THE NEIGHBOURS — SELF-GIVING BEYOND THE CHURCH: THE PILLAR OF OUTREACH ============================================================ Course: The Potter’s Wheel (Wheel) Lesson: 7 Scripture: John 15:1–17; Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:18–20 Language: English URL: https://kgm-school-preview.netlify.app/lessons/en/wheel/07-the-neighbours/ WhatsApp: WHEEL EN 07 LESSON SEVEN — THE NEIGHBOURS: SELF-GIVING BEYOND THE CHURCH: THE PILLAR OF OUTREACH ============================================================ BIG IDEA The church is sent, not invited. Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). But we do not produce fruit in our own strength. We remain in Christ, and we bear much fruit (John 15:5). So we go together, in obedience and in love. The results belong to God, but the obedience belongs to us. This is the pillar of Outreach. PART 1 — SCRIPTURE READING John 15:1–17 • Acts 1:8 • Matthew 28:18–20 Open your Bible and read slowly: John 15:1–17, Acts 1:8, and Matthew 28:18–20. In John 15, Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches, and that those who remain in Him bear much fruit. In Acts 1, Jesus promises His apostles power when the Holy Spirit comes on them, and He says that they will be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. In Matthew 28, Jesus sends His disciples to make disciples of all nations, and He promises to be with them always. We have walked through four relationships: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the church. With them we have met four pillars: Love, Truth, Prayer, and Fellowship. Now we come to the fifth relationship, our neighbours, and to the fifth pillar, Outreach. In Lesson One we saw that to love our neighbour is to care about the eternal destiny of those who are not yet saved. In Lesson Two we saw that the river flows on to the Dead Sea, and this speaks of the pillar of Outreach. In Fellowship believers give themselves to one another. In Outreach the church gives herself to those who are outside her walls. This lesson follows Chapter 7 of The Potter’s Wheel. KEY VERSE — ACTS 1:8 “But you will receive power when 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.” PART 2 — WALKING THROUGH THE LESSON A. Sent, Not Invited — Our Mandate to Reach the World The church exists to worship God and to grow in faith. She also exists to reach the lost with the Gospel. The church is sent, not invited. Jesus commands us to go into the world. He does not tell us to wait for the world to come to us. Jesus said to His disciples, “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 28:19–20). We are not called only to believe. We are called to go and make disciples. To go to the lost and to preach the Gospel belong to the mission of every church. A church cannot fulfil her mission without doing both. The church is sent, not invited. B. Fruitfulness — The Evidence of a Healthy Church In Lesson Three we heard Jesus say that He is the true vine and that His Father is the Gardener (John 15:1). Now we read the next verse. Jesus said of His Father, “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” (John 15:2). Fruit is the evidence of a healthy church. Jesus did not leave us to invent our own plans for the growth of the church. He gave us a clear model. A fruitful church has three marks. 1. She remains connected to Christ. True growth comes from remaining in Him. No branch can bear fruit by itself (John 15:4). 2. She puts discipleship first. Jesus commands us to make disciples (Matthew 28:19). So she makes disciples, and not only converts. 3. She moves beyond her walls. She goes out to the lost and gives herself to them. The kind of fruit also matters. Jesus said, “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit” (Luke 6:43). He said that each tree is recognized by its own fruit (Luke 6:44). Everything in nature reproduces according to its own kind. God made the trees to bear fruit according to their various kinds (Genesis 1:11). The same is true of a church. The disciples that a church makes show how mature she is and how united she is. A mature church makes strong and faithful disciples. A divided church makes believers who are confused and unstable. C. The Power of Unity in Outreach Paul wrote, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Think of two men who carry a heavy log. One man pulls forward. The other man pulls backward. They do not move the log. They tear the log apart. Outreach must be united. When believers work together, the Gospel advances. A divided church cannot change the world around her. The resistance to the Gospel works through division. So we guard our unity as a Gospel matter. D. We Do Not Need New Methods The letter to the Hebrews says, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7). God’s methods have always worked. The church has grown through prayer, preaching, discipleship, and love. Many faithful believers have gone before us. We do not need new methods. We need obedience. If we imitate those who have been fruitful, we also will bear fruit. E. The Branch That Does Not Remain