The Power of vision series, Vision Gives us a clear focus
Eric A. Snyder, Minister Farwell Church of Christ
December 2, 2002
Doctor who comes to a split in the road on a Vermont back country lane. The road sign at the fork points both directions for the same town. Seeing a farmer beside the road he asked him, “does it matter which road I take to get to town?” The Farmer replies, “Not to me it don’t.”
God Has a vision for the Church:
God Has a vision for your life:
How are you going to get there
Michigan State was playing UCLA in football, the score was tied at 14 with only seconds to play. Duffy Daugherty, Michigan State’s coach, sent in place-kicker Dave Kaiser who booted a field goal that won the game. When the kicker returned to the bench, Daugherty said, "nice going, but you didn’t watch the ball after you kicked it." "That’s right, Coach," Kaiser replied. "I was watching the referee instead to see how he’d signal it. I forgot my contact lenses, and I couldn’t see the goal posts."
Is this the guy that you want kicking field goals for you?
Mark 9:1-9 And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." He did not know what to say, they were so frightened. Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Prayer
Vision gives us a Clear Focus
1. Jesus beats the law, talks to Moses Completing the Law
Fiorello LaGuardia was mayor of New York City during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of WWII, he was called by adoring New Yorkers ’the Little Flower’ because he was only five foot four and always wore a carnation in his lapel. He was a colorful character who used to ride the New York City fire trucks, raid speakeasies with the police department, take entire orphanages to baseball games, and whenever the New York newspapers were on strike, he would go on the radio and read the Sunday funnies to the kids.
One bitterly cold night in January of 1935, the mayor turned up at a night court that served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench himself. Within a few minutes, a tattered old woman was brought before him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her daughter’s husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick, and her two grandchildren were starving. But the shopkeeper, from whom the bread was stolen, refused to drop the charges. "It’s a real bad neighborhood, your Honor." the man told the mayor. "She’s got to be punished to teach other people around here a lesson." LaGuardia turned to the woman and said "I’ve got to punish you. The law makes no exceptions--ten dollars or ten days in jail."
But even as he pronounced sentence, the mayor was already reaching into his pocket. He took out a bill and paid the fine. Then he said "Here is the ten dollar fine which I now remit; and furthermore I am going to fine everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant."
The following day the New York City newspapers reported that $47.50 was turned over to a lady who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren. Fifty cents of that amount being contributed by the grocery store owner, while some seventy petty criminals, people with traffic violations, and New York City policemen, each of whom had just paid fifty cents for the privilege of doing so, gave the mayor a standing ovation.
Jesus says in a later text that he did not come to destroy the law but to complete it. So the law is complete in Jesus. He kept the law so that we could escape the penalty.
Jesus is seen here speaking with Moses. This is significant because there are those who say that we don’t need the Old Testament. That the church is modeled after the new testament church and therefore the Old is worthless.
There could not be a more unhealthy view of the scriptures than this view. Jesus did not come to tear down the Law but to complete it.
Which means that we can chose to live with Jesus or we can chose to live with the law.
We are not bound by it but we are kept in check by it. For the follower of Jesus the law is not worthless rather it just changes.
Before Jesus the Old Testament rules and principals were being twisted and bent. Jesus came and straightened it out by clearly defining the law? And bringing it to completion.
Because God knows that it is easier to manipulate rules than a healthy relationship.
For those who chose to give their lives completely to Jesus the Law moves from something that condemns to something that gives conscience.
The law is not gone Jesus is seen here talking to Moses. He is talking with the prophet who is best known for bringing guidance, direction and stability to God’s people through the law. The law had a purpose of allowing people to get to know God. It could only happen through Jesus
2. Jesus beats evil, talks to Elijah Completing salvation
Elijah tried to convince people to turn their hearts back to God. To turn away from their idols and false gods. Even today people put other things in front of their relationship with God. I know that the minister says things like that. And the sentiment is that: I don’t put other gods before my relationship with Jesus.
Let me tell you off all the people that I meet. without exception all of us have in the past put something else between Jesus and ourselves.
Now that’s not a popular or fun thing to learn, but when we identify that as truthful for us individually we will learn what we have to do to make the situation right.
The people in Elijah’s day were giving honor to a god that did not exist.
Rather than realize whose image they were created in they created a god after their own image. They fashioned it according to their principals and values. They designed it to fulfill that hole in their heart. They made idols out of precious metals but denied the one who treats us as precious.
They bowed to a god of convenience, they ate from the table of indulgence, they played in the sprinkler of lust, and desire. They walked the road to worldly success, drinking from the cup of greed, want and envy. So the created this God with their hands.
Do you know how it Got this way? They became sporadic followers.
Listen to God today, then the next day not. They made excuses, like? I don’t matter, He’ll never notice, its only once, I’m too busy today and those other followers have some serious problems.
They made the mistake of being half baked in the refining furnace. And decided to worship only in times of convenience.
The next thing that happened was a direct result of a life that is on the edge of knowing God and not.
Because their commitment to God was filled with holes they were and easy shot for a pestilent poacher.
And instead of drinking at the well of understanding and life the people began to eat from the garbage bin of selfishness, sex and superficial success. Their priorities became messed up they lost perspective and became consumed by themselves. Because they could not identify the real enemy that lies in a false God.
Who is the enemy of the church? Some think it is other churches, no
Other churches exist so that many people can offer multiple perspectives.
