Over the last few weeks we’ve been discussing the four parts of one’s vision: 1) purpose, 2) picture of the future, 3) values or guiding principles, and 4) goals or strategies. Today I would like to examine Jesus’ vision in all these areas.

His purpose is stated very simply in Matthew 4:19... “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’” Jesus changed the disciples’ purpose from fishing for fish to fishing for people.

His picture of the future is found in is famous, final, words: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20) Known as the Great Commission , it has become the Great Option or Great Omission for far too many believers. But Jesus’ picture of the future—complete in John’s Revelation (5:9 & 7:9)—is an invitation to all of us...to join him in building his Kingdom all over the world.

We’ve already looked at Jesus’ personal values defined through the three wilderness temptations and his operational values (“love God, love people”) in other blogposts.

The final piece of Jesus’ vision was his goals . Jesus had goals and strategies to accomplish his vision. Luke 13:32 records: “Go tell that fox [King Herod], ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’” Jesus stayed focused (see Luke 9:51) on his ultimate task (accomplishing our salvation through his death and resurrection) and equipped us with similar goals and strategies to spread his kingdom message all across the world.