Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
October 25, 2015 - W1543

I want to talk to you today about a word God gave me some weeks ago that’s been burning on my heart. I hope that you will catch this one concept, take it home, and chew on it, as we talk about Eyes Wide Open.  I hope that what I bring will give clarity to God’s purpose for the future of New Hope Oahu. 

Seeing Things From God’s Perspective

I want to take you on a journey above the earth. Actually, I want you to see things from God’s perspective.  Often, in our lives we see things around us dwarfed to the point that we become the center of it all.  Watch this video called, “The Power of Ten,” taken in Vienna, Italy, looking through a hula-hoop as it goes through the powers of ten.  Often, we think we are the center of the universe, when there is actually something far larger than our lives.  Watch as the hula-hoop goes through the city of Venice by a power of ten, and you’ll see the bay.  Another power of ten and you are beginning to see the earth come into view.  Continuing the powers of ten, you’re one light second from the earth, and another power of ten, and another, and you begin to see the sun and the planets.  You look at it and wonder what is this all about?  Then you go a little further out and begin to see the stars, and finally you see the community in which we live—called the Milky Way!  That’s what God sees.  We are a very important part of something much bigger, but we get caught up in our own little hula-hoop and what’s within that circle is all that matters to us. God is saying, “Do you understand that you are a part of my plan and it’s far bigger than your life?  God has a bigger picture than just your life. You may have heard a pastor say, “God has a bigger picture for your life (because we’re still self centered), but God might be saying, “I have a bigger picture than your life—it’s a fuller one.” 

What Is The Purpose of God?

A moving picture film is made up of many frames of still pictures. It’s not about the frames; it’s something grander in purpose that God has in mind.  Let’s rewind our tape to the beginning of Abraham’s life, the Father of Faith.  He leaves Ur of the Chaldees and travels with his father and nephew Lot.  God’s whole purpose was to establish a community of people whose identity would be inextricably linked with the identity of God—known as the people of God. Abraham has two sons, Ishmael and Isaac.  The covenant of God would be with Isaac and God said, “I will make you a father of many nations.”  Isaac marries Rebekah and they have two sons, Esau and Jacob.  Esau hightails it to Edom (which is south in the Arabian desert) and Jacob goes to Uncle Laban’s house.  Isaac says, “We don’t have anybody in the house—I’m an “empty nester.”  How can God’s purpose ever be fulfilled?”  Well, Jacob returns and he has 12 sons, which later will number into the hundreds of thousands.

When you look at the purpose of God, which is to establish a community of people whose identity would be unchangingly inextricably linked to the identity of God, it didn’t take only Abraham to accomplish it. It took three generations (a generation is 40 years) to accomplish God’s purpose.  Abraham was one frame, Isaac came along and was another frame, then Jacob, and maybe a fourth generation because one of his sons, Joseph, went into Egypt and became a pharaoh.  The children of Israel moved to Egypt to escape a famine.  They lived in the vast, lush, green land of Goshen and stayed there for ten generations in order for God to complete His purpose.

Exodus 1:8, “A new king arose who knew not Joseph.” Joseph meant nothing to this king and he inflicted hard labor on the children of Israel.  It took God ten generations to root them out of the land of Goshen because they were so comfortable.  God had to get the people to a point of desperation where they would cry out and seek God.  Have you been there before—so comfortable that you don’t need God?  America has become like that, hasn’t it?  I’m wondering if God will not bring us to dire straits so we will cry out to God.  God will take you down to bare nothing so that you will realize that Jesus is all you need, when you find out that Jesus is all you have.  How many generations did it take to accomplish the purpose of God?  Ten. 

God then anoints a man named Moses and tells him, “Your purpose for you Moses is to get the people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.” Moses says, “Okay,” but does he enter the Promised Land?  No. He sees it from Mt. Nebo and dies there.  So Joshua takes the people into the Promised Land.  Joshua conquers and divides the land into tribes.  That took at least two generations.  God then establishes judges and kings.  That takes another ten generations.  God raises King David to establish the laws of God into civil laws.  Then God wanted to establish a temple in Israel to be the central identity of the people of God. 

Does David build the temple? No. Solomon builds the temple and it takes two generations. We can go on and on.  I believe you’re getting the picture.  It doesn’t take just one generation to fulfill the purpose of God, sometimes it takes ten.

God’s Purpose for New Hope

Some weeks ago I was praying about New Hope and over each of you. (The prayer requests that you fill out and submit from the church bulletin every weekend are typed and copied and given to the pastors to pray over.)  I asked, “Lord, what is your purpose for New Hope?”  My problem is that I want to get it all done in one fell swoop.  But God was saying, “Wayne, the full purpose of God is far larger than one generation can fulfill.  Sometimes it’s like the ten generations of slaves in Egypt that didn’t get to see the Promised Land, but if they remain faithful they become one frame of what God wants to do.  In Hebrews 11 not everyone saw God’s purpose come to pass, yet they are mentioned in the Hall of Faith.  Hebrews 11:33-39 (NASB), “who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection;” (The very next verse suddenly changes into a dark minor key and continues,) “but others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.  And all these having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what had been promised.” 

