Title: God-given vision/Proverbs 29:18
Content * Text: Proverbs 29:18, Matthew 6:33-34, Philippians 3:12-14
Who are the people of the world afraid of?
The first is a person with a vision, the second is a person who does not cling to possessions and transcends lust for water, and the third is a person who risked death and laid down his life Those who have a clear vision and decide to sacrifice everything to realize that vision and stand up courageously are the most fearful and powerful people. In that sense, the Apostle Paul was a man the world feared.
A vision is not an illusion, it is the most feasible dream. But to put it more precisely, a vision is intrinsically distinct from a dream. Vision is a synthesis of wisdom gained from past experiences, insight to see and recognize the present correctly, and foresight for the future.
1. Paul is a man with a vision from God.
When Paul was captured by Jesus Christ in Damascus, he had a vision for world missions. (Acts 9:15, 22:21, 26:15-18)
God captured Saul, who was persecuting the church of Christ, and established him as a witness of Christ, showing the vision of world mission and giving specific guidelines. Depending on the breadth, height and direction of your vision, the breadth, height, and direction of your life will change. Therefore, it is most important to have a vision of the high, wide, and great kingdom of God that God gives.
The fundamental vision of Christian life is to seek the kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:33, James 1:17) When God presented Paul with a vision, he made him taste the power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Resurrection, which stretches realistically on the basis of his Judaism and Greek civilization. And, with that gospel, he instilled confidence and courage to conquer the coming world in the future and realize the kingdom of God. That's why Paul said, "I chase after that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:12-14)
With the vision he had received from the Lord, Paul went through Rome to Spain (the ends of the earth) to preach the gospel, and he lived a life of experiencing the concrete expansion of the kingdom of God.
2. The vision made Paul run towards the goal.
Paul said that he chased after a goal to catch what was in front of him. (Phil 3:14)
After meeting Christ, Paul showed the determination and courage to give up and sacrifice the old things for new values and goals. (Philippians 3:7-11) It is quite natural for a person who finds the hidden treasure in a field to sell all his possessions to buy the field, and to sell things of lesser value to obtain something more valuable. (Matthew 13:44)
Vision awakens and motivates people's potential and, like a giant magnet, mobilizes all forces to move forward toward a goal. A person with a vision will voluntarily lead a future-oriented and goal-oriented life with concentration toward the goal.
Vision is the ability to see today from the perspective of the future while waiting patiently to make today great. A vision is like a locomotive, driving the life of today, overcoming all obstacles with incredible momentum.
3. The concrete way to realize the kingdom of God is to spread the gospel and create a kingdom where God's will reigns.
Jesus came into the world and proclaimed the gospel, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Repentance means returning man and all creation to the place they were created by God. When a person repents, the kingdom of God is restored. “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Today is the 59th anniversary of our founding. God has given our church a vision to realize the kingdom of God while serving a beautiful country church, a harmonious church, and a mature church and community through education. So, following the vision God has given me, I have come this far. He gave us a spiritual training center as we look forward to the 60th anniversary of the founding of the church and gave us a vision of realizing the kingdom of God through the welfare and cultural center. Let's run towards a hopeful future with all our might, hoping that the vision God has given us will lead the future of our church.