Jesus also gave a warning. “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” (John 15:6). A believer may be in the church and yet not remain in Christ. A believer may attend the services and not grow. A believer may listen to sermons and not put them into practice. A believer may sit in every service and never take part in the harvest. A branch that does not remain in the vine withers, and it cannot bear fruit. So a church must make true disciples, and not only gather people who attend. Jesus calls each of us to remain in Him, as He also remains in us (John 15:4). F. Producers and Bearers In the Kingdom of God there is a clear difference between producers and bearers. Producers are those who produce in their own strength. Bearers are those who bear fruit through the power of God. In Lesson Three we learned that the Spirit produces the fruit, and we bear the fruit. The difference between producers and bearers is seen in three things: who receives the glory, whose strength we rely on, and what is left behind in the end. Scripture shows us five contrasts. 1. Producers take the glory for success. Bearers give the glory to the Lord. King Nebuchadnezzar walked on the roof of his royal palace in Babylon. He said that he had built the great city by his mighty power and for the glory of his majesty (Daniel 4:29–30). God humbled the king, and afterwards the king said that God is able to humble those who walk in pride (Daniel 4:37). Daniel was different. Earlier, the same king had asked Daniel to explain a mystery. Daniel answered that no wise man could explain it, but that there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries (Daniel 2:27–28). 2. Producers grow tired and stop. Bearers rely on the power of God. King Saul relied on his own ability and his own plans. Saul confessed to Samuel that he had disobeyed the command of the Lord, because he was afraid of the men and did what they wanted (1 Samuel 15:24). His reign ended in defeat (1 Samuel 31:1–6). David leaned on God. In great distress, David found strength in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). David asked the Lord first, and then he went (2 Samuel 2:1–2). Those who produce by their own effort grow tired in the end and stop. Those who bear fruit through the Spirit of God are renewed and sustained. 3. Producers want a name for themselves. Bearers want Christ to become greater. The builders of Babel wanted a city and a tower, so that they might make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). The Lord scattered them over all the earth (Genesis 11:8). John the Baptist understood his purpose. He said of Jesus, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). 4. Producers leave organizations. Bearers leave disciples. The Pharisees built a system of rules. Jesus said that on the outside they appeared to people as righteous, but on the inside they were full of hypocrisy and wickedness (Matthew 23:28). He said that they shut the door of the Kingdom of heaven in people’s faces (Matthew 23:13). Jesus gave His time to people. He made disciples who would continue the mission. He sent them to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). A producer builds a kingdom for himself. A bearer builds disciples who continue the mission of Christ. 5. Producers use people. Bearers lay down their lives. Absalom, the son of King David, stole the hearts of the people of Israel (2 Samuel 15:6). He served himself, and his rebellion brought war to Israel (2 Samuel 18:6–7). Jesus, the true King, did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). The difference between producers and bearers is a matter of the heart. Jesus said, “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” (John 15:5). He calls us to remain in Him and to bear fruit through His life in us. When we stop producing in our own strength and begin to bear fruit in God’s strength, we find joy and peace, and our work lasts. Producers and Bearers at a Glance - Producers: Take the glory for success · Bearers: Give the glory to the Lord · In the Bible: Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel - Producers: Grow tired and stop · Bearers: Rely on the power of God · In the Bible: Saul and David - Producers: Want a name for themselves · Bearers: Want Christ to become greater · In the Bible: The builders of Babel and John the Baptist - Producers: Leave organizations · Bearers: Leave disciples · In the Bible: The Pharisees and Jesus - Producers: Use people · Bearers: Lay down their lives · In the Bible: Absalom and Jesus G. How to Remain Fruitful in Outreach Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8). The secret of lasting fruitfulness is to remain in Christ. Without love, outreach is empty. Without obedience, outreach has no effect. Without prayer, outreach has no power. In practice, a church remains fruitful in four ways. 1. She makes evangelism her way of life. Every believer knows how to share his or her faith. 2. She makes disciples on purpose. New believers are cared for until they become mature believers. 