Sermon: Optics
by Chris Cumming
For some time now I have been encouraging all of us to have what I call,
“The 10,000-Year Perspective” or one in which you visualize yourself
already a spirit being, ten-thousand years into the Kingdom of God and
looking back at your physical life on the planet. The mission for such
a perspective is to see beyond all your trials, tribulations and the
day-to-day life as a human on this planet so they do not crush and
smother you in their sorrow, anguish and hardships. What power do
trials and tribulations have on a spirit being ten-thousand years into
the Kingdom?
The 10,000-Year Perspective is a spiritual perspective and today we are
going to explore this perspective as I encourage all of us to
continually manifest this perspective.
Now was I the first person to come along and speak to the idea of having
far-reaching perspective? Hardly. Notice some quotes.
“It's useful to go out of this world and
see it from the perspective of another one.”
Note: I am encouraging you to
see this world from the Kingdom of God.
“Leadership cannot be measured in a poll
or even in the result of an election. It can only be truly seen with the
benefit of time. From the perspective of 20 years, not 20 days.”
Note: The firstfruit is
destined to be a leader in the World Tomorrow. Having the 10,000-year
perspective gives you the perspective of a leader.
Stephen Hawking said:
“I believe everyone should have a broad
picture of how the universe operates and our place in it. It is a basic
human desire. And it also puts our worries in perspective.”
Note: Mr. Hawking is right on
point. It puts our trials, tribulations, worries and concerns in
perspective.
“Perspective is everything when you are
experiencing the challenges of life.”
Note: The point of this
sermon. We must have a far-reaching perspective.
“Few people seem to realize that the
resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone to a worldview that provides
the perspective to all of life.”
Note: Since the beginning of
time; long before the foundation of the world was laid, what was the
perspective of the Godhead?
“The only thing you sometimes have
control over is perspective. You don't have control over your situation.
But you have a choice about how you view it.”
Note: This quote is also right
on point. We often do not have control on what happens but we can get
through it with God’s help and this kind of perspective.
“To change ourselves effectively, we
first had to change our perceptions.” ― Stephen R. Covey, The
7 Habits of Highly Effective People:
Note: Without a far-reaching
perspective like one from the Kingdom of God, our perspective is neck
deep in the trial or tribulation, affliction or in the day-to-day
drudgery of life.
“Perseverance and perspective until
victory.”
Note: This quote is the
specific purpose of this sermon!!
Let us now go to a scripture that points to our having a far-reaching
perspective and not getting caught up in the trials of life and allowing
them to harm or crush you.
Matthew 6:33 [also
Luke 12:31]
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.
But seek first the kingdom of God
-Meaning either the Gospel, and the ministration of it; in which sense
this phrase is often used, see Matthew 21:43 and which is diligently to
be sought after, and into; to be constantly attended on, and to be
preferred to our necessary food, to raiment, or riches, or any enjoyment
of life: or else the kingdom of glory, which is prepared by God, and is
his gift; for which he makes his people meet here, and will introduce
them into it hereafter.
Quoted verse:
Matthew 21:43
Therefore
say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to
a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
And his righteousness - the righteousness
of God, which is revealed in the Gospel, and is what gives a right and
title to the [The Kingdom of God].
This is not the righteousness of man, but of God; and is no other than
the righteousness of Christ; so called, because he is God who has
wrought it; it is what God approves of, accepts, and imputes, and which
only can justify in his sight, and give an abundant entrance into his
kingdom and glory. [The Kingdom]
is to be sought for in the first place, as the perfection of the saints'
happiness; and Christ's righteousness is to be sought for, and laid hold
on by faith, as the way and means of enjoying that happiness; without
which, there will be no entering into [The
Kingdom of God].
Note: How is a firstfruit to
focus first on the Kingdom and not have a Kingdom perspective? This is
why I call it, “The 10,000-Year Perspective.” I want you well into the
Kingdom as you look back on your journey through this physical life.
And all these things shall be added unto you - of the free bounty, goodness, and liberality of God, without your thought and care, and much less merit; even "all these things", meat, drink, clothing, or whatsoever worldly sustenance else is necessary for you: which are not parts of the happiness of saints, only appendages thereunto; which they have over and above what they are, or should be chiefly seeking after ~John Gill
Note: See what God is
promising here, according to His will? If we are walking forward in the
salvation process and invoking the correct perspective, all these
worldly things will be added to us. We will succeed in every trial.
