CONNECTED TO GOD’S MISSION
We hope today’s message was encouraging and helpful. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or to be used for a Bible/sermon group study. Enjoy!
Main Scripture: JOHN 15:14-17
Other scripture mentioned: Matthew 9:35-38; Matthew 28:18-20; Colossians 4:5-6
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read or paraphrase through some of the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Notes:
Intro: The vineyard is a powerful image depicting the kingdom of God that will grow and flourish offering real hope, true love, forgiveness, deliverance, and eternal life for our hurting and broken world. A world darkened by the corruption of sin and wickedness will see a vibrant, hopeful, and life-giving community, the Church of Jesus Christ. We find at the end of our Scripture that we are connected to God's mission. God's mission is to seek and save the lost. He wishes that none perish but have everlasting life. And God chose us to be his hands and feet for the mission.
Read John 15:14-17 NLT
You didn’t choose me, I chose you.
Jesus then reminded them that contrary to the common practice of disciples picking a teacher, Jesus had chosen them. This was a humble reminder that Jesus chose them and it wasn’t based on some merit of their own.
Jesus chose them and set them apart for a purpose, a calling, an honorable task… GO and bear lasting fruit… Be emissaries, missionaries, and ambassadors of His message to all nations, all people groups who have inherited the wages of sin which is death but could inherit the gift of God’s grace, Jesus Christ, and eternal life.
Go and produce lasting fruit…
What is lasting fruit? The Mission is to the lost believe and become disciples of Christ.
“The fruit primarily in view in this verse is the fruit that emerges from mission, from specific ministry to which the disciples have been sent. The fruit, in short, is new converts…the disciples who have been so blessed with revelation and understanding, should win others to the faith—fruit that will last (cf. 8:31). Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 523). Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.
The love for one another in the body of Christ must be guarded from becoming an exclusive club where we do not seek and find the lost so they too will believe and be a child and disciple of Christ.
When Jesus said the disciples were to ‘go’ and bear fruit, the ‘going’ most likely refers to their missionary endeavours. The ‘fruit’ they were to bear in their going would be new believers. Kruse, C. G. (2003). John: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 4, p. 318). InterVarsity Press.
The Father will give you whatever you ask in my name
Once again we see the vital importance and need to depend on God in prayer.
Jesus made this promise to those who go and bear fruit: Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is the third of four remarkable promises Jesus made concerning prayer (14:13–14; 15:7–8, 16–17; 16:23–24). In each case the promise is conditional. In 15:16 the promise is conditional upon two things: the disciples carrying out their commission to go and bear fruit, and prayer being made in Jesus’ name. Kruse, C. G. (2003). John: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 4, p. 318). InterVarsity Press.
Yet the disciples/friends of Jesus are not left on their own without a resource. The text returns to the subject of prayer and dependence on abiding in the Vine. This text also restates the thesis of 14:13–14 that such prayer is to be made in Jesus’ name. As indicated in comments related to those earlier texts, prayer in Jesus’ name is not merely a simple use of the name of Jesus. Abiding in Jesus, the Vine, and praying in his name implies that the petitioner has become aligned with the spirit and nature of Jesus so that requesting something out of line with the nature of Jesus would here be completely excluded from consideration. Such praying receives the anticipated results not because of the petitioner’s worthiness but because of the intimate relationship of the petitioner to Jesus. Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, p. 151). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Jesus has power, gifts, and abilities ready to equip those who decide to follow Him. Jesus has the grace to provide whatever we need if we ask. Those who follow Jesus into the mission fields of our neighborhoods, workplaces, and so on have a promise, that Jesus will provide! If we don’t follow Jesus we only live to bear fruit for ourselves or for the church family, we hit a ceiling, and even learn to depend on ourselves and each other and not Christ. But when we go into the world to reach the lost, our faith and fruit that has grown is exercised and grow even more. As we share our faith and process the good news with the lost we quickly see the need to ask God for wisdom, guidance, and softened hearts. We’ll need demonstrations of the Spirit’s power such as miracles, signs, and wonders to help testify to the truth of God’s Word and power. We will produce lasting fruit and see God work in ways we wouldn’t otherwise.
