“OUR VISION” Eph. 2:8-9; John 3:16; Romans 10:13
FBCF – 2/2/25
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Y’all check this out - Pics of proposed new sanctuary & final cost figure
Struggled w/ starting sermon w/ this. Don’t want to lose some of you right at the beginning of this message & probably risking that in doing this. But this significant moment has been a long time coming as this church has been talking about building a new sanctuary, discussing it, studying it, meeting about it, &, above all, praying about it for a long time – at least 15 yrs or more.
So, w/ this in mind, I want to talk to you about God’s vision for this church FAMILY. Not a sermon about building a new sanctuary. A sermon about GOD'S vision for FBCF. Not MY vision, YOUR vision, staff or deacons’ vision, but GOD’S vision for HIS church. When we say “OUR Vision” in title of sermon, we mean GOD’S vision b/c His vision must be our vision. Our vision must be HIS vision. What does HE want to do here? What does HE want US to do here? What must WE do to accomplish HIS vision for HIS Church here? We aren’t just talking about the vision of building a new sanctuary, although that may very well be an integral part of His vision for His church here. But WHAT IS GOD’S VISION FOR FBCF? Because…
APPLICATION: GOD’S vision is the ONLY vision that matter!
Every church needs a God-sized vision. If it’s a man-sized vision, then it doesn’t need faith, & it doesn’t need God’s help & resources to accomplish it. And if you do accomplish it, it has no lasting, eternal value or impact.
- Like a fireworks show – Lots of excitement & flash. Lots of “oohs” & “aahs”. Entertains you as it lights up the sky. Then there comes the grand finale…then it’s over & everyone goes home as the smoke clears.
- We need a God-sized vision for FBCF!
Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to ask the first pastor of this church back in 1887, “What is the God-sized vision that GOD gave you for this church?” I wonder what he would say.
Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to ask the pastor of this church in 1910 when this sanctuary was built, “What is the God-sized vision that GOD gave you for this church?” I wonder what he would say.
God’s vision for FBCF is unique to us. It’s not the same vision that He has for Pinelake or Flora Methodist Church or Central BC up the road at Little Yazoo or Highlands Pres in Ridgeland or Word of Life Church out in Flowood or The Church of 1122 in Jacksonville, FL.
- Sure, we all are to fulfill the Great Commission & the Great Commandment.
- We all are to preach the truth of God’s Word & worship the Lord in passionate, authentic ways that exalt Jesus.
- We all are to equip God’s people to do His work & care for one another as members of His Body.
But the way He has uniquely positioned FBCF is different from any other church. He has placed FBCF in this community at this specific moment in history to do something unique, beautiful, & powerful for His glory. And that means that He has put YOU & ME in this church to use US to do something unique, beautiful, & powerful for His glory.
- Big DOGS reading this past Monday – Esther 4:14 – “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
- God had a unique vision for Esther & her people at that unique time in history. And I believe that He has a unique vision for us right here, right now, right in the midst of this church FAMILY. He has placed us right here in Flora, MS, for “such a time as this!”
- I love what one pastor wrote: “Right now the Lord is preparing a powerful yet humble army of shepherds after His own heart. And He also is preparing a remnant congregation of hungry sheep who have turned away from the deadness and sin of the modern church establishment. The scene is being set for that church against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. It will be hot, not lukewarm — and it will rock the very foundations of hell. No power on earth will be able to ignore or despise it!” (https://www.worldchallenge.org/gods-vision-last-day-church)
- Will we be that church? – a church full of hungry sheep, turning away from sin, on fire for the Lord, rocking the very foundations of hell – a church that no power on earth will be able to ignore or despise?
- Or will we be like so many visionless churches of our day that are content w/ the status quo, more concerned about personal preferences rather than the power of God, resistant to any change that will inconvenience us & push us outside of our comfort zone, outside of our rigid schedules & rigid expectations of what the church is supposed to do for us?
