← ONE | A Potter's House Church
ONE | A Potter's House Church
ACT 1: Follow The Leader (Bear Fruit) - Ebenezer Quaye (Wednesday Bible Study)
01:23:20
Loading summary
Transcript10 lines
- [00:00]
A
Foreign.
- [00:04]
B
Hey, good people, this is Torre Roberts. Blessings to you, and welcome to the ONE Podcast. I'm excited that you're here. ONE is a community of dynamic and vibrant thought leaders, preachers, teachers, and just a community of wonderful people all together. And we're excited to bring you this weekly podcast from our services from ONE in la. If you haven't been the One, I encourage you to check it out. You can go to one the Word one O N E online and find out all about the service times and all about the teachers and all the philanthropic things that we have going. I believe you're going to be blessed to be a part of it. And speaking of being blessed, we're getting ready to get into a teaching right now that I believe is going to bless you. So tune in, enjoy, and I'll be back with you at the end.
- [00:55]
A
Ooh, Family, good evening. Ooh, let me try that one more time. I want to make sure I'm in the right room, I'm in the right spot. Family, good evening. Oh, there we. Hi. Okay, I felt like we're here now. So, as Lola mentioned, this is our last week together. And on the one hand, as I was telling Lola in the back, I'm a little sad. I like the journey that we've been on. On the other hand, I'm excited because what we're going to end with this tonight is actually going to be a bridge into what we will continue in the new year. So I'm excited for the new beginning that will come from this as well. Y' all can be seated. Y' all can be seated. Okay. So right now I'm seeing that there are gaps between seats. And if you've been here more than a week or two, you know, at some point we're going to have to close some of these gaps. Amen. One of the things that I've loved about this discipleship series is continuing to eliminate the space between brethren. As a community, we have to get used to being in the space and place of being able to sit amongst each other and not always have so much space between us. So for the next few minutes, this space will be here. But as we go throughout the evening, I'm going to ask those who are sitting in the back, towards the back, or perhaps if you're in the corner. So let's come in a little closer together just because as we do these, as we go through this evening, some of the things I'm gonna ask you to do are gonna be really tough. If you don't have somebody next to you. So be ready to move. Amen. So we're gonna anchor tonight with this scripture, and I could not think of a better one to speak of in terms of what we're called to do as we finish up our first segment of our discipleship series. It's John, chapter 15, verses 8 and 16. Jesus says, this is how my Father is glorified, in your bearing much fruit. This is how you will prove. Oh, yes. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. So you will be my disciples. There's another translation which says, in doing this, this is how you prove you are my disciples by bearing much fruit. I'm going to skip down to verse 16, says you did not choose me. Now he's speaking to the disciples. But I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain. That whatever you ask the Father in My name, he may give you. A lot of us tend to skip to that bottom part. Whatever you ask the Father in My name, he will give you. And we get real excited about that part because we're like, ooh, if I just say Jesus, and I've got my little Santa Claus list, he's just going to give me what I want because I said Jesus. But as you read earlier, it says, wait, I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain. Then we to that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give you. So before we get to this place where we have our requests of the things that we would like for the Father to give us, we have an assignment. Now, as disciples, as students, we should not be without an assignment. And the assignment that Jesus has put forward, the good teacher, the incredible teacher that he is, it is to be bear much fruit. Then he says it again later, to bear fruit. What is it for a disciple to bear fruit? A disciple bearing fruit is when, as disciples, we go into the world and based on who we are, who God has created for us to be, and the very specific way he's chosen for each and every one of us to exist, to. To express ourselves and to minister. And just by bearing witness, just by being who he's called us to be, more people are drawn to him. In other words, somebody meets you, somebody has a conversation with you, somebody bumps into you. I'll make it even easier. Somebody doesn't want to even be bumped into. Somebody sees you having a conversation with someone else, or somebody sees how you treat someone else, and they become so intrigued with how you treat this person, because you are treating people with the fruits of the Spirit, which we will cover next year. But for those who want to get the early start Galatians 5 the fruits of the Spirit because you are walking in the fruits of the Spirit, someone sees how you act and they want to know one very important thing. How did you get like that? How did you get to be so rich in what they will come to know as the fruit of the Spirit? But what they see is how it is you are treating other people, how you interact with other people, how you walk out the thing called life. And it brings people's interest. And now they want to get to know how. And the how is Jesus? And so you bearing much fruit is you being who God has called for you to be in the space and place he's called for you to be. And doing it in such an authentic way that someone now is drawn to Jesus. A disciple has made another disciple. You who are studying and learning are doing it in such an infinite, enthusiastic and effective way. Someone else wants to learn too. You just made the classroom a little bit bigger. And you continue to do this on your day to day. So much so that now you thought you were the only person in your circle who could love Jesus as much as you do. And then as you walk through life with the joy of the Lord in you, and as you continue to walk in the fruits of the Spirit and exhibit the fruits of the spirit consistently, I didn't say you were a perfect person. I just said you walked