Embracing God's Vision: Dreaming Big Together
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound concept of God-sized dreams, drawing inspiration from Jeremiah 29. We are reminded that God is always at work, even when we cannot see it, and that He has big dreams for each of us, our church, and the world. These dreams are not just personal aspirations but are deeply rooted in God's overarching plan for humanity. God's dream is to restore His people into a unified, redeemed family that dwells with Him forever. This dream is characterized by an intimate relationship with God, a kingdom of people reflecting His glory, the salvation and restoration of all, and the creation of a new heaven and earth.
Reflecting on personal experiences, such as the passing of my mother, we see how dreams can be both fulfilled and challenged. My parents' dreams of love, family, and legacy were mostly realized, yet they faced obstacles like health issues. Similarly, God's dream has faced challenges but remains in motion. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ have partially fulfilled this dream, offering salvation and restoration to all.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 serves as a reassurance of God's plans for us, emphasizing that His plans are for good, not disaster, to give us a future and hope. The Israelites, in exile, had rejected God's dream, turning to idolatry and earthly alliances. Yet, God promised restoration after 70 years, using the exile to grow their faith and dependence on Him. This teaches us that even in challenging times, God's plans are unfolding, and we are part of His dream.
As a church, we are called to dream big, aligning our dreams with God's vision. We must resist the temptation to play it safe or limit our dreams to what is comfortable and predictable. Instead, we should embrace the long-term faithfulness required to fulfill God's dream. Our faithfulness today positions us within God's plan for our church's future, and we are challenged to trust Him and step into the next phase of His vision.
Key Takeaways:
- God's Dream for Humanity: God's dream is to restore His people into a unified, redeemed family that dwells with Him forever. This dream includes an intimate relationship with God, reflecting His glory, salvation for all, and a new creation. It challenges us to align our personal and communal dreams with this divine vision. [43:39]
- The Role of Challenges: Just as my parents faced obstacles in their dreams, God's dream has encountered challenges. Yet, these challenges are opportunities for growth in faith and dependence on God. We are reminded that God's plans are still in motion, and we are part of His unfolding dream. [47:11]
- Jeremiah 29:11-13's Assurance: God's plans for us are for good, not disaster, to give us a future and hope. Even in exile, the Israelites were assured of restoration. This teaches us that God's plans are unfolding, and we are part of His dream, even in challenging times. [49:20]
- Dreaming Big as a Church: We are called to dream big, aligning our dreams with God's vision. This requires resisting the temptation to play it safe and embracing long-term faithfulness. Our faithfulness today positions us within God's plan for our church's future. [57:28]
- Trusting God's Vision: We are challenged to trust God and step into the next phase of His vision, understanding that it may exceed our imagination. God's dream is unstoppable, and we are invited to be part of something far greater than we can ask or imagine. [01:15:10]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Introduction to God-Sized Dreams
[05:00] - Personal Reflections and Gratitude
[10:00] - The Legacy of Dreams
[15:00] - Understanding God's Dream
[20:00] - Challenges in God's Dream
[25:00] - Jeremiah 29:11-13 Context
[30:00] - Assurance of God's Plans
[35:00] - Dreaming Big as a Church
[40:00] - Trusting God's Vision
[45:00] - The Role of Faithfulness
[50:00] - Embracing God's Future
[55:00] - Conclusion and Prayer
[01:00:00] - Closing Worship and Blessing
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Jeremiah 29:11-13: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
#### Observation Questions
1. What are the four parts of God's dream as described in the sermon? How do these parts reflect God's overarching plan for humanity? [43:39]
2. How did the Israelites' rejection of God's dream lead to their exile in Babylon, according to the sermon? [49:20]
3. What role do challenges play in the fulfillment of God's dream, as illustrated by the pastor's personal story about his parents? [47:11]
4. How does Jeremiah 29:11-13 provide reassurance to the Israelites during their exile? What specific promises does God make in these verses? [49:20]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of God-sized dreams challenge individuals and churches to think beyond their current circumstances? [57:28]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that personal and communal dreams should align with God's vision? How can this alignment impact a church's mission? [43:39]
