What we will do today is a look back at last year, the great things within community that God did- that’s our starting point, where we are now; then begin to look forward at we feel things could look like as the year progresses and of course talk about the means we may employ to get us there.

Let’s start by looking at what seemed to move Jesus’ heart seemingly like nothing else.

Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV) 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed (bewildered) and helpless (dejected), like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Jesus was moved with

for
1. The sick (Matthew 14:14); for the blind (Matthew 20:34); for those in the grip of the demons (Mark 9:22).
2. The sight of the widow at Nain, following the body of her son out to burial, moved his heart (Luke 7:13).
3.The sight of the tired and hungry crowds was a call upon his power (Matthew 15:32)
4.The sight of a leper, banished from the society of his fellow-men, living a life which was a living death of loneliness and universal abandonment, called forth compassion (Mark 1:41).

As his people, formed in his image, we GET TO be those who extend his compassion

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:6-9 (ESV) 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

The U.S. has become the

largest mission field in the world. There are only two countries in the whole world that have more self-declared non-Christians (by number) than the U.S.: China and India.

For us here at the Vineyard we fell like 2023 will be The Year of The

Vision- what if God opened up his floodgates and poured out his spirit on our surrounding community…through us? If the harvest that is ripe for the picking came in? If we had new visitors, new families, new neighborhoods find faith in Christ? Think of the excitement, think about the move of the spirit, think about full parking lots, full VDS Classes, people excited about their faith rushing in from their cars to worship the Lord together. It could be!

Will you join us?