consistently and exuded the fruits of the Spirit. There's someone who's going to see this and say, I want to know Jesus. And then someone else is going to see you on a different day in a different setting, exhibiting the same fruit. They are going to want to know Jesus too. And pretty soon, not only will they want to get to know Jesus, they're going to get to know Jesus. They're going to find out who Jesus is in their own way. And in finding out who Jesus is, they will then receive the Holy Spirit. And from the Holy Spirit, they will then exhibit the fruits of the Spirit. And as they exhibit the fruits of the Spirit, they go to the space and place they've been called to go to. And someone else sees them. And now someone sees them. And now that someone else wants to meet Jesus too. This is bearing fruit. This is why I'm on the edge of my seat right now, because all I see is nations bearing fruit. Every one of you is called to a specific space and place. And all you have to do is be authentically who God has called for you to be. And if you do that, someone is going to see this and say, how did you get like this? Let me tell you about a man named Jesus. It's like the best opener for every conversation ever. Let me tell you about a man named Jesus. And the best part is you may not even have to necessarily say those words. Just keep being who you are. I remember early on in my I now know it to be courtship of my wife. We were friends. I thought she was cute. I now know 15 years later, this was courtship. One of the things that I did was I found myself having just started going to church. And she had this thing where after church I would see her and she would say, hey, what happened in church today? And I would have a conversation about what it is I learned in church. She was not interested in going to church. She just wanted to know what it was that changed my mood and changed my demeanor and made me clear minded and allowed me to continue to be disciplined in all the things that I did. What is it about this Sunday night that when you come out of this Sunday night, when you come out of this Sunday service Monday through Saturday, you, you're a different person? Because if you ask her, she could tell when I didn't go to church, and this is early in my walk, she was like, ooh, you didn't go last Sunday, did you? I'm like, well, you ain't going either. But it wasn't about her, it was about what she noticed in me. And so what I found was that in me continuing to have conversations about my encounters with the Holy Spirit and my encounters with the Word and my encounters with Jesus, consistently over months, this happened. Suddenly, February comes up. This started and I want to say November. The year's too, too long ago. I'll figure it out later. Few months go by, it's Valentine's Day the following year. I say, hey, I am going to church. It's Valentine's Day, we're going. I know what I'm going to do. You can come with me or not. She comes with me. She comes with me to one. She never left. Now, I didn't go to her and say, hey, listen, there's a man named Jesus. Jesus died for your sins. And after he died for your sins, he released the Holy Spirit. And then I hit her with a Bible. Wow. Here, take this Bible. Read all of it in two weeks. I just continued to reflect my experience of my encounter with the Word. And how it changed me and how it affected me, and it lit something in her, too. This is how we bear fruit. Now. I didn't know at the time that eventually I would wind up not leaving this church either and staying in this church and serving in various ministries, leading various ministries to the the point where now I am a pastor here and I get to talk to all of y' all on a Wednesday night. I didn't see any of this happening 15 years ago when this journey began. I most certainly did not see my now wife, who was an atheist then, coming to become a believer and a worship leader and a pastor as well, That was bearing fruit. I also did not see that my kids would now come to this church, go to children's church, starting to go to big kids church. And now they are moving with the Word of God in their lives as well, bearing more fruit. But I use myself as an example because at no point in time was I saying, this is what you gotta do. This is where you need to be. I just lived it. Disciples, we have to be willing to live authentically and openly how Jesus is affecting and changing us. This is how we bear wisdom, fruit. And the beautiful part about bearing fruit, when you look at how this word bear fruit is used, there are two different definitions. One is to produce. And then there's another definition, which is to hold fruit. So eventually, all of us who are trees planted by the rivers of water that bring forth fruit in its season, whose leaf shall not wither, at some point, you are holding fruit because you have stayed plugged into the source, which is Jesus. And eventually, if you stay plugged into the source consistently and long enough through seasons, you shall bear fruit. And in that fruit is more seeds. The fruit is not for us. I can't remember where I heard this, but it stuck with me. Someone mentioned how when a tree bears fruit, the tree doesn't eat the fruit. The fruit is for others, not only to partake of it, but there's seeds in the fruit so that more harvest can be brought forward. So here we are, week six, and we're called to have the understanding that as we are learning, as we are students, there is a point in time where we have a season where we must bear fruit. How do we bear fruit? We bear fruit by scattering seed. How do we scatter seed? Just by being who you are and remaining plugged into the Word of God. Because as the Word of God is changing you, and as the Word of God challenges you, and as the Word of God transforms you, you become a Different person. And it is that change. It is that transformation. And it is the courage to allow the word of God to check and challenge you season in and season out, that people see and say, that is what I want to do in my life. And this is how we bear fruit. And in order for us to do it, we must learn how to scatter seed. So that's where we are going to pause, and I'm going to have everyone please stand up. I'm gonna stand up, too. Let's stand up. Oh, y' all weren't gonna sit all night. Y' all know better than that. And this is where I