3. VISION SERIES 2019 (BLOG 3) BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS...NON-BELIEVERS

THIS BLOG CONTAINS:

• Series introduction
• Come to Jesus daily - personal devotions
• 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? (with church goals)

This involves three different relationships:

1. Myself – I bring myself to Jesus. We have 1 goal for this:

• I set aside quality time each day in prayer and worship out of the bible (20 minutes, using the ‘coming to Jesus daily’ blog is a good start)

2. One another – We seek to love the local church. We have 2 goals to help us make this a reality, 

• Every member devoted to an amazing Community Group. 
• Joyfully pay for the building project together.

3. Non-believers – We love to ‘invest and invite’ in our non-believing friends.  We have 2 goals in this regard:

• Hospitality Week – on the first week of each month, we will not meet in CGs. We encourage the church to ‘invest and invite’ – invest in friendships and invite them into our lives, church community and closer to Jesus.
• Pray daily – Pray for our non-believing friends every day (aim for 5). 

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? 

COME TO JESUS DAILY (DEVOTIONAL 3)

BRINGING PEOPLE TO JESUS…NON-BELIEVERS

This daily devotional follows the ‘Come to Jesus daily’ devotional method (See the end of this blog for a fuller outline). 

This week (the third (and last in our vision series) we will be seeking God for fresh wisdom and faith on how to seek to reach non-believers with the message of salvation. 

Jesus promises us that as we come to Him, “Rivers of living water will flow from within you…”(John 7:37-38).  As one comes to Jesus personally (myself), and together (one-another) there will be a great outflow of the blessing of the Holy Spirit through us.  

In particular, there will be increased activity and effectiveness in our mission - to bring non-non-believers to Jesus. This is exactly what happened on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), as the Spirit is poured out, they preach about Jesus and multitudes believed and form the first church community. 

This first church, however, was not a closed community. It was a growing body. The principle remains true for us as for them: those who come to Jesus personally, who also devote themselves to coming to Jesus together, will also cause non-believers to come to Jesus, as we read,

Acts 2:46-47 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

MONDAY – RIVERS THAT BRING LIFE

As we come to Jesus, ‘rivers of living water will flow from within us’. Out of our lives and community the gospel and love of God will flow. 

We see an amazing vision of the river of God flowing from the temple in Ezekiel 47; The church is God’s temple, the river is the Spirit and His work. The results in Ezekiel, are that the dead places burst into life. A church that comes to Jesus will see people coming to Jesus in salvation, and blessing and goodness coming to the community more generally. 

Meditation on Ezekiel 47:6-12

Ezekiel 47:6-12 Then he led me back to the bank of the river.  When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river.  He said to me, ‘This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh.  Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.  Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds – like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt.  Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.’

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

Our salvation is the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. we were  like the ‘Arabah’ and ‘Dead Sea’ – without life. But God has cleansed and poured His new life into us. As the Father said of his prodigal son, so He says over us, “celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:31). 

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

God is the source of new life, as He is also the source of all goodness. In Ezekiel the river flows from the temple, and we see something similar in Revelation 22:1, where it flows from ‘the throne of God and of the Lamb’. God is our hope and strength. If one desires to be changed for good or see things changed for good, one must live in dependence upon God’s Spirit. As Jesus says, “apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) 

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

The church needs ‘the river of God’ to flow in and out of her. As the Spirit comes, faith, hope and love are abundant. Pray that God would revive you, your church, the church abroad. May we ‘bear fruit every month because of the water’ (47:12) And may we also enjoy the abundance of life that is given to us. 

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

The river of God, flowing from God, brings an abundance of life and cleansing in dead places. Ezekiel tells us that, ‘where the river flows everything will live.’ (47):9. Jesus says that as we come to Him, “Rivers of living water will flow from within you” – the life giving Spirit flows from us as we come to Christ, live for Christ and share the gospel. 

We are also pictured as fishermen, ‘Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds’ (47:10) Pray that this vision will become a reality in us, that we would ‘bring people to Jesus’. 

TUESDAY – MISSION BEGINS AND IS SUSTAINED BY PRAYER. 

When Jesus invites us “come to me…”, He is inviting us into a relationship of prayer in which one speaks and listen to Him. Anyone who takes prayer seriously, and prays and worships out of the bible, will hear God calling them to mission – to take the gospel to non-believers. 

However, if one is to remain faithful to Jesus’ commission to, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19-20) one has to be empowered by the Spirit through prayer. 

Meditation on Colossian 4:2-4

Colossians 4:2-4 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.  Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

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

God opens the door for the message. He opens the door of our hearts and minds so as to see Jesus. As Charles Wesley wrote,

Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,

I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free,

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

As Isaiah prophesied, regarding Jesus’ ministry,

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me… to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners

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

God, although sovereign (controlling all things) and omnipotent (having infinite power), He invites us to pray. He is pleased with those who pray. Prayer makes a real difference. It’s God’s will that we are ‘devoted to prayer’. 

