Visionary View: Are Your Eyes Closed To The Truth Of God? Series

Visionary View: Are Your Eyes Closed to the Truth of God?

Today, let us embark on a journey together, seeking to open our eyes to the profound truths that God has laid out for us in His Word.

Opening Prayer:

Let us begin with a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we come before you with open hearts and minds, asking for your guidance and illumination as we delve into your Word. Open our eyes, Lord, so that we may see the truth you have prepared for us. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen.

Introduction:

In today's fast-paced world, we are often bombarded with distractions that can lead us to close our eyes to the profound truths of God. But God calls us to have a visionary view, to see beyond the mundane and to open our eyes to His eternal truths. Today, we will explore this idea with the help of the New Living Translation of the Bible.

Scripture Reading:

Let's begin by turning to the book of Isaiah 6:10, in the New Living Translation. It says, "Make the hearts of these people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."

Illustration:

Imagine a beautiful sunrise, a work of art painted across the sky by the Creator. Yet, how often do we rush through our mornings, oblivious to the breathtaking beauty of God's creation? We close our eyes to His masterpiece.

Scripture Reading:

Let's turn to another passage, this time in the book of Proverbs 20:12. It says, "Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the Lord."

Illustration:

Consider the gift of hearing. We are surrounded by a symphony of sounds, from birdsong to laughter, all given to us by God. But sometimes, we close our ears to the messages of love, encouragement, and even correction that God provides through these sounds.

Scripture Reading:

Now, let's open our Bibles to the book of Matthew 13:13-15. It reads, "That is why I use these parables, for they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand. This fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah that says, 'When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.'"

Illustration:

Think about the parables Jesus used to teach profound truths. To those with closed hearts and minds, these parables were just stories. But to those with open eyes and ears, they revealed the mysteries of God's Kingdom.

Closing Point:

Dear brothers and sisters, the message is clear: God desires us to have open eyes, open ears, and open hearts to receive His truth. As we reflect on today's sermon, let us consider these questions:

Are there areas of our lives where we have closed our eyes to God's truth?

Have we been deaf to the whispers of His guidance?

How can we open our hearts to understand and be healed, as the Scriptures say?

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the message of today's sermon. Help us to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to your truth. May we never be blind or deaf to your guidance and love. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn:

Let us conclude our service by singing a hymn that celebrates God's truth and our commitment to keeping our eyes open to His vision for our lives.

May God bless you all and keep your eyes wide open to His glorious truth. Amen.