Vision sunday; god's vision for revive

PART 1

 

 

Vision Video

 

Tennessee

I’ve always wanted to be a singer and an actor….so I put pictures of very successful singers, and actors up on my walls.  ….

Then realized….i didn’t necessarily want to specifically be an actor/singer, what I saw in these men was that they were highly influential, and brought laughter, wisdom, and even gave me a sense of hope.  Their stories all overcame the odds.  Taking a 2bit nothing and turning him into something pretty special.  THAT’S the desire I had for my life, that’s the desire God put into my heart.

 

When I looked at them, I could see my future.  And ultimately I realized, JESUS was the ultimate superstar!  If I do what JESUS did, I’ll get every desire of my heart that’s ever been there.  And you know why?  Bc it’s only then, that i’ll be doing what God created me to do!

 

What is YOUR outlook on the future

 

Does it include spreading Jesus and building His people, carrying out HIS mission?

 

SAVE, EQUIP, SEND

Matthew 4:19

 

In Acts 1, it is written that after Jesus’ death and resurrection, he spent time with His followers, speaking and teaching for forty days before ascending into heaven. Before he leaves them, they ask Him in verse 6, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”   They asked him multiple times about the end….about it being over.  His response is no; the ministry of Christians is not ending—it is only beginning.

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (v. 7-8)

 

WE GOT WORK TO DO!

 

THIS is our mission….

 

to do what they did

 

After they caught fire, Jesus went back to Heaven, THEY carried it out!

   THEY performed miracles

"Then Peter said, silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them-walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God" [Acts 3:6-8 and Acts 3:1-10, Acts 3:16].

 

"So that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them" [Acts 5:15].

 

* "And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people" [Acts 6:5, Acts 6:8].

 

"And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized [Acts 9:17-18].

 

Paul Is Unharmed by a Viper. "But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, 'No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.' But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm" [Acts 28:3-5, Mark 16:18, Acts 28:3-5].

 

 

 

UNEXPLAINABLE POWER

God has made His power available to us, therefore our lives should be unexplainable. This means that things should be happening in our lives that are awe-inspiring!

Don’t settle for the average or easily attainable. 

How does that happen?  Tom Brady

If you are single, don’t settle for the wrong relationship. God has power to bring you someone extraordinary!   don’t get married unless, it’s like WHAAAAT?!!!

If you are in a difficult marriage, don’t settle for the same patterns that have entrapped you. God has power to bring hope for change and restoration to turn your marriage around

Story of your life… shoulder, bank account...

Pilate had pop pop power, but I got BaBoom Power

 

When’s the last time you experienced unexplainable power?

ministries out of the church…..knitting ministry, making hats for the hospital babies

 

 

   examples…..what does God want YOU to do?!

 

RELENTLESS PERVASIVE HOPE / Supernatural power of God

 

Jesus empowers you to do what He wants you to do, not what you want to do. Your ideas may be good, and they may actually be pieces of what He wants for you, but God has much more to His plan. Ask Him.

 

When we apply Acts 1:8 to our church, we can see that God has plans for us to reach East Texas, the nation, and the world.  Start with the folks in your circle.

 

  We gotta go to them, and provide a place where they can go and encounter God’s love

Definition:  For every way someone can be lost, we want to provide a practical way for him or her to be found, in the very place they have ended up.

How many of you have ever been in a bar?  in jail?  etc……we need you to go back

It’s not about you coming to one place and getting your Jesus fill and then survive the week.  No it’s about “Lord what do you want to do in my life?”

brainstorm ministries : ministry that feeds those who are hungry.  ladies who cook, that’s a ministry

Men’s ministry…..JD, you are not just in charge of finding stuff for our men to do, yes that’s true, but what a great opportunity to catch other men!

 

Do you just go get anybody?  nope!  you already know someone, or you at least know of an area that’s close to your heart that you can reach out to someone

 

How many of you know 3 people who don't have Jesus...

Who aren't really going to church?  If you aren't going to church, you're not a disciple, period. This is where u get fed, this is where you get EQUIPPED! 

 

THIS is our mission, what does that look like to us?

 

Our sign

TV in foyer so everyone passing by can see

show youth room picture

and children stuff set up

Youth Leader

 

JESUS’ POWER IS GREATEST WHEN WE DIE

Luke 9:23

Story of devil saying jump

    Anytime the devil speaks to you, it’s usually a perversion of what God would tell you to do.  The devil says jump, kill yourself.  Well God says die too.  just a different death.  It can’t be about YOU anymore.  If it’s about you, it aint about God

Challenge…come every Sunday form here til Easter!  and be on time!  10:30 service, starts at 10:30.   don’t be pulling up at 10:30, cuz we want you to worship with us.

I’m in God, i can die to myself, not be about me, but about you, i’m gonna get plugged in to a ministry, start a ministry, etc, I want unexplained power in my life……but I ain’t gonna come to church.  what?!

 

Die to yourself, pick up HIS vision!

 

My mom, miss Sherry making things, Patrick, Jean.  None of that is possible without first dying to yourself

 

Miss Dottie saying let's see where God takes this 

 

CHALLENGE:  You must spend time with God and receive HIS vision, the vision of Revive Church, and what that means to you!  What is YOUR part to play in a much bigger role than just within yourself?  How can YOU help build that?

 

Next weekend, we will answer that call!