Be Now My Vision.

The title of our main message today is, Be Now My Vision. Be Now My Vision. I invite you to open your Bibles and turn with me to Ephesians chapter 3. We're going to turn our focus on verses 20 and 21. Ephesians 3 verses 20 and 21. These two foundational scriptures here will be our focus on this wonderful day of Pentecost. This, of course, is the day in which God established His church. As His people, this is the perfect day to take an account of where we've been as a people, take an account as to where we are, and to take an account, perhaps most importantly, of where we are going in our service to God. This is a very important focus today because I think we can all acknowledge that we are in a very strategic juncture in God's church today. A very strategic juncture. You may say, well, aren't we always in a strategic juncture? Well, yes, of course. But I believe, and I want to suggest to you today, that we are facing some of the most unique challenges as a church at this time in history and the life of the church because the attacks to God's way and the attacks to His church are also very strategic, and they're coming from the evil one, Satan the devil himself. And therefore, it's fundamentally important that we face these unique and differing and unknown attacks with our eyes fully fixed onto God, and our eyes fully fixed onto His power, and our eyes fully fixed onto His glory. That's going to provide to us the structure of our study today. So be now my vision. It's our song that we sing from our hearts. Be now my vision, O God of my heart. We're actually going to sing that song at the conclusion of our message today. God, I want you to be my vision. This must be so, because as we are proclaiming the gospel, as we are continuing to pursue many missions, as we are looking at future plans and procedures as a church, as we are preparing ourselves for the return of Jesus Christ, we need to together get a hold of some fundamental aspects to set our vision as a church today. In these two verses that we come to that Paul's going to give to us today, it'll help us to do just that, to set our vision for the future. Here it is, Ephesians 3 verses 20 and 21. Paul writes, Now to him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Jesus Christ to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Again, I believe these two verses provide for us the truth to transform us as a congregation and ultimately set our vision for Christ's return. Three aspects we want to consider today, three aspects we want to consider as revealed in these two scriptures. First aspect to consider is that our vision must be fixed upon him. That's number one. Our vision must be to him, to him, upon him. And you'll notice that's how Paul begins verse 20 there. To him. Now to him, he says, now to him who is able.

So first and foremost, Paul speaks to God's people and he reminds them God first. God first. Absolute necessity as we look forward. We must be a people that are God-centered. To him who is able. To him we set our vision. And I think we could ask, well, okay, if we're going to be fixing our vision onto him, who is he? Who is this him to whom we are to be setting our vision upon? Well, in a remarkable encounter, Paul was actually had the actual opportunity to reveal the him in an occasion that was recorded for us in the book of Acts. And I want to show you this. Keep your marker here in Ephesians 3, if you will. We'll come right back. But let's turn over to Acts 17 verses 22 through 25. As here in Acts 17 verses 22 through 25, we're going to see that Paul explains the to him. He's going to explain who is this him that Paul is pointing us to here. That we are to set our vision upon. Acts 17 beginning in verse 22. Let me set the scene for you. Paul now enters into the city of Athens, and he's waiting for his friends to come. And he began to look around, and he begins to recognize that the people there out on the streets of Athens are very religious. They're very religious, or at least they have a notion of some inkling of a god or gods in their case. And he's given the opportunity to talk to these people. And here's his response to them. Acts 17 beginning in verse 22. So then Paul stood in the midst of the Areakubah.

I said that so well earlier. And said, here it is, Men of Athens, Paul says, I perceive that in all things you are very religious. For as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an author with this inscription to the unknown god. Therefore, the one whom you worship without knowing him, I proclaim to you.

God, who made the world and everything in it, since he is the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. I'm sure he referenced those that was all around him at that time. Nor is he worshipped with man's hands as though he needed anything, since he, him, gives to all life, breath, and all things. Let's stop there. It's a remarkable moment. You know, he stands up and he says, I can see that you're a very religious group of people, he says here. You're interested in God or gods, per se. I can see you have a number of gods along this street in this whole pantheon here. And I'm intrigued to see that you're actually trying to cover all of your bases, because just in case you missed one, you actually have an altar to the unknown god. They were covering all their bases at that point, you know, just in case you missed one. And he says now, he says, what I'd like to do is tell you, though, about the one God. I want to tell you about him, he says, the God that you, in fact, do not know. I'd like to tell you about that unknown God. And how does he begin? Well, there at the end of verse 23, him I proclaim to you. I'm about to proclaim him to you. Verse 24, God who made the world and everything in it, he is the Lord of heaven and earth. He doesn't dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is he worshiped with men's hands as though he needed anything. In fact, he gives life and breath in all things, he says.

