Tunnel Vision
Daniel Goodin
Midland SDA Church
October 10, 2020
INTRODUCTION
Opening Illustrations - Karl Malone, aka "The Mailman", was 1997 NBA MVP and the star of the Utah Jazz, who met the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls in the 1997 NBA Finals. The first game of the series was played on Sunday, June 1, 1997. Malone was at the foul line with two shots and the score tied 82-82; he had the opportunity to steal Game 1 in Chicago with 9.2 seconds remaining in regulation. That he was in said position after Jordan had bricked a go-ahead shot made the scenario that much better for Jazz fans. Before the first free throw, Scottie Pippen whispered in his ear, "The Mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays." Malone proceeded to miss both shots and the Bulls ended up winning the game and eventually the series.
During a November 23, 1991 game against the Denver Nuggets, there was only five seconds left on the clock and Michael Jordan was at the free throw line. Dikembe Mutombo, the star rookie center for the Nuggets, started heckling Jordan about never having dunked on him before. Jordan then says, "Hey Mutombo, this one's for you." He closes his eyes and then makes the free throw.
THE PROBLEM
Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-22) - The rich young ruler appears to have had a sincere desire to enter into the heavenly kingdom. Based on his question, he seemed to understand salvation as something that he had to earn. And he had the means to earn it based on his riches. Even the disciples seemed to look on him as one who was in a better possession than most to earn salvation because of his riches (v. 25). But the young man knew in his heart, and likely by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, that he was still missing something. He asked Jesus what he could do to obtain eternal life. Jesus didn't immediately tell him to sell his possessions. Instead he mentioned commandments relating to his relationship with his fellow man, which this man appears to have been keeping. Jesus didn't ask him about the first four relating to his relationship with God. Jesus knew that was where the problem resided. He instead asked for a demonstration of the first four commandments working in this man's life by having him set aside his riches (which Christ knew was this man's idol) and follow Him. The rich man walked away, realizing the problem was that he loved his riches more than Christ, and he was unwilling to do anything about it. Did he walk away saved? Why or why not?
Treasure and the Heart (Matthew 6:19-21) - What do we truly value? Our treasures aren't always actual treasure or worldly goods. It is what we truly desire in the depths of our soul. What do our actions tell us regarding where our treasure truly lies?
How often do we forego our devotional time with God because we're too busy? Are we more likely to miss family devotions or a family movie? Do we seem to care more about finances/saving for retirement than our spiritual development? Do we feel more anxious missing one day of personal devotions or one day of social media?
Warning (Philippians 3:17-19)
Examples:
1. Occupation
- focusing more on work life than spiritual life
- favoring performance at work over performance of church offices
2. Hobbies (exercise, golfing, biking, knitting, etc.)
- prioritizing time with hobbies over time with Christ
3. Appetite
- induling excessively (or sometimes too little) to the degree that it impairs our body and mind's ability to serve Christ effectively
4. Sleep
- choosing an extra few minutes or hours of sleep over morning devotions
- staying up late and thus impairing our body and mind's ability to serve Christ effectively
5. Security
- fear of losing earthly security in the pursuit of following Christ
6. Media (videos, music, social media)
- time-consuming and sin frequently demonstrated and honored
7. False Theology
- distracts from the power of the true gospel message
8. Trials
- attempts to shift our focus on ourself and off of Christ
9. Etc.
Church of Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-19) - This church is spiritually rich. Adventist Christians in particular are blessed with the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. We likely see ourselves are being spiritually wealthy due to that fact and in need of nothing. Yet this spiritual wealth is only beneficial as we dig into it. We end up getting a lot of secondhand information through sermons (Amazing Facts, It Is Written, etc.), but how often do we spend time in the Word of God and Spirit of Prophecy? Although blessed with truth and spiritual riches, this church is shockingly devoid of genuine fruit. It is "wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked." How can this be? This church has the truth. Does the gospel lack the power to change? No. This church is distracted.