will ask. If you are not near, if you are not near, someone, please make your way towards the front. If you're towards the back, if there's some space towards the front, please make your way down. I don't want anybody sitting by themselves. Because we're about to get into groups. And because we are disciples, we are learners, and I get the opportunity to teach. I gotta give y' all an assignment. But it's a group assignment. Are we near. Is everyone near somebody? Don't make me start calling people out. Oh, I see. Look. Okay. Not only did we get together, we learning, okay? We're meeting each other. I like this. I didn't have to tell anybody to greet somebody. Love being in a church where I don't have to say, greet your neighbor. You just do it. All right, here's what I would like you all to do. We are going to get into groups, and this is a big one. We're gonna get into groups of five. I'm feeling dangerous. Five. Five groups of five. If there's a group of four left, it's okay. But I want everybody in groups of five. Y' all can do it. Y' all can do it. This should be you and four of the people around you. Come on. All right. Thank you. Oh, did you like a group of six? Oh, what's going on? Bro? Bro. If. If a group of six. Oh, okay, that's fine. That's fine. Yes. You need. See, we got. Someone needs one. They. Oh, see, you knew where I was gonna go. Okay, so everybody should be in groups of five. Okay. Here's what I would like for you to do. We're all in our groups of five. Amen. Oh, wait, hold on. You. You need a whole group. You just. We're gonna do that. Okay. We got two. All right. What do you mean? No, you have another group. Oh, you're okay. I'm sorry. Never mind. Yeah, you're doing your thing. I'll hold the camera. You get. No, I'm just playing. Don't do that. Get you in trouble. I'm gonna do that. One, two, three. Is there. Are there. You need one more. One more. Okay, everybody else is in groups of five, and you're in a group of four. And you're in a group of three. Hold on. How many? Six. You've got six. So you can. Can we get one to come over here to at least make four? Yes. We have a group of three. You have a group of. Okay, there's three. I got four. Can I get one of your group to make five?
- [19:06]
B
Right here.
- [19:06]
A
Can I get one? Yep, yep. All right. I love people who volunteer. I'm sorry. I give them love. So now we have two people. There was another group. Boom. Can I. Can I pull one person to join that group over there? Yes. I'm loving this. I'm loving it. Okay, so we have one person left in that group. Wait, come over here. Can I have that one person? Come over here. They already left. They gone. Wow, that was swift. So everybody now is in groups of five. All right, here's what we're going to do. This is going to take a few minutes, and by a few, I mean five. So you each get one minute. Okay, that's okay. It's enough time. That's enough time. Trust me. All right, here's what you're going to do. Each one of you is going to share your name and your favorite word in the English language. Word one, not sentence. Your favorite word. You're going to say your name and your favorite word in the group. Everybody's going to share one. Okay, you have five minutes. Go. Where are they? They can just be in their own group. I'll explain the second. Raise your hands if you're finished. Oh, y' all talk fast. We got right to it. All right, for the rest of. If you have already gone through your whole group, raise your hand. That's everybody? Almost everybody. Okay. For the other groups, no peer pressure. Okay. All right. I think I have two more groups still going. Okay. All right. Sounds like y' all talking about some other stuff too. All right. Okay, let's do it this way. Which group is still not finished? We got what y'. All. And if y' all are still okay. Okay. We got two groups. Two groups. Okay. Don't get so quiet. It's making them nervous. Let them take their time with their words. Talk amongst yourselves. Young lady that just showed up. Is there any other group? There was a Group of three that just came in, right? There are three other three people who came in. Okay, let me see. Oh, not me. Okay. All right. All right. What groups are still going? Okay, so that's everyone. All right. Awesome. And we had two minutes to spare. Hallelujah. Yeah, y' all should clap that up. So each group, first off, you know each other's names, Correct.
- [23:53]
B
Winning.
- [23:55]
A
You know each other's favorite word, correct? Yes. Okay, so if I were to walk up to your group and quiz your group, you would know everybody's name and everybody's favorite word. Oh, that. That sound a little shaky. I wrote it down. Look, I was these same. She wrote it down. So here's what we're going to do. We're going to go around one more time. Okay? Now, the first time you exchanged each other's names and the favorite word, here's what I want you guys to do. All right? Everybody knows each other's name. Everybody knows each other's favorite word. Same five minutes. You guys are gonna go around this time, you are going to take that word and explain in a minute or less why it's your favorite word. See, for those who just pick random word like donut, you're in trouble now, Sam. It's. All right. Make sure you. You have a minute or less for each person. That word doesn't have a biography. It's. All right. We got two minutes left. Two minutes. Two minutes. Two minutes. Looks like most groups are done. Raise your hand if your group is still. Y' all ready to be done? Huh? If your group is still going, please raise your hand. Okay, we got a couple still going. Y' all got a minute and a half. Sam. Seconds. Thank you for saying that to me. Okay. All right, we're going to move on to the next portion, assuming everybody is done, everybody. So in our group. So we got one hand up. One more 15 seconds. You get your one more 15 seconds. Come on, everybody. Just stretch your hands. And. I want to. But then people gonna think it's New Year's Eve. Y' all got it? Okay, everybody. So I am now in the midst of. Of a group of people who now know each other's names. You know each other's favorite word. You know why it's in your favorite word. Can we get one more round? This time, I want you to take that favorite word, use it in a sentence. You've got five minutes. Go your favorite word, Use it in a sentence. Everybody pay attention.
