1. VISION SERIES 2019 (BLOG 1) BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS

THIS BLOG CONTAINS:

• Series introduction
• Group study 
• Daily bible studies 
• You can listen to all the messages at:  Click this link to audio content
• For more information visit www.communitychurchputney.com

VISION SERIES INTRODUCTION

We have a vision at CCP of “Bringing people to Jesus”.  A key texts has helped to shaped this is from John 7, 

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 

Jesus invites us to come to Him for salvation. But He also invites us to keep coming to Him daily. As we do so the promise is that the Spirit will work through us, like rivers, to bless those around us. 

During this vision series we will be exploring how we can come, and help others to come to Jesus. Many of us get excited about doing new things and starting new ventures. My prayer is that we get envisioned by the joy and fruitfulness that come out of the most important thing - an authentic relationship with Jesus. 

How do we bring people to Jesus? 

Bringing people to Jesus involves three different relationships:

1. Myself – I come to Jesus daily by setting aside quality time in prayer and worship out of the bible. 

2. One another – We are devoted to an amazing Community Group in order to help one-another to come to Jesus. 

3. Non-believers – We love to ‘invest and invite’ - invest in friendships and invite them into our lives, church community and closer to Jesus. 

Over the next three weeks we will explore each of these key aspects of what it means to bring people to Jesus. 

The vision must become our vision

The bible is full of examples of the need for the people of God to work together in order to fulfil God’s plan for them. Recently, as a church, we went through a series (The Journey) where we saw that in order for the people to leave slavery and enter the Promised Land, they had to believe God and work together. The vision of the Promised Land had to get beyond Moses and into the hearts and wills of the whole community. 

I (Matt) and the eldership team, invite you to wholehearted participation in ’Bringing People to Jesus’. Will you invest your heart, time, and gifts into this shared vision? 

WEEK 1. BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS…MYSELF (GROUP STUDY)

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 

• Jesus calls us to come to Him personally. In John 7:37-38, what is the promise for those who do, and, conversely, the promise for those who do not come to Jesus personally? 
• What does Psalm 1:1-3 promise for those who will come to Jesus daily and throughout the day? 
• Coming to Jesus involves coming to Him for salvation, and then having an on going daily relationship. There is much that could be said about this, but prayer and worship out of the bible is the backbone of any relationship with Jesus. What are the things of life that can distract us from coming to Jesus in this way?

The ‘Come to Jesus daily’ devotional method

There are many helpful ways that one can approach personal devotions. As I’ve said, prayer and worship out of the bible is the backbone of any relationship with Jesus. Here I’m going to teach one method that you might find helpful. 

THE ‘COME TO JESUS DAILY’ DEVOTIONAL METHOD

This structure can be used for your devotions. Begin by thanking God for salvation/the gospel (GC); Worship Him (UP); Pray for your Christian friends (IN); Pray for your non-believing friends (OUT). As you go along, God will remind you of bible texts; turn to these, and pray/worship out of them. 

This structure can also be used for bible meditation. As you read, pray that God would speak. As He highlights something in the text, use the following questions to help you meditate, worship and pray out of the bible: 

1. GC (Gospel Centred) What does the text say about Jesus?

• What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him, and how will you now worship and pray in response? 

2. UP – What does it say about God?

• What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…how will you worship and pray in response?

3. IN – What does it teach about God’s people? 

• What does it teach about God’s people – how He thinks of them, how we are to treat them? 
• Is there anyone that you particularly want to pray for? 
• This is a great time to pray for your Community Group and church. 

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers? 

• What does it say about non-believers and God’s mission?
• What does this inspire you to pray or do in response for non-believers or problems in the world more generally?  
• In this section make a commitment to pray through a lists of non-believing friends that God has put into your life. 

Let’s put it into practice. In your groups, use each of the points to meditate, worship and pray out of John 17:37-38.

As part of our vision we will be producing a devotional that follows the Sunday teaching using the ‘Come to Jesus Daily’ method. You can collect a printed study at Community Church and it will also be produced on this blog. 

Finally - Let’s remember Jesus - He came to the Father daily!

Jesus sets us a great example. As the Son of God, He shows us that spending time with God is vital and our highest joy.

Luke 5:15-16 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Crowds of people with real needs were demanding His time and yet He remained faithful to giving quality time in prayer. 

He sets all children a great example. His parents, having lost Him, find Jesus as the temple and He says to them, 

Matthew 2:49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

There are so many things that we try to do faithfully: brush our teeth, wash, watch films, listen to music, go to work or school, eat…and yet we often excuse ourselves from our most important and beneficial use of time - coming to Jesus. Let’s hear His invitation and respond with joy and faithfulness.

