Challenges for the Christian Page

Lesson Two

"THE CHALLENGE TO LIFT UP YOUR EYES"

Psa 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
Psa 121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
Psa 121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Psa 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Psa 121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
Psa 121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
Psa 121:7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
Psa 121:8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and
even for evermore.

INTRODUCTION
1. The Writer of the Psalm is calling upon God's people to look up! (Psalm 121:1-8)
a) Lift up your eyes to God.
b) Look to Him for help.
c) He is always aware of the condition & needs of His people.
d) He can give them the vision they need to survive the ordeals of life.
2. Today, we need that same admonition!
a) We, too, need to lift up our eyes to see God in all of His greatness, goodness, grace, love,
and mercy for His people.
b) We need to see the great work that he expects of His people.
c) And to realize that He is here to help us do this great work.
d) We are not alone, He is with us, by our side, pulling with us.
3. The challenge to lift up our eyes:
a) Is not only that we might see the True & Living God in all His glory.
b) But that we might lift our sights higher….to have a greater vision of what needs to &
can be done!
c) God has constantly challenged His people with Great Visions & Goals.

DISCUSSION

I. GREAT VISIONS GOD HAS PLACED BEFORE MEN:

A. Before Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3)
1) You will become a great nation.
2) You will have your own land or country.
3) Through one of your seed I will bless all nations.
4) What a vision!
 5) What a challenge to Abraham & his descendants!
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him
whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things
which be not as though they were.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of
many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead,
when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in
faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to
perform.

• He was not weak in faith- he was strong in his belief vs 19, 20

• He was childless and 100 years old when the promise was given to him! Vs 19
• Sarah was 90 years and beyond child-bearing age
• He was fully convinced that God would keep His promise vs 21
• Today three major world religions that claim lineage to Abraham – Judaism, Christianity
and Islam
o Gen 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because
thou hast obeyed my voice.
o That seed is Christ
o Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not,
And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
• Because of Abraham’s great faith – the world has Christ for salvation!
• We should have the kind of faith and trust like Abraham!

B. Before Israel through Moses (Exo. 3:16-22)

1) I know your condition in Egypt.
2) I will visit you.
3) I will bring you up out of bondage.
4) I will smite Egypt with all my wonders.
5) I will bring you into the land that I promised.
6) What a vision!
7) What a vision of hope for an enslaved people for centuries!

Jos 21:43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers;
and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
Jos 21:44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their
fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all
their enemies into their hand.
Jos 21:45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house
of Israel; all came to pass.
 • The Israelites possessed that land of Canaan which was promised to Abraham
• Whatever was promised to house of Israel (the Israelites), God kept His promise!
• We can trust God to keep every promise that He made to us
• 1 Peter 5:7 – He cares for us
• Matthew 28:20 – He will be with us
• He will strengthen us – Philippians 4:13

C. The greatest vision God has placed before men…the Hope of Heaven! (1 Cor.
2:9-10)

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart
of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God. (This passage is not referring to heaven but to the gospel which
was not yet revealed. Do not use this verse)

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in
heaven for you

Commentary on Vs 3-4:

Vs 3. Blessed = well spoken of, praised, honored.

Again - this could mean just the apostles after they had lost their faith prior to the
resurrection of Jesus.
Living hope = [lively hope]: when the inspired writers talked of the “living God,” it
was an implied contrast to the lifeless idols which men served. It seems the

same contrast is implied here. It is a “living hope” in contrast to a “lifeless hope.”

There is only one hope for salvation - Eph 4:4.

Biblical hope has three elements:

a. Desire,
b. Expectation and
c. Patient waiting.
4. Inheritance = the property to be received by the heir.
Incorruptible = immortal, imperishable, undying and enduring. It
can also mean “unravaged” as with an invading army. The Christian’s inheritance
 of peace and joy can never be invaded and ravaged by any army including
Satan’s.
Not even eligible to be corrupted! Things that are:
a. Our bodies - 1 Pet 1:23,24.
b. All things that are seen - 2 Cor 4:16-18.
Undefiled = not stained, soiled nor any color added. Cf: Rev 21:27.
Does not fade away = [fadeth not away] = never loses its original
beauty nor does it ever get old.
The amaranth was a fabled flower whose bloom was absolutely perfect, was perpetual
and its loveliness never faded.

Reserved = having been kept. Cf: Jn 14:1-3.

Jesus is doing two things for us right now:

a. Preparing heaven for us and

b. Preparing us for heaven.

1) It gives us desire & enlarges our hope

2) It gives us motivation.
3) It gives us purpose for living & serving faithfully here.

D. If God places VISIONS & POSSIBILITIES before mankind:

1) Then, why can't we see the value of such for us today?
2) Not only those that God has given to us, but visions & possibilities of how to get
the job done He wants done.
3) The purpose of this lesson is to try to do this.

II. LET US LIFT UP OUR EYES AND SEE:

A. Where can this congregation be in 5 years?

1) What is a minimum and maximum of growth that is possible for us.
2) What could our giving be in five years?
3) How many new families would we need to reach each year to reach the goal?

B. What will it take to make this growth possible?

1) For each of us to grow some spiritually each year.
2) All working towards this end!
3) More able teachers of God's Word out there teaching the lost.
 4) More people working to reach the lost.
5) "Each One Win One"…..concept.
a) Every member try hard to influence & teach a friend or family member.
b) Or, to open the door for someone else to teach them.
6) To think and envision big! (John 14:12-14)
7) To pray fervently.
8) To put our hands to the plow & work!

C. If a great vision was put before us, how would we deal with it?
1) Like the Israelites….."We are as grasshoppers in their sight?" (Num. 13:33)
2) Or, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31)
3) It is God's Will that all be saved….so He is ready to help us, when we make up
our minds to do what we should!

III. WE NEED A UNIFIED VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

A. Illustrated by Nehemiah & Israel.
1) Nehemiah was concerned about His people, the city of Jerusalem, etc.
2) He requested a leave of absence from his job with the King of Persia to go back to
Jerusalem to help them.
3) When he arrived:
a) He started gathering up all the factual information needed.
b) He saw what the needs were.
c) He envisioned what could be done if the people would work together.
d) He presented the vision to the people.
4) The response of the people:
a) Neh. 2:18—"Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon
me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let
us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work."
b) The job was completed in 52 days.
c) And it was done in the midst of outside opposition.

B. A unified direction & goal for the people was needed.

1) They did not need to be pulled in several different directions.
2) They would have been defeated before they started.
3) Unity gave them strength & greater possibilities for good.
4) And so it will for us as well!

CONCLUSION
1. Let's be encouraged to:
a) Continue to think positive about the Lord's Work here.
b) Continue planning the work in advance…even years in advance.
c) Not be weary in well-doing…"For in due season we shall reap if we faint not." (Gal.
6:9)
d) 1 Cor. 15:58—"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord."
 e) And let's keep asking God's help to accomplish His Will in our lives.
2. Illustration:
a) A preacher was up before the church trying to get them to move out:
1) "This church is going to get up and walk." (Amen brother, let her walk).
2) "This church is going to get up and run." (Amen brother, let her run).
3) "This church is going to get up and fly" (Amen brother, let her fly).
4) "This church needs workers & lots of giving to make it fly."
5) Let her walk brother, let her walk!
3. I am sure that all of us would like to see the church here FLY!
a) But are we willing to put out the work necessary for it to fly?
b) And are we willing to do the giving necessary for it to fly?
c) I HOPE SO!
d) For I, too, would like to see this church fly!