Living The Dream

Living the DREAM!

(Chuck Hill, Senior Pastor @ Trinity Fellowship Church – Greenville, SC)

Sunday, October 1, 2006 - AM

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

I want to start this morning with a question:

When, in the Bible, did God ever give someone an easy job?

Honestly, I want you to think about it…when did God ever interrupt someone and say to them:

I have an assignment for you, but it’s not going to be very difficult or take much time.

The answer is – oh course…

No where! Because He never does!

God’s call to each and every man, woman and child…is always very big and seemingly impossible!

Think about it:

God comes to Noah and says:

I have a DREAM for you to fulfill. A mission for you to undertake. I want to begin the whole project of the human race all over again, and I’m going to do it with you. So, here’s what I want you to do - - I want you to go to Home Depot, and get some materials (some wood, and nails and tar to seal out the water) and build yourself an ark.

Now, you’re going to face some ridicule and hostility -- but hang in there, because, I want you to do the impossible. I need you to collect all kinds of animals, house them, feed them, care for them…and replenish the earth with them. And when it comes to the human race, I want you to be willing to start with your little family—and kick start civilization all over again from scratch—but I want you to remember my commitment to you. You will not go through this alone. I promise that I’ll be with you. And I will even give you a sign to remind you of both My promise and My presence.

And that sign was . . . the rainbow.

Noah said:

All right God. I don’t really understand it all, but You can use me.

God came to Abram one day and said:

I have a DREAM for you to fulfill. A mission for you to undertake. I’m going to create a new community—the people of Israel. I want you to leave everything that you call familiar—your home, your culture, your wealth, everything—and I want you to go to a land that you have never seen. I want you to make your home among strangers. And as you go, I’ll lead you and show you where it is that I am sending you. But never forget this promise, you are not alone – I will go with you! And I will give you a sign to remind you of both My Promise and My Presence.

And that sign was . . . circumcision.

Yeah, and that is when Abraham said:

Why did Noah get the rainbow? Couldn’t you give me a sign that was a little less intrusive? Like a secret handshake or a decoder ring, or something like that?

No, he didn’t say that!

Abraham said:

All right, God. I don’t understand all of that, but You can use me.

God came to Moses, and He said:

I want you to free My people. I want you to go to Pharaoh, the most powerful man on earth, defy him to his face and demand that he let My people go.

And Moses said:

I’m slow of speech. I don’t have much to offer...but you can use me.

And that is the way it happened over and over again. God called on common people (both men and women) and gave them a DREAM of uncommon proportions.

• Like Nehemiah who rebuilt the city walls and gave his people hope.

• And David, who took on the giant and an entire army of evil men.

• And Esther, who risked her life to change the mind of the King.

• And Joseph, who faced rejection and prison and slavery in order to provide for the people of God.

• And Daniel, who was thrown into a lions’ den for standing up for His faith in an evil society.

Each of these men and women who followed God overcame great trials and hardship in order to fulfill their destiny. But notice that none of them had a small DREAM. Each of them faced unbelievable struggles in order to fulfill the plan of God for their lives.

Max DePree (a Christian author and leadership guru) once said: “Never insult someone by giving them an easy job.”

And the truth is…God never does.

He gives the ultimate assignment to all who will follow Him. And you can see this best in the person of Jesus Christ. He literally embodied the idea of fulfilling a big DREAM even through it wasn’t easy!