Category: Discipleship Essentials

What Are We Waiting For?

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Sometimes we are waiting for the perfect scenario to share the gospel, instead of stepping out in faith to see what the Holy Spirit might do. The disciples ask Jesus to eat something, but he replied that he had food of which they knew nothing. As they wondered aloud what he meant…

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35  You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36  The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37  You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38  I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.” John 4:34-38 (NLT)

Principle: What Are We Waiting For?

The disciples were asleep to the opportunities for sharing the gospel that were all around them.

There is a joy that is associated with sharing the gospel and leading people to faith in Christ that is more satisfying than food. In another place, Jesus told his followers about this.

In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Luke 15:7 (NLT)

Most of the church seems to find their satisfaction in hanging around other believers. If you are reading this article, I hope it is because you feel the pull to be an ambassador for Christ who ventures out of the comfort and safety of the local church to search out those who are open to the gospel. If you are, be encouraged by Jesus’ words. Whether or not we are in the midst of an awakening, the harvest is ripe. There are people whom the Holy Spirit has prepared to hear and believe the Good News!

Being Christ’s ambassador is perhaps the most satisfying occupation in the world.

It was more important to our Lord than food. May the Spirit of God awaken us to the opportunities around us. May he give us the love and boldness to engage people. May he equip and inspire us to operate in the supernatural realm of the gifts of the Spirit, and may he give us success in effectively sharing the gospel. If all that happens, the only thing that remains is to disciple our converts to become just as we are – followers of Christ and fishers of men.

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” Matthew 4:19 (NLT)
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Don’t Wait Until You’re Ready

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Some might have thought that the woman at the well was not ready to share the gospel, but not Jesus. She abandoned her water jar to go round up the rest of the village to come meet Jesus.

Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28  The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29  “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30  So the people came streaming from the village to see him. John 4:27-30 (NLT)

Principle: Don’t Wait Until You’re Ready

Many new believers imagine that they should wait until that magical day when they finally will be ready and fully equipped to share the gospel. This is partly the fault of the church. We think that sharing the gospel is more to do with having our doctrine right than it is with being “on fire” for Christ. It is partly our fault for buying into the notion that it is better to say nothing at all than risk making a mistake.

The Samaritan woman did not know much, but God used her to bring the entire village to Christ.

And this is not the only time that Jesus commissioned a new convert to be an evangelist. The Gerasene man whom Jesus delivered from many demons was immediately put into service, too.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19  But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20  So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mark 5:18-20 (NLT)

Didn’t Jesus realize that it is dangerous to put a new convert into the ministry, especially one who had been so unstable?

By the time we are thoroughly trained to properly share the gospel, we likely have lost contact with many of the people who most need to hear our message. This is because we stop “hanging around” with unbelievers and spend all our time with other Christians at church meetings.

The most opportune time for us to share our faith is when we first come to Christ, before our unbelieving friends relegate us to the “weird Christian” category.

Another reason we should start sharing our faith immediately is that we likely never will be quite so enthusiastic about Christ as when we are first saved. Some call this “first love” or the “honeymoon” period of Christianity. This is not to say it should be this way, but it often is. By the time disciples are thoroughly trained, they often have  picked up plenty of excuses for not be evangelistic and become quite comfortable simply going to church, rather than actively sharing the gospel. I call this Great Commission drift.

Most of the American church is more in love with comfort than with sharing the gospel.

The night I came to Christ, I immediately began telling my friends that I just met Christ and that he is real. That is about all I knew, but it was worth sharing. Over time I have added to my knowledge and understanding of who Christ is and what he did for us, but my fire to share the gospel has never been stronger than it was on the very first night.

Don’t wait until you’re “ready”. Start sharing the gospel and never stop.

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Look for Evidence of the Holy Spirit’s Work

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When sharing the gospel, we should look for evidence of the activity of the Holy Spirit in others. After Jesus satisfactorily answered the Samaritan woman’s question about the rift between Jews and Samaritans, she showed that she was one of those who eagerly awaited the coming of the Messiah.

The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26  Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!” John 4:25-26 (NLT)

Principle: Look for Evidence of the Holy Spirit’s Work

When a disciple of Christ begins a conversation with someone he or she has never met, it is something like opening a long buried treasure chest. What is in it? That is one of the things that makes fishing for people a most interesting occupation.