3. How does the sermon interpret the role of faithfulness in the context of God's plans for the future? What does it mean to be faithful in challenging times? [01:15:10]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between wealth and spiritual faithfulness? How might this affect a church's ability to fulfill God's dreams? [01:01:12]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a personal dream you have. How does it align with God's dream for humanity as described in the sermon? What steps can you take to ensure your dreams are in harmony with God's vision? [43:39]
2. Consider a challenge you are currently facing. How can you view this challenge as an opportunity for growth in faith and dependence on God? [47:11]
3. How can you actively participate in your church's mission to dream big and align with God's vision? What specific actions can you take to support this mission? [57:28]
4. In what ways can you resist the temptation to play it safe in your spiritual journey? How can you embrace long-term faithfulness in your relationship with God? [01:15:10]
5. Reflect on your current level of trust in God's plans for your life. What practical steps can you take to deepen your trust and step into the next phase of His vision? [01:15:10]
6. How can you contribute to the next generation's spiritual growth and ensure that God's dream is worth your wealth and resources? [01:01:12]
7. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to seek God wholeheartedly. What changes can you make to prioritize seeking God in this area? [49:20]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Vision for a Unified Family
God's dream for humanity is to restore His people into a unified, redeemed family that dwells with Him forever. This vision is not just about individual salvation but encompasses a collective transformation where people reflect God's glory and live in intimate relationship with Him. It includes the salvation and restoration of all, culminating in the creation of a new heaven and earth. This divine dream challenges us to align our personal and communal aspirations with God's overarching plan, inviting us to participate in something far greater than ourselves. [43:39]
Isaiah 65:17-18 (ESV): "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness."
Reflection: Consider how your personal dreams align with God's vision for a unified, redeemed family. What steps can you take today to contribute to this divine dream in your community?
Day 2: Embracing Challenges as Opportunities
Challenges are an inevitable part of life, and they also play a role in God's dream for humanity. Just as personal dreams can face obstacles, God's dream has encountered challenges throughout history. However, these challenges are not setbacks but opportunities for growth in faith and dependence on God. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ have partially fulfilled God's dream, offering salvation and restoration to all. We are reminded that God's plans are still in motion, and we are invited to be part of His unfolding dream, even in the face of adversity. [47:11]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Identify a current challenge in your life. How can you view this challenge as an opportunity to grow in faith and deepen your dependence on God?
Day 3: Assurance in God's Promises
Jeremiah 29:11-13 offers reassurance of God's plans for us, emphasizing that His plans are for good, not disaster, to give us a future and hope. The Israelites, during their exile, had turned away from God's dream, yet He promised restoration after 70 years. This period of exile was used to grow their faith and dependence on Him. This teaches us that even in challenging times, God's plans are unfolding, and we are part of His dream. We are encouraged to trust in His promises and remain faithful, knowing that His plans are for our ultimate good. [49:20]
Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'"
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God's promises. How can you renew your trust in His plans for your life today?
Day 4: Dreaming Big with God
As a church, we are called to dream big, aligning our dreams with God's vision. This requires resisting the temptation to play it safe and embracing the long-term faithfulness needed to fulfill God's dream. Our faithfulness today positions us within God's plan for our church's future. We are challenged to trust Him and step into the next phase of His vision, understanding that it may exceed our imagination. By dreaming big, we participate in God's unstoppable dream and are invited to be part of something far greater than we can ask or imagine. [57:28]
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Reflection: What is one big dream you have for your church community? How can you take a step today to align this dream with God's vision?
Day 5: Trusting in God's Unstoppable Vision
We are challenged to trust God and step into the next phase of His vision, understanding that it may exceed our imagination. God's dream is unstoppable, and we are invited to be part of something far greater than we can ask or imagine. This requires a deep trust in His plans and a willingness to embrace the unknown. By trusting in God's vision, we open ourselves to the transformative work He desires to do in and through us, both individually and collectively as a church. [01:15:10]
Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV): "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to trust God's vision more fully? What practical step can you take today to demonstrate your trust in His unstoppable plan?
