Title: Vision Without Limits (02/25/2013, Lent 11th)
(11th day of Lent)
Vision Without Boundaries
Bible Verse Matthew 28:16-20
16 <Mission of the Disciples> Eleven disciples went to Galilee and came to the mountain Jesus had indicated.
17 When they saw Jesus, they bowed down. But some were skeptical.
18 Jesus came and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach them to observe all that I have told you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”
One of the most comforting verses in reading the Bible is probably “Nothing is impossible for God”. In fact, if you look at the words in the Bible, the same is true of the parting of the Red Sea, the destruction of the walls of Jericho, and the resurrection of Jesus. When you read those words, “There is nothing impossible with God!” makes you think.
Look at those stories as well as those who were used by God. Abraham was 75 years old when he was called by God (Genesis 12:4). Moses was 80 years old when he was called by God. It makes me wonder why God didn't use them when they were young and used people so old. Also, we often talk about Gideon's 300 warriors, and when we say warrior (勇士), we say “warrior” or “hero” in English, which reminds us of someone who is strong and good at fighting. The angel who came to Gideon with God's message greeted him like this. “Strong warrior! The LORD is with you (Mighty hero, the LORD is with you).” (Judges 6:12) However, Gideon was not like that at all. He was not a strong man, nor was he experienced in warfare.
Even in the New Testament, when we look at those who have been used by God, in our view, there are no great people with many abilities. First of all, the disciples of Jesus are like that. Are there any scholars among the disciples? Or is there a famous politician? Or, do you have a wealthy chaebol? Or do you come from a prestigious family? There is no one. Rather, a man like Matthew was a tax collector who pointed at people. A man like Simon was a very dangerous person. Did you say that Simon was from the Zealots (Luke 6:15)? It is very dangerous to make and carry such a person as a disciple.
Why? Why did the Bible pick-up the weak rather than the strong? Why did God not look for capable people of that time, but rather called people with many shortcomings? The answer is given in the Bible. “As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:29) The Bible says: "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."
There is also this saying. “We hold this treasure in earthen vessels. This is to show that our abundant power does not come from us, but from God (We ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves).”
Even as we read these words, we do not think very strangely. However, when I hear that God is using me, I am puzzled. When I hear that God is using me to do amazing things, I have doubts. “Will God ever use me?” I am not trying to believe this word. But we must know for sure. When God created me, God had a special plan. This can also be seen through the story of the potter in Isaiah 29, 64 and Jeremiah 18 in the Bible. Isn't God the potter and we are the clay? A potter makes a bowl out of clay. When you make a bowl, you have an idea. The potter has a design before making this bowl for what purpose, in what shape, and how big it is. Likewise, there was a design of God when He created you to life. He did not create you haphazardly or without thought.
Shall we go back to today's talk? In today's Word, Jesus tells his disciples the plan that Jesus has. This plan was ultimately the purpose of making disciples of these people. To complete this project, Jesus made 12 disciples. Do you know what plan Jesus had? Jesus had a great plan to make disciples of people all over the world. Jesus had a vast idea that he did not exclude any country, any people, or any tribes from this plan. It means that anyone living on this earth must hear my gospel. It's a phrase we've heard a lot about, but have you ever thought about it? There were no boundaries in the project Jesus was trying to accomplish. Never before has there been such a massive project in human history. No matter how big it is, it has been done in one country or one region, but there has never been a project for all peoples and tribes.
Henry Ford (1863-1947), known as the king of automobiles, said this. “I’m looking for a lot of men with an infinite capacity for not knowing what can’t be done.” We don't know much about Henry Ford. However, don't you think that someone who can say such a thing is a great person? At the same time, don't you think that these are the people God is looking for? The people God seeks are those who believe that “Nothing is impossible with God.” These are people with a vision without boundaries. The disciples Jesus wants are the same. Jesus is not looking for people with many abilities, but people who believe and follow Him with a whole heart. Because there are no boundaries to the project that God has asked us to complete.
Can you believe this? Yes. God is still completing God's project through people who believe and follow these words. The people mobilized for this project are people with a vision without boundaries. Just as Henry Ford sought out such people to build an automobile kingdom, God is calling people with a vision without boundaries to build his kingdom.
Reminds me of the Haystack Movement (1806) at Williams College. Five students, Samuel John Mills, James Richards, Francis L. Robbins, Harvey Loomis, and Byram Green, escaped from the rain into haystacks to shelter from the rain. They held hands and began to pray for world missions. Didn't this little prayer group later develop into the Student Volunteer Movement (SVM) movement? These five students held each other's hands and prayed, “We can do this, if we will!” They prayed to God with a vision without boundaries, and God gave him his kingdom. for that