Friday 15th June 2012

Proverbs 29:18, Revelation 11:15 and 21:1-5, Matthew 6: 9-13, Philippians 3:20-21, Luke 17:20-21, Luke 4:18-19

Matt Summerfield

'Where there is no vision, the people perish'. Proverbs 29:18

Vision is the fuel that helps us keep on, keeping on. But we don't want to just commit ourselves to any vision. The vision that Jeremiah is referring to here is God's vision. The world will perish if the people of God are not captivated by a vision from God.

So what is God's vision for creation?

Revelation 11:15 and 21:1-5 remind us that God's vision is a world where the Kingdom of God - which is God's rule and reign - has fully broken in to this world - putting an end to sin, sickness, sorrow and death once and for all. God's future promise is this - if you are a signed up Kingdom of God impacting, God-loving, Jesus follower, then you're not going to be some floating spirit bouncing from cloud to cloud; but that you have a brand new physical body in God's brand new creation, that can no longer get sick, no longer sin, no longer die and so there are no more tears, sorrow or pain. The Kingdom of God - Gods rule and reign has fully come.

That's God's future vision. That's our future hope. Heaven fully invades earth. The vision of God is the Kingdom of God.

But Jesus' message 2,000 years ago wasn't just about a coming Kingdom, but the Kingdom of God breaking in right here and right now. What happens when the Kingdom of God starts to breaks out now? There's healing, wholeness, forgiveness, freedom and hope, because God's vision is that, 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain'.

God's future vision is that the Kingdom of God will fully come and transform the whole of creation. Until that day, God's every day vision is that the Kingdom of God will continue to break out every day, in every place, in every moment, through every Jesus follower.

But what does that mean for you personally today? If you embrace a vision for God's inbreaking Kingdom what does that look like from today? What are you signing up to?

I want to suggest three things.

1. Praying Kingdom prayers

In the most famous prayer in the world, Jesus taught us to pray, 'Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be your name' and then what's the first request? 'Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven'. What's the direction of this prayer? Heaven to earth.

So if you're going to play your part in this Kingdom vision then you need to pray Kingdom prayers. What are Kingdom prayers? Jesus tells us that they are prayers that Heaven fully invades earth NOW. That signs of the Kingdom of God break out now, as it is in Heaven.