Now from the People's New Testament:
Seek ye first the kingdom of God. - The
promise is made that if we seek it first, and its righteousness, all
earthly wants will be supplied. The condition demands,
1. That we seek the kingdom first in point of time. Some propose to
secure a competence, and after they have gained it, they will serve God.
2. We must make it first in importance. Everything else must give way
before its demands.
3. It must be first in our affections, have our whole hearts. We must
"love the Lord our God with the whole heart" (Matthew 22:37).
~People's New Testament
Quoted verse
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
How can a firstfruit seek the Kingdom and love God with all their heart,
with all their soul and all their minds without having a Kingdom
perspective? That is, thinking about the Kingdom itself. And what
better Kingdom perspective is there than seeing yourself already in the
Kingdom. The more effective your
Kingdom perspective, [being 10,000 years
into the Kingdom and looking back], the easier it is to
handle the day-to-day afflictions of this life. We easily gather this
from the context of Matthew 6:33. Notice:
Matthew 6:25-34
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye
shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall
put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap,
nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not
much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the
field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is,
and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you,
O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall
we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take
thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof.
What better way to avoid getting caught up in all these thoughts,
concerns and fears than by having a perspective where you are already in
the Kingdom of God and one where you know you are on the straight path
of the salvation process?
Now let us look at another key scripture that speaks to how we are to
think.
Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to
thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Thinketh - The Hebrew verb is found here only, and probably means, “as he is all along in his heart, so is he (at last) in act.” ~Barnes Notes
Now to the Biblical Illustrator…
The importance of a man’s thoughts
1. A man is as his thoughts.
2. A man has control over his thoughts.
3. God helps him in the exercise of that control.
“We are that really, both to God and to man, which we are inwardly.”
(Matthew Henry.)
Thoughts
I. The infinite importance of men’s thoughts. This text, in counselling for a particular case, and bidding us test the sincerity of one who invites us, asserts a principle of wide application. You do not know a man until you know his thoughts. God knows him perfectly, because He knows his thoughts.
1. You cannot know a man merely by listening to his words or watching his actions. There is always more, and often better, in men than comes into expression.
2. The revelations of close and trustful friendships are revelations of the thoughts.
3. The claims of God reach beyond right action, and demand right thought. The law of God searches the secret intents of the heart.
4. The redemption that is provided includes in its scheme the
sanctification of the very thought.
5. All sin is represented as springing up out of, and finding expression
for, lust in the sphere of thought. Show, by appeal to Christian
experience, the difficulty found in the restraining of thought. In the
unrestrainedness of thought often comes to us the feeling and the
mastery of sin.
II. The amount of control man has over his thoughts. If he had no control over them his moral responsibility would be gone. We cannot help the evil thoughts coming to us. We have control—
1. Over the material of our thoughts. The materials are the sum of past impressions. Thinking is the combining, comparing, and rearranging of the actual contents of the mind. We can direct ourselves away from the evil and towards the good. We can fill our minds with good suggestions and associations. Illustrate from going into scenes suggestive of vice; reading questionable or immoral books, etc.
2. Over the processes of thought. There may be the nourishing of the evil. There may be the swaying of the mind through the power of the renewed will, and with the help of the indwelling Spirit. Apply to wandering thoughts in the house of God. Do we make the mastery of such evil the subject of real effort?
III. The help God renders man in the exercise of such control. An
attempt to regulate thoughts will bring the conviction of human
helplessness. When a man has mastered conduct he cannot say that he has
mastered himself. When he thinks he has mastered “thoughts” he will
surely find that he needs to cry unto God, saying, “Try me and know my
thoughts . . . and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Note: So obedience to God
coupled with a Godly perspective will get us to the Kingdom of God.
Thought
The capacity of thinking is a most wonderful thing. Here lies man’s
supremacy ever all the visible world about him. All great undertakings,
the glorious enterprises of men for men’s salvation, were once only
thoughts. The character of a man’s thoughts determines the character of
his life. His actions are inspired from within. Every product of the
soul, whether it be an action or a purpose, is first a germ. Sin lies in
the soul in germs—in germs as well as in actions. The moral success of
life consists in killing evil thoughts in the germ. There are few purer
and richer pleasures in this world than the enjoyment of sweet thoughts,
happy thoughts and holy thoughts. The heart determines our everlasting
destiny. A heart without holiness never shall see the Lord. Christ is
the only purifier of the heart. ~Biblical
Illustrator
“As a man thinketh, so is he.” “ The character of a man’s thoughts
determines the character of his life.” The better a life perspective a
firstfruit has, the easier the character of his life will be
established.
