LOOSING SIGHT OF THE GOAL?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
As I start to preach, I have some men carry a portable basket ball goal into the front of the sanctuary and set it up.
We discuss who are we going to trust to take a shot and make a basket and not harm our pretty lights?
I know who we are going to pick, I have talked to him before hand and told him not to take any shot, just act out the role with me.
I give him the basketball and tell him to shoot, he prepares for the shot.
I asked him to wait, I blind fold him and tell him to shoot, he is still facing the goal.
I say wait a minute. I spin him around and around and around.
When he stops I tell him to shoot. He is facing the opposite way of the goal.
He starts to shoot, and every one screams, NO! NO!
We discuss why blind people do not play basket ball in the NBA.
They have never had a blind player? Why?
They can not identify the goal.
There are many other goals in basketball than shooting the ball, one must be able to dribble and pass the ball?
I. DO WE CLEARLY KNOW OUR PURPOSE?
ARE WE PREPARING AND GROOMING GOD’S PLAN IN OUR LIFE?
ARE WE HELPING OTHERS TO KNOW GOD’S PLAN?
A. You have heard: People don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan, and thus they fail.
B. GOAL:
The terminal point of the race.
The end toward which effort is directed.
The score resulting from an act causing the desired effect to be accomplished.
What one intends to do.
A plan or objective.
What one seeks to achieve.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
C. WE NEED TO ENLARGE OUR DREAMS AND BE MORE INCLUSIVE TO RELEASE DIVINE PLANS IN OUR CHURCH.
II. IN EVERY LIFE THERE MUST BE A GOAL, OR WE AIMLESSLY DRIFT.
A. John F. Kennedy set a goal ...
Before this decade is over, of landing a man on the moon and returning to earth safely.
B. What is the goal of football? basketball? baseball? soccer? swimming? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL IN LIFE?
C. I TAUGHT MY SONS IT IS BETTER TO PLAY AND LOOSE THAN NOT PLAY AT ALL.
D. Even those that play the game and become the losers attain some reward. You learn the role of the team, and the scheme of the game.
E. You learn the value of preparation and exercise.
F. As the team travels there are friendships that will last a life time.
G. What is the goal of life?
What is the goal of the church?
III. A LACK OF PREPARATION AND PULLING TOGETHER CAN BE COSTLY.
A. Years ago I saw on the news where a football team was angry at their coach. The coach was making them run long distances. He was making them run sprints. They had to do push ups and jumping jacks.
Several of the team members got together and complained and told their Moms how mean the coach was and all he expected.
The Moms had a meeting with the coach and later with the Principal.
Later they met with the school board and filed a complaint that the coach and his assistants were mean and expected too much.
The parents and many of the players had a strike and invited the local TV station camera to broadcast their complaints.
B. I bought a newspaper every Saturday just to follow this team’s Friday night schedule and record. They lost every game that year. Their attitudes toward
the coaches and practice had undermined the authority and the lazy approach to the game cost them dearly.
C. When the race is be over, but the work is never done.
IV. NONE ARE SO BLIND AS HE THAT KEEPS HIS EYES CLOSED?
KJV
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
NKJV
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.
LIVING
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is ignorance of God, crime runs wild; but what a wonderful thing it is for a nation to know and keep his laws.
A. WHAT IS VISION?
Something seen.
A truth that is a revelation and becomes real to the person.
The mode of seeing or conceiving.
Discernment or foresight.
B. DO WE KNOW ABOUT VISION PROBLEMS?
Farsightedness --- HYPEROPIA
Nearsightedness --- MYOPIC
PRESBYOPIA --- BIFOCAL
inability to focus on things near, comes as the individual ages.
Shortsightedness ---
Squint --- eyestrain
Seeing double ---
TUNNEL VISION ---
V. HOW COULD YOU LOOSE JESUS?
JOSEPH --- HOW DID YOU LOOSE YOUR SON?
MARY --- HOW COULD YOU LOOSE GOD’S SON?
A. THREE TIMES A YEAR EVERY GOOD JEWISH FAMILY WENT TO JERUSALEM.
B. FAMILIES AND FRIENDS TRAVELED IN A CARAVAN FOR SAFETY AND PROTECTION FROM DANGERS AND ROBBERS ALONG THE WAY.
Luke 2:41 When Jesus was twelve years old he accompanied his parents to Jerusalem for the annual Passover Festival, which they attended each year.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it
43 After the celebration was over they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him the first day,
44 for they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started to look for him among
their relatives and friends;
45 and when they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.
46 Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the teachers of Law, discussing deep questions with them
47 amazing everyone with his understanding and answers.
48 His parents didn’t know what to think. "Son!" his mother said to him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."
49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn’t you realize that I would be here at the Temple, in my Father’s House?"
