The Fruitful Life
The Fruitful Life
“Go and Bear Fruit” “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you” (John 15:16).
Jesus’ Strategy “Both from His words and from His actions, we can see that He attached supreme importance to that part of His work which consisted in training the Twelve. In His intercessory prayer (John 17:6), He speaks about the training He had given these men as if it had been the most important aspect of His own earthly ministry. In one sense, it really was. The careful, painstaking, education of the disciples ensured that the Teacher’s influence on the world would be permanent. His kingdom would be founded on the rock of deep and indestructible convictions in the minds of the few, not on the shifting sands of superficial, temporary impressions on the minds of the many….Therefore had it not been for the Twelve, the doctrine, the works, and the image of Jesus
Jesus’ Strategy might have perished from human history, with nothing remaining but a vague, mythical tradition. It would have had no historical value and little practical influence” (A.B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve).
Jesus’ Strategy “It took our Lord three years of life-to-life investment to accomplish His desire to pour His life into the lives of twelve men. Discipleship is not a static event or condition but a process that occurs because His life is being transferred to other lives over a period of days, months, and years. Jesus invested His life in these men. When He finished, He said in effect, ‘Go and do the same thing in another’s life’” (Dr. Allan Coppedge).
Jesus’ Strategy
“A leader may profess that Jesus is the head of his ministry, but when he strays from the principles of Jesus’ ministry, he’s really just taking over himself. Jesus’ methodology keeps everyone aware that He, and He alone, is the head of the church” (Dr. Carl Wilson).
Jesus’ Strategy
“Every single time you build into the life of another person, you launch a process which, ideally, will never end” (Dr. Howard Hendricks). Dr. Howard Hendricks 1924-2013
A CHRONOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY
PREPARATION
SACRIFICE
John the Baptist John’s Preaching
OBSCURITY
John Replies to Questioners
Baptism of Jesus Genealogy of Jesus
Annual Passovers
OPPOSITION
Extended Ministries
John’s Messianic Preaching John’s Imprisonment
POPULARITY
Early Ministries
Specialized Ministry
Opening Events 4 months
Concluding Ministries
8 months
4 months
10 months
Early Judean
Early Galilean
Middle Galilean
6 months Later Galilean
3 months Later Judean
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
John 2:13
John 5:1
John 6:4
3 months Perean
John 11:55
Choosing the Twelve “And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him; and chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew His brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor” (Luke 6:12-16)
The Principle of Selection 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Jesus chose ordinary men. He spent the night in prayer. He did not hastily rush out and grab the first people to show interest. It is much easier to ask a man or woman to come and join you than to ask him or her to leave if you learn that you have chosen the wrong person. Jesus chose men with very human tendencies and failings. The Twelve were not all alike, twelve photocopies of each other. We should not just select those who are like us in temperament and personality. We must follow the example of Jesus in the selection process.
The Primary Quality • “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (II Tim. 2:2). • Timothy is not to commit himself to just any man. • Each man he disciples is to possess the trait of faithfulness.
Characteristics of a Faithful Man 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
He believes that God is faithful. He strives to be faithful to God, by living a life of obedience. He demonstrates by his lifestyle that he is a responsible man. He keeps his word; when he says he is going to do something, he does it. He remains faithful, even when others do not. Others have confidence in him and trust him. He is loyal. He does what is right, not what is expedient. He reproduces after his kind and produces more faithful men.
A Strategy for Selection 1. Read “Principle of Selection” by Leroy Eims. 2. Review “Guidelines for Selecting Your Group Members.” 3. Make a preliminary list of the people you have an interest in discipling. 4. Ask yourself the “Four Vital Questions” about each person on your preliminary list. 5. Meet with each person whom you believe God has called you to disciple, and share with him/her your interest in having them consider becoming a part of your new group. 6. Give each person a copy of An Invitation to Discipleship and ask him/her to read it before becoming a part of the group.
Guidelines for Selection 1. Each person should be a Christian. 2. Each person should have a personal commitment to his/her own spiritual growth. 3. Each person should be willing to commit himself/herself to the others in the group. 4. Each person should be willing to do a minimum of preparation. 5. Each person should be teachable. 6. Each person should be open to conviction. 7. Each person should be willing to share his life with the others in the group.
Preliminary List 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Four Vital Questions 1. Have I spent time in prayer with the Father to seek His will concerning this person I wish to disciple? 2. Is the person I intend to disciple faithful? 3. Is the person I intend to disciple teachable? 4. Have I perhaps unconsciously selected this person on the basis of his/her wealth, status, community standing, or any other reason that would not be pleasing to Christ?
