The Vision of a Faithful Past

SERMON SERIES:              “20/20 Vision”
SERMON TITLE:                 “The Vision of a Faithful Past”
SERMON TEXT:                  Exodus 34:1-11,
PREACHER:                         Rev. Kim James
OCCASION:                         October 6, 2019, at First UMC (Stewardship Drive)
 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
                On Monday, I went to Country Hills Eye Clinic for my annual eye exam.  The bad news is that my eyeballs are dry, cataracts are gradually forming, and my vision has gotten worse.  The good news is that with some eye drops and these new glasses, I supposedly am now restored to 20/20 vision. 
                As Lori indicated, today is the first day of our 20/20 Vision Stewardship Drive.  For five weeks, we’re going to focus on seeing God’s vision.  We’re going to look back in history, look around at where we are in the present time, and look ahead to the year 2020 and beyond.  Then we’re going to look at our dedication and generosity to the ministry of God in and through First United Methodist Church. 
                To help us see that 20/20 vision, over the next several weeks we’re mostly going to focus on the Old Testament story of Joshua leading the Hebrews into the Promised Land.  But today, to get us started, we’re going to flash back a little farther.  Today, we’re going to exercise our 20/20 hindsight back to the final days of Moses, as told in Deuteronomy 34.  We’re going to see how Moses and other spiritual leaders of former times show us the 20/20 vision of a faithful past.

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