“Dreams that Continues?"
Multiple Verses
Dreams of Past
Dreams of Future
Dreams in View of Christ’s Calling
Today we seek to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and we will start with a portion of Dr. King’s "I have a dream speech".
…And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
There are many dreams I hear about working in "Bush" Alaska, and we are told that dreams can be manifestations of past events, Television of Movie memories, and can also be blamed on what you eat last night. We might glean from this that not all dreams are created equal.
Dr. King’s desire that all men and women, might one day be equals is biblically sound and correct and we owe a great debt of gratitude for Dr. King’s forsight, knowledge and Christian Character.
Let’s review today some dreams and dreamers from God’s word.
Dreams of Past
Genesis 37:5-8 (NIV)
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. [6] He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: [7] We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."
[8] His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
Joseph was a dreamer and I so enjoy Joseph’s admission from the beginning that the interpretations of any dream are God’s. I feel that if a dream is of God, it will come to pass and it is evident that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream was of God because it daily comes closer to fruition and is realized in some sectors of society.
Notice in our text that Joseph did not seek his own or question how might God’s will be fulfilled in his life? Dr. King did not question the times or need of his life either, but led in a very difficult and turbulant time in a manner that would seem weak to some, but in the end led to the changes we see around us today.
Many people talk about their dreams and what it means.
Many want the easiest way to bring about there dreams but sometime it’s difficult if we don’t really understand what is “Central” in our life.
For Joseph it was easy because he did seek after God’s will.
Genesis 37:23-28 (NIV)
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe--the richly ornamented robe he was wearing-- [24] and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
[25] As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
[26] Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? [27] Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.
[28] So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
When Joseph got up the morning his father sent him to check on his brothers, being taken and killed or sold into slavery did not top his list, yet he had the dream and beleive on "Him" that had placed it within his mind. Dr. King’s dream came about at a great price, yet Dr. King beleived on "Him" that had placed the dream within him also, and called this nation and his people to beleive and act in like manner.
You know what happened next, Joseph is sold to Potipher…
Then prison…
Then the butler and chief cook…
Then Pharaoh’s dream…
Through it all God meant to deliver His people to a place they could become “His Nation”.
There were 72 that went in and .6 to 1 million came out…dream accomplished.
Joseph was 17 when his brothers took him and sold him into slavery to his second cousins and it would be 13 years of slavery and prison that was before him. It would be another 7 years of feast for Egypt before things started to get bad in Egypt and the surrounding countries. All told over 20 years before Joseph would see his family and bring about safety for this family that would become a "nation" in Egypt.
Whose timeline or gameplan are you following?
Remember, God’s is often longer than what we want or expect, but do not lose "hope" for HE will bring about HIS "good and perfect" will.
Dreams of Future
Acts 16:6-15 (NIV)
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. [7] When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. [8] So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. [9] During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." [10] After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
[11] From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. [12] From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
[13] On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. [14] One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. [15] When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Dr. King had a dream, he chose a different path than many around him…
He chose to follow the path of Christ, not Mohammed as many others did.
There was great pressure to riot, to destroy and to kill and maim, but that isn’t in God’s word. That was the path to freedom and equality Dr. King espoused, and we all should be greatful for that.
Paul likewise had a desire to go in one direction but allowed God to change his direction also.
Paul desired to go into Asia, there were surely people who needed saving there…but as Dr. King and Joseph-- God’s path led elsewhere, so Paul followed to the European Continent.
What path is God leading you on today?
Will you follow no matter what is required?
In Paul’s dream, the world was open for evangelism before him.
Do you see this in Nome?
Norton Sound?
Northwest Alaska?
Or wherever God has called you?
Dr. King’s dream for equality will come one day, it can and has come in some situations today and should be seen in any “TRUE” Christian setting.
Do you see the world in view of God’s creation?
Genesis 1:26 (NIV)
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
Do you see all men as equal? It is God’s desire that we see things in this light. Apart from this view you have a limited view of man and the glory that is God who created all man in "His" image.
Dreams in View of Christ
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
If we consider any Vision, I want to be found following Christ’s vision.
Dr. King’s view was in line with Christ’s call. Dr. King sought after reconciliation for all people.
Many have difficulty today going to different people groups? Do you?
If you do, you need to submit to God and understand, His call is to all people.
In God there cannot be any "they" and "us", because in HIM we are one.
In Acts 1:8 Jesus says “you will be my witnesses”.
Dr. King’s witness was a witness of Christ and His love.
Remember in Ephesians Chapter 6 our call to be warriors of “Agapeo” love.
In the time and atmosphere that was forming in the early 60’s, it would have been easy to incite violence, but Dr. King, as Christ calls us to be, was a disciple of mediation and reconciliation.
I thank God for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his contributions to “his” people and to the world, we are much richer and much closer because of his desire to follow Christ.
“Christ, the righteousness which is of God” (Phil. 3:9).
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30).
This is the call we bring to others of peace, love, hope and joy found in Christ Jesus alone.
Let’s look at any dream or vision in light of Christ and how “His” “good and perfect” will might be accomplished in our present area of ministry.
Now is the time to “accept” Jesus if you have never done so before, will you today?
When Christ is first our dreams bring unity and life, old things are passed away, all things become new.
It is a blessing to look at things from the perspective of Jesus Christ as we “Go ye therefore to all nations…”
