Vision Sunday 2024

Philippians 4:1-7 (ESV) 1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. 2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Introduction:

• Vision Sunday – is about you getting a vision.
• A vision for the Gospel.
• Hearing from the Lord.
• Removing the clutter.
• Planting all in.

2. Entering into a new year and a new season.

Ph 4:5…….. The Lord is at hand;

0. • Acknowledge when seasons change.
   • “The Lord is at hand”
   • In 2023 with the war in Israel something shifted.

• I have heard multiple guys say that “you would have to be living under a rock” to not realize the seasons shifted.
• I do live under a rock half the time and I realized this shift.
• When David Sumrall was ministering Sunday night about the change of seasons I felt the confirmation in my heart that as a Church we have entered into a new season.
• I feel we are no longer a brand new Church.
• I feel there is a pruning that has happened.
• “They went out from us because they were not of us”

3. Be anxious for nothing

Ph 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

• New season – new faith.
• We feast off the faithfulness of the Lord
• We push through the new Troubled presented.
• Trouble pushes one to prayer.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• No value can be put on the peace of God.
• There is no substitute for the serenity of God’s peace upon our heart.
• We replace anxiousness with peace and obtain peace in His presence.

4. Understand the times.

2 Timothy 3:1 (ESV) 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

• There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed.
• Satan is the ultimate abuser. (“child abuser”)
• Difficult days ahead.
  • through the idea of reducing the strength; difficult, i.e. dangerous, or (by implication) furious: — fierce, perilous.
  • hard to do, to take, to approach
  • hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous harsh, fierce, savage

• The sifting of satan.
• Luke 22:31-32 (ESV) 31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
• Sift: by inward agitation to try one’s faith to the verge of overthrow
• Jesus at the Father’s side praying for us.
• Like Peter maybe we have gone through a season of sifted faith…
• Sifting does not equal failure.
• “Turned again” strengthen others

5. A call to laboring side by side in the Gospel.

Phil 4:3….. who have labored side by side with me in the gospel

• Laboring by definition is a difficult action…
• He did not say I took a *walk in a park* side by side in the Gospel. *a trip to the beach*
• But like a women laboring in child birth new life is just on the other side.
• Men and women laboring side by side for the sake of the Gospel.
• Side by side – offers the feeling of equality.
• Laboring: g4866 … to strive at the same time with another, toward the same Gospel mission.
• Gospel goals.
• In a world that is contrary too…

6. Pray earnestly for laborers and workers.

Matthew 9:37-38 (ESV) 7 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

• The harvest is plentiful!
• There is no shortage of people who need to be won to Christ.
• But the numbers laborers in this harvest field is quickly exhausted.
• Increasing the value of each laborer.
• Laborers are few.

Luke 10:1-3 (ESV) 1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

7. The Lord’s day.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

• Let us consider, as Hebrews says, “how to Stir up one another – not neglecting to meet together”
• The importance of meeting together:
  • like a sharpener to a filet knife.
  • Like miles to a marathoner
  • Or like reps to the body builder.
• Some things just cannot be replaced with something else and expect to get the desired results.
• “The sabbath or Lord’s day is to be sanctified by an holy resting all the day, not only from such works as are at all times sinful, but even from such worldly employments and recreations as are on other days lawful; and making it our delight to spend the whole time (except so much of it as is to be taken up in works of necessity and mercy) in the public and private exercises of God’s worship: and, to that end, we are to prepare our hearts, and with such foresight, diligence, and moderation, to dispose and seasonably dispatch our worldly business, that we may be the more free and fit for the duties of that day.” (Westminster Larger Catechism)
• Being freed from the works that otherwise hold us bound the other 6 days a week.

8. The Lord’s day belongs to the Lord.

Revelation 1:10 (NKJV) I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

• The first day of the week is the Lord’s day.

Mark 16:2 early on the first day of the week.

Luke 24:1 the first day of the week very early in the morning

Acts 20:7 (NKJV) Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

1 Cor. 16:2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

• The Lord’s day is not our day.
• Meeting Together every week.
• Giving back to the Lord the Lord’s day.
• Goal for this year is to be in the House.

9. The Lord’s Day is all about a pattern.

• It is to be the one day in seven which is distinct from the others.
• The Lord’s day is set apart.
• “There is a distinction between those who serve the Lord” Sumrall
• There is a distinction among the days of the week, mainly the one we

  consecrate unto the Lord.