Title: Making Dreams Come True
Bible Book: John 10 : 10
Author: Alan Stewart
Subject: New Year; God's Way; Victory
Objective:
Introduction
John 10:10
A New Year Sermon
There are moments in my life I wish I had the heart and perspective of my son. He has the patience of Job and the outlook of Barnabas. Being so consumed with perfectionism, it is difficult for me to relate to his "take life as it comes" attitude. Recently, we were in a conversation about his dreams of the future. He shared with me his dream and desire to play professional baseball someday. Then, like a modern-day Eliphaz, I began pouring cold water on the flames of his passion. I told him that many little boys have such a dream, but only a rare few will ever see it come to reality. He did not appear to be stunned by my great revelation. I asked him, "Son, what are you going to do if your dream never happens?" His response was a classic gem from the mouth of a babe: "I guess I'll just go get me another dream!"
Within each of our lives, there is some dream we are holding near to our heart. As a parent, we dream for our children's future. As a child, we dream of making our mark on the world. The poor dream of becoming rich. Those who fail dream of being a success. The sick dream of finding a healing.
Dreams make up much of our existence on earth, and they add vivid color to our hopes of eternity. In John 10:10, Jesus proclaims, "...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." His presence in our lives releases dreams into an otherwise visionless life. Jesus said this at a moment when He had openly declared, "I am the door."
The difference between lifeless fantasies and fulfilled realities is determined by what we "hinge" our dreams upon. While the Lord is the creator of dreams, it is through our caretaking of them that they take on life. What is our responsibility with God-given dreams in life?
I. Dreams Must Be Carried Tenderly
In Luke 2, the shepherds delivered the prophetic message which they received from visiting angels. Most who heard the message questioned what they heard. However, we are told, "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." The word "pondered" carries the idea of helping by maintaining close companionship. The dreams of Mary's heart for her son were cuddled and caressed as tenderly as His physical body.
Dreams remind me of raising children. They are moldable during their infancy, directionless while growing, but set in their path once they mature to adulthood.
Dreams must be placed into the hands of someone who knows what to do with them or else they are destined to be broken! While dreams can be fruitful, we must never forget how fragile they are in the infant stages.
II. Dreams Must Be Constantly Touched
In Luke 1, we are introduced to Zechariah and Elisabeth. They were faithful, serving people, but "they had no child." They prayed and believed God for a child, but "both were now well-stricken in years." However, Zechariah's job as a priest called for him to burn incense daily before the Lord. The burning of incense was a picture of a thanks offering. Although he could not see the dream, and the facts surrounding him told him it was now impossible, he kept offering thanks for the unseen fulfillment. Sadly, he gave up right when the angel was delivering the answer to his prayer!
I wonder, how many dreams have been within arms reach of becoming reality and we gave up? When dreams appear most intangible, may be the time the Lord makes it most reachable!
On the backside of a forgotten desert, Moses never lost the sense of divine purpose in his life. In the midst of lonely caves and dark valleys, David never lost the sight of a throne.
While running in circles through the wilderness, Caleb never forgot the smell of the grapes.
Forsaken and forgotten dreams litter the pathway of our past and are the making of some terrible nightmares!
III. Dreams Must Be Chased Thoroughly
In I Samuel 1, Hannah longed to have a child, but "…the Lord had shut up her womb." To make matters worse, "…her adversary also provoked her sore, to make her fret..." Can you not hear the whispers of Hannah's mind, "Just give up girl, it will never happen, God doesn't love you, and you are not good enough to deserve it." When she could have stopped somewhere along the path, she chose to keep running! Hannah fasted, prayed, wept, and made a vow before the Lord. In fact, she was so distraught in her pursuit we are told, "...only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard." The key moment came when "the Lord remembered her."
What makes a good hunter is not the fact he shoots a bullet or flings an arrow. A good hunter goes to see what he has hit! The fulfillment of dreams will rarely just fall into our lap. Those who stay the course, like Abraham "…who against hope believed in hope," do still find a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow.
Conclusion
What was the last dream you held in your hands? The one thing I find about growing older is we can lose the capacity to have fresh dreams. When handled properly, many dreams can be passed along to other generations. Perhaps the reason my son saw it as simple as going to get another dream is because he still believes dreams do come true. Do you?