Goal to help us to ‘bring myself to Jesus’

Let’s make it a personal vision to set aside quality time each day in prayer and worship out of the bible. 20 minutes is a good start; We will provide our ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog to help you in this.

COME TO JESUS DAILY (DEVOTIONAL 1)

INTRODUCTION

BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS…MYSELF

This week (the first in our vision series) we will be seeking God for fresh wisdom and faith to make our relationship with God our number one priority. Proverbs teaches us,

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Everything! I’ll say it again, everything flows from the condition of the heart! The only way to keep our heart healthy and lives fruitful is to come to Jesus daily. 

MONDAY – ARE YOU HIDING FROM JESUS?

In the beginning God created mankind to be in relationship with Him and rule the world under His sovereignty (Genesis 1:26). However, man’s sin led to our having a corrupted heart that rebells against God. This is illustrated by their hiding from God,

Genesis 1:8-9 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

The rest of the bible is about the restoration of man and all creation to God. 

Hiding from God and choosing for ourselves ‘good and evil’ is the state of all of our hearts before we become Christians. Our vision of ‘bringing people to Jesus’ begins with ‘myself’. It’s as though every day God walks in the garden of our lives and calls to us “where are you?” As Christians, having a renewed heart for God, it is surely our joy to run to Him and walk with Him every day. 

Meditation on Genesis 1:8-9

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

This is the condition of all of us before God saved us. We have all rebelled against God. God made all things perfectly; it was the ‘cool of the day’. We should have been enjoying life, but we were hiding in darkness. All that Adam and Eve did are a reflection of what we have all done in our hearts and lives. But God came and found us. The first Adam was cursed for his sin, and all creation has fallen as a result. However the ‘second Adam’ - Jesus, has come and taken our fall in Himself. All by grace. This is well said by Paul, 

Romans 5:18-19 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

2. UP – What does it say about God: His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

This episode teaches us much about God as creator, as judge, and His compassion also. God created us. Even in our sin, He seeks us out. No matter what’s going on in our lives, God is seeking us and calling us back to Himself. It’s rather like what Jesus says 

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

He judges our sin, and He will never bypass justice; however, He provides a way of escape in Christ who took the punishment for our ‘curse’ on the cross. 

3. IN – What does it teach about God’s people?

Hiding from God comes in all different forms: it’s the sinful choices we all make each day, it’s the sinful habits we develop, it’s failing to have a daily relationship with Jesus etc. Deep Christian friendships are the best way to become aware of and stop ‘hiding’ from God in our lives. Adam and Eve should have encouraged and protected one-another; let’s learn from their mistakes and develop deep friendships that encourage us to come into God’s light. As Paul says,

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

Our friends who are non-believers may be enjoying the ‘cool of the day’. Their lives may be good. But, they are separated from God and He wants them to return to Him. Adam and Eve blame one another (and even the devil) for their sin, but God will have none of it. We are all guilty of our sin and need forgiveness. We will keep hiding from God until, by His grace, we hear His voice calling us (normally through Christian friends), and we humbly seek His forgiveness. 

In this section, make a commitment to pray through a lists of non-believing friends that God has put into your life.

Finally

Hiding from God in any area of our lives is dangerous. The devil and the worst aspects of our nature (the flesh) tempt us to think that being fully open to God will cast a shadow of loss over our lives. Let’s bring ourselves to Jesus every day, let’s be fully open to Him. 

TUESDAY – WEAK PEOPLE COME TO JESUS

Through the history of Israel we see that mankind is unable to keep God’s laws in their own strength. No matter how reasonable God’s will is, the sinfulness of our hearts will always pervert our lives. Paul says, speaking of his condition before he was a Christian, whilst trying to keep the law, 

Romans 7:14-16 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.  I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 

There are many reasons why one doesn’t come to Jesus: we don’t believe in Him; we think that we can be good enough and don’t need Jesus to save us; we think that having been saved, we can live a life that’s pleasing to God without seeking His strengthening each day. 

Most of us are opposed to trying to keep laws to save ourselves but seem okay with the idea of trying to live for Jesus each day in our own strength! We fail to remember that although we may be forgiven (justified) in Christ, we remain feeble and in perpetual need of the empowering of the Spirit in order to live the life He has called us to! Paul says it well in,

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Meditation on 2 Corinthians 12:9. 