- [29:10]
B
Go.
- [29:34]
A
It. All right, we're at the 2 1/2 minute mark. 2 1/2 minutes. 2 1/2 minutes. Unless you're already done. It. All right, we've got one minute left. I see some people standing. They've already made their round. Okay. All right, we are under one minute. Some of y' all got some long sentences, compound sentences. Good Lord. Mm. 30 seconds. 30 seconds. Somebody's gonna get that last sentence. All right, 10 seconds. 10 seconds. All right, I think we're going to land the plane right about there. Did everybody get the chance to get out their sentence? Yes. Okay, you guys are doing great. Quick question. Who met somebody new for the first time? Well, Hallelujah. I did not expect that many hands, but I'm a fan. Okay, can I interest you in one more round, since you all know each other so well? Y' all friends now, one other thing. Your favorite word. You've done it. You use it in a sentence. Now in a minute less. Matter of fact, I'm gonna challenge you. Since you all seem to ace a minute. 30 seconds each person, I want you to connect your word to a memory. Share the memory. 30 seconds each person. 30 seconds each person. I'm gonna keep saying 30 seconds each person. Don't take up somebody's 30 seconds. Can you connect that favorite word to a memory? Share it with the group. 30 seconds. It's. All right. 30 second memories. Okay. Okay. Two minutes left. Two minutes left. Two minutes left. It. All right, we're under a minute. We're under a minute. All right, 30 seconds. 30 seconds. I don't know that. That sounded like longer than a 30 second memory. I don't know. That might have been 45 seconds. All right, 10 seconds. 10 seconds. Somebody getting that last little detail. In three, two, one. Okay. All right, first and foremost, can everybody in here give yourselves. Congratulations? You've all just become world class storytellers. So first question. I'm gonna find a group. Mmm. Yes. I'm just gonna use this group as an example. Oh, sure. Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much. A microphone would be helpful. All right, so. Because I'm looking right at you. Yes. Okay. And just a couple. Just a quick question. 1. Do you remember everybody's name? I think so. Okay. Okay. Do I take it? Yeah, you're gonna let her hold the mic. Okay. Lavita, Tori. Andre. Kaya. Okay, We'll switch to another member of the group. Mo. I'm getting everybody. Don't just look at her like she gonna answer all your questions. You will all participate. What word do you remember the most? Serendipitous. Ooh. See, that's Why? I love coming into the house of the Lord. Somebody gonna give you a multi syllable blessing. Serendipitous. Why did you remember it? I'm not quite. Quite sure. I guess the definition of it, which I am not quite clear on it, but I think it's like a happening of events, if I'm not mistaken. But I would say that because of. Yeah, just that. Okay. Yeah. So you remembered everybody's names. Second word that you remember. Love. Ooh. Oh, that hit me. I wasn't even in your group. Why did you remember that? At first, it was going to be my word. I think for me, it just. I try to operate from love and everything I do, so that's why I remembered it. Isn't it interesting how when someone shares a word, one of the things that helps you remember is what connection you have to that word yourself? Thank you so much. Y' all were so brave. I'm gonna let you off the hook for a few minutes. I might come back to y' all just by a show of hands. Raise your hand if you were uncomfortable sharing your favorite word. Okay. Podcast family. Nobody in the room raised their hand. Wait, what is that verb? Was there a hand? Where? Okay, why were you uncomfortable? Oh, pod. Y' all gonna love this. Chill. He said he was uncomfortable because no one had ever asked him what his favorite word was. And yet you still found the courage to share it. Thank you for doing that. See, all of us has a testimony. Everyone in this room has a testimony. There's a good deal of us who have never been asked it yet. What do you do when someone asks or your testimony is required in a given moment and it's never been asked of you before? My prayer is, you do what he did, which was, I'm uncomfortable, but I'm still going to share it because it's needed for the assignment at hand. Thank you. That blessed me. Yeah. So right now, a room full of people who did not know each other shared a favorite word, shared a sentence that used that word, and shared a memory attached to that word. Who in here learned a word that they had not heard before? That's okay. Don't be shy. It's not a vocabulary quiz. But this is the beautiful part about sharing a part of who you are, because you will. You give somebody an experience they didn't have before. You'll give them access to a definition they've never had before. You give them a different shade or different meaning of a word that they perhaps did not have before you opened your mouth. As we talk about Being disciples and going forth and bearing fruit, please understand, the seed that we scatter is the Word. And what makes the word effective is how much we know that word and how comfortable we are with that word. Because it took you less than five minutes. Because I didn't give anybody but a minute apiece. What's your favorite word? Bam. Came right forward. Now, at some point, I'm not going to ask you to do it right now because we ain't got time for all of you to share your favorite scripture in the Bible. But as sure as I can ask you what your favorite word is, lowercase W. I should be able to ask you what your favorite word is. Uppercase W. And as comfortable as whoever it was with the word chrysanthemum was, you should be able to have that favorite word of yours come forth. And the beautiful part about it is, not only was there a word, but then I ask you to use it in a sentence. Because as disciples, we cannot just go forth spewing word and Bible verses that we heard but have not internalized, studied, given meaning to, and lived. So our challenge as pupils, as students is to remain so connected to the Word of God, so connected to the Source, that in any given setting, at any given time, God can call you to speak a word to a stranger. And not only are they going to remember the Word, they're going to remember what it really means. Because as you are sharing that Word, there is a connection to you that's involved, evolved. This is what allows a word to stick. Because people, believers, non believers, everybody knows when you have a connection to what it is you're