“His actions are inspired from within.” What better inspiration is
there than to already see yourself in a perfect and Holy Kingdom?
“Every product of the soul is first a germ.” This is a fancy way of
saying that all actions begin with a seed of a thought. Your thoughts
will be more established if you are thinking in a clear and holy
perspective.
“The moral success of life consists in killing evil thoughts in the
germ.” Where would you rather kill the seed of an evil thought, here in
the world, steeped up in all that organized evil or in the absolute
purity of the Kingdom? The Kingdom perspective is one steeped in
pureness.
“There are few purer and richer pleasures in this world than the
enjoyment of sweet thoughts, happy thoughts and holy thoughts.” Surely
the sweet, happy and holy thoughts are not of the world. Clearly they
are of God who is already in the Kingdom of God. If we are generating
thoughts with a Kingdom perspective, the outcome is more probable that
they will be sweet, happy and holy thoughts. How can one see himself in
a place as pure as the Kingdom and not be inspired to better thoughts.
With a Kingdom perspective, it is easier to destroy the evil thoughts
and shred the evil images.
“The heart determines our everlasting destiny.” This is the mission and
goal of God the Father and Jesus Christ for us. They are establishing a
right heart within us.
Psalm 51:10-13
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within
me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from
me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free
spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be
converted unto thee.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
“A heart without holiness never shall see the Lord.”
Luke 9:62
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and
looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Hebrews 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul
shall have no pleasure in him.
James 1:5-8
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is
like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the
Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
“Christ is the only purifier of the heart.”
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us
from all sin.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Psalm 51:1-2
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according
unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
In light of God cleansing us from sin, what are we to do as part of this
process.
James 4:8
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye
sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
1 John 3:3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he
is pure.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
What
The 10,000-year Perspective Does for You
The 10,000-year
Perspective causes us to love God more.
When we begin looking at life and elements of the salvation
process the
way God does, the more we love His ways and the more we love Him.
Ephesians 3:11-19
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus
our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of
him.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you,
which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted
and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye
might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Verse 17:
Grounded in love.
-
In love to the Redeemer - perhaps also in love to each other - and to
all. Love was the great principle of the true religion, and the apostle
wished that they might be fully settled in that.
~Barnes Notes
That ye being rooted and grounded in love
- either in love to God, and one another; for faith and love go
together; and love is sometimes weak, and needs establishing; and what
serves to root and ground persons in it, are the discoveries of God's
love, views of Christ's loveliness, the consideration of blessings
received, and the communion they have with God, and Christ, and one
another, and a larger insight into the doctrines of the Gospel: or
rather in the love of God to them; which is the root and foundation of
salvation; this is in itself immovable and immutable; but saints have
not always the manifestations of it, and sometimes call it in question,
and have need to be rooted and grounded in it; which is to have a lively
sense of it, and to be persuaded of interest in it, and that nothing
shall be able to separate from it. ~John
Gill
The 10,000-year
Perspective helps us resist temptation.
When you are in this type of perspective, you are closer to God and
begin seeing sin and it short and long-term consequences the way He
does. If we only have our ways and perspectives we generally follow the
ways and process of sin. In this perspective, Proverbs 14:12 has deeper
meaning.
Proverbs 14:12
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are
the ways of death.
John 14:15, 21
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth
me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love
him, and will manifest myself to him.
The 10,000-year
Perspective helps us handle trials.
Jesus is our example here. He had more than a 10,000-year perspective;
He had the Eternal perspective. He had it the night He was betrayed and
the death that followed.
Hebrews 12:1-4
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
James 1:2-3
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Note: We were also called to
the Godly perspective and things will work to the God to those who love
God and manifest His perspective.
The 10,000-year
Perspective protects us from error.
The world is full of error. Man does not know the way to peace [Romans
3:17]. His ways lead to death [Proverbs 16:25].
Ephesians 4:11-15
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of
the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ:
So get on with it now and enhance your Optics: Manifest the 10,000
year perspective as you head right into the Kingdom of God.