“Living Our Vision: 

A Challenge to Thrive in 2021 and Beyond”

Part 1 [on screen]

Rev. Matthew C. McCraw, EdD

First Baptist Church, Bartow, Florida

April 11, 2021

Introductory Comments:

According to the Federal Highway Administration, each year, over 38,700 vehicle crashes occur in fog, simply because people cannot see where they are going. If you don’t know where you are going, you may not only get lost, but things can get downright dangerous. [show foggy driving image on screen]

So, church, we must know where we are going. We must be able to see clearly. Why do we have a vision statement? Well, we have to know and see where we are going, don’t we?

Our vision is, “We exist to develop disciples who love God, love the Church, and love others.” [on screen]

Remember this from Proverbs 29:18 (KJV): “Where there is no vision, the people perish . . .” [on screen]

Proverbs 29:18 (CSB) – “Without revelation people run wild . . .” [on screen]

Vision helps give us direction. 

We have a vision statement so we know which direction to point the ship, at which target to aim, down which road we should drive, which decisions should be made, where our effort should go, where our finances should be spent, for what we should pray, and why we gather together as a church. 

Understanding our vision and living our vision is vitally important to who we are as a church. 

Today, we are going to begin a two-week series on how we can live out our vision as individuals and as a church. 

Before we go any further, let’s pray together.

(prayer)

In Matthew 28:18-20, we read these famous and powerful words:

“18 Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” [on screen]

Jesus has clearly commanded and commissioned His followers to make disciples. That is the challenge for us. 

As we commit to make disciples, we must first commit to being disciples. 

Our vision statement spells out what kind of disciples we are aiming to develop and to be. 

So, as we go through this sermon this morning, I want to challenge you to challenge yourself to commit to be the kind of disciple that we are seeking to develop. I’m going to ask you to actually make a commitment when this is done. 

In this commitment, we must thrive as disciples, not simply survive as church members. 

So, this morning, we’re going to look at three specific challenges:

First, . . .

I. Challenge yourself to love God. [on screen]

I dare say that most of us know that we are to love God. This is not one of those truths where someone would say, “Pastor, I’m going to need the chapter and verse to support what you’re saying.” However, I’ll still give you a chapter and verse. 

Some of you may remember this passage that the followers of God in the Old Testament days memorized. It’s called the shema. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 says, “4 Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” [on screen]

Jesus underscored this command in Matthew 22:37 when He said, “ . . . Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind . . .” on screen]

I could go on, but I think we all know that we should love God. 

Well, what are some ways that we love God? At First Baptist Church Bartow, we seek to love God in the following ways:

We love God through . . . [on screen]

1.  . . . biblical worship. [on screen]