saying. So when you not only give your favorite word and then you use it in a sentence, then you add a memory to it, I promise you someone's gonna leave this place, this meeting, and the next time y' all gonna come to church, you're gonna see that person. You might not even remember their name, but you're gonna remember the word. Start pointing to people. Baloo, they're gonna point back to you. Yeah. Please ask them their real name when you get a chance. But this is what it is to go forth, scatter seed, and have that seed bear fruit. Because at least four people in your group have met someone new, and now they have a connection to you beyond just coming here tonight. They have a word. They have a memory. They have how that word was used. And I wish I could have shown all of you how y' all looked. When you deliver a word, when you're speaking from a place of an Inner comfort and conviction. Your body language changes, because when I came into this room, there was a little bit of anxiousness that I sensed. But once I said, get into a group, and there was a little more anxiousness because you ain't know everybody in that group. Once I said, share your favorite word, oh, all of a sudden, the body language shifted. And then as you started to share more in terms of your name and that word and the sentence and then a memory attached to it. By the time you guys got to about the third round, the body language shifted because everybody started to face each other. When you are comfortable, when you have allowed what it is God is calling for you to share, to stay in you and to stir in you, and you become comfortable with who God has called for you to be, then you can boldly turn towards someone and release what's on the inside of you. But that comes from continuing to stay in His Word. This is what allows us to scatter seed effectively. And as we scatter that seed, this is what allows us to bear much fruit, because you no longer have to strategically drop a seed here, drop a seed here, drop a seed there, drop a. You're so full of the Word, and you're so full of your understanding of the Word, and you are so full of your connection to the Word and how it has related to your life, how it has changed you, how it is changing you. We become so comfortable with that process that when people encounter us, they say, what is happening with you? What is the source of this Word? And that's when you get to that place where many more are involved in being interested in Jesus. So everybody got to scatter some seed today. Get used to it. It's what disciples do. And the beautiful part about it is complete strangers. I'm thankful that y' all trusted me to even do it, because you had every right to just be like, you know what? I don't know about this. I could walk right out. Y' all all said, you know what? We're just gonna be uncomfortable and do this strange thing. And now you've not only taught someone else who didn't know you about you, you all have a shared learning experience together and learn some new words. And my hope and my prayer is, you've now found someone who, when you come to church, you see, you're willing to leave your favorite seat to sit next to, Because y' all have this. This is what discipleship comes down to. Because we practice it in here, we learn it in here, we rehearse it in here, and Then we do it out there. This is how church works, and church is effective. It's not enough for us to do this in here and then go back to doing community and doing interaction the same way we did before we caught this experience. Now, I'm not saying run up on strangers and make them uncomfortable. See, I didn't say that. Did not say that. Please use discernment. But the Holy Spirit will allow you to be in contact with people. And the whole point of that moment of contact is for you to scatter or sow a seed. And how you do it is just in the easy, comfortable, relaxed way that you were able to share your favorite word to tonight. Let's have a seat. Y' all just going to start yelling out random words. I feel it. So as I'm looking at this next verse, I want us all to remember that as we talk about being disciples. And I mentioned earlier, there's a very specific assignment that we have. I want to go to Matthew, chapter 28, verses 18 through 19. Now, quick backdrop. Jesus has died on the cross. He has been resurrected and he has come back because he has a very choice encounter that he has to have with his disciples. And this encounter is the basis for why we are doing what it is we're doing now in this discipleship series. Start at verse 18. Yeshua this is Jesus came and talked with them. He. He said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. This is very important. Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim. Talmidim is disciples. Go and make people from all nations into disciples. Talmidim Immersing. I love this definition, this description so much. Immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach Hakodesh, known as the Holy Spirit, other translations say, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, verse 20, which I did not give you. It's more than okay, I'll read it aloud. And teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I will be with you always. Yes, even until the end of the age. Jesus hands out one final assignment for his disciples who have been with him and have learned from him and seen him do miracles, signs, wonders. They have seen all of the breadth and scope of his human being experience. And now he hands them one final assignment after all of the lessons. Go and make people from all nations into disciples, immersing them into the reality of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is this image, this Immersion, which we know as baptizing, that struck me because it's not just about going to shake people into loving Jesus, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. When you are able to communicate as you just did, not just a word, but a word and a connection to who you are and the context for that word and a memory with that word, that is a parallel experience to what it is to have the Holy Spirit in you, to be so in tune and in touch with the Holy Spirit in you that someone who meets you now decides that they want to have an experience where they learn more about Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit for themselves. So when it speaks of baptizing, when it speaks of immersing someone in the reality of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, it is up to us to continue