## Regaining Our Vision

## John 4:31-42

A couple of weeks ago I suggested that if Jesus were to speak directly to Grace Baptist Temple as He did to the seven churches of Asia, that He would tell us we have lost our burden, our vision, and our commitment!

This morning I want us to consider what we need to do to regain our vision. Listen to what He said to the church at Laodicea.

(Rev 3:18) "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see."

The Lord had spoken earlier to His disciples about their inability to see properly.

(John 4:35) "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

Note the setting of the verse:

- The woman at the well is saved (v 4-26)
- She has a vision to reach her city (v 28-30)
- The result of her testimony (v 39)
- The disciples couldn't see (v31-33)

(Prov 29:18a) "Where there is no vision, the people perish…"

How can we regain our vision? What can we do?

I. Stop Making Excuses For Not Getting Involved In The Work.

"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest…"

A. Excuses = To make excuses is to explain away a fault or an offense in the hope of being forgiven or understood.

1. To seek to remove from blame.

2. To free from obligation or duty; to make an exemption.

B. Common Excuses:

1. Procrastination cf Luke 9:57-62

2. Insensitivity cf 2 Timothy 4:16

3. Earthly Values cf Luke 14:18-20

a. I Have Something Else To See (v.18).

b. I Have Something Else To Do (v.19).

c. I Have Something Else To Enjoy (v.20)

4. We will never see what God wants us to see as long as we make excuses.

C. Many people miss the will of God for their life because of:

1. Lack of Faith.

2. Lack of knowledge.

3. Lack of Submission.

II. We Need to Open Our Ears and Hear the Savior "...Behold, I say unto you"

A. Before We Can Look On The Fields, We Must Learn To Listen! Jesus Has Said...

1. Everyone Needs To Be Saved

(John 3:3) "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

2. Jesus Is The Only Way of Salvation

(John 10:1) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber."

3. To Be A Disciple We Must Yield Our Rights

(John 13:16) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."

B. This Is Why So Many Have Failed To Hear the Great Commission.

1. We listen to everything and everyone, but the Lord.

2. Gov. Jesse Ventura said that organized religion (ie. Churches) teach people to stick their nose in other people's business.

3. He, as well as others, would say leave the world alone, let them all go to hell.

4. Listen to Jesus…

(Mark 16:15) "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

III. We Need to Get The Right Perspective.

"Lift up your eyes…"

A. The disciples were looking in the wrong place.

1. Before we can see what the Lord sees, we must adjust our perspective.

2. We must lift up our eyes.

3. What do we see when we look at the world?

4. Are we just moved emotionally by the faces of the little children?

5. Or can we grasp the reality of millions of souls in Hell because we didn't reach them with the gospel?

(Lam 3:51) "Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city."

B. Isaiah couldn't see himself or the need clearly until he saw the Lord. Cf Is. 6:1-8

1. Isaiah had been looking to King Uzziah, but now the king was dead.

2. He lifted his eyes and saw the King of Kings… the Lord.

3. Like Isaiah, we need to look again and see the character of God.

4. With a renewed vision of God, we can gain a renewed vision of this world.

5. Only then will we be willing to say, 'Here am I Lord, send me.'

We can forget about doing God's work....

- Until we have thrown away our excuses.
- Until we have opened our ears to the Savior.
- Until we have lift up our eyes and get the right perspective .
- We Need Spiritual Sight!

For those who have never looked to the Lord for salvation, listen to the Scripture:

(Isa 45:22) "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

Come today, whatever the need.