Going into an encounter, we do not know how God may have already been working in a person’s life, but our hope is that God will lead us to those he has already been preparing to receive the gospel.

It is obvious from the passage above that the Samaritan woman had been thinking about and longing for the coming of the Messiah. She was more than ready to meet and believe in Jesus. She just did not realize at first to whom she was speaking.

When a fisherman leaves home for a day on the water, he or she anticipates catching a big one. We know they are “out there.” That’s what makes it fun. Will God privilege us to meet someone like the woman at the well? I am convinced they are “out there.” We only need to find them, and the Holy Spirit knows exactly who they are. Don’t forget that she was a most unlikely person. We dare not judge people superficially. Only God knows the heart.

We should pray daily for the Spirit to orchestrate encounters like the one Jesus had at the well.

We should also prepare ourselves mentally to be alert when such opportunities present themselves. Jesus could have simply sat there in weariness, but he engaged this woman. We must also be alert to using the gifts of the Spirit. They are not just for church meetings. Lastly, we should prepare far ahead of time by thoroughly familiarizing ourselves with the gospel message. Don’t waste your opportunities!

(Learn more about the gospel by clicking here.)

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Address Root Questions

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Jesus was willing to answer people’s root questions if they were genuine seekers. After Jesus fully gained the Samaritan woman’s attention, she addressed the heart of the controversy between Jews and Samaritans.

So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” 21  Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22  You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23  But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24  For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:20-24 (NLT)

Principle: Address Root Questions

There was no point ignoring the “elephant in the room.” The Samaritan woman re-posed her opening question – “Why are you talking to me?” – in more theological terms. When we converse with people outside the boundaries of “normal” social interaction, these sorts of questions may arise. Rather than skirting the issue, he explained it in terms of the New Covenant, which breaks down the walls separating Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles.

Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well, coupled with his answer to her question, made her realize that God’s plan included her. The gospel bridges cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and political divides. The key is for us to be able to explain how.

Jesus did not go into much detail as to how this would happen. He did not need to do so. He was and is the embodiment of the New Covenant. Since we are not, we must be prepared to give a reason for our hope by explaining the gospel as best we can.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)

(If you want to learn more about how to share the gospel effectively, click here.)

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Depend on the Holy Spirit

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If we want to be effective fishers of men, we must learn to depend on the Holy Spirit. After Jesus moved the conversation to a spiritual plane, the woman responded by asking for eternal life, whether she fully understood or not.

“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16  “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17  “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18  for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” 19  “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. John 4:15-19 (NLT)

Principle: Depend on the Holy Spirit

When Jesus used the gift of the word of knowledge, a subset of prophecy, to identify the woman’s hidden sin, it changed the entire dynamic of the interaction.

It moved her from curiosity to full attention. It proved to her that Jesus was from God. It showed her that God knew all about her without condemning her. It convinced her that Jesus was someone she could trust and to whom she should listen. All that happened because Jesus shared one thing he could not have known without the Spirit’s help.

This takes us back to the synagogue in Nazareth when Jesus launched his itinerant ministry by reading from Isaiah 61.

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19  and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19 (NLT)

A big secret of Jesus’ effectiveness was that he ministered under the influence of the Spirit.

Try to imagine how he would have operated without miracles and the gifts of the Spirit. He would have been reduced to how a modern evangelical operates. How sad, for him and us. How tragic that today his disciples act as if the power of the Spirit is no longer available.

We need to return to New Testament methods if we want early church results. We need to depend on the Holy Spirit in a greater way.

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Move the Conversation to Spiritual Matters

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Using the open door provided by the Samaritan woman’s question, Jesus masterfully moved the conversation to spiritual matters, from a drink of water to eternal life.

“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12  And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13  Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14  But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:11-14 (NLT)

Principle: Move the Conversation to Spiritual Matters

It was immediately apparent that this woman was no one’s fool. She wanted to know the practicalities of how Jesus was going to provide a new kind of water in a place where the only source was this well that her forefather Jacob had provided. She wondered just who Jesus thought he was, but her thinking was still on a natural level. She realized that she was speaking to a very interesting person, but might have wondered if he were some sort of “nut job.” She certainly had no clue yet that he was the Messiah.

Instead of immediately responding to her natural question, Jesus offered what seemed to her to be a puzzling reply that moved things toward a spiritual plane entirely. This is an important key to fishing for people the Jesus way.

