10/28/07

“Dare to Dream”

Joel 2:23-32, Ephesians 1:15-22

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are camping. They pitch their tent under the stars and go to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night, Holmes wakes Watson. "Watson, look up at the stars and tell me what you deduce."

Watson says, "I see millions of stars, and if even a few of those have planets, it’s quite likely there are some planets like Earth, and if there are a few planets like Earth out there, there might also be life."

Holmes replies, "Watson, you idiot, somebody stole our tent!"

If we are to grasp the obvious about what Joel said about living life as led by the Spirit of God, then what is it we will grasp? What can be said about the Spirit-led life?

It’s a Life of Dreams and Vision. It is helpful to define our terms here. The popular television show "Frasier" had a character named Daphne Moon, who maintained she has psychic visions. Her life and goals are controlled by whatever she "sees" in these dream-visions. It’s really pretty funny stuff (especially when she eats pizza with anchovies just before going to sleep - what dreams and visions!).

That is not the kind of visionary Spirit-leadership the Bible holds. Rather, vision is like a window through which we wonder about tomorrow. The word "vision" in Hebrew is, literally, a revelation. It means we contemplate tomorrow with the eyes of God. Do you have goals, dreams and visions? Are you planning for a bigger tomorrow than today? Are you planning for a greater tomorrow? I mean, are you involving yourself in something greater than yourself?

To be led by the Spirit of God is to bend our will to God’s and allow God to inform our human minds and spirits - to shape ourselves into the image of Christ, obedient, pliable, useful. How do we do that?

I’ve known many people who prayed for the will of God to be revealed. Some have sat, unfulfilled for years awaiting the sky to part, and a new Biblical text to unfold mystically before their eyes. They tell me, "Oh, if I only knew what God’s will was I’d do it." With every call for commitment they hold off putting themselves on the line because somehow the great vision hasn’t yet happened. They live life second-guessing and miserable guilty, sensing they have not followed God.

Others have made a conscious decision to accept and follow Christ, according to the revelation they have, trusting Him to reveal Himself more fully as they follow him. They got busy in a local church, studied their Bibles, shared their faith and gave of themselves to build the kingdom of God wherever they are, however they could, with whatever God gave them. I have seen folks in that second group find God’s direction in their lives and be a blessing to their church and community.

God has given us plenty of vision. He tells us to cooperate in building His church, the visible symbol of the Kingdom of God. As Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the powers of death shall not prevail against it” Matt. 16:18b. He tells us to love and care for one another - as we would care for Him in person. “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it to me” Matt. 25:40. He tells us to set our goals on things eternal, great visions, magnificent dreams. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal” Matt. 6:19-20.

Yes, the Spirit-led life is a life of dreams and vision. And…it’s a life in the Light.

Darkness is for bumping into things. We have all made our share of mistakes. We have all jumped to the wrong conclusion at times. We have all played the jerk! Living in the light is discovering that we do not have all the answers on our own. Vision is good - God’s light on that vision will tell us if we are on the right track. James helps us at this point. “If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you” James 1:5. Is our vision, our dream a pipe dream? Does it match with God’s will? Bring the light of God to bear on the vision. But again, the question arises how do we do that?

There are numbers of ways to verify our dreams and visions. The primary way is prayer and study of the scripture. Does our life’s path line-up with what God said in His word? Much heartache and wasted effort could have been avoided in the past had some penetrating questions been put to the Biblical test. Another way to bring our vision to light is to share it with respected leaders in the church community. The scripture says, “Where there is no guidance, a nation falls: but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” Proverbs 11:14.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have been saved from myself by the wise counsel of a mentor, or a caring Session or Deacon board member. Many times I hold back a decision until I have time to talk with our Deacons or Elders. I respect their counsel on my visions. Clarifying our vision and goals by sharing in the light of other believers’ counsel is God’s way of sharing wisdom.

The Spirit-led life is a life of visions and dreams, it is pursued in the light of God’s counsel through scripture study and mentoring, and it’s a life of growth. Every living thing is born, grows and dies. That is a life-cycle. Our visions and dreams are living things. If they are nurtured and tended they will grow. Are we growing?

Being Spirit-led is all about sticking to the purpose for which God placed you on this planet. It’s about being an obedient and pliable instrument in the hands of God to accomplish His will. It’s all about hard work and commitment with no personal agenda, other than being the best servant on earth, approved in Heaven.

Do you dare to be a dreamer? Do you dare to have visions and dreams? Do you dare to bring them into the light of God’s wisdom and share them with the family of God? You can do it! God told us that Jesus died for that…so that you could be living an abundant life, filled with the Spirit of the living God. He did it because He loves you.

There is a story of a woman who dreamed she walked into a brand-new shop in the marketplace and, to her surprise, found God behind the counter. “What do you sell here?” she asked.

“Everything your heart desires,” said God.

Hardly daring to believe what she was hearing, the woman decided to ask for the best things a human could wish for. “I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear,” she said. Then as an afterthought, she added, “Not just for me, for everyone on earth.” God smiled. “I think you’ve got me wrong, my dear,” God said. “We don’t sell fruits here. Only seeds.”

As that story illustrates, daring to dream is important for us to live as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God here on earth, but something even more crucial than dreaming is dedicating ourselves to our dreams. I remember the days when my children were baptized. Oh, what dreams I had for each of them! I held them in my arms and wondered what magnificent people they might grow up to be. I’m sure that Kelly and Gideon, Sandy and Ken, and Donna and Don are full of dreams for their children. But no child can grow to be a healthy, happy, faithful and productive adult without parents and other adult figures dedicating themselves to that child’s well-being. Dreaming alone is not enough. Investing ourselves in the dream is what makes a dream become reality.

The same is true of the church. Today we celebrate the second anniversary of United Presbyterian Church. That’s a pretty young church, though it has solid roots in the marriage of the Yardville and Pilgrim congregations. One thing we are doing today is daring to dream that our church will be a place where Jesus Christ is proclaimed, where children and adults are welcomed to learn and grow, where we reach out in love and compassion to the hurting and the hungry of the world. The pledge cards we receive in today’s Stewardship Offering, are tangible signs that we are dedicating ourselves to this dream. We are investing in the future of this church, the same way the parents of today’s baptized babies are investing in the future of their children. And we pray that God will bless and multiply our efforts that our dreams for United Presbyterian Church and these newest members of our church may come true. Amen.

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