Vision of God

Ephesians 3:1-11 "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, [2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: [3] How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4] Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [5] Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; [6] That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: [7] Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. [8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; [9] And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: [10] To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, [11] According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:"

Within our world today, all people have "visions", ideas, goals as to how they want their lives to turn out. Some have visions of hatred: white supremacy, black pantherism, neo-nazism. Some have visions of global peace and unity. Others have visions of a perfect world, created through humanism, where there is no longer any sickness nor sadness - a literal "nirvana". Others still have personal visions, visions of wealth, power, popularity, fame. Dwight L. Moody said, "The best way to show that a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or to spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it." That's what we're going to talk about today - our Vision.

The vision that we have is important, for the vision that we have will determine how we work together toward a common goal. An army cannot move against an enemy without a concrete plan, and a business cannot prosper unless it understands its goal, its target consumer.

As the Church of Jesus Christ we must have a vision, and that vision must, MUST, coincide or be rooted in the Vision of God. What is that vision?

Ephesians 3:1-5  "For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, [2] If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: [3]  How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, [4]  Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) [5]  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;"

The Apostle begins this section with "IF ye have heard of the DISPENSATION". The word "dispensation" is the Greek oikonomia [pronounced oy-kon-om-ee'-ah], which means "the stewardship, that which is entrusted to another for care or service". The word conveys the meaning of responsibility, and is perfect in context, since Paul started this section by saying "I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ". Paul represented himself as one entrapped, captured, imprisoned by Jesus Christ, and now that he was captured he was entrusted with a GREAT TRUTH that he must share with all mankind. This great truth was the Vision of God, a truth that was NOT revealed to mankind prior to the Apostle's imprisonment.

The OIKONOMIA, or stewardship entrusted to Paul was not a "new" thing, for it had existed in God's eternal Plan from the beginning. Yet it was not revealed, not fully disclosed to mankind, though God often parted the veil - just a bit - and allowed us to see that truth. The truth was glimpsed when the Gentile Centurion soldier came to Christ:

Matthew 8:5-13 "And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, [6]  And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. [7]  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. [8]  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. [9]  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. [10]  When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. [11]  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. [12]  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [13]  And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour."

And the veil was also parted when our Lord Jesus went into Samaria:

John 4:7-10 "There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. [8]  (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) [9]  Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. [10]  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."

The veil was parted when the Canaanite woman approached our Lord:

Matthew 15:22-28 "And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. [23]  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. [24]  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [25]  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. [26]  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. [27]  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. [28]  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour."

But these incidents, all occurring in the ministry of our Lord Jesus on this earth, were the exceptions to the rule. God could not fully reveal His vision to mankind, because mankind WAS NOT READY to receive this truth. From the beginning we as a people tried various means of unity, both with God and among ourselves. We tried to "be like God" in the Garden, and in our attempt lost the splendor of  Paradise. We tried to "work our way to Heaven" at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-8), and as a result brought the division of languages on the whole earth. We were not ready for the truth, so God did not reveal the truth. We were not ready for the Vision of God, so God withheld that Vision, keeping it a MUSTERION, a mystery, until the time was right.

Man had to be shown that he could not work his way to God.
Man had to understand that we could not unify under the efforts of humanism.
Man had to understand that color and culture are irrelevant to God.
Man had to understand that God alone could unify us as One in Him.

Ephesians 3:6 "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel"

Paul himself did not understand this great truth, the Vision of God, at the beginning. He did not understand the "mystery of Christ" until it was revealed to him "by the Spirit", starting at Damascus Road:

Acts 9:1-7 "And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, [2]  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. [3]  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: [4]  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [5]  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. [6]  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. [7]  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man."

Saul, who would later be recognized as the Apostle Paul, went from district to district for the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Israel, rooting out and bringing the "heretical Christ followers" to justice. Saul, like many people today, felt that God's Vision related only to Israel, only to the Jewish nation, only to people of one color or background. This type of prejudice is still prevalent today even in many assemblies who call themselves the "Church" of Christ. Saul went from city to city, seeking out and dragging Christians to justice. His efforts made the Islamic Jihad's of today look like child's play.

But you see, Saul was not privy, did not understand the Vision of God. He did not understand until Jesus Christ our Lord struck him down on the Damascus Road,  imprisoned him, and once his terrible rampage was stopped the truth was revealed to his mind. This truth was in three parts:

Part One - Ephesians 3:6a "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs ..."

The Gentiles, that is, all of us who are NOT of Israel, are sharers of the beauty of Salvation with Israel. Before the Vision of God was revealed to Saul/ Paul, then to us, we had to go THROUGH another nation to reach God. Unless we were of Israel, we were not of the Family of God. Unless we offered sacrifice through the High Priest of Israel, we could not approach the presence of God. We  who were considered "dogs" are now sharers of all the spiritual blessings that God promised to Israel. Or, as Paul told the Romans:

Romans 8:15-17 "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16]The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

The second great truth of God's Vision is that we all, regardless of race or nationality, are:

Part Two - Ephesians 3:6b "... and of the same body ..."