Certainly our desire is not to come across as “weird;” rather, we should strive to be authentically and spiritually interesting, which requires that we listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Probably Jesus had quickly discerned her spiritual hunger and led her down a conversational path to satisfy her deep longings for God. In our case, since we usually cannot so easily “read” people, we may have to be more “experimental” in our approach, offering interesting spiritual conversational tidbits to see if the one with whom we are talking responds positively.

The important thing is to try to move the conversation toward spiritual matters instead of allowing it to focus on the kind of mundane and trivial small talk that the world prefers.

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Remember Whom We Represent

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When sharing the gospel, we should remember whom we represent. We are ambassadors of Christ.

After the woman at the well questioned Jesus regarding why he was speaking to a despised Samaritan, he continued.

...“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10 (NLT)

Principle: Remember Whom We Represent

The Bible says that disciples of Christ are ambassadors for God (2 Corinthians 5:20) who carry the most important life-changing message in the universe – the gospel.

Unfortunately, we often forget who we are and act as if we are insignificant with little to offer. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus never forgot his identity, his message, or his mission. He was on point all the time, and so should we be.

But dedicate your lives to Christ as Lord. Always be ready to defend your confidence {in God} when anyone asks you to explain it. However, make your defense with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 (GW)
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Talk to Unlikely People

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Jesus often engaged very unlikely people. When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well in John Chapter Four, he broke the Jewish cultural rules.

The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” John 4:9 (NLT)

He was a Jewish rabbi. She was a Samaritan woman. Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. Rabbis did not talk to women. Jews would not drink from a cup or jar handled by an “unclean” Samaritan. What Jesus did in asking for a drink of water immediately got her attention and prompted her question. When people ask “Why,” it means we have made them curious and gives us an open door to share.

Not only did Jesus break social taboos, he also made himself vulnerable by asking for a favor. We like to present ourselves as self-sufficient, but people generally respond well when we admit that we need their help. She could have rebuffed him, but did not. When we ask for a favor, we open the door for people to be kind to us. Once a person does something for us, it is more likely that they will be more open in general.

Have you recently engaged any unlikely people who are outside your normal comfort zone or pack of friends? Have you asked a favor from anyone? Are you willing to launch a conversation just to see where it might go? These are all keys to being an effective fisher of men.

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Can I Know for Sure if I Am Going to Heaven?

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I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church, a religious system based on keeping church rules and submitting to its hierarchy. It offered no security regarding my eternal destiny, only the hope that I might die in what is called a “state of grace,” meaning that I would have no mortal (grave, death producing) sins on my conscience at the time of death. One could go to confession to get a fresh start or gain “indulgences” through attending Masses on specific days to obtain a sort of guarantee of having an opportunity to get right with God before death.

But those who rely on religion cannot know for sure if they are going to heaven. The best one can do is hope for the best.

How different are the words penned so long ago by John the apostle.

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (NLT)

When I first truly understood and believed the good news that Jesus died for my sins and took away the guilt and the judgments leveled against me, giving me his very own life, I realized immediately that God had set me free from relating to him through religious rules keeping and church affiliation! Nothing the Catholic Church ever did or taught gave me the kind of joy, life, and freedom I experienced through being born again by faith in Christ. This began my escape from religion, whose tentacles are long and clutching.

Religious systems are always performance based, manipulative, and fear inducing. They offer no assurance that we are going to heaven.

The Jews tried to relate to God through a religious system, too. They believed that if they kept the Law of Moses, they were good. If they failed to keep it, they would die. Since Christianity is directly descended from Judaism, many Christians fall into such thinking. It’s pretty simple, as long as we are able to stay on the right side of the scale. Unfortunately, no one can do that. God gave the Law to expose our hopeless situation. We are all sinners who deserve to die.

But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11  So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12  This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” 13  But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14  Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10-14 (NLT)

The good news is that Jesus kept the Law for us by living and dying in complete obedience to his heavenly Father. His sacrifice for our sins as God’s Lamb purchased our freedom from death and made us children of God. His resurrection proved his sacrifice on our behalf was accepted.

Now those of us who declare faith and allegiance to Christ can know for sure that our eternal destiny will be life forever with God.