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

Paul asks for prayer so that he can remain faithful and fruitful in mission. Do we ask for prayer? It’s good to pray, but do we also ask our brothers and sisters to pray for us? If you are not as fruitful as you would like to be in your evangelism, who could you ask to pray for you to have ‘open doors’ and that you ‘proclaim it (the gospel) clearly)? 

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

We need God to give us an ‘open door’ in our evangelism. When Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman (John 4) the door, which seems initially closed, opens to a great harvest. Our evangelism will only be successful if God is working with us. Let’s pray for open doors. 

In our witnessing, it’s also important that we communicate ‘clearly’. The person needs to understand the words and illustrations we use as we communicate the gospel to them. Ask the Spirit for words to speak. 

If you read Colossians, you will immediately see that Paul is on mission with a team. Pray that you, with your Community Group, would learn to work together to reach out and bring our non-believing friends to Jesus. 

WEDNESDAY – WHAT ARE YOUR WELLS?

In The remainder of our studies this week, we will seek to learn from Jesus’ conversation with, and conversion of, the Samaritan woman in John 4. 

In John chapter 3 we overhear Jesus’ interview with Nicodemus, a respected orthodox Jewish teacher of the ruling class; in the next chapter (John 4) we hear a conversation with someone at the opposite end of the social scale as Nicodemus: a woman, and a Samaritan who was living in sexual sin. 

Samaritans were despised by many Jews and gentiles because they were a racial mix of Jewish and gentile ancestry. 

Strict Jews would have avoided Samaria because they would have felt at risk from defilement and social askance by entering such a place.

John presents Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus (respected High ranking teacher) and now this Samaritan woman (disrespected ‘sinner’) in order to teach us that His ministry is for all, and needed by all. Jesus is the Saviour of the ‘righteous’ and ‘unrighteous’. 

Jesus, came out of His way to meet this specific woman, we read,

John 4:4-6 Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.  Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

God has given us ‘wells’ in our lives. These are the places that we regularly go to and where we meet with non-believers: your workplace, family (if you have non-believers in your family), neighbours, gym, club, cafe, church etc. 

Today, let’s consider the ‘wells’ in our lives, and ask God for grace so that, as you come to Jesus, ‘rivers of living water will flow’ into those places. 

Meditation on John 4:4-6

John 4:4-6 Now he had to go through Samaria.  So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

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

Jesus, going through Samaria, points to Him going out of His way to meet sinners (he didn’t in a geographical sense have to go here - in mercy He had to go!). This is a snapshot of the gospel; Jesus ‘had to go’ to the earth, to the cross, through death, to save us. We read of Jesus’ ‘journey’ of humiliation in Philippians 2,

Philippians 2:6-8 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!

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

God knows everything about us. Even when we were lost, He knew where we were and where to meet us. He sends the right people at the right time into our lives for salvation and nurturing. Nathanael, one of Jesus’ first followers was initially scathing of a Saviour coming from Nazareth. Responding to Philip’s invitation to come to Jesus, he says, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.’ (John 1:46). However, like this Samaritan woman, Jesus already knew Philip, even in this lost state. Jesus says to him, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” (John 1:48). God knows us. He sees us. We cannot be lost to Him and His love. 

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

Jesus was led to a specific place for a specific person and community. Christians need to be encouraged to see that the ‘wells’ in their lives are given by God for mission. Pray for your church, and encourage your brothers and sisters whenever possible, to see the places in their lives as opportunities for service. We may have to go to places like Samaria - places we’d rather not have to go! But our perspective changes when we go there in Jesus’ name and for His service. 

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

What are the ‘wells’ in your life? What are the few places that you regularly visit at which you meet non-believers? List them. Pray for eyes to see these locations with the eyes of faith and compassion. 

THURSDAY – WILL YOU BE A FRIEND AT THE WELL?

Yesterday we thought about the ‘wells’ God has given us, today, continuing in John 4, we will think about the people that God had put into our lives. 

To keep a good heart, and be the kind of friend that God that God wants us to be, we must continually remember how Jesus was a friend to us; in this story, we are not Jesus, we are the Samaritan woman. Jesus came to us in our sin. He lead us to Himself. There was nothing in us to deserve His love, He came to us, befriended us, and gave us the living water of salvation.

Afterward, like this woman does (John 4:28-30), we are to be a friend like Jesus as we go and invite our community to Him. 

Meditation on 4:7-42 (Please read this)

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

John 4:10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

In His grace we have come to understand the ‘gift of God’. Once we were ignorant of these things. Once, even if we had heard the story of the cross, it was not precious to us. Paul could say, and by grace we are now also able to say, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). 