Quotes
God's dream is to restore his people into a unified, redeemed family that dwells with him forever. That is God's big dream. That's a God-sized dream, isn't it? Because we can't agree on the same color, right? We certainly can't agree on the same way to run a country or the same, you know, flavor of ice cream, you know, not that we can't have uniqueness, but we can hardly agree on anything. And then we hear God's dream is to restore his people into a unified, redeemed family that dwells with him forever. [00:42:49] (44 seconds)
But for now, sin, brokenness, sadness, faithlessness, disease, those things still exist. We deal with them. But it's God's dream that we be so much more and part of something so much bigger and grander. But it's his dream is an already dream, but not yet dream. And it's the work of Christ for salvation, the work of salvation that has been finished. As Jesus actually said on the cross in John 19, verse 30, we hear him say, You know, it is finished. It is finished. And then he bowed his head and he gave up his spirit. [00:46:47] (53 seconds)
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days, when you pray, I will listen, if you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. Just to understand the context that's going on in this, the prophet of Jeremiah, in this letter, this is a letter to God's chosen people. Okay, we can get that. The Israelites, they've rejected God's dream for them. [00:49:31] (40 seconds)
And God wants to use that exile, and the people can use that exile to grow in their faith and their dependence and trust on God. They can lay the true foundation, as we talked about last week, faith. They can be restored ultimately for themselves as in their true identity. Their true identity is to be instruments of the true God. They're chosen people who are instruments to fulfill God's dream for all of humanity, all the world, all creation. [00:52:43] (36 seconds)
It's not uncertain, and it's worth working towards. It's worth it. Now, the Christians and the body of Christ are called to dream big. We're called to dream God's size, dreams, because God's vision is like, and dream is just unbelievable. But we're called to do that as well. We cannot allow struggles and challenges to alter our dreams or decide just simply as a body of Christ to play it safe or to limit our dreams to dreams that are comfortable and predictable and have these comfortable and predictable results only, or they're controllable. [00:56:27] (45 seconds)
For I know the plans I have for you, it says, says the Lord. There are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Again, this was written to those who had survived, actually been besieged, you know, in the Holy Land, and they've been brought somewhere to Babylon. These are the surviving elders. These are the surviving priests. These are the surviving prophets, the people, even the false prophets. Now, the problem with the false prophets, as we heard earlier, is they were filling the minds of the people with false hope. [01:06:08] (40 seconds)
It's very practical in the human understanding of things. But it's like the Holy Spirit has filled our conversations, our dreams, our praying. Past generations have been faithful with their giving and their generosity to trust him and what he's trying to accomplish with John Wesley. And we are beneficiaries of that. I mean, how can we? I mean, we get the benefit of actually redoing some areas that we maybe get to benefit from, but we had no part in supporting and making happen. So the scripture goes on and says, they are plans for good and not for disaster. [01:10:27] (38 seconds)
In our church, John Wesley, it's not just about buildings. Even though we have to have some things that we capitalize, expenditures, but it's about transforming lives, marriages, families, connecting more people, individuals, next generations, being alive, strong, so we can help transform and renew people's lives in Jesus Christ. Right? Amen. Amen. I mean, it's bigger than us. And sometimes we just need to know that and remember that. I need to remember that all the time. And they are plans for good and not for a disaster, for disaster. [01:11:22] (37 seconds)
Our faithfulness today positions us within God's plan for our church's future. Let me reread that. Our faithfulness today positions us within God's plan for our church's future. We have heard of tipping points, and I close with this. We've heard of tipping points. Those are those critical moments in industries and lives, whatever it is, where a minor change makes a huge, major difference. And you think about that water, 33 degrees Fahrenheit, is water. And water at 31 degrees Fahrenheit is ice. The tipping point. [01:15:38] (44 seconds)
God, I believe, is calling us to embrace a future that really goes beyond what we can probably see. I mean, he's speaking to exiles in the Scripture, and they can't see it. They just see pain, and they see they're in a different place, and they've been uprooted, and their homeland has been somewhat destroyed. But, may we understand that God's calling us beyond what we can just see. He's calling us to this full picture, and we need to trust his plans. [01:16:53] (32 seconds)
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