Title: The power of vision
“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)
“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…” (Proverbs 29:18 NIV)
“If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.” (Proverbs 29:18 the Message)
Definition of A Vision: A vision is GOD’S PREFERED FUTURE
1. It is God who gives us the vision
HERE ARE SOME OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES OF GOD GIVING PEOPLE VISION
A. God’s vision to Abraham
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3)
B. God’s vision to Moses
“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. 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-…And now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:7-10)
C. God’s vision to Joshua
“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them – to the Israelites. I will give you every place you set your foot, as I promised Moses. (Joshua 1:2-3)
HERE ARE SOME NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES
D. God’s vision to Jesus
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
God’s vision to the Disciples
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
F. God’s vision to Paul
“Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16-18)
GOD WANTS TO GIVE EVERY BELIEVER TWO VISIONS
1. GOD WANTS TO GIVE EVERY BELIEVER A VISION FOR THEIR LIVES
2. GOD WANTS TO GIVE EVERY BELIEVER A VISION OF HEAVEN
QUESTION: WHICH VISION DOES GOD WANT TO GIVE US FIRST?
BEFORE EVERY CHRISTIAN CAN HAVE A VISION FOR THEIR LIVES THEY MUST FIRST HAVE A VISION OF HEAVEN.
TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-10
“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
WHAT IS IN A VISION OF HEAVEN?
1.HEAVEN THE PLACE (V1)
“Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.
HEAVEN IS A HOUSE NOT A MUSEUM. HEAVEN IS HOME FOR THE FAMILY OF GOD.
"Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight."
•We were created for the purpose of spending eternity with God
•The Holy Spirit was given to us as a guarantee of heaven
•We are to be always confident we are going to heaven
•We get to go to heaven by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.
A. HOW OFTEN DID PAUL THINK OF HEAVEN?
“Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” (V2-4)
PAUL THOUGHT OF HEAVEN ALL THE TIME
•WE GROAN FOR HEAVEN
•WE LONG FOR HEAVEN
•WE ARE BURDENED FOR HEAVEN
HOW DIFFERENT OUR LIVES would BE IF WE SPENT A LOT MORE TIME THINKING ABOUT HEAVEN?
HOW DIFFERENT OUR CONVERSATIONS WOULD BE?
How differently would we handle our possessions
What a difference it would make in our attitude
What a difference it would make in our prayers/giving
2.HEAVEN THE PRIZE
So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (V9-10)
Most of us if we are honest just want to get into heaven.
Heaven is a prize. The picture here is …THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
What types of rewards are there for us in Heaven?
Illustration: Taken from the book "The Treasure Principle
3 Categories of rewards
1.Power- Luke 19:15-19 (Responsibilities…)
2.Possessions – Matthew 19:21 (Crowns; Treasures)
3.Pleasures Psalm 16:11; Matthew 19:29
Believing and Accepting Jesus is how we get into Heaven
Pleasing Jesus is how we get rewards in heaven
"So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." (V10)
How do you please Jesus? By finding out and fulfilling God’s vision for your life!
Do I have a vision of heaven? Do I need a vision of heaven? Do I live my life with an eternal perspective?
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3:13-16