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

Paul was a man who could easily have become proud. His heritage and gifts made Him a prime target from soul-destroying self-righteousness. He learned to rely on God’s grace for salvation and as the strength of His life in every respect (sanctification). A brief reading of Paul’s letters reveals that worship and prayer were a priority for him. He worshipped the God whose grace had saved him; but he also ‘came to Jesus’ every day, and through the day, to seek Him for the empowering of the Spirit. Those who know they are weak come to Jesus personally!  

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

God gives us all the strength we need to do all that He calls us to do. Like the Psalmist we can say, 

Psalm 121:1-2 I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

God is a never failing help. A never failing source of grace. He is always ‘sufficient’! 

God is glorified in weakness that finds its strength in Him. He loves to see our dependence, and He reaches out to strengthen those who reach out to Him. 

3. IN – What does it teach about God’s people?

Our Christian friends will be moving between three states:

Firstly, I am strong as expressed by my prayerlessness; Secondly, I am weak and God cannot or will not help me; Thirdly, I am weak but God is my strength, as expressed by my prayerfulness. 

As friends it’s important that we endeavour to set an example for godly dependence; it’s also important that we encourage our friends to forsake self-strengthening and turn to God in faith and prayer. 

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

Our non-believing friends will very often be struggling with life in many ways. It’s important that we are open about our weakness, but also glorify God in how He strengthens and enables us to grow and have victories. 

In this section make a commitment to pray through a lists of non-believing friends that God has put into your life.

Finally

Through the story of the bible we see God teaching us that we need Him for salvation, and that we also need Him for living a life that pleasing to Him. God loves it when we come to Him for grace. Do you know that you are weak? The proof will be in how we pray! 

WEDNESDAY – CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW HEART THAT COMES TO JESUS

Although mankind sinned and continued to sin against God, He revealed that He would not destroy man, but promised to restore Him and all of creation through Jesus. We read in Hebrews 6:8-12 (quoting Jeremiah 31)

Hebrews 6:8-12 ’But God found fault with the people and said : “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”’

If you are a Christian, this promise has been partially fulfilled in you. By the Spirit’s miraculous work you have a transformed heart that turns toward God. 

Meditation on Hebrews 6:8-12

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

Jeremiah, speaking for God, said of His people, ‘God found fault with the people’. Israel were always rebelling against God, how much more you and I! God found fault with us and yet He has fulfilled what He promised, 

“I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

He has written faith and love for God on our once rebellious hearts. He has become our God although we we had been separated in our sin. We have become His people although most of us had no part in Israel, we have become His chosen people. All by His grace and mercy. 

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

God is Holy - He sees the sin in His people. He will not tolerate sin in mind, heart or life. We read in Genesis,

Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

This is the portrait that God sees of us outside of Christ. Our response to this should be worship for such a good and holy God; we should also realise that we can only come into the presence of such a good God because God has said that, 

“I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

3. IN – What does it teach about God’s people?

God’s holy eyes see His church as His special people. Each of us need to learn to have God’s attitude toward other Christians; they are God’s people. They are forgiven and never rejected. We often fail to be devoted to our local church because we feel disconnected or because we have some sort of grievance with them. How would it be if we recognised God’s ‘covenant’ of grace! 

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

Those who don’t have Christ as Saviour are not in this covenant relationship. They are not forgiven, they are not His people they don’t have God’s law written on the heart. But the promise of this text is that God can transform any heart! 

In this section make a commitment to pray through a lists of non-believing friends that God has put into your life.

Finally

This grand promise has been partially fulfilled in your life if you are a Christian. I say partially because only at the end of history, when God completes His work of restoration, will the full scope of this promise be completed. Never-the-less, God has forgiven, written His law on our hearts, giving us a heart that desires to know and be faithful to Him; Do you have a new heart? If so, let our response be to ‘bring people to Jesus’ starting with ‘myself’ each day. 

THURSDAY – LIVING WATER FOR THOSE WHO COME

This week we have looked at mankind’s rebellion to God leading to us hiding from Him; we saw how all people are weak and cannot save or live godly lives; and, yesterday, we were reminded of God’s promise to save and transform. The Jewish crowds to whom He promised ‘living water’ would have known this dark history. They were waiting for a great Saviour (the Christ) and now Jesus has broken onto the scene, coming in order to begin to fulfil the promises of new life in the Spirit promised by God. 

Meditation on John 7:37-38

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him?

Jesus promises to fulfil our thirst. He does this in a number of ways: 

Thirst is quenched through forgiveness. Jesus deals with the thirst of our guilt and condemnations. Anyone who comes to Jesus will never thirst in this way. 