Well if we are not at odds with the church down the street who are we at odds with?
We are at odds wit Satan. We are at odds with everything that diverts your attention from Jesus and finding a way to be a part of his church.
We are at odds with schedules, sporting events, television programs or anything that would divert your eyes from Jesus. Because we know if you live on the edge of Christianity it’s isn’t going to be long before you. fall off.
But Jesus is seen here talking to Elijah a man who had to deal with all of that, and the people were so serious about their lives that they wanted to kill him. And you remember the story He took them all on and God provided a miracle.
The thing about God providing a miracle was this.
Even the miracle didn’t make then believe. Even a direct message from God could not bring this people who were so lost back to him.
Elijah beat a bunch of false prophets and won but it made no difference
Jesus beats all of evil and I think he wanted to let Elijah know that his battle made a difference too.
Jesus beats evil. Jesus beats all other gods.
Jesus beats all those trophy’s and medals. Jesus beats a life of self indulgent pleasures. Jesus beats a life of success driven work.
Jesus beats any sport that would keep you from communing with him.
Jesus takes a life of sin and restores a wounded heart. He completes a picture of a life lived in Glory to God. Jesus beats death and suffering, he beats destruction and sorrow, because he beats evil and sin.
A popular new worship song’s chorus goes like this
Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
3. God makes it clear that Jesus beats everything
The cloud surrounds Jesus and then God speaks
“this is my son listen to him”
God is saying this is the guy to look to
In other words He is saying hey guys listen to Jesus first
Listen to Jesus before you listen to yourself
Listen to Jesus before you listen to your boss
Listen to Jesus before you listen to your family
Listen to Jesus before you listen to your wife
Listen to Jesus before you listen to your stockbroker
Listen to Jesus before you listen to your weatherman
Listen to Jesus before you listen to your doctor
Listen to Jesus before you listen to your minister
Listen to Jesus before you listen to anyone else
Because this is the Guy. He will tell you what is important.
The great tragedy in humanity is the bride who gets married when the marriage is not pleasing to God then ends up abused left behind or forgotten because the couple never pursued any real answers at all.
The tragedy is in the person who hates their job and fails to seek God’s guidance for his or her career. If you believe that God made you for a purpose, don’t you also believe that he has a plan in which your occupation would bring you comfort and peace. Wouldn’t He want you to work in an area that excites you and allows you to bring quality to the job site.
We have a tendency to think that only ministers are called. The truth is everyone is called. But some of us are called for different things. Give your Job to Jesus and listen to what he has to say about it.
How many people do you know that view their Job as a chore.
How does it change when you start viewing your Job as a ministry?
Does it become more enjoyable
Does it become more challenging
Does it become more meaningful
Does it become more fulfilling
Everybody should have a Job that they can treat like a ministry.
The cashier can influence hundreds of people in one day
The teacher makes a life long impact not only with the material taught but with her attitude and work ethic as well
The Barber has an opportunity to set the attitude of the community and influence people for Jesus
The meat cutter demonstrates skill and precision with a Godly flavor can influence those around him to use honest scales.
Whatever your Job is, treat it like a blessing from God, because it is.
It can be as gratifying as you want it to be.
You are providing a valuable service that few other people could do as well as you do.
One popular philosophy in life is that everything balances itself out. That somehow good and evil are on an eternal scale and the yin and the yang are complimentary forces in the universe.
This theory is that there are varying degrees of right and wrong.
Well before you subscribe to that theory listen to Jesus first.
Because God makes it clear that Jesus is of first and foremost importance.
The Law takes a back seat. It’s still a source of conscience for the Christian but its capacity has changes because of Jesus.
Sin still exists but it has been beaten for those who desire to turn their lives over to Jesus.
Jesus has completed what it takes to be salvation
I like technology
When someone told me that Farwell was going to get high speed Internet access I called the company on any rumor that I had heard because I couldn’t wait for it to get here. Because it’s faster and you have an instant connection
For Years God’s people couldn’t wait for the messiah when is he coming when is he coming. The chosen Lamb of God coming to take away the sins of the world a chosen ruler who would put an end to the oppression of the people. They wanted him to come because the system was going to be better. More easily accessible. And finally he came and offered hope to a dying and decaying world.
Jesus is here, When will he come into your house? When will you offer yourself to him to become a part of his plan for your life? When will you see this vision. In that moment everything will become clear. Jesus does not come to destroy he comes to build.
But if you want him to build in your life you have to put him first, above everything else. You can see clearly when you are on the mountain with Jesus.
George W. Bush, in an airport lobby, noticed a man in a long flowing white robe with a long flowing white beard and flowing white hair.
The man had a staff in one hand and some stone tablets under the other arm.
George W. approached the man and inquired, "Aren’t you Moses?" The man ignored George W. and stared at the ceiling. George W. positioned himself more directly in the man’s view and asked again, "Aren’t you Moses?"
The man continued to peruse the ceiling. George W. tugged at the man’s sleeve and asked once again, "Aren’t you Moses?" The man finally responded in an irritated voice, "Yes I am".
George W. asked him why he was so unfriendly and Moses replied, "The last time I spoke to a Bush I had to spend forty years in the desert.
Meeting Moses gave direction but the people still wandered
Meeting Elijah gave people the people answers but they still walked away
Meeting with Jesus gives people Clarity,
No more wandering, no more wondering, Just a clear picture of what Jesus wants you to do with your life in order to find fulfillment and meaning March 8, 2002
