The Need For Vision In Our Work
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon OutlinesVision Bible Study
INTRODUCTION:
A. John 4:35
B. The word “vision” means the ability to see things that are visible – but we also use it to mean the ability to see other things:”Vision is the art of seeing things invisible”
1. Vision is the “unusual competence in discernment or perception; intelligent foresight”
2. Who has not heard a founding father of some community eulogized as a “man of vision”?
C. Without the imagination to visualize worthy goals and the foresight to see how these can be realized, very little of importance is achieved.
D. No wind favors the ship with no destined port.
E. In the Lord’s work, we desperately need an elevated vision of what it is all about.
1. We need greater goals (what can be done) and greater objectives (how it can be done).
2. Jesus had a great vision- Matthew 9:36-38.
F. We need to be dreaming some dreams that are worthy of the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:16).
G. What can help us to elevate and enlarge our vision in the Lord’s work?
DISCUSSION:
A. TWO WAYS OUR VISION CAN BE INADEQUATE
1. Suppose a man is driven by the “vision” of “making as much money as possible” – two things may keep him from making as much money as he could.
a. One is that he may be limited in his idea of what “a lot of money” is — his imagination of how much money it is possible to make, etc.
b. Another is that he may never make any more specific plans than the vague notion of “making as much money as possible.”
2. If our “vision” is to “teach as many people the gospel as possible,” we can be afflicted by the same two shortcomings.
a. We may think too small concerning what can be done.
b. We may think too generally about what we should be doing.
3. Perhaps we keep our vision small in both of these ways because that is a safe – it is a no-risk way to avoid the possibility of failure.
4. In any case, we have a problem that is a vision problem.
B. THE PROBLEM OF A VISION THAT IS TOO LITTLE
1. When we contemplate the Lord’s work, we often fail to set our sights high enough – we have limited horizons and minimal expectations.
2. Perhaps we are hindered by our past experience from seeing any greater possibilities.
a. For example, the child who has never known anything but abuse can have only a very limited notion of the possibilities involved in the word “home.”
b. “It doesn’t get any better than this” is a statement many almost always make within the framework of what they have known so far.
3. Or maybe we have been fed such a steady diet of defeatism that we see only problems (rather than possibilities) and obstacles (rather than opportunities) – maybe we have been conditioned to see the glass as half-empty, rather than half-full.
4. But when it comes to “opportunity” for us to do what we can do, the Lord is capable of opening “a great and effective door” (1 Cor. 16:8-9).
5. We need to set our goals in terms of seed-sowing – but even in terms of “results,” it just may be possible for us to rescue far more people than we have allowed ourselves to dream possible!
C. THE PROBLEM OF A VISION THAT IS TOO GENERAL
1. No dream has ever been achieved except by someone who dared to flesh it out in terms of the specifics necessary to make the dream a reality.
2. It is great to plan to “go to heaven,” to “serve the Lord faithfully,” to “do the work of evangelism,” etc.
3. But how do we do those things? By asking the following questions…
a. By what means do we get those results?
b. What specific, measurable actions will move us where we want to be?
c. How much time, effort, and money will it take?
4. We need to see our vision of the Lord’s work in concrete terms of things we can actually do – and plan specifically how much of them we are going to do!
D. WHAT OUR VISION NEEDS
1. Without question what we really lack is greatness of faith.
a. We simply do not trust the Lord.
b. Do you remember Peter and his attempt to walk on the water to Jesus?
b. Matthew 14:31
2. We need to “see” the help that is available to us, and have the faith to appropriate it.
a. 1 Samuel 17:26, 47
b. 2 Kings 6:15-17
c. Romans 8:31
3. God has proven over and again His ability to bring great results out of “unpromising” situations
a. The feeding of the 5,000 (Jn. 6:1-14)
b. Jonathan said to his servant – 1 Samuel 14:6
c. Asa prayed – 2 Chronicles 14:11
4. If the Lord ever said anything to His disciples, He surely said, “Do not be afraid.”
a. Matthew 10:28
b. John 16:33
c. 1 John 4:4
CONCLUSION:
A. We need to eliminate whatever is keeping us from having a worthy vision – congregationally as well as individually, we need to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us” (Heb. 12:1).
B. We will acquire a greater vision if we develop a greater sense of personal involvement in the spiritual welfare and destiny of our neighbors:
1. A sense of personal grief for what is going on (Ezra 9:3-6)
2. A sense of righteous indignation at the devil who is responsible (2 Cor. 11:2)
C. We need a unified vision that can inspire us together to greater labor for the Lord.
D. “Let us rise up and build” (Neh. 2:18).
E. We need leadership that will lift our vision up to where it ought to be.
F. We need simply to open our eyes: “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (Jn. 4:35).