THE NEED IS GREAT
Church, the need is great and that's why Jesus called the disciples to remain in Him, bear fruit, and Go bear lasting fruit.
Matthew 9:35-38
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus was showing the disciples how to minister in the mission field and to see and feel for the true state of people. Then Jesus implies that there is a great harvest of people ready to be gathered but not even workers to see it through. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest fields, God, to send out workers. This is God equipping and sending those willing to go for His glory and the good of those lost and ready.
A little over 2000 years ago the harvest of lost souls was plentiful, what do you think it is like today?
According to multiple sources, Christians make up approximately 2.4 -2.6 billion of the worldwide population of about 8 billion.
Of the 8 Billion people, over 3 billion people in over 7,000 people groups are considered unreached (Radical.net). So around 2-3 billion have access to the gospel, but over 3 billion have not been reached with the gospel. Sounds like the harvest is massive.
The plan to save as many people as possible was given to us and it’s called the great commission of Jesus Christ: Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Meanwhile, the Christ for the Nations evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke once said, "Satan's trick to block Evangelism is to keep churches busy with activities that have nothing to do with Soul Winning." Reinhard Bonnke
Calvary is committed to doing our part to fulfill the great commission of Jesus. We currently equip our church to do this through our Discipleship Journey on Wednesday evenings. Last year we trained just around 50 Disciple Makers.
As of November 13, 2024, we support 22 foreign missionaries, 14 US missionaries, and 13 local missions.
WHERE DO WE START?
Abide and Grow in Christ
“We shall not get revival by filling our churches with men, but by getting our men who already come to our churches filled with God.”-Duncan Campbell, Scottish Evangelist and Revivalist
We need to remain in the vine so we become more like Christ, especially His heart and ability to see and feel compassion for the lost. This is where Jesus is trying to take us through this progressive pathway of the Vine and Branches in John 15:1-17. Jesus doesn’t bring up the mission to go into the world to reach the lost, first. Jesus knows that without a relationship with Him and His love in us we would not even care for the lost. I said last week and I’ll say it again. One of the most loving things you can do for your family, friends, and the unsaved community is to have a loving and obedient relationship with Jesus. The overflow will be love, including, reaching the lost.
The fruit, the characteristics of Christ will be the light that attracts and helps people see God. The vineyard is a powerful image depicting the kingdom of God that will grow and flourish offering real hope, true love, forgiveness, deliverance, and eternal life for our hurting and broken world. A world darkened by the corruption of sin and wickedness will see a vibrant, hopeful, and life-giving community, the Church of Jesus Christ.
Abide and Share Christ
Jesus calls us out from the world, transforms us, and sends us back into the world to transform it one life at a time.
Colossians 4:5-6 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Talk about your faith journey, share scripture, share sermons, show kindness, be a blessing to everyone around you, and invite to church. Glorify God in the way you live. Don't keep God a secret in your life. Let the world know He is your source of hope, love, joy, and strength.
This is living from the source, from the heart of God to the mission field. As we abide and remain in a strong relationship with Jesus a desire to reach the unsaved and lost will come forth. A vision and compassion for people’s eternity will ignite and burn. There may be times when the flame dies down and this means our connection, our obedience, our practice of the faith, or all the above, needs to be tended to. Messages like these can help fan the flame into a fire again. But to keep a fire burning it needs fuel every day. Intentionally pursuing the lost helps fan the flame into a fire too. Evangelism is a Christian muscle that needs to be worked out and exercised and you'll become more capable and stronger at it in the process.
Discussion:
What is one thing from the message that resonated with you?
What is keeping the church of Jesus Christ from making disciples more?
How can we overcome the lack of disciple-making?
According to the sermon and you’re own experience, what are some of the ways we can share Christ?
What additional notes did you make during the sermon?
What can we pray for regarding the sermon? Do you have any prayer needs?
The most important decision you will ever make!
If you’re ready to trust in Jesus for salvation and eternal life we encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, Amen!
We would love to know if you decided to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hope you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!