Revision 2024

Title: ReVision 2024 Scripture: Various

Type: Thematic Where: GNBC 1-7-24

Intro: Steven Covey has written, “All things are created twice.” First, there is the mental creation, and then the physical creation. Vision pertains to this first creation. We have to see it before we can shape it into reality. From a Christian perspective, vision is the ability to clearly see and articulate where God wants us to go or what God wants us to do in a given situation. Vision is the bridge between the present and future reality. As one man stated, “If you want to find a needle in a haystack, it is almost impossible. Yet if you place a magnet on the edge of the haystack, the needles jump out.” Vision is that magnet that attracts followers and resources. John Maxwell encourages the importance of vision casting for pastors like this, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” The greatest leadership is by example. You must do, act, say, and be the person you want your team to be. Leadership is a visual thing. You cannot take others on a journey with an unknown destination. Know where you are going and how you are going to get there. Now I would confess that I have never been very strong in this area of vision casting, however, the older I get the more important I think it is for the local church.

Prop: Today we’ll examine four key ideas that should guide our ministry focus in 2024.

BG: 1. Not an expository message, but topical. Thematic for the year.

2. Every church should fulfill the five biblical purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism. But how you fulfill the purposes depends upon the distinct nature of your church. What makes your church unique?

Prop: Let’s examine 4 key ideas that should guide our ministry focus in 2024.

I. ReVision 2024: Redeem – Eph. 1:7

A. The Church Must Never Compromise on the Need for Individuals to be Redeemed in Christ.

1. Mankind is held in Captivity and Needs a Deliverer.

a. Illust: Cecil B. Demille’s The Ten Commandments (1956) is one of the most successful movies ever made. At the time, it was a grand cinematic achievement. Its cinematography and special effects wowed the movie world. Everyone marveled, not only at the presentation, but also at the story itself. The story indeed isa grand one, as it recapitulates the storyline of the entire drama of redemption. The deliverance of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt is an unforgettable story of God’s purposeful and powerful salvation of His people. The account of God redeeming Israel from Egypt foreshadowed the redemption to come in Christ. Just as God redeemed Israel from Egypt through the blood of the lambs on their doorposts, so all God’s people ultimately are redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. (A. Carter, Ligonier, 5-14-21)

b. One of the major themes of redemption in the Bible is the idea of captivity. “Captivity” carries with it the idea that someone is trapped, enslaved, kidnapped, or held captive, and thus a price must be paid or a sacrifice made in order to rescue him. When it comes to our redemption through Christ, we were in a situation similar to Israel. As Israel was enslaved in Egypt, we were enslaved to sin and death and the devil. From where would our redemption come?

2. The Bible Clearly Tells us from Where Our Redemption Came.

a. Eph. 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace”. This passage is identical in sense and expression with Colossians 1:14, except that the word here used for “sins” means, properly, “separate acts of transgression,” while the word there is the more general word for sin in the abstract.

b. The primary idea in “redemption” is deliverance from a bondage, mostly the bondage of sin itself (see Romans 8:23;Hebrews 9:15); occasionally (with a different Greek word), the bondage under sentence of punishment for sin (Galatians 3:13; Galatians 4:5). Into that bondage man has plunged himself; God’s mercy redeems him from it at an unspeakable price (John 3:16; Romans 7:24-25). (2) The primary idea in “the forgiveness of sins through His blood” is propitiation, that is, the offering to God “a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice” for sin, by Jesus, who is the Federal Head of the human race (Romans 3:25; 1John 2:2; 1John 4:10).

B. In 2024 Let GNBC Be Guided By a Passion to See Individuals Redeemed!

1. Illust: My wife’s father was very passionate about seeing people come to Christ. Once when Carol was in college, she came home from classes. Her father greeted her and said, “Hey, would you like to lead someone to Christ at the IMU today?” Carol thought that Pastor Hackmann had a student contact. She replied, “Ok, who?” Her father got a very stern look on his face and said: “Wrong answer, Carol.” Now that may have been a bit harsh, however, it pointed out the truth that we are often inclined to ignore: “Everyone needs Christ!” Everyone is lost without Christ. Everyone is dead, dying, and going to hell without Christ.