This One Thing
Pastor Erickson preaches from Proverbs 29:18, Philippians 3, and the stories of Martha and the rich young ruler to show that one thing can cloud a believer's vision. He casts vision for a training center to raise up disciple makers and calls each person to find and fix the one thing standing between them and God.
The message in 6 points
Where there is no vision
Pastor Erickson reads Proverbs 29:18 and Paul's words in Philippians 3, this one thing I do. Every local church has a one thing that defines it, holds it back, or leads it into God's perfect will, and today he casts vision for the ministries of the church.
1:03:00Disciple making is our greatest calling
Our greatest calling is not just showing up on Sunday or singing in the choir, but taking everyone we can with us into heaven. The church can never sit back as if it has arrived, because people without vision stumble and lose focus.
1:06:42Vision and culture feed each other
Vision is produced by the culture we protect, and vision must fulfill what that culture has produced. He describes a culture of prayer, Bible study, faithfulness to God's house, the choir and missions giving, and says the church will never leave what brought it this far.
1:11:25The one thing that blocks vision
In Luke 10 Jesus tells Martha that one thing is needful, and Mary chose it by sitting at his feet. In Luke 18 the rich ruler lacked one thing and would not fix it. Each person's one thing is different, and God's still small voice can show us ours.
1:24:40Paul forgets and presses on
Paul, writing from prison, counts his credentials and even his successes as nothing so he can know Christ. Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward, he presses toward the mark. We cannot live in past failures or past successes.
1:36:09The lowest slat in the bucket
A slatted bucket holds no more water than its shortest slat. He says training is the lowest slat in the Apostolic movement and shares a vision for a training center that sends out pastors, teachers, missionaries and musicians. He calls each person to find and fix their own one thing, whether repentance, baptism or a new calling.
1:41:52
In his words
“Our greatest calling is to make sure we take everyone with us that we can into glory.”
“It only takes one thing to block vision, and where there is no vision there will be spiritual death.”
“You got to fix the bucket, because you'll never be anything more than the lowest thing in your life.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Philippians 3:10-14
10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
King James Version.
Luke 10:38
38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
King James Version.
Luke 10:40-42
40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
King James Version.
Luke 18:18-23
18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
King James Version.
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