So Paul is now looking to awaken their vision and to set it first and foremost onto God, the true God, onto him. And he does this. Paul begins this pattern and this focus of setting God's people and their vision. He does this pattern over and over all throughout Scripture. Let me show you one other example. Romans 11 verses 34 through 36. Let's turn over there for just a moment. Romans 11 verses 34 through 36. Paul is now writing to the church in Rome. And look, I want you to see once again, he sets their vision onto him. So as we think about moving forward in this year as a church today, this is why we must first and foremost set our vision onto him. Look at this. Romans 11 verses 34 through 36. Romans 11 beginning in verse 34. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become his counselor? Or who has first given to him? And it shall be repaid to him. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Stop there. So he says, let's ask a few questions. He says, who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who gave him lessons? You know, who gave him counseling? I wonder. No one. No one. Why? Because no one is more powerful than God. He is God. Who has said to him that you owe me, you know, that we could give to God, that he would owe us? Who finances, if you will, God? No one. God finances his own projects. He didn't borrow from anyone. He is God. And so Paul says this declaration of God here in verse 36. For of him, through him, and to him are all things to whom be glory forever.

So you young people, don't take the bait of any of these contemporary notions. You know, there is a contemporary ideology today that is akin to believing that God dwells in temples, or God is, you know, part of what we make by our own hands. Somehow that God is dependent upon us. Or what the notion today is that you often hear is God is contained in nature. They refer to mother nature, and they give mother nature credit for all of creation. That's an ugly notion, right?

And then the contemporary notion, and I know our young people have heard this, they will say, you know, nature is divine. They've elevated nature. And we are part of nature. We're part of creation. Therefore, somehow or another, we are elevated. We are divine. And all you have to do to meet God is look within yourself. We make our own rules, you know. We determine what's in or out. We determine our own moral code, or lack thereof.

Nonsense. And when Paul speaks about God here, he says, rather, the fact is, we, as part of his creation, we are so lacking that, of and by ourselves, we can't even know God.

Because God is outside of time. He's outside of creation. We can't confuse him with creation. And there's actually an invisible boundary between ourselves and God. And the Bible says we are alienated from God. And we, of and by ourselves, are unable to cross the boundary to God.

And that God is not found in our deepest self. We cannot meet God on our own terms. We cannot engage him in our own time. No. If we are to know God, he must cross the boundary to us. And thank God he has done so. And he crossed the boundary through his Son, Jesus Christ, for us. Jesus Christ came to this earth to reveal the Father. And how thankful we are for that. And he came reconciling, bringing back the world to himself and to his Father. So when we think about Paul back there in that Ephesians letter, where he says, now to him who is able, to him who is able, he's addressing God the Father through Jesus Christ. In Christ, God continues to do and to accomplish what we cannot. But he does it through us. And we need to make sure that God is able to do that. And we need to fix our vision onto him, because we cannot expect to come before God and for him to provide unless we express that desire to turn our vision fully onto him. So when we look at the future, it's vitally important that our vision is upon him. And this is why we sing what we sing. Be now my vision, O God of my heart, nothing surpasses the love you impart. You my best thought, by day or by night, waking or sleeping, your presence my light.

So as we look to the future of the church, we're going to talk about structure, we're going to talk about finance, we're going to talk about plans and procedures. All of that is right and proper, but we need to get a hold of this first fundamental fact that unless our vision is consumed by God first, the sum total of all that we do will be left lacking. So it is that we establish our goals, we pray for our leaders, we pray for wisdom in all of that. We know we're not driven by human ingenuity, whether we're carried along by divine initiative. To Him, to Him, we set our vision.