to be immersed in the reality of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, so that when others come into contact with us and we are called to minister and we are called to testify, or we are called to just meet a person, this encounter is what allows someone to get onto their journey to doing the same. I could have just said, get your favorite word and give me a name and be done. But the reason you continue for round after round, for more depth and more understanding is because that depth and understanding is what allows an encounter to stick. It's what allows an encounter to stay and for us. I want to make sure I say this carefully as you walk with God. Unfortunately, unfortunately, there are times where we forget just how much he's done for us. We forget just how different we've become. We forget just how much he has changed our lives. So as much as an encounter with someone else as we scatter seed, or, or as we sow seed, as we bear fruit, as much as that encounter is for the people who we are called to be in a space or a place with, I would give you that. It is also for us to be reminded every time we have the opportunity to testify, anytime we have an opportunity to bear witness, anytime we have an opportunity just to be the God given version of who we are with someone else who's never experienced it. It should be a reminder. My God, thank you for how far you have brought me. Thank you for how much you have changed me. Thank you for your mercy and grace on me that I am even able to express my favorite anything. The exchange is not always about the other person. As a disciple, as a student, we have to remember every opportunity we have to bear witness. Not Only does someone else get an encounter and an experience with who God is and how glorious and how powerful and how love filled he is. But we get a reminder too. We have to keep that reminder in mind because it is the reminder of our testimony that keeps us humble. And humility. Disciples, help me Lord. Let me say this right. Humility is the bridge that allows those who do not know Jesus to make their way towards Jesus through those that they encounter. Because if we are not humble enough in what Jesus has done for us, in what God has done for us, if we are not careful, if we take, do not remain humble, we will find ourselves judging those that we should be discipling. And now we become an obstruction instead of a bridge. So every time I get the opportunity to tell somebody I met Jesus 15 years ago, immediately I'm triggered into who I was back then, how much grace there was for him to reach into that time of my life and snatch me, how far he's brought me, how much I have changed, how much my language has changed, how much my lifestyle has changed, how much my circle of people around me has, has changed, how much my thinking has changed, how much my goals have changed, how much my desires have changed, how much my habits have changed. All of these things are flooding my mind as I'm having an encounter with someone else. And when you speak to someone about your life from that place, it reveals the attractiveness of Jesus that is always present. It's hard to, it's impossible to ignore when you see someone talk about what Jesus has done for their life. And you don't have to say, Jesus did this. Jesus, you just talk about your experience. I went to church, I'm in my word. This is how it changed me. And then they say, well, what is it about the. The Word? Now you can have a conversation. There are so many different ways to bear fruit. But it starts with owning and understanding our connection to the Source, which is Jesus, and from Jesus, the Holy Spirit that is in us. Because when we come, continue to cultivate that connection. Because earlier in John 15 I read John 15:8. The beginning of John 15 speaks. Jesus speaks of how he is the vine, the Father is the vine dresser. And we are just the branches that are connected to the vine. When we remember who we are connected to at all times, and his glory and his power and his love and his sacrifice, and we live from that place. This makes Jesus all the more attractive to those who don't know Him. For some of you, ooh, I want to say this carefully. For some of you, you may be all the church that someone else ever gets to experience how you live, how you treat people. And it could be something just as simple as you being in the grocery store and you having a whole cart full of groceries and the person behind you has a pack of gum and you let the person behind you get in front of you and, and you do it with a smile. Someone watching is like, wow, that's a lot of joy. That's a lot of grace. What is it about that person? And they continue to observe. And you never know, they may just walk up to you. Sir, I just noticed. Ma', am, I just noticed. You let that person. Why did you let them by say, I have the joy of the Lord in me. I say all of this because as disciples, we have to remember at the end of the day, with all of our learning and with all of the exercises, the mission as a disciple is to go forth and make more disciples, to go forth and bear not just fruit, much fruit. And for some of us who may be uncomfortable, this is why I continue to say there are so many different ways God can use you to bear fruit. Be ready to be uncomfortable. I've had to learn to be uncomfortable. If it looks like I'm very comfortable right now, it's because I'm comfortable being uncomfortable. This light is very hot. I normally would not wear long sleeves, but I felt cute. I'm uncomfortable, but I'm comfortable being uncomfortable. I'm just going to sweat and teach. I'm going to sweat and teach. But the beautiful part is as you continue to walk this thing out as a disciple and you continue to study, and you continue to study and you continue to allow yourself to just be the authentic full version of who you are. Still being perfected. I can't state that enough. Some of us feel as if I have to be perfect before I speak. Let me tell you, you have to be willing, you have to be obedient. Didn't say anything about being perfect because all of us are being perfected. There's a hand. I know this hand. This is a familiar hand. Go ahead. So for those who couldn't hear her, she's basically speaking to a renewed awareness and understanding of what it is, is to recognize real fruit. Because when you have been in environments where there has not been fruit, it is a eye popping. You're used to seeing trees with leaves and no fruit. And then all of a sudden you turn, you're around the