“Unseen Vision”
January 29, 2006
Today I want to help you begin to catch a vision for what could be instead of being trapped by what is here at Countryside. God has placed within my heart a big dream and big goals to accomplish a big purpose in this life. As the Lead Pastor here, my role is to help you catch a vision for what could be and to focus our efforts as a church on eternal goals and dreams rather than temporary benchmarks.
Today, I want to help you begin to dream. I want you to explore possibilities and think of life and ministry in following Jesus in new and radical ways.
“Vision is seeing what is invisible to everyone else.” Jonathan Swift
I. The Obstacle to Vision
There are many things that can destroy a vision. Lack of resources, lack of planning, and lack of effort can all sidetrack and hijack our vision. It is so easy to become focused on simply doing what has always been done because it is familiar and easy. It is easy to get focused on the problems in our path instead of exploring ways around the obstacle.
Today we are going to look at a couple of stories in scripture that parallel each other in scope and in truth. One is an Old Testament story that may be familiar but that is not very common in our discussions. The other is a passage form the apostle Paul helping us to understand that a vision for what could be is better than a focus on what is.
“Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, "I will set up my camp in such and such a place." The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there." So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, "Will you not tell me which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?" "None of us, my lord the king," said one of his officers, "but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom." "Go, find out where he is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan." Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked. "Don’t be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:8-16 (NIV)
The king of Aram had taken up attacking in small bands and harassing the people of Israel. They would attack at a certain location and would periodically raid the nation.
God gave Elisha a gift of knowing where the band would attack so that the nation could be ready. So the King of Aram sets out to capture Elisha to make his life easier. So the king surrounds the area where Elisha is camped in order to capture him.
Elsiha’s servant sees the men and is filled with fear. They have horses and chariots and there are more of them than there are of us. This is not a good situation.
Paul writes in the New Testament that all too often in life we are pressed down and hindered by struggles. He is speaking of the wasting away of our physical bodies and the restoration and life of our eternal souls.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NIV)
The Common Problem:
We live and move by what we can physically see.
Why was the servant of Elisha so concerned? Why are the people of Corinth so harassed by their physical struggles?
They are seeing with earthly eyes.
As followers of Christ and as leaders of a revolution of sol change in our community, we must begin to see in light of eternity.
We must begin to have a vision beyond ourselves.
The obstacle to vision is that we focus on obstacles.
We tend to get into a mentality that we can’t do that or we shouldn’t do this. The most dangerous being, “we have never done it that way.” As a church we have to get into the mindset that if we want to reach or culture for Christ we better get our eyes off the physical obstacles and onto an eternal vision.
We must begin to have a God-vision, not an obstacle-vision.
Application: Where is the focus of your life?
II. The Result of Vision
Having a vision that sees the way God desires us to see results in amazing freedom to live in the glory and power of our God.
Look at the result of what happened with Elisha’s servant:
“And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
2 Kings 6:17 (NIV)
Elisha prayed that God would open the eyes of his servant so that he could see a God-reality.
The circumstances did not change; the object of the vision changed.
No longer was the servant paralyzed by fear of the enemy around him. He was emboldened by the sight of the power of God.
We must begin to believe that God is big enough to overpower the obstacles in this life.
Elisha’s servant got his eyes off the enemy and onto God.
Paul gives the Corinthians a great encouragement of how to deal with the trials in their lives.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
We must continually focus our lives on the unseen vision of eternity.
We must believe that God has something better. We must believe that our trials and frustrations of today are leading us on a course of intimacy and maturity in our daily walk with Christ.
James wrote to Christians to help us understand that the temporary trials of this life serve an eternal purpose in our development with Jesus.
“Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.” James 1:2-4 (Living)
The trials and difficulties encountered in this life serve to develop us in character and maturity in our walk with Jesus.
We grow through stress.
No one likes stress or enjoys pain. But our character and our faith are developed in the midst of the trial.
I don’t seek to minimize stress and pain or to tell you that life and its problems are a cause for celebration. What I want you to understand is that it is in the trials of life and the difficulties of our situations that God draws close to us and allows us to experience his grace more and more.
When we develop an “unseen vision,” we are focusing on the eternal truth.
Jesus is a model for us of living according to an unseen vision.
“Keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up.” Hebrews 12:2-3 (NLT)
Jesus endured the greatest of trials in the human realm because of what it would accomplish in the eternal realm. We are called to do the same thing.
Some personal thoughts:
Today I want to share with you some areas that I believe we as a church must address to really begin to see with God-vision. This is from my heart and this is a risk to share what I believe needs to be done for us to live in the “invisible.”
1) We as a church must begin to care for this community in practical and relevant ways? (Moving ministry beyond the church walls)
2) We as a church must make this place a safe haven for hurting a broken people?
3) We as a church must “re-brand” ourselves so that those who do not have hope can know this is a place to find it.
4) We as a church must fast and pray for the eternal God-vision to take deep root in our hearts.
5) We as a church must decide whether we are willing to be dissatisfied with the status quo.
My Vision:
1) “Out there” instead of “In here.” That may cost us some of our comfort zone.
2) “Future focused” rather than “now focused.” That may cost us some of our preferences.
3) “Pro-active rather than “re-active.” That may cost us some of our resources.
I am willing to risk because I believe that God has a huge mission and purpose for this church. Are you wiling to take that same risk and walk that same path? Are you willing to give up what has been for what could be? Are you ready to step out into a vast darkness to spread the great light?
This message is, in effect, a ground work for the next few weeks. In the days and weeks to come, we are going to be focusing on the “Cross Life.” I am going to bring to you some new ideas and some new dreams. Are you willing to dream with me? Are you willing to have a “God-vision?”