So turning back to Ephesians 3, if you will, and verse 20 again. If you kept your marker there, you'll be helped. Ephesians 3 verse 20. Let's move on to the second aspect that Paul reveals. Where do you think we should set our vision next upon? I wonder what Paul would now propose that we set our vision upon? Well, I think the second aspect that is revealed in verse 20 here, Ephesians 3 verse 20, is that we are to then next set our vision onto His power. All right, we are to number two, set our vision onto His power. So first is to Him, and now follows Paul says that we are to as a church and individually, in fact, know that we are powered by Him. Here it is in verse 20. Now to Him, who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

According to the power that works in us. I know you've probably heard this, that word power there. It's a word that means energy, dunamis, dynamite. It's the dynamite of God, energizing God's people. It's sources from God, but its course is through us.

Individually, it's called believers and together as a whole church. And so if we begin to think about setting our vision onto this power, we also see that Paul was very in tune with this second aspect of setting our vision to this power. I just want to show you, beginning this Ephesians letter, I want to show you what Paul wrote about this power. Turn with me to Ephesians 1, just back a few chapters, to verses 19 and 20.

Paul is going to set God's people's vision onto the power of God, and he does so in beginning this letter. Look at what Ephesians 1 verse 19 says. What he says here, we're going to break into the verse here, but he once he references the saints. Those are God's people, you and I. Ephesians 1 verse 19. To the saints, he desires that the saints may know, verse 19, what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, that's God's people, according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places.

I'll stop there. Think about this description of the power, this incomparable great power of God. As you think about setting your vision onto it, think of this power. We have access to this same power, and think of how it describes it here. Let's continue here. Notice moving on to verse 20 through 21. Speaking of this mighty power, which he worked in Christ, the power which raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places. Verse 21. Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also that which is to come.

Let's stop there. So take all this together here and think about God's power and how important it is that we fix our vision onto it. What is it like? What is this power like?

This power that you have access to. So if you've been baptized in repentance and faith and you have committed yourself to God in that baptismal relationship, or if you are considering entering into this relationship, this is the power that you receive. This is the power that you have access to. It's the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. It's the same power that then exalted him to the right hand of the Father. And there in verse 21, this power that you have access to is above absolutely everything in this age.

And just for good measure, every age to come, he says, do you get that? This power you have access to. You young people, I hope you desire to one day have access to this power, and I hope you desire more and more every year to enter into that baptism commitment. And this is the power you'll have access to. And I'll tell you, you can begin to pray today that God would work with you with this power today.

Today. And he will. This power. This power. Think about this. It's the same power that Jesus dealt with death. It's the same power that he dealt with evil. Again, there in verse 20, this power raised Jesus from the dead. And this is the power, verse 21, that's above all principality, all power, all might, and all dominion, and that includes all evil, dominion, and power. And these are the two powers that man has no control of. If you think about it, man, of and by themselves, can't control.

We can't control our tongue. We can't control our mind. We can't control our actions of and by ourselves. We can't control the length of our days. Right? We have no power over these things. But if we have access and have been given this power, this is the power that we receive from the Father through Jesus Christ. So it is to this power that we set our vision. And this power is on display in all the Bible. And God, you know, the Scripture is continually beseeching us to tap into it. Tap into it.

We won't turn there. But if you think about this power at work in the story of David and Goliath, you know, this there in 1 Samuel 17. You might read it later for homework there in 1 Samuel 17. Think of what was in action there. Goliath, some 10 feet tall. He's chiding the armies of God. A little shepherd boy arrives, ruddy and complexion, handsome but small. I'll fight that man, David says.

Saul says, fine, but I need to give you some armor. Saul begins to put armor on him. It doesn't fit. Get them all dressed up. Eventually, David shakes it off. You know, I don't need this. And Saul says, well, what are you going to do? Don't worry. I'll take five small stones. And he goes against the 10-foot giant. The giant, by the way, his armor probably weighed more than David. Some say his armor weighed up to 150 pounds. The front part of his spear weighed 15 pounds alone. And so this small boy comes with five stones.

And a Goliath says to him, you think you're coming out to me like a dog with a stick? He says. He says.

And David says, the Lord God Almighty, giant, the Lord God Almighty, will deliver you into my hand and I will cut off your head.

That's big talk from a small guy. So what did David have? What was the X factor in David?