corner like there's a lot of fruit on that tree. I've seen that tree before, but I've never seen the tree with actual fruit on it. I didn't even know. So what she's speaking of is the. The understanding and the revelation of having been in one environment where there were trees and no fruit and now being in an environment where there are trees and much fruit, she's noticing the difference between the two. Did I say that right? Okay, so here's one thing I will say, and that's an interesting point that you're bringing up. Because we are called to bear fruit, because we are called to scatter seed, we have to also be careful because we are not called to measure the time between when the seed is sown versus when the harvest is apparent. As disciples, our job is to scatter seed, and then once we see there's a harvest, go pluck the harvest. But we don't sit there with the clipboard and go, okay, it's been your year one. Nope. Year two. No. Year three. No. Year four. Because that's not our job. That's not for us to do. And so we have to be very careful. And I'm glad you brought this up, because for some of us who are very active in sowing and are very active in scattering seed, and we're scattering word all over the place, and we're expecting that word to immediately hit and transform and change and wait a minute. Our job is, yes, to scatter the seed, but we also must understand that there are different kinds of soil, as the parable of the soils shows us that take place. And so we have to be very, very mindful. I scatter the seed. I scatter the seed. I have it freely because I partake of. Of the fruit. I scatter the seed freely, but it's not my job to start counting and taking note of I see fruit. Okay, God, what do you want me to do with this? How do I harvest this? What is my place in this vineyard? What is my place in this harvest? Great point. I'm so glad you brought that up. Because I don't want us to run outside and be like, yes, I'm going to scatter as much word as I can, and in a year, I'm going to check on every single person I scattered seed with. And if they haven't given their life to Jesus, don't do that. That does not bear witness. We have to be very, very careful about timekeeping when we are not the ones who have time in our control. I want to leave you with this last verse. And here I am, as we're talking about being those as disciples who are called to bear fruit, who are called to go forth and make disciples. Found this very fascinating in this exchange because I saw this in each and every one of you as you were not only telling people who you were, because remember, you were just in a group of people and let complete strangers know your name, your favorite word. You had a memory for that word and you used it in the sentence. So you flexed the grammar skills, the whole deal. We all know now, everyone here did that with a boldness that I don't think you were aware of. And I pray that as I'm speaking that right now, perhaps it's coming back to you, that it takes a level of boldness to even be in the circle that you were in and to share the way that you did. And that boldness is something that is very. The word that I continue to use because I love talking about Jesus in this way. It is attractive. And I don't mean attractive in that. Like, oh, it look good attractive. I mean, as in it draws. Acts 4, 13, 14 is a similar trait that is revealed. And what I love about it is how this trait speaks to the character of the two people involved. This is Peter and John. Now, in Acts 3, we have Peter and John. They have healed a. A lame man who was outside of the gate, the door called beautiful. This man had been. Could not walk. And I'm paraphrasing quickly. And he approaches Peter and John and he asks them for money. And I think some of us are familiar with this part where he says, silver and gold I do not have, but what I give, I give to you from Jesus. And he heals this man. And what happens when they heal him? Oh, boy, they healed this man. And there's two types of reactions. There are those who are incredibly excited about what happened. And then there are those who are very disturbed by what happened because they really don't understand what it is that they just saw. And so they put Peter and John, I'm gonna leave you to study this yourself. They put Peter and John through some drama. Acts 4, 13, 14 picks it up from here, says, now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and they realized that they had been with Jesus. And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. So they saw this man who could not walk. And as they describe it, at some point he's leaping and praying, praising the Lord. And they know that it's the guy who couldn't walk. So they can't ignore what took place. But it makes them very uncomfortable because Peter and John are ascribing it to the power of the Holy Spirit. And they start to, for lack of better words, they read these people and they say, hey, listen, the person who gave us the Holy Spirit, the same person that you put on a cross, makes them very uncomfortable. Now, it says when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained. I love this. It says, they marveled and they realized they had been with Jesus. When you go forth to make disciples, what allows you to do that is the boldness with which you speak. And that boldness is a characteristic of having been with Jesus. People are going to know by how you speak. You've spent time with Jesus, you spent time with His Word, you've spent intimate time with the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. It is a remarkable thing that in this specific verse, it's not that they didn't see Peter and John. They saw the boldness and the boldness with which they spoke of the Holy Spirit. And they spoke, spoke of who Jesus was, activated. Some they said, wait a minute, those were the guys who were with Jesus. This boldness, this interaction is something I want for all of us to ascribe to. We should be able to walk with a characteristic where people say, that person has been with Jesus. I may not know anything else about them, but that person has been with Jesus. They have spent time with His Word, they have spent time listening to the Holy Spirit. They bear the fruits of the Spirit. And one of the things, one of the characteristics that shows that was a particular boldness. And I want to read this definition of boldness, because when we think of boldness, I think there is an audacity and an audacity, audaciousness, and a loud sort of boldness that