3. She serves her community. She serves and builds relationships beyond her walls. 4. She relies on the Holy Spirit. Evangelism is not a human effort. Evangelism is a mission led by the Spirit. We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us, and we become witnesses of Jesus (Acts 1:8). H. Obedience Is the Key — Love Is the Command Jesus said, “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” (John 15:10). Obedience is the key. The success of outreach is not measured by numbers. The success of outreach is measured by obedience. We do not save people. God saves. We are called to proclaim the Gospel, and not to force anyone to believe. The results belong to God, but the obedience belongs to us. The results belong to God, but the obedience belongs to us. Jesus ends the teaching of the vine with the command to love. “This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:17). The secret of effective outreach is love within the church. When believers love one another, the world sees the difference. Jesus said that everyone will know that we are His disciples if we love one another (John 13:35). A divided church has no testimony. Love for one another leads to supernatural fruitfulness. I. The Final Harvest John wrote, “Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people” (Revelation 14:6). One day the Gospel will reach the whole world, and Christ will return. Until that day we are called to preach, to make disciples, and to serve. Our mission is urgent. We must act now. Every believer has a part in reaching the lost. A healthy church bears fruit through discipleship. She moves beyond her walls. She works in unity for the Gospel. Her members love one another as Christ commanded. Outreach is not a program of the church. Outreach is the heartbeat of the church. The risen Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples. “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation’” (Mark 16:15). J. The Lesson in One Sentence The church is sent to make disciples of all nations, and she bears much fruit when she remains in Christ, obeys His commands, and stays united in love (Matthew 28:19; John 15:5, 10, 17; Ephesians 4:3). We have now walked through the five relationships and the five pillars. In Lesson Eight we come to the third part of the term, the vision in practice. We will look at five challenges and at five dimensions of dependence on God. PART 3 — KNOW THE WORD: TEACHING FOCUS #### 1. The Church Is Sent Read Matthew 28:18–20 slowly. First Jesus says that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). Then He says, “Therefore go.” The church goes because the One who has all authority sends her. Notice what He sends us to do. We make disciples, we baptize them, and we teach them to obey everything He has commanded (Matthew 28:19–20). And notice His promise. He is with us always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). The church is sent, not invited. #### 2. A Bearer Remains in the Vine No branch can bear fruit by itself. The branch must remain in the vine (John 15:4). Jesus said that apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). This is the difference between a producer and a bearer. Producers work in their own strength. Bearers remain in Christ. Jesus chose us and appointed us to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16). So let us examine our outreach by its fruit, and not by its events. We look for disciples who remain, and not only for decisions to believe. #### 3. Unity Is a Gospel Matter Jesus prayed that His people may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that the Father sent Him (John 17:23). So unity is a Gospel matter. A log that is carried in two directions goes nowhere. We make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). And we keep the command of Jesus to love each other (John 15:17). A church that is united in love has a testimony before her neighbours. PART 4 — TRUST THE SPIRIT: TEACHING FOCUS #### 1. The Spirit Comes, and We Receive Power Read the key verse again. Jesus told His apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the gift the Father had promised (Acts 1:4). They would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them, and then they would be witnesses of Jesus to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The same is true for us. Without prayer, outreach has no power. So we pray, and we rely on the Holy Spirit. He comes on us, and we receive power to be witnesses of Jesus. #### 2. The Spirit Testifies About Jesus In John 15, after the teaching of the vine, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit. Jesus says that the Spirit of truth will testify about Him (John 15:26). Then Jesus says to His disciples that they also must testify (John 15:27). The Holy Spirit testifies, and we also testify. We proclaim the Gospel, and we rely on the Holy Spirit, for He is the One who testifies about Jesus. #### 3. The Spirit Produces What We Cannot Produce The Spirit produces the fruit, and we bear the fruit. Paul writes about the fruit of the Spirit. That fruit begins with love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22). We cannot produce this fruit by our own effort. