Where There Is No Vision The People Perish

Intro: illustration “when the cheering stopped”

I. Jesus fulfills scripture (vs.29-35a)

- Illustration of knowing God and his word

- This is the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9

- The Bible is first and foremost to be believed.

- There is a vast difference, however, in knowing the word of God and knowing the God of the word.

- Dan 11:32b...but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

II. Jesus is Glorified (vs. 35b-38)

- Illustration of creation

- John 18:37 Jesus came to bear witness to the Truth

- When we cannot even come to church and talk about how great God is and give Him glory what does that mean?

- Are we inwardly focused

- Are we more concerned with what we can get out of church than we are the worship we should bring God?

- A church that is not worshiping God is a dead church

- What evidences are there that we are truly worshiping God?

III. Jesus is Rebuked (vs.39-40)

- Opposition from church leaders (stifling worship)

- What stifles worship in our churches?

- The needful praise cannot be stifled but must be expressed

- The rocks would cry out

- You would sooner hold back the tide with a pitchfork

- The praise of God is so important that nothing can hold it back

- Illustration of worship

- How are the lost going to know how great our God is if we struggle ourselves to express it appropriately?

IV. Jesus is Broken Hearted (vs.41-42)

A. Jesus wept over the state of the lost

- Psalm 126:6a Go out weeping – compassion for the lost

- “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”

- Church is in decline in America

- The church is sharing the gospel less than it ever has

B. Jesus wept over the lack of vision of the Kingdom He came to set up

- Pro 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish:”

- the Pharisees were blind to the true Kingdom of God

- People in today’s church are just as blind

- Vision provides the passion that will cause the rocks to cry out!

- But the people of God, as did the Pharisees, refuse the vision of God and the church suffers for it.

- “…if we were as poor in business matters as we are in soul, we would be begging for bread” Leonard Ravenhill

Conclusion: What is the vision we need to have as a church?

1. We need to have a vision of the cross of Christ and not be willing to be selfish with it.

2. We need to have a vision of a God filled eternity and not be willing to be selfish with it.

3. We need a vision of hell and all its occupants and to be like the rich man who asked Abraham to send someone to tell his family

4. And we need a vision of true worship of God that is filled with awe and wonder.

- “How shall I feel at the judgment, if multitudes of missed opportunities pass before me in full review, and all my excuses prove to be disguises of my cowardice and pride?”~Dr. W.E. Sangster