VISION SUNDAY: An Essential Component For Community Impact

A Serious Wake Up Call About Community Impact A Serious Wake Up Call About Community Impact “First, are you the kind of husband you want to be?” “Second, are you the kind of father you want to be?” “Lastly, are you the kind of neighbor you want to be?” “Well don’t worry about your community; it’s people like you that screw it up in the first place!”

A Tale of Two Fathers Two men: Noah and Lot Two men: Noah and Lot Similar tasks: Both given a warning about judgment and given a chance to impact their communities Similar tasks: Both given a warning about judgment and given a chance to impact their communities “and He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly ; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men…2 Peter 2:5-7 “and He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly ; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men…2 Peter 2:5-7

The Historical Account of Noah “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”Gen 6:5 Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of God. Noah found favor (grace) in the eyes of God. God set the clock for 120 years, then judgment. God set the clock for 120 years, then judgment. Noah was to build an ark Noah was to build an ark Noah was to preach righteousness. Noah was to preach righteousness. Noah had a family of 8. Noah had a family of 8.

Noah was a righteous man who was trusted the most by those who knew him the best

The Historical Account of Lot And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen o f Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. Then Aram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me: if t the left, the I will go to the right: or if to the right, then I will go to the left.”Genesis 13:7-9

Lot Makes His Choices And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. So Lot choose for himself all the valley of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom. Genesis 13:10-12

What Was The Community Really Like? “Now the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the Lord.” Genesis 13:13 “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore, I did away with them as you have seen.”Ezekiel 16:49-50

God Does Not Like What He Sees And the Lord said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. I will go down now and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has com to Me; and if not, I will know.” Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord. And Abraham came near and said, “Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with wicked?” Genesis 18:20-23

Abraham Does Not Like What He Hears Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly? So, the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account. What if only forty-five?...what if only forty?...what if only thirty?...what if only twenty?...what if only ten can be found there? Then the Lord answered, “For the sake of the ten I will not destroy it.”

What Does The Community Think of Lot? Now the two angles came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. And he said, “Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said however, “No, but we shall spend the night in the square.” Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Genesis 19:1-3

What Does The Community Think of the Angels? Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot an said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.” But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.” Genesis 19:4-7

Lot’s ‘Family-Based’ Solution To The Community Problem “Now behold, I have two daughters who have not had relations with man; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever you like; only do nothing to these men, inasmuch as thy have come under the shelter of my roof.” But they said, “Stand aside.” Furthermore, the said. “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse the them.” So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door. Genesis 19:8-9

What Does the Family Think About Lot? Then the men said to Lot, “Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out to the place; for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” And Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughter, and said, “Up, get out to this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. Genesis 19:12-14

Lot was a righteous man respected the least by those who knew him best

Influential Mathematics Lot1 Lot1 Lot’s wife1 Lot’s wife1 Lot’s son in law1 Lot’s son in law1 Lot’s married daughter1 Lot’s married daughter1 Lot’s sons2 Lot’s sons2 Lot’s unmarried daughters2 Lot’s unmarried daughters2 The fiancés of Lot’s daughters2 The fiancés of Lot’s daughters2 Total within Lot’s household of influence 10 Total within Lot’s household of influence 10 “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”

Components of a Culture Destroying Itself 43% of US children live without their father 43% of US children live without their father 90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes 90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger come from fatherless homes 71% of pregnant teens lack a father 71% of pregnant teens lack a father 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. 85% of children who exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. 85% of youths in prison come from fatherless homes 85% of youths in prison come from fatherless homes 75% of patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes. 75% of patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes.

Component of a Screwed-Up Church “I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?”1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Imagine a church… with an abundance of spiritually mature and passionate men…. What would it look like? What kind of impact would it have? Do you want to be part of one!?