Well, I propose to you, his eyes, his vision was filled with God first. And his eyes and his visions were fixed upon his power, his power. And so then small David could think big. Think big.

Are you? Let me ask you. Let's bring it. Let's bring it personal.

Are you thinking big enough?

What giant is in your life right now? What giant is in your life? I look amongst these people, young and old, you're facing some giants in your life. And they're looking to take you down. And they're looking to instill fear in you. And they're looking to have you cower.

Whatever it is, whatever your difficulties, whatever your challenges, whatever is looking to assail you, bring those things before the Almighty God. Place your vision onto these things, onto him and his power. And let's see individually and as a church what he will accomplish.

On this great day of Pentecost, this is where our vision needs to be. Let me ask, what limitations have you built up in your mind as individuals or as a church? Have you found yourself thinking small? We need to make an impact in this society. More so, this nug-up coming year and the years to come. We need to make an impact. You need to look around in your sphere of influence and say, what impact can I make for God? And then bring that to God and say, empower me to do this, empower me to do this as I look to you.

If you find yourself thinking small, think of young David. Think of young David.

And I just want to bring you back to Ephesians 3 verse 20 again, if you'll go back there. If you haven't received the pricking of your heart yet, let me give you some more here. Let me give you a little bit more about his power. And this is the power you have available to you. Back in Ephesians 3 verse 20, maybe this will convince you to think big. Ephesians 3 verse 20 again, Paul says, Now to him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us, he says. So, superlative upon superlative. You know, Paul does this when he wants to make a point. He just starts stacking things. He starts stacking words on top of words. And look at this. God is able, all right, got it. God is able to do what we ask. Good. God is able to do what we ask or think. Okay. But that's not all. God is able to do all that we ask or think. That's not all. God is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think. But that's not all. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think. This is God. This is his power. And this is an encouragement. Man, this is an encouragement to us.

Real encouragement. Start praying big. Start praying big.

Paul took his own advice. I want to show you some big things that Paul prayed for in this particular letter. If you allow your eyes just to go up a few verses here, just before admonishing them these things, here in Ephesians 3 verses 14 through 19, look at how big Paul was praying for the church at this time.

Paul asked God regarding the Ephesian church, Ephesians 3, beginning in verse 14 through 19. He says, For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. And here's the big prayer. Verse 16. That he would grant you, speaking of God's people, that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width, length, depth, and height, to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. That's a big prayer. That's big thinking. That's someone who knows what the power of God can do. And this is the Ephesian church. I don't have to remind you, in many ways, these lovable men and women of the Ephesian church just trying to do their best. Oh, man, they had some troubles. They had some troubles.

So many different troubles, so many different divisions, so many different conflicts. Right? And Paul asks God that he would fill them with the fullness of God. Would you fill them, Father, with the fullness of God so they can know everything about you and everything about your love, he says, so that they may be able to comprehend with all the saints the width, length, depth, height, to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge. How could they ever know the fullness of God?

Well, humanly speaking, it's not possible.

But if we pray it, if we pray it, if we start praying big, we can know it. We can know it. Do you know the power of God in your life? Do you know God's power unleashed in your life to know that you belong to him? The psalmist says, delight yourself also for the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. For your notes, that's Psalm 37 verse 40. Psalm 37 verse 40. You know, does this work? Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. You think that works? Absolutely it works. But you can't forget the order, right? Delight yourself in the Lord to him first. Seek first the kingdom of God, seek him, and then all these things will be added to you. So to him comes first, set your vision on to him. That will allow you to be in line with his will, and that will then align your prayers according to his will, you see. And then he will give you the desires of your heart. Awesome!

Set your vision on to him and your power, and on the strength of Scripture, he will do for us this little congregation here far more abundantly than we could ever imagine. I hope you get that, and I hope this is what you're asking God for. So take that phrase if there in Ephesians 20, Ephesians 3 verses 20 and 21. You know, we could actually make Ephesians 3 verses 20 and 21 our verses for the year, really. We could stand upon these verses because I want you to believe in his power. What impact will we make in the world today if we're empowered by him and in this culture? You know, again, we don't have the time to turn there, but if you look at Acts 19 for your notes, you realize that Paul is going into the city of Ephesus. So these people, God's people that he's writing to in Ephesus, it's detailed in Acts 19. Paul is entering into this place. It's a commercial, political, and religious center of the earth at that time. He's at the hub of the world, deeply embedded in Ephesus all kinds of ugliness. Worship to the pagan goddess Diana. Their preoccupation was on sorcery and evil and indulgences. He goes into this city. Despite all that debauchery, they're incredibly intellectual, high degree of civilization, an excellent society by world standards, widespread cultural influence throughout all of the area, but consumed with paganism and evil, witchcraft and sorcery.