THE SOLUTION
Gold
White Garments
Eye Salve
Paul's Tunnel Vision (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) - Paul's vision is set on Christ and not on the things of the world. Even "light momentary affliction" cannot get him to take his vision away from Christ. Paul had developed a "tunnel vision" on Christ and the eternal.
Paul's "Light Momentary Affliction" (2 Cor 11:23-28)
Set The Mind on Things Above (Colossians 3:1-3) - Paul is counseling the Corinthians to have the mindset that he already possessed which is this tunnel vision on Christ and the eternal. He says, "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth."
Paul's Laodicean State (Philippians 3:2-6) - Paul had the truth of the Jews at the time, who possessed the oracles of God. Like the other Jewish leaders, he misinterpreted the prophecies and did not accept Christ, but instead persecuted the church. He had possession of the truth, but he misunderstood it. He was distracted by traditions and a false gospel. Paul is in the Laodicean state. At that time, he was saying, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing." He didn't realize that he was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
The Solution to His Laodicean State (Philippians 3:7-11) - Paul saw that the things that made him self confident were actually loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, he saw everything that this world has to offer as being "rubbish" (skybalon which can also be translated as refuse or excrement) in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ. He saw everything this world offers as it truly is - distraction. He had developed a spiritual discernment (eye salve) that enabled him to see things as they are spiritually and eternally. He also saw the importance of not being found with a self righteousness, but instead possessing the righteousness of Christ (white garments) which is received from God on the basis of faith tested and refined by sufferings and persecutions (gold tried in the fire). First, Paul needed the spiritual discernment to see his poor, blind, naked state. How is that obtained?
Discernment Comes from Love (Philippians 1:9a) - Real knowledge and all discernment comes as a result of love growing within us. How is that love obtained?
Love Is From God (1 John 4:7-8) - Love comes from God. The production of Christ's self sacrificing love within our hearts is the fruit of knowing and spending time with him. Unless we know Christ, He cannot produce the fruit of love within our hearts.
Philippians 1:9b-11 - Christ's love in us develops spiritual discernment, which is necessary in order to approve "the things that are excellent" and also rejecting those things that aren't. An alternative translation is "distinguish between the things which differ." We are to identify the things that are spiritually uplifting and the things that are spiritually detrimental. In doing so, we are not olny to approve the things that are excellent, but we are to also eliminate those things that are impure. As we are more filled with His love, our discernment increases and we see more things in our lives that are simply distractions and sins that allow Satan access to our heart. These things must be rejected. As more of these peripheral distractions are discarded, we develop more of a tunnel vision where we constantly look at Christ and ignore the worldly distractions. As this occurs, Christ is able to cleanse our hearts and make us "sincere and blameless", filling us with His righteousness that comes by faith. But we must allow Him to do this work of purification in our lives by cutting out Satan's distractions which are his means of access to our lives.
Skin Excision Illustration
Ephesians 4:22-24 - We must "lay aside the old self" and "put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth". Our minds must also be renewed by the Holy Spirit. We lay aside the old self as we choose to reject Satan's worldly distractions, as identified by our renewed minds, and cut off his access and sin's access into our lives. We develop this tunnel vision as we look at Christ, and we put on the new self as we allow the Holy Spirit into our hearts to begin the work of purification as we walk with Christ day by day by faith. But we cannot put on this new self until we lay aside the old one. He cannot purify us if we continue to allow a stream of impurity into our lives. We obtain the white garment from Christ, but we aren't to cut off the sleeves in order to allow ourselves to remain partially naked, saying that we still want to show a little skin.
Chapel Rock Illustration
Titus 2:11-14 - We are instructed to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age. Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed and to "purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." Christ came to both redeem and purify us. These instructions can seem intimidating when viewed in isolation, but when seen in the perspective of the prior verses, it is the natural outcome of knowing Christ, being filled with His love and spiritual discernment, and choosing to accept those things that are spiritually edifying while rejecting the distractions of Satan.
Philippians 4:8 - These are verses that are popular to memorize but not very popular to follow. However, this is a vital defense against Satan's worldly distractions and temptations. Following this counsel would create that tunnel vision within us.