Jesus promised:

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

Can we know for sure if we are going to heaven? We can, but only if we put our full confidence in what Jesus accomplished on our behalf. If we are still relying on ourselves to get it done, we can have no assurance whatsoever.

Prayer

Jesus, I am weary of trying to earn my way into God’s favor. I realize now that it is hopeless. You designed it that way so that I would come to my senses and realize that trusting in you is the only way. I ask you today to forgive my sins and come into my life. I give you myself. I belong to you from this day forward. Come, Holy Spirit, fill my life and show me more about Jesus’ and the Father’s love for me. Empower me to be a fearless proclaimer of the good news to others. Amen.

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Unlocking God’s Blessings through Being Generous

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If you know God at all, you understand that he is most generous. The most shared verse in the world, John 3:16, highlights God’s giving nature. He gave his only Son to redeem ungrateful enemies, whom he desired to turn into a family of friends. (Romans 5:6-8) Not surprisingly, he wants his people, those who follow Christ and his teachings, to be like he is – generous.  Psalm 112 attaches some powerful promises to generosity that are worth contemplating. In them we discover that generosity opens the door to many powerful blessings.

It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment. 6  For he will never be shaken; The righteous will be remembered forever. 7  He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8  His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries. Psalm 112:5-8 (NASB)
  • It is well – pleasant, agreeable, good – for the generous. Contrast this with the judgment made upon the miserly. They will experience lack and disfavor. (Proverbs 11:24-26)
  • God will maintain the cause of the generous in judgment.  The Bible makes a surprising connection between our being generous and God providing us with a good defense against judgments made against us. Literally the Hebrew says that God will sustain our  affairs with justice. In other words, when we live justly by caring for those in need, God will care for us when we are in need of justice. God’s justice extends beyond court proceedings. True justice seeks the welfare of the poor, the needy, and the oppressed. When we make that our practice, God will see to it that we benefit from his protection.
  • The generous will never be shaken. This means God will keep us from tottering, shaking, or slipping. Another way to say this is that God holds us up and keeps us secure. He is our Keeper.
  • The generous will be remembered forever.  The woman who poured out her life savings in the form of a costly perfume on Jesus’ feet demonstrated extreme generosity. God rewarded her by including her act of selflessness in the Gospel. Being remembered by God is a great blessing that will be extended to the generous.
  • God will make the generous fearless in times of trouble. As we go further into the unfolding scenario of the Last Days, when lawlessness is on the increase and terrible trouble looms, having confidence in God’s keeping power is essential. Why is it that the generous will not fear an evil report? It is because they know that God takes care of those who take care of others. When we are generous, we tap into the very heart of God, and he reveals more of himself to us. When we pour ourselves out for others, we grasp that he will do the same for us.
  • The generous will look in triumph upon their enemies. Most people are clueless when it comes to God’s judgments and justice. They want religion to be pie-in-the-sky fairy tales that God is some kind of cosmic smiley face. This false view of God’s justice is promoted as a way to manipulate the masses and make them think that with God anything goes, as long as it makes you happy. In other words, the smiley face God is a giver of good things who never requires anything from us except to be happy partakers of his gifts – no accountability, no judgment, no justice, no day of reckoning. The Bible portrays Jesus coming in power and glory to usher in God’s kingdom and bring God’s justice upon the earth once and for all. This will include the punishment of the wicked and the destruction of all those who refuse the mercy extended to them in the Gospel. Literally, there will be hell to pay for refusing to bow the knee to Jesus and acknowledge his Lordship. Those who do surrender to Jesus will be part of his triumphal army, who will come back with him to install God’s kingdom.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11-16 (ESV)

God’s Generosity and the Gospel

Those who have experienced God’s generosity are expected to be generous. They accept what Jesus died to give them – forgiveness, freedom from guilt and condemnation, reconciliation to God, freedom from everything that enslaves us, and belonging to God’s eternal family!

Those who have received God’s generosity in the Gospel are obliged to extend that generosity to others in the form of love, forgiveness, service, and sharing the Gospel message. We give away what God gave to us.

We look forward to the day when Christ returns to settle accounts and usher in the final reality.  On that day, we will look in triumph on all those who have ruthlessly persecuted God’s people and resisted the Gospel. A glorious day, indeed!

Those who refuse God’s generosity make the greatest miscalculation of all time. Those who receive learn to be generous and experience the fullness of blessings.

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