Thirst is quenched by the Spirit’s presence. As we put our faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us new life and comes and resides in us, giving us the assurance of God’s love.

Thirst is quenched by the Spirit’s empowering. A Christian is called to be empowered by the Spirit, making him or her courageous and fruitful. 

There is much that could be said about this, but it’s all available as we come to Jesus who died for our sin.

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

God is desirous to satisfy our spiritual thirst. This offer comes from Christ, initiated by Him. It grieves Jesus to see us failing to enjoy Him and the life that He gives. We worship and God of compassion and generosity. 

3. IN – What does it teach about God’s people?

Do you have any Christian friends (maybe in your Community Group) who seem discouraged and dry? Pray that they would hear and respond to Jesus invitation to come to Him each day for refreshing by the Spirit. 

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

Jesus promises, to all who will come to Him, that ‘rivers of living water will flow from within us’; this is metaphorical for how the Spirit causes the Christian to bless the world. It’s God’s will that His life enters into us and then flows out into the world around us.

Could we say that ‘rivers of living water’ are flowing out of our lives, our Community Group and our church? The promise for those who have a healthy relationship with Jesus is for abundant fruitfulness. The answer to the problems of the world is not more programs (these may follows), the answer is a church full of people who bring themselves to Jesus as a priority. 

Finally

Jesus continues to call to all people to come to Him; come for the ‘living water’ of salvation, and to keep coming in order to have a joyful, fruitful, Spirit-empowered life. So will you come? Will you bring yourself to Jesus? 

FRIDAY – JESUS IS CALLING ME TO COME TO HIM

It was John Wesley who said, 

“I have so much to do, and so little time, that I have to spend two hours in daily prayer”. 

Many of us excuse ourselves from daily worship and prayer out of the bible because we (now we won’t put it this way) have more important things to do. We already feel overwhelmed by what we have taken on in life, and a call to ‘bring myself to Jesus’ is just another burden. Let’s believe Jesus when He says, 

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Meditation on John 1:28-30

1. GC (GOSPEL-CENTRED) – What does the text say about Jesus and salvation through Him? 

Everyone is burdened with sin before God. We may be unaware of it, but God’s holy eyes see the weight of our transgressions - a weight that will surely drag us down to hell. Paul writes, 

Romans 10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down). 

In other words, we are all too weighed down with sin to get to heaven by our own efforts. To say that you can is to ‘bring Christ down’ - that is, to say that you don’t need Him to save you. 

The good news is that we find rest for our souls  – forgiveness and reconciliation –  because Jesus was weighed down with our sin. He was crushed so that we need never bear the weight of our sin. 

2. UP – What does it say about God – His worth, character, attributes, will, promises…?

God is compassionate on us in our sin and struggles. He looks on us and invites us to find rest in Him. We, or others, heap the weight of performing upon us, but, through Christ, the door is open to heavenly rest. As we obey His call to “learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” we ‘find rest for our souls’; this means that Jesus calls us to ‘yoke’ (join) ourselves to Him. This involves making Him our primary teacher and leader. 

3. IN – What does it teach about God’s people? 

Jesus loves His people and is concerned that they not be burdened in life. He is the good shepherd who looks on us and calls us away from danger that, in this case, burdens us with guilt or bad thinking. 

You may want to pray something like this,

“I pray that Community Church would be a family that learns from you. May we learn to see unhelpful attitudes that burden us and separate us from the freedom that we have in you. May we also throw off ‘the sin that so easily entangles’ as we take on your ‘yoke’ and follow you wholeheartedly. May I have your love in my heart for your people, such that, I will warn and encourage the burdened…” 

Is there anyone you know that you particularly want to remember in prayer? This is a great time to pray for your CG and church.

4. OUT – What does the text say about non-believers and God’s mission?

We are surrounded by people who are burdened with sin, addictions, sickness, worry, guilt, bad religion… This is a call to those who are lost, to come to Christ for true rest. Jesus’ invitation to our friends will normally come through you and me. It’s only as we are enjoying the freedom and love of Christ, as is outlined in this passage, that we will be excited to share what we’ve found. 

In this section, make a commitment to pray through a lists of non-believing friends that God has put into your life. 

Finally

Will we ‘bring people to Jesus’ starting with myself? Salvation is never the end, it’s the beginning of a relationship with God; Just as the wedding is only the beginning of the marriage, so Christ invites and deserves our love every day. Coming to Jesus daily has great promise also; those who will respond faithfully will meet God, a transformed heart, fruitfulness and burdens lifted.