Overlooked Priorities
A study conducted by LifeWay Research found that 80 percent of those who attend church one or more times a month, believe they have a personal responsibility to share their faith, but 61 percent have not told another person about how to become a Christian in the previous six months.
These distressing results came from an extensive discipleship research project that attempted to measure individual’s spiritual maturity. Overall, LifeWay Research found eight biblical attributes consistently evident in the lives of maturing believers. Of those eight, "Sharing Christ" has the lowest average score among Protestant church attendees.
Some highlights from the research:
3 out of 4 churchgoers say they feel comfortable in their ability to effectively communicate the gospel
12% say they don't feel comfortable telling others about their faith.
25% of churchgoers say they have shared their faith once or twice; 14% have shared three or more times over the last six months.
Nearly half (48%) of church attendees have not invited an unchurched person to attend a church service or some other program at their church in the past six months
33% of people say they've personally invited someone one or two times, and 19% say they've done so on three or more occasions in the last six months.
21% of churchgoers say that outside of church worship services they pray every day for people they know who are not professing Christians; 26% say they pray a few times a week; 20% say they rarely or never pray for the spiritual status of others.
Jesus’ Commands
As Jesus came to the end of his earthly ministry he made it abundantly clear that his disciples were to continue his ministry, even though this would be costly. All the gospels have the same focus as they conclude.
Matthew tells us that Jesus final directive to his followers and those who followed them was,
“All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising 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.” Matthew 28:19-20
The final directive in Mark’s record is similar,
“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved and whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:16
Luke is similarly clear at the end of his gospel,
“This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” Luke 24:46-47
At the beginning of Luke’s follow on book, the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus repeats this directive,
“But you will receive power when the the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
John records Jesus emphasis
John records in more detail what Jesus taught in the final days. Chapters 12 to 17 record this.
Jesus washes his disciples feet and directs them
Why did Jesus wash the feet and not the disciples’ hands or lips? What is the significance of feet? Is there more to this story than demonstrating humility? Jesus hints that there is more.
“You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John 13:7
Looking at other Biblical references to feet should give us a clue.
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace and bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation.” Isaiah 52:7
“Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news.” Nahum 1:15
“As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” Romans 10:15
“ . . . and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6:15
Clearly feet symbolise going out with the gospel.
There is another reference to feet in the New Testament that at first seems strange. In order for widows to go on the roll of those supported by the local church they had to meet various criteria.
“No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. 1 Timothy 5:9-10
Why should a widow do what no slave was expected to do? Why should it be the feet of Christians and not other people? In the light of these other references to feet in the Bible, this all makes sense. They are to be known for supporting gospel ministry, even when it hurts.
Chapters twelve to seventeen of John’s gospel describe Jesus’ final teaching to his disciples before his death. He is preparing them for their lifelong mission – to represent him and share his gospel with the world. They are to become the servants of others and share with others the good news of salvation through Christ. He wants you and me to be clean, he wants our feet to be fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel; Christ wants his people to be those who readily pass on the good news about Jesus.
Bear Much Fruit
In John chapter 15 Jesus continues his final teaching to his disciples. He gave the following teaching.
1 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: love each other.
This passage starts and finishes with the need for Christians to bear fruit. This is the purpose that Jesus wants to see in us. In between Jesus describes those factors that are the means of achieving this.
The Purpose
Jesus is continuing the same theme, that his disciples are to ‘bear much fruit’. There has been some discussion about what this means. He is clearly not talking about the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ of love, joy peace, patience kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ that Paul emphasises must be a feature of every Christians’ life. The context makes it clear that ‘much fruit’ refers to winning others for him.
The disciples were clear what his ‘Great Commandment’ was. Here Jesus says,
“You are my friends if you do what I command.” John 15:14
Jesus had always been abundantly clear why he chose his disciples. When he called Simon Peter and Andrew to follow him he had said,
“Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark 1:17
During their three year training the disciples were sent out on short-term mission trips to train them for their future work. At first the twelve were sent out,
“They went out and preached that people should repent.” Mark 6:12
On another occasion he sent out a larger mission team to prepare people for his subsequent visit,
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was to go. He told them, ‘the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.’”
Back in John’s record of his final teaching this emphasis to ‘go out’ is continued,
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” John 15:16
This fruit is not inner spiritual change but outgoing evangelism.
