John 15 - Together We Can Do So Much More [Session 4]

25/05/2018 9:58:21 AM | Cathie Staunton

Jesus knows He soon will no longer be with His disciples physically. He needs to reassure them that even though He will be gone they will still have each other.

Then, as if in an important part of a farewell speech, He loves on them, calls them His friends, announces that it is their time to bear longlasting fruit and urges them to love each other. How would you feel if you were in their sandals? In fact, how do you feel right now, knowing you actually are a disciple of Christ?

Read John 15:12-17

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.”

These Verses Teach Us That:

Jesus is our greatest example
Jesus would rather us be his friend than his servant
We are chosen and appointed by Jesus to bear fruit
When we seek and call upon Jesus He will show up
We need to love other disciples (as well as everyone else)

Styled in a vase or draped across a table, one branch of a vine is lovely. However how much more beautiful is a whole vine of branches, intertwined together. And how many more bunches of grapes can we harvest! The fruits that come from the sustenance of Jesus and the committed work of our intercultural workers branched across Africa, Asia and Outback Australia could not be grown without the partnership of the Australian Baptist movement.

Global Interaction needs more branches to bear more fruit so more people from least-reached communities can know Jesus for themselves. We see partnership as discipleship. Our prayer is that as you partner with us in following God’s missional call, you will grow closer to God. This year we are excited to see more of our candidates begin their intercultural ministry with the partnership of people like you.

Ponder. Discuss. Act.

How can you practically love and support other Christians in their bearing of long-lasting fruit?
What does it mean for you to be called a friend rather than a servant? How does this affect the way you respond to Jesus?
Can partnering with intercultural workers enhance your walk with Jesus? If so, how?
What could partnering with one of our workers look like for you, your small group or church?
Want to go share some love with a Global Interaction team in Africa, Asia or Outback Australia? Explore how you could become a short-term volunteer or visit on a Global Xposure trip. Right now, many teams have a particular need for volunteer home school teachers

Download Resonate