20th Sunday after Pentecost!
Watch this clip earlier in the
service:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGPnIVSlyUU
Introduction: High school coach Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid) thought his dream was over. He'd had his shot playing baseball, blew out his shoulder, and retired without ever reaching the big leagues. Then, in 1999, he made a bet with his perpetually losing team: If they won the district championship, Morris -- who threw a 98 mph fastball -- would try out for the majors. The team went from worst to first, and Jim was soon on the road to becoming the oldest rookie in the major leagues!
“If
you don't have dreams, you don't have anything!”
A. The founders of Forsyth United
Methodist Church had a vision when they formed the church from a Bible Study
that was meeting. It was a vision to reach the community of Forsyth.
1. Different ones worked to see those dreams
become reality.
2. Now the work is done, and we enjoy a nice
place
To
worship because of it and many have come to
God
because of their dreams.
B. I'm sure that you have had dreams, and you
have worked
to
see those dreams attained.
C. What about our lives now as individuals and
as a
church?
D. Do we have visions (or dreams)?
Prayer
Prov. 29:18
"Where there is
no vision, the people perish," (KJV)
I. In Bible History.
A. The Israelites in the Northern Kingdom of
Israel lost their vision of
what God could make of them and what they could do for God. They fell to the Assyrians!
B. The Southern Kingdom of Judah later did the
same thing and fell to Babylon.
C. They lost their vision and they perished!
1. The
scripture from Philippians reminds us of the
power of what
we think on and expect!
2. The
Power and need for a vision!
II. What about today?
A. As a church!
1. In the past, when the church has had the
opportunity it
has taken it.
a. This church, as has already
been mentioned, was built to better do ministry in Forsyth.
b. You started and continue to
serve the community through the Thrift Store!
c. You have covenanted to support
the Mozambique initiative!
b. Since I have been here:
1) You=ve
remodeled the classrooms and put in
new flooring.
2) You’ve remodeled the offices
and put in
new carpet, recoated the parking lot, and
updated the sound system and computers to
better offer vibrant worship.
3) You=ve
started Children’s time.
4) You=ve
supported Heifer International, the
Gideons, and Options!
5) We had the rummage sale and supported
the
African mission that Susan was a part of:
Heart for Africa,” I believe!
6) You have done a lot to ready our
building
to
be used for ministry!
2. All because you had a vision that things
could be better, that your
ministry as a church could be better!
B. What
about the future, church?
1. Are we going to stop
working? Go backwards? What will we do?
2. Do we have the vision to step forward when
God provides the
opportunity?
3. If we will work together in unity, God has
work and ministry for
us to do!
4. Do we see needs? Do we have a vision to meet those needs? We need to Reach out and dream!
a. I see the need of Christians not being beat
down
but filled with hope. I have the vision
of
a church that all people can come to and
not
be beat down but experience the love of
God!
1) That vision forms everything that I do.
2) It affects the sermons that I preach.
3) It affects the charge that I give to
you as I send you forth!
4) I try to make the worship uplifting!
5) Because of my vision, I believe that if
I can fill you up, you will go out and
share that love with others and invite
them to join you!
b. Children that aren't taught at home about Christ need to be taught!
c. Children and elderly that need a way to church could be brought to
church!
d. People that are lost can be
brought to Christ!
e. There are families out there that need to be
brought
into the church; they need to know
God
loves them!
f. There are single parent homes!
g. There are same-sex couples who need to know
that God loves them! They need a place to
serve
God!
h. There are people out there who have been
hurt
by the church or someone who claimed to
be
a Christian that need to know that God
loves
them and that all Christians will not
hurt
them!
5. The church needs to minister and care for
people of all
ages! Do we have visions and dreams for the
future of this church? It's up to us!!
6. Barry saw the need for homeless and people
who
are
cold in the winter. He envisioned a way to
meet
that need and presented it to the board:
“Warm
the Needy.” The board approved it and we
are
working toward that. Will we catch the vision
and
truly support it? This is something we can
do!
III. What about us as Individuals?
What kind of people are we?
A. Where are we going with our lives?
B. Where will we be tomorrow?
C. Are we growing as Christians? Do we plan to?
D. Do we plan to lead anyone to Christ?
E. Do we plan to invite our
friends and neighbors to come and experience the love of God?
F. Do we believe we are going to make it? Do we
believe
that God can make us better?
G. Do we come to church every
chance we have fully expecting God to use us?
IV. All of these things start with a vision that focuses us
toward a goal.
A. Visions give us direction.
B. It has been said that if you aim at nothing,
that is exactly what you will hit.
C. What are we aiming at?
Conclusion:
A. If our lives have really not been what they
should
have been, God
can help us put all the pieces back together!
B. If we have really gotten down on life and
really can't
see any hope,
God can mend shattered dreams and help
us dream again!
C. As a church, if we have accepted that the
good old days are in the past and the church can=t
grow today, God can help us dream again!
Like the movie said, “If you don’t have
dreams, you have anything.”
D. God's ready, willing, and able! Are we?
"Where
there is no vision the people perish!"
E. We have to keep dreaming and looking forward
to what
God
can do with and through us!
F. As we encounter Christ at the table today, come
to a
God
who can help us dream again!
Prayer of Confession
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