we have in mind. The way it's defined here, it is an outspokenness, frankness, bluntness. Here's the part. Assurance and a bold pattern of speech. So when you are speaking and you have spent time with Jesus, there is an assurance that you carry as sure as I said, what is your favorite word? You didn't stutter. Use that word in a sentence. You didn't stutter. Again, when I asked, did you share, when you shared your name, nobody thought about it. Nobody had to look in their driver's license. What's my name? You know who you are. What's my favorite word? You know what that Is how do I use it in a sentence? You know how to use it in a sentence. Okay, now I need a memory to come. You have a memory. All of this is done with the assurance and boldness that parallels what it is to go forth and bear fruit and make disciples. That same boldness, that same confidence is how you are going to walk this thing out that lets people know, oh, she's been with Jesus. He's been with Jesus. And that is what allows us to fulfill the assignment that we have before us. It's a boldness that is cultivated by our time, our personal time spent with the Father, listening to the Holy Spirit and reading the Word and letting the Word, as many say these days, read us. We've become so comfortable with the Word changing us with the Word, maturing us with the Word, showing us with the Word, allowing us to be the accurate reflection of Jesus that we were called to be. That when people see this, they say, that person's been with Jesus. And not only have they been with Jesus, the effect on them is palpable. There's an authority that they have balanced with the humility that they have. How do you achieve this balance of authority and humility? And this is where you introduce this man named Jesus. So in this last week as disciples, I want to sow that boldness into each and every one of you, the assurance into each and every one of you again. And I'm going to have to repeat this. This does not mean run out in the street, just start grabbing people, shaking them, and telling them they need to go to church. I didn't say to do that. What I am saying is, as we continue as students to learn more and more of who Jesus is, as we continue to learn and study more of how he walked this earth, as we continue to study the lessons that he imparted to these disciples so that we can continue to be disciples. This is what allows us to go forth into the world boldly and make disciples just by honoring our interaction with him and allowing others, when the occasion arises, not if, when to see it. I would challenge you and say, people probably have already seen it. Ooh, and we're almost done. As a disciple, you will have to get used to the idea and the notion. And I don't mean to say this in that, like, weird, Big Brother, CIA way, but people watch you. There are some of you who, as I say this, you cannot fathom the idea that there's someone still studying you. I guarantee you there's someone studying you. There's someone who And I don't mean this in a stalker way, I just mean there's someone and they don't know that it's the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit has highlighted in them. This is someone I need to pay attention to. So you probably are already in the midst of discipling without realizing that you discipling. Which means our job is to stay sharp. Our job is to continue to cultivate the word in us so that when we need a word, a favorite word, a favorite verse, a memory attached to that verse, a sentence and how to use and the context for that verse, we have it. And we have it both for some of who thank you, Holy Spirit. Some of you are living your favorite verse and you haven't even found your favorite verse yet. And then you're going to read it in the Bible and like, oh my goodness, that was the last five years of my life. There it is. But this is why it is imperative as disciples, you rest. You dwell in, in your Word and rest and dwell in his presence, and rest and dwell in your study of Christ Jesus. Because this is what allows us to go forth boldly. Because we are connected to the vine. And when we are connected to the vine, the capability of producing and bearing much fruit is there. Because as you will read in John 15, I would suggest you study that on your own. Anything that is disconnected from the vine is a branch that is broken off. And it is broken off and it is discarded, thrown away and burned up because there is no fruit on it. Because we were all called, we were all commissioned, we were all assigned as disciples to bear fruit. I don't want anybody not bearing the fruit that's assigned over their lives. Amen. Let's stand. So since it is the last day of school, there's no homework. Psych. I was never that teacher when I taught. You won't get homework right up until the vacation. So behind me you're going to see a couple of questions. One, I pray that for the six weeks that we've been here, I pray that these don't just become notes that you never revisit. Because we're actually going to need what we built as a foundation here to move forward into our next six week module, which will be the fruits of the Spirit. For those of you who want to jump Galatians 5, go ahead and meet us there. But my prayer is that you revisit these six weeks on a regular basis between now and then and let it stir in you that which needs to be stirred in you. So here it Is, in the past six weeks, which lesson challenged you the most and what steps have you taken to meet and accept the challenge? Ooh, it got quiet. Number two, testify. Very important that we testify. It's very important that we speak and relate what it is that God has done in us and through us. What fruit has this series brought forth for you? Can you readily point to an area in your life where this discipleship series has brought a shift? And if you are still feeling it shift, you're still going to answer the question. But my prayer is, with these six weeks, we have begun a really informative, fun, challenging and Holy Spirit drenched journey to being the fullness of the disciples we're all called to be. And as we do that, we get to make more disciples. Somebody is going to lead something like this somewhere else with more people involved. Oh, don't get quiet on me now, because not too many years ago I was sitting where you were watching someone lead some sort of a midweek service like a man. Man, that ain't gonna be me. So trust me, my hope and prayer is someone takes this series and it takes fruit and it bears much fruit.
- [82:19