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit in us, and He does what we cannot do. So our part is to remain in Christ, for apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5). Word and Spirit in Lesson Seven — Side by Side - Know the Word: Jesus has all authority, and He sends us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–19). · Trust the Spirit: We receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us, and we become witnesses of Jesus to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). - Know the Word: The disciples of Jesus also must testify (John 15:27). · Trust the Spirit: The Spirit of truth testifies about Jesus (John 15:26). - Know the Word: Those who remain in Christ bear much fruit. Apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). · Trust the Spirit: The Spirit produces the fruit, and we bear the fruit. The fruit of the Spirit begins with love, joy, and peace (Galatians 5:22). - Know the Word: The command of Jesus is that we love each other (John 15:12, 17). · Trust the Spirit: The unity of the church is the unity of the Spirit. We make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). PART 5 — FORMING CHRIST IN THE BELIEVER This lesson forms Christ in us in three ways: 1. Christ is formed in us when we remain in the vine. You do not need a pulpit to bear fruit. You need the vine. Remain in Christ, and you will bear much fruit (John 15:5). 2. Christ is formed in us when we give the glory to God. We do not seek a name for ourselves. We want Christ to become greater (John 3:30). We serve as Jesus served. He gave His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). 3. Christ is formed in us when we go to the lost. Remain, love, obey, and go. Find one person who is not yet saved, and care on purpose about that person’s eternal destiny. PART 6 — DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Come prepared to answer. Come prepared to listen. 1. The church is sent, not invited. Does your church wait for people to come, or does she go to them? Where is Jesus sending you now? 2. A church remains fruitful when every believer knows how to share his or her faith. What would this look like in your church? What first step can you take? 3. Ask yourself the three questions of a bearer. Who receives the glory for what I do? Whose strength am I working in? What will be left when I am gone: a position that ends with me, or disciples who continue? 4. In Lesson Two we saw that everything lives where the river goes (Ezekiel 47:9). Is anything coming to life around your church because she is there? Do you examine your outreach by its events, or by disciples who remain? 5. Two men pull one log in two directions, and the log goes nowhere. Is there any work in which you and another believer are pulling in two directions? What will you do to guard unity as a Gospel matter? PART 7 — WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT Before next class, take time with the following: - Read Exodus 3:7–8, 16–17; Joshua 3:9–11; and Hebrews 11:6 in preparation for Lesson Eight. - Memorize Acts 1:8 or John 15:5. - Find one person who is not yet saved, and write down the name. Care on purpose about that person’s eternal destiny. Pray for that person every day this week, and look for a time to share your faith. - Write the three questions of a bearer on one page: Who receives the glory? Whose strength am I working in? What will be left when I am gone? Beside each question, write one honest sentence about your own work. - Go with one other believer and serve someone outside your church this week. Go together, and begin to build a relationship with that person. CLOSING PRAYER A PRAYER TO PRAY OUT LOUD THIS WEEK Father, You are the Gardener, and Your Son is the true vine. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus, and He has sent us to make disciples of all nations. Thank You that He is with us always. We are a church that is sent. Teach us to go to our neighbours, and not to wait for them to come to us. Keep us in the vine, for apart from Christ we can do nothing. We do not want to produce in our own strength. Let Your Holy Spirit come on us with power, and make us witnesses of Jesus in our town and across Tanzania. Let Your Spirit produce in us the fruit that we cannot produce, and let all the glory be Yours. Let Christ become greater, and let us become less. Make us one, so that we work together for the Gospel, and so that the world may know that You sent Your Son. Teach us to keep the commands of Jesus and to love each other. Give to each of us one person to care for on purpose. The results belong to You. The obedience belongs to us. Help us to preach, to make disciples, and to serve, until the Gospel has reached every nation, tribe, language and people. In the Name of Jesus, amen. NEXT LESSON — Lesson Eight — The Overcoming Church. Five Challenges, Five Dimensions ---------- KGM School of Service — Knowing God Missions · Tumenyimana https://kgm-school-preview.netlify.app