Jesus continues in his teaching to say that the world will hate his disciples. Jesus was persecuted because of what he had said publicly,
“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin.” John 15:22
Jesus continues this talk by re-emphasising that their priority must be the same as he had,
“And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:27
It would be easy to excuse ourselves by saying that this was said specifically to the remaining disciples in the upper room. However the following prayer given at the end of this upper room discourse, make it abundantly clear that this role of sharing the gospel with others must be passed on to the future generations of Christians. We are all to be one in fulfilling our Lord’s wishes.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one. . . Then the world will know that you sent me.” John 17:20-23
There is a problem amongst Christians in the West in that not many would say they are fruitful for Christ. As a consequence many of our churches are becoming smaller and fewer. Many still say they believe in the faith, even if they are not passionate about Christ. We need to ensure that we are being fruitful for him.
This is so important for Christians to understand, a refusal to be involved in testifying about Jesus will have dire consequences.
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit.” John 15:2
“He is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” John 15:6
The Means
In this same passage Jesus reminds his followers how being effective ‘fishers of men’ will be achieved.
1. Remain in Christ
This is the main means of our being fruitful for Christ, we must remain true to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear truth by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” John 15:4
“If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.” John 15:5
This is the essence of being a Christian, of receiving Christ. He becomes our life, our salvation, our joy and our purpose. We are sold out to him. The apostle Paul wrote,
‘For me to live is Christ.” Philippians 1:21
2. His words remain in us.
What a tragedy it is for modern day Christians not to be Bible-centred. The prime purpose of a church is to teach people the Word of God and encourage everybody to obey what God teaches. Churches that cease to make teaching the Bible their urgent priority seldom see people becoming Christians. Jesus says,
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:7
Our society is dying from Biblical malnutrition. No wonder Paul, in his final letter to Timothy gives him the following urgent charge,
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:1-4
It is therefore essential for all of us Christians to be involved in a Bible-teaching church, to read the Bible every day both to ourselves and our families, and to meet up with other Christians to discuss what the Bible teaches.
3. We pray for what pleases Jersus
Notice how naturally Jesus links living for Christ and prayer. The two are inseparable. But however effective we are at communicating the gospel, it requires a real work of God’s Spirit to keep a person living for Christ. This is why prayer is vital as we engage in the business of sharing the faith.
“ . . . ask whatever you wish and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit.” John 15:7
4. What God teaches we obey
We are all very good at putting on appearances but the Lord knows what we are really thinking and doing. We cannot fool him even if we can fool others. Even our ministry for God can displace our worship of him. Yet true worship is our obedience to what he teaches us. Earlier in this final discourse Jesus had emphasised this.
“If you love me you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
Jesus links our obedience to our remaining in Christ.
“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” John 15:10
5. Be joyful
Being dour Christians will attract few back to God, whereas a relaxed joyful demeanour is eminently attractive. What a shame it is when Christians are tense and anxious, it betrays the fact that they have not found the peace and joy that God wants his people to experience. This experience comes as we walk closely with and rely on our Lord. It is his joy and his peace we experience.
“I have told you this that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11
6. Work together
To be fruitful for Christ requires teamwork within a church. Not all will be teachers but all can use their gifts to help win others for Christ. All can be friendly, chat and invite. If churches don’t emphasise the need for people to be hospitable and for all to be involved in working together as a team. Food is a great attraction to Christian events. This will inevitably mean we have to sacrifice our time, energy and money for the sake of our Lord.
“My command is this: Love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”
Jesus reminds everyone that he was about to sacrifice his own life to become the ultimate sacrificial lamb, to become the substitute for our sin. How can we not give all for him?
7. Remember the business we have been chosen for and what is important
We have been brought into the family of God. We are now his people and he has taught us everything we need to know to fulfil his wishes. Jesus then again emphasises that his church is here to bring glory to God by winning others for him. We have to go out from our safe zones of just having Chrsitian friends to go out into the world to represent him.
“I have called you friends, for everything I learned from the Father I have made known to you. You did not chose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” John 15:15-16
Jesus then winds up this section by reminding us that it is by working with God, involving him in prayer about all we are doing and making sure that we do not allow personal frictions to disturb the churches outreach.
“Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love one another.”
The prayer all people who are truly committed to living with and for Christ is that he will be honoured and glorified by ourselves. As we glory in him we will fulfil his ambition and draw others to glorify him.
BVP
