a dream speech".

…And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

There are many dreams I hear about working in "Bush" Alaska, and we are told that dreams can be manifestations of past events, Television of Movie memories, and can also be blamed on what you eat last night. We might glean from this that not all dreams are created equal.

Dr. King’s desire that all men and women, might one day be equals is biblically sound and correct and we owe a great debt of gratitude for Dr. King’s forsight, knowledge and Christian Character.

Let’s review today some dreams and dreamers from God’s word.

Dreams of Past

Genesis 37:5-8 (NIV)

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. [6] He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: [7] We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."

[8] His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

Joseph was a dreamer and I so enjoy Joseph’s admission from the beginning that the interpretations of any dream are God’s. I feel that if a dream is of God, it will come to pass and it is evident that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream was of God because it daily comes closer to fruition and is realized in some sectors of society.

Notice in our text that Joseph did not seek his own or question how might God’s will be fulfilled in his life? Dr. King did not question the times or need of his life either, but led in a very difficult and turbulant time in a manner that would seem weak to some, but in the end led to the changes we see around us today.

Many people talk about their dreams and what it means.

Many want the easiest way to bring about there dreams but sometime it’s difficult if we don’t really understand what is “Central” in our life.

For Joseph it was easy because he did seek after God’s will.

Genesis 37:23-28 (NIV)

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe--the richly ornamented robe he was wearing-- [24] and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

[25] As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.

[26] Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? [27] Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.

[28] So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.