50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.
51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored away all these things in her heart.
C. TRAVELING TO JERUSALEM WAS A BIG EVENT.
ACCORDING TO JEWISH LAW EVERY MALE WAS REQUIRED TO GO
TO JERUSALEM THREE TIMES A YEAR.
D. IN THE SPRING OF THE YEAR WAS THE CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER AND A SEVEN DAY FESTIVAL OF THE UNLEAVEN BREAD.
E. THIS IS THE PASSOVER WEEK, Mary and Joseph stayed for the whole week, they never cut out early.
Many left the Passover before the 7th day to get ahead of the crowd.
Joseph and Mary made a decision to fully follow the teachings of the day.
F. ON THE WAY TO AND FROM JERUSALEM THE WOMEN USUALLY WALKED IN FRONT WITH THE CHILDREN, THE MEN WALKED IN THE BACK.
G. JESUS IS 12 YEARS OLD. AT 12 JESUS COULD HAVE BEEN WITH THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, OR JESUS COULD HAVE BEEN WALKING WITH THE MEN.
Often a 12 year old would travel with the women and then the men for a while.
H. In the 7th grade we walked to school in Oliver Springs, Tennessee.
One day I was walking home and there were some heavy equipment machines working.
I paused to watch the bulldozers loading trucks.
I never had a watch, I never looked?
I looked up and here came my Mom almost running, she was mad!
Mom wanted to know where I had been? Why did you worry me?
Mom, I just stopped to watch these machines.
Hours had passed by as I stood there.
I did not mean to worry mom? I was absorbed in the moment.
VI. THREE DAYS WITHOUT JESUS?
HOW COULD YOU GO THREE DAYS WITHOUT GOD’S SON
AND NOT KNOW IT?
A. First off, Mary and Joseph were doing their religious duty.
In the midst of their duty they lost track of their duty?
B. There is assumption or presumption here in this little family.
Joseph took it upon himself that Jesus was with Mary.
The probability dictated where Jesus should be.
C. Mary thought that Jesus was with Joseph?
D. These God picked parents took Jesus’ presence as the norm, they just expected Jesus to be there.
E. Well, if Jesus is not with you, He should be with our family and friends? This is careless behavior at best.
F. THERE IS A LACKING IN THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THIS
HUSBAND AND WIFE?
VII. CONSIDER WHERE DID I LOOSE JESUS?
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM?
A. We can not stay here and find Jesus?
We must back track?
B. Now let us think like a 12 year old boy?
Where would a 12 year old be?
C. Mary and Joseph sought their trusted possession.
They sought Jesus sorrowfully and worried with many fears.
They had heard of people being murdered and sold into slavery.
VIII. JESUS WAS ON A MISSION? HE KNEW HIS GOAL?
JESUS WAS SENT! HE HAD A CALL! HE STEPPED INTO ACTION.
A. Jesus was on assignment.
B. They found Jesus in the CHURCH, he was in the learning room.
He listened to teachers, he spoke amazing wisdom.
This kid impressed a lot of people.
C. No doubt some where in those 3 days there was a discussion ---
THE MESSIAH IS COMING. We wait for the promise.
D. Jesus was absorbed in the Word, he lost his sense of timing.
E. DON’T YOU KNOW --- COULDN’T YOU GUESS ---
I WOULD BE IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE?
WORSHIP, PRAISE, LEARNING, THE FATHER.
F. This is the first record of Jesus stating the HE KNEW WHO HE WAS!
G. This is the beginning of Mary and Joseph having to let go.
H. Mary and Joseph knew Jesus was God’s son,
they just did not understand the road and the journey before them.
IX. JESUS WOULD RETURN HOME WITH MARY AND JOSEPH.
JESUS WOULD BE SUBMITTED FOR ANOTHER 18 YEARS
TO LEARN CARPENTRY AND PEOPLE SKILL.
A. Jesus taught a lesson that FAMILY IS IMPORTANT.
Do not neglect your family.
B. JESUS ALSO ESTABLISHED A LOVE FOR THE FATHER’S HOUSE
AND THE FATHER’S WORD!
X. DO YOU KNOW YOUR MISSION?
HAVE YOU EVER LOST SIGHT OF YOUR GOAL?
ARE YOU GROWING YOUR MISSION AND GOD’S PURPOSE?
A. Often times life is mean and cruel to people that dream?
B. In Genesis --- Joseph’s brothers were mean and did not understand their little brother’s dream?
Joseph lacked wisdom and tack in presenting his dream.
KJV
Habakkuk 2:2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
LIVING
Habakkuk 2:2 And the Lord said to me, "Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others.
Do not forget that God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.
There is a pay day at the end of the road, hang on!
Do a little bit more? Dream on!
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Help me? Pass it on?