What? They end up in the Hall of Faith yet nothing good ever happened to them. Do you know what God was saying? “You are a part of my grander plan.  You might not see the zenith or the apex of my purpose but you kept the faith and you kept the lineage going.”  It was so important in the Old Testament that the parents teach their children about their faith and to keep them serving God.  The fathers and grandfathers were saying, “We might not see the purposes of God in our generation, but you may in yours. GOD’S PURPOSE IS FAR GREATER THAN JUST ONE GENERATION! In the very next verse Hebrews 11:40, “Because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect,” means that even though they didn’t see the Promised Land, we did, and together, it’s perfect. 

Psalm 145:4, (NIV) “One generation will commend your work to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” I asked God what’s the future of New Hope?  He said, “My purpose for this church will take another two to three generations.”  My problem is that I want to accomplish it all in one generation.  I want to see everybody on Oahu saved and if they don’t get saved, I get discouraged.  I really thought we could influence the legislature with the immoral bills coming up, but we didn’t do it.  I thought I could get the governor saved, that didn’t happen.  I was hoping to see a grand revival take place.  That didn’t happen so I said, “God, I’m discouraged.”  God said, “My purpose is a lot bigger than you in your lifetime can accomplish because New Hope has not reached its zenith yet.  The apex of this ministry isn’t there yet.  You must be faithful in setting up what I’ve asked you to do, to be faithful to my purpose for you, in your generation.  I have not asked you to do what I will ask the next generation or the next, but you need to be faithful for your generation and fulfill it.” 

God’s anointing is not for one person, it is for one purpose.  God anointed this congregation and the anointing is still on us for a purpose; however, it might be another three generations before God’s purpose will actually take place in its fullness.  Then you will see the motion picture and that’s what its all about. I thought it was all about me!

Acts 13:36 (NASB), “For David, after he served the purpose of God in his own generation fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay;” Was the full purpose of God taken care of with David?  No.  He had to pass it on.  After he had served his purpose in his own generation, God said, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  I was praying and asked God, “What is the purpose for my generation?”  He said, “Wayne, I want you to begin the work and establish foundational principles that are unchangeable.”  Here they are:

Establishing Unchangeable Foundational Principles For New Hope

1. Commitment to God’s Word. I encourage everyone to get involved in a life group and to do your daily devotions; it is a foundational principle that cannot change. Having the word of God in your heart and being able to hear the Holy Spirit every single day is vital, especially, when Bibles may be removed from our nation.  

2. Evangelize the lost. These are the lost members of families, friends, and community.

3. Build leaders through “Doing Church as a Team” conference, Bible colleges, discipleship/mentoring programs, etc.

4. Develop resources to train leaders.

5. Build an epicenter of global ministries. Through our building campaign we are making a spiritual declaration to people so that when they see the building they will say, “Those guys are on the move!”

God is up to something. We may have been here over 20 years, but we have only just begun!  Our spiritual declaration to Hawaii is “You haven’t seen anything, yet!” because God’s purpose has not yet reached its apex.  God’s anointing is still on this church. May I say a word to you fathers, grandfathers, and moms: “It is absolutely critical that your main purpose in life will be to raise your children in the ways of the Lord. It may be that God has called New Hope to transform the state and city governments, communities, and schools.  Your son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter, may be the next governor or be in the legislature that will transform the moral codes of Hawaii. There may be a young David, Esther, Ruth just waiting for someone to disciple and mentor them. Show them that you believe in them and that they will become all that God has designed them to be. God might be saying to you, mom and dad, your greatest ministry may be in your next generation, so it is absolutely crucial that we love our children and build strong families.  Fathers, love your families.  Little do you know that it just may be your children who will transform Hawaii and America.

God said, “The purpose of God for New Hope will take more than just the next generation to accomplish; and the transformation of the islands will be obvious.” Psalm 33:11 (NASB), “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart is from generation to generation.”

Let me finish with a story of my Japanese grandmother. Her name was Tama Takasaki.  My grandfather, a carpenter, came from Fukuoka.  My grandmother spoke a little English.  She was a fabulous Christian.  The Cordeiro kids would run into her house and she would pray for us.  My grandfather in his later years became disabled and very feeble and grandmother would care for him.  Her love and compassion were unending and I never forgot that.  I still remember the Bible studies she had in her home in Kaimuki every week with the ladies sitting around the table, praying, believing, and asking God on behalf of her grandkids.  Well, our family dispersed because mom and dad got a divorce.  My mom married a Buddhist and my dad was a Catholic and we grew up confused, and so my grandmother’s prayers were so important.  After my grandmother passed away, I returned to Hawaii.  The only thing I have of hers is a vase that she made with her name on it.  Dan Shima’s mom knew my grandmother and one day Dan saw my grandmother’s vase in her house and said, “Wayne needs that,” so he shanghaied it from his mother and I have it yet today to remember the prayers of my grandmother.  My grandmother never saw the answers to her prayers but she was faithful to the purposes of God in her generation.  She played a part in the next generation and the third.  I’ve been serving God since I was 19 years old, was a youth pastor for 10 years, and senior pastor for 31 years, but my grandmother never knew that.  Was she faithful?  Was she a part of the purposes of God?  So are you.  The purpose of God for New Hope Oahu is far greater than just one generation. Ask God what is your purpose.  Let’s be faithful. 

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. What one concept would Pastor Wayne like for us to take away from this message?

2. What is God’s purpose for New Hope Oahu?

3. How many generations did God say will take to accomplish that purpose?

4. List the five unchangeable foundational principles for New Hope?Hope.