- What will it be, church? Will FBCF go hard after the things of God, the power of God, the presence of God, the vision of God that He has for us right here & right now? Or will we not? Only question that matters.
The Word of God must be a part of any true Christ-follower’s life & any church that is serious about finding GOD’S vision for His church, & the work of God through the power & leading of the Holy Spirit must be a part of any true Christ-follower’s life & any church that is serious about finding GOD’S vision for His Church.
After week at NOBTS seeking the face of God; constantly praying about this since then; 21 days of fasting that ended last Sunday, here is what I believe is God’s vision for FBCF:
First Baptist Flora is making much of Jesus by being a people and a place of GRACE where anyone can meet Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him.
These words from the Word define God’s vision for us:
LOVE – John 3:16 – Not a sappy, superficial love that is based on our feelings, but a supernatural love that comes from God, that transforms our lives, & that drives our passionate pursuit of Him.
- A sacrificial love – A “no strings attached” love
- A selfless love that speaks volumes to a watching world – “By this all men will know…” (John 13:35)
- A serious love that is what the world needs to see & experience – a love that a lost person is truly looking for & seeking after.
- If we truly get serious about loving the world like God loves the world, a 700-seat sanctuary will be filled to the rafters w/ those who are hungry for the real, soul-satisfying, life-changing authentic love of God – the love that you & I have experienced – the love that should flow from our hearts to all those around us.
- His vision is that we constantly proclaim & show that love to the world. That’s the ONLY way you can make much of Jesus!
GRACE – Eph. 2:8a – GRACE – God giving to us that which we do not deserve.
- Our salvation is given to us
- Our eternal life is given to us
- Our home in heaven is given to us
- The Holy Spirit is given to us
This blows the mind of the world. The world says, “You have to work for everything you get. If you work hard, you deserve to get ahead. You deserve to be rewarded.” That may be true in the business world, the sports world, the education world.
But that’s not the message of salvation! God message is that He will save anyone, anywhere, at any time, no matter who they are, how messed up their lives are, how sinful they are, & how undeserving we think they are.
His vision is that FBCF be a people & a place of GRACE – that when ANYONE shows up here or is invited here, they will be inundated w/ the AMAZING GRACE of God from a bunch of folks who know that, apart from the GRACE of God, we would be lost & headed to a very real hell!
WHOSOEVER – John 3:16; Romans 10:13 (KJV) – FBCF must be a church for the “whosoevers” of the world – “a people & a place of GRACE where ANYONE can meet Jesus & grow in their relationship w/ Him.” The “anyone” must truly be “anyone.”
- When God said “whosoever believeth in Him,” He meant “whosoever!”
- When Paul was led by the Spirit to write, “whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” he meant “whosever.”
Jesus came for the “whosoevers.” He established His Church for the “whosoevers.”
- Mark 2:17 – “…It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (NIV)
- Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
- Matthew 9 – Jesus ticked off the self-righteous religious folks of His day by hanging out w/ the sinful “whosoevers.” – “Why is He eating w/ such scum?” (v. 11 NLT)
God’s vision for FBCF is that we be a people & a place of GRACE where ANYONE – the “whosoevers” of the world – are welcomed so they can meet Jesus & grow in their relationship w/ Him!
FAITH – Eph. 2:8b – This verse tells us that we are saved by faith. And the entire Bible tells us that we must live by faith. The ONLY way we can live out God’s vision for FBCF is if we decide TODAY that we are going to step out in FAITH like we have never done before in the 138-yr history of this church.
Nowhere in Scripture do you see a single person who was used by God & experienced His life-changing, life-altering work in their lives who did not have to take a massive step of faith.
- Heb. 11 – The “Hall of Faith” – So many people.
One jumped out at me back on 1/21 in my quiet time. Reading Gen 22 – Abraham & Isaac. It hit me that God waited for Abraham to take the step of faith before He told him how much He was going to bless him.
CONCLUSION
Challenge to 21-day fast to commit to the GOD'S vision for FBC Flora.