And yet, this is where Paul was. You know, if you were looking at church growth strategy, you would never pick this place. Surely they cannot receive the gospel because they can't receive it. They don't know the good news of the gospel. But the Spirit of God led Paul here to this godless city. And what was established in Ephesus was one of God's strongest church fellowships in all of the first century. How did that happen? How does a city be transformed like that? It's by the power of God. And I suggest to you today we can make that same transformation today. It's overwhelming to think about what's in front of us in this godless culture. But I want us to straighten our shoulders and bend our knees and access the one and the power to do just that. Finally, the third aspect we're going to move through this third aspect very quickly. The third aspect is set our vision upon when we think of the future in our future endeavors individually and as a church in light of these verses that were before us. Here in Ephesians 3, moving on to verse 21, we see the third and final aspect to church. We see the third and final aspect to turn our vision. So first to Him, then His power, and then the third aspect to turn our vision to, number three, is turning our vision unto His glory. His glory. Number three, our vision is to be set to His glory. Our whole purpose in life, in this physical existence, is to glorify Him. Glorify Him from the very first awakening moment to the very first sleep moment, is to glorify Him. Everything you do, everything you say, is to glorify Him. Never to glorify ourselves. To Him, Ephesians 3 verse 21, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. You'll notice, to Him be the glory in the church. The church, us sitting here today, is the sum and substance of everything that God is doing in the world. And the world needs to look to us at us today, and they need to see the glory of God coming through us. God's purposes are to create a people of His own, bring them to Himself, transform them to the image of His Son, and then send them out to transform the world. His glory is to be revealed in and through the church. What does that mean? God's character, His attributes are all to be displayed in this way, in the ages, through today and through the ages to come. So you young people, you have incredible responsibility before you. Your job is to continue to glorify God when we're all long gone. Or until Christ returns, of course. Throughout all the ages, men and women are to look upon the church of God and encounter His glory. His glory, His perfection, which is invisible, is made visible in the transformation He has brought about in our lives. For example, His love, His faithfulness, His compassion, His goodness, His forgiveness, all those things. When you go into God's church, you're supposed to meet all those things there. I have heard it. Let me just honor you for a moment, these two congregations that are before us. I hear it all the time. I go into their fellowship. Wow, I just felt the love. I felt the love. It's great. You have a real loving people. There's kind of a compassion about them, kind of an empathy. They're all different. I can tell you that. But there's a sort of harmony and there's a sort of unity amongst them.

If you think of Ephesus, wow, was a transformation happening. The Gentiles and Jews, the Jews regarded Gentiles as dogs. They wouldn't even let them in their homes. Here they were. What's going on in this place, they would have said. What has transformed this community? Here they are, Jews and Gentiles, singing songs and worshiping together and eating together at tables.

What kind of power has that ability? How does that happen? Well, we know. He is able to do more abundantly than we could ever ask or imagine. His glory is displayed in the church today, throughout all of your integrations, forever. Amen. And I'll tell you, yes, our whole purpose is to glorify Him today on this earth. But just know that at Christ's return, God the Father and Jesus Christ, their whole longing and desire, then, is to share their glory with us. It's all wrapped up in the beautiful prayer of Jesus Christ there. Father, I pray that these You've given me, that they would know our glory, that we can share our share our glory with them. What an awesome, awesome God we have, God the Father and Jesus Christ. So, as we work to conclude now, I hope these two verses are very powerful in your life. I hope they take a hold of our congregation today, that the world can look on and see the impact we're making for God. And they'll ask, how is this how is this possible? And we'll tell them. You now know what to tell them.

It is because of Him and His power, and it is to His glory. So may we, as a congregation, look out, look forward to the return of Jesus Christ, and may we always pray, Father, be now my vision.