The Israel of the Old Testament was called to be a steward of God's Word, called to be unified in keeping His Word, and yet she divided under Rehoboam, Solomon's son, into Northern and Southern Israel (1 Kings 12:1-19). Israel failed to keep the Law of the Lord, the Covenant of the Lord, the Word of the Lord, and divided or segregated into two bodies. When Israel divided into Northern and Southern Israel, Southern Israel maintained worship at Solomon's Temple, but Northern Israel sought to build her own Temple.

The end result was that the Temple, the True Temple that Solomon built for God, was destroyed as all of Israel moved into captivity. When the people of God move away from His vision, they risk loss of the stewardship that God entrusted to them. The Vision of God, a mystery in the Old Testament now revealed to us who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, is that we are a LIVING ORGANISM, joined together by one Spirit and one Lord. We are not many people, but ONE BODY, the SAME BODY, called together for the express purpose of serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Race, color, cultural background - none of these things are points of division, as long as we are all in Christ.

Colossians 3:14-15 "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. [15]  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

The third great truth of God's Vision is that we who are Gentiles are:

Part Three - Ephesians 3:6c "... partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel."

We are "partakers", summetochos [pronounced soom-met'-okh-os], meaning "someone who shares or participates in something". Whereas before the revealed Vision of God was only to Israel, now that revealed Vision comes to all because of the payment of Jesus Christ on the Cross. No longer do we see Israel as the only nation chosen by God, but, as the Scripture teaches:

John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17]  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18]  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

We, the Church, are a Body of "Called Out Believers" saved by the payment which Christ made on the Cross. We are to be reflective of that great Truth, that Christ did not come JUST TO SAVE ISRAEL, but Christ came to save ALL MANKIND. He died so that all who would believe on Him would receive the promise of eternal life.

But this revelation can only come by the Spirit of God. We can give lip service to the Vision of God all day long, but until we fully understand it we are not empowered by its truth.

Ephesians 3:7-11 "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. [8] Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; [9] And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: [10] To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, [11] According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:"

Once you fully understand God's Vision, previously a mystery, then you are empowered to do the work of God in this life. The Scripture teaches in Ephesians 3:9 that ALL THINGS were created by Christ. The Heavens, the Earth, the planets, all were created by Him. The greater Hosts, the Angels, and the lesser beings, mankind, were all created by Him. In the beginning Christ reached down into the dirt and formed man of the ground, and breathed life into us. Life began with, as Max Lucado said, "a kiss". As God formed man the angelic hosts looked on. Some, the good Angels, Michael and Gabriel and others unnamed, looked on in wonder as Jesus God formed us - without race, without division, all one in Him. Others, the evil Angels, Satan and others unnamed, looked on in hatred and prejudice.

And one day, the Evil One came into the Garden. We listened, heeded his unholy word, and fell. Thus began a long journey that would first be hinted at in Israel, and later revealed in the Church. When, on the Day of Pentecost, Christ reversed the effects of the Tower of Babel and brought thousands of all tongues into the Church, the principalities and powers looked on in wonder. To even them the Vision of God had not been revealed, but God chose to reveal this mystery through us, who are lesser beings, as we called on the name of Jesus.

Paul was called by God to:

Ephesians 3:8 "... preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; [9] And to make all [men] see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery ..."

This mystery is preached to us so that we, as the Church of Jesus Christ, can work together to join all men, regardless of race, together in Christ Jesus. As we understand and grow in this knowledge the Angelic Hosts are literally taught this Vision of God through us.

The Angelic Conflict, the war that rages around us, is MUCH MORE SUBTLE than many would have us believe. Satan and his forces, on the one hand, has tried martyrdom, deceit, and every overt evil device to destroy the Vision of God. These devices have been largely ineffective, but today have been replaced by the devices of prejudice and division.

When Christ revealed to Paul that the Church was NOT to be just Israel, or Israelites, but to be people from every nation and tongue and culture that accepted Jesus Christ as Savior - the scales fell from his heart. He began to preach a "multi-colored" Gospel, a Gospel to the "Whole World". This is not a pleasing Gospel to the world, which maintains division and godlessness is appropriate. We, like Paul, were:

1 Thessalonians 2:4-8 "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. [5]  For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: [6]  Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. [7] But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: [8]  So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us."

We as the Church of Christ are to show forth the Vision of our Lord. We are to offer the Gospel of Christ to all men, regardless of color or culture, so that all who will believe can come into the fold of God. We must not compromise the Gospel message by watering it down by humanism, but likewise we must not distort the Word of God by making our focus less than "to all men and women", regardless of nationality.

The Church MUST reflect the sacrifice of Christ. The Christ who died for all mankind. The Christ who suffered for us all. The Christ who paid the penalty so that Creation could stand, reunited, in Him.

God give us the eyes of Paul so we can see beyond the color, and reach out to all in Christ.

Otherwise we have no power, for we are outside the Vision of God.

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