Not only were we ignorant of the gift that Jesus gives, we were also unaware of who He is. Like this woman we did not know ‘who it is that asks for a drink’. Jesus may have been of interest but now we know that He is God come as a man (incarnation) in order to save. Now by faith we have asked and He has given living water. 

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

This whole episode points to the mercy and humility of our God. Here we see ‘Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well’ (4:6). Our God became a man and felt all of our weaknesses. He who, on the third day, commanded the oceans, now asks for a drink! 

Jesus asking for a drink (4:7) shows His friendship toward sinners. He crosses social barriers to the outcasts. 

His mercy does not remove His holiness. He is a God who deals with the sin in our lives. Jesus exposes this woman’s relationship mess, and He will also continue to help you and me to grow in holiness. (4:16-18). 

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

Do you struggle, or do you know anyone who struggles live in the joy of God’s unconditional love? Pray, using this text as a guide. 

Jesus promises, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (4:13-14). 

Are you ‘drinking’ - seeking joy and escape - from sources that are not Christ? How do you need to respond?

Pray for the church, and any Christians friends who come to mind, that they would live in the fuller joy of life in the Spirit. 

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

Jesus came to this Samaritan woman specifically. Her conversion leads to the salvation of many in her community. Who are the people that God had put into your life – non-believers that you see on a regular basis? List them, and make a commitment to pray for them every day. 

FRIDAY – WILL YOU OFFER LIVING WATER? 

If our hearts are full of something or someone, we talk about it. If you’ve ever met someone in love, it doesn’t take long before they are showing you pictures of their lover! 

In this account, Jesus’ priorities of salvation and worship are revealed as His greatest desire for this woman. 

What is your passion? What are you living for? You could be living for hobbies, travel, fun, family, health, meeting new people… As important and good as many things are, you exist, principally, for mission and worship. 

God has given you ‘wells’ (as we saw on Wednesday - these are places where you regularly meet non-believers) and He has also given you non-believers (as we saw yesterday) that He wants you to befriend. The danger is that we make these ‘wells’ – work, gym, club, school, university, as an end in themselves, rather than a place to meet non-believers in order to share our true passion – Jesus. 

Jesus comes to the well, He meets this woman, but He doesn’t just rest and have a drink. He recognises this as a faith opportunity for mission and offers her  ‘living water’ - salvation. 

If we are to ‘bring non-believers to Jesus’ we must have drunk, and be drinking, this living water ourselves in a lifestyle of worship; only if Jesus has satisfied, and continues to satisfy us, will we offer Him to others!

Meditation on John 4:13-14 & 4:23-24 

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:23-24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

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

Jesus’ best gift is ‘living water’ - salvation and life in the Spirit. We can be centred on many things but, it’s God’s will that we centre ourselves on things that cannot be lost. 

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

If we have come to Jesus for salvation (have drunk ‘living water’) we will ‘never thirst’; adding to this, Jesus promises that, “the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” In other words, If we have come to Jesus for salvation, our eternal life is assured! 

Is living water – Jesus and what He has achieved for you – your most precious gift? 

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

Jesus’ invitation to come to Him will have the results that, “rivers of living water will flow from within you” (John 7:37-38). This out-pouring of the work of the Spirit from our lives, along with mission, will also be worship. It is God’s will that we worship Him, as we read in our narrative, 

John 4:23-24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Worship in Spirit and truth, is worship that is not based upon material things such as holy places, temples, clothing, instruments… (4:20). It is meeting the God who is the Spirit. It’s seeking a genuine encounter with the invisible God. 

True worship, Jesus tells us, is also ‘in truth’. This means that one can meet with the true God who is spirit only through the truth who is Christ – through Him who purchased our forgiveness and cleansing. This is well said by Paul,

Ephesians 2:18 For through him (Jesus) we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Are we bringing ourselves to Jesus every day to worship in Spirit and truth? Do we recognise this as our greatest priority and privilege? 

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

The receiving of living water is to be an ongoing experience for believers. Not that salvation can be lost, but God’s people can lose the joy and flourishing that are available to those who will come to Jesus daily. 

Through sin, busyness, discouragement… The overflow of the Spirit in worship can also quenched in us or our brothers and sisters. Would Jesus say to us, 

Revelation 2:4-5 “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”?

Pray for yourself, your Community Group, your church, that we would be a community of worship that’s pleasing to God. 

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

Jesus offers the Samaritan woman ‘living water’. He, in wisdom, guides the conversation to Himself. If we are to ‘bring non-believers to Jesus’ we must be convinced that this is their deepest and most important need. We must have drunk and be drinking this living water ourselves: only if Jesus has satisfied, and continues to satisfying us, will we offer Him to others!

So, we finish this study and vision series with how we begun – with Jesus’ invitation to us,

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.” 

As we come to Him, as we come in worship (in Spirit and truth) we will, out of the overflow of joy, offer Him to others - rivers of living water will flow from within us, becoming great force for good together. So, will we come?

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.