“Go and Bear Fruit” “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you” (John 15:16).
Jesus’ Strategy “Both from His words and from His actions, we can see that He attached supreme importance to that part of His work which consisted in training the Twelve. In His intercessory prayer (John 17:6), He speaks about the training He had given these men as if it had been the most important aspect of His own earthly ministry. In one sense, it really was. The careful, painstaking, education of the disciples ensured that the Teacher’s influence on the world would be permanent. His kingdom would be founded on the rock of deep and indestructible convictions in the minds of the few, not on the shifting sands of superficial, temporary impressions on the minds of the many….Therefore had it not been for the Twelve, the doctrine, the works, and the image of Jesus
Jesus’ Strategy might have perished from human history, with nothing remaining but a vague, mythical tradition. It would have had no historical value and little practical influence” (A.B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve).
Jesus’ Strategy “It took our Lord three years of life-to-life investment to accomplish His desire to pour His life into the lives of twelve men. Discipleship is not a static event or condition but a process that occurs because His life is being transferred to other lives over a period of days, months, and years. Jesus invested His life in these men. When He finished, He said in effect, ‘Go and do the same thing in another’s life’” (Dr. Allan Coppedge).
Jesus’ Strategy
“A leader may profess that Jesus is the head of his ministry, but when he strays from the principles of Jesus’ ministry, he’s really just taking over himself. Jesus’ methodology keeps everyone aware that He, and He alone, is the head of the church” (Dr. Carl Wilson).
Jesus’ Strategy
“Every single time you build into the life of another person, you launch a process which, ideally, will never end” (Dr. Howard Hendricks). Dr. Howard Hendricks 1924-2013
A CHRONOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY
PREPARATION
SACRIFICE
John the Baptist John’s Preaching
OBSCURITY
John Replies to Questioners
Baptism of Jesus Genealogy of Jesus
Annual Passovers
OPPOSITION
Extended Ministries
John’s Messianic Preaching John’s Imprisonment
POPULARITY
Early Ministries
Specialized Ministry
Opening Events 4 months
Concluding Ministries
8 months
4 months
10 months
Early Judean
Early Galilean
Middle Galilean
6 months Later Galilean
3 months Later Judean
First Year
Second Year
Third Year
John 2:13
John 5:1
John 6:4
3 months Perean
John 11:55
Choosing the Twelve “And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples to Him; and chose twelve of them, whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew His brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor” (Luke 6:12-16)
The Principle of Selection 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Jesus chose ordinary men. He spent the night in prayer. He did not hastily rush out and grab the first people to show interest. It is much easier to ask a man or woman to come and join you than to ask him or her to leave if you learn that you have chosen the wrong person. Jesus chose men with very human tendencies and failings. The Twelve were not all alike, twelve photocopies of each other. We should not just select those who are like us in temperament and personality. We must follow the example of Jesus in the selection process.
The Primary Quality • “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (II Tim. 2:2). • Timothy is not to commit himself to just any man. • Each man he disciples is to possess the trait of faithfulness.
Characteristics of a Faithful Man 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
He believes that God is faithful. He strives to be faithful to God, by living a life of obedience. He demonstrates by his lifestyle that he is a responsible man. He keeps his word; when he says he is going to do something, he does it. He remains faithful, even when others do not. Others have confidence in him and trust him. He is loyal. He does what is right, not what is expedient. He reproduces after his kind and produces more faithful men.
A Strategy for Selection 1. Read “Principle of Selection” by Leroy Eims. 2. Review “Guidelines for Selecting Your Group Members.” 3. Make a preliminary list of the people you have an interest in discipling. 4. Ask yourself the “Four Vital Questions” about each person on your preliminary list. 5. Meet with each person whom you believe God has called you to disciple, and share with him/her your interest in having them consider becoming a part of your new group. 6. Give each person a copy of An Invitation to Discipleship and ask him/her to read it before becoming a part of the group.
Guidelines for Selection 1. Each person should be a Christian. 2. Each person should have a personal commitment to his/her own spiritual growth. 3. Each person should be willing to commit himself/herself to the others in the group. 4. Each person should be willing to do a minimum of preparation. 5. Each person should be teachable. 6. Each person should be open to conviction. 7. Each person should be willing to share his life with the others in the group.
Preliminary List 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Four Vital Questions 1. Have I spent time in prayer with the Father to seek His will concerning this person I wish to disciple? 2. Is the person I intend to disciple faithful? 3. Is the person I intend to disciple teachable? 4. Have I perhaps unconsciously selected this person on the basis of his/her wealth, status, community standing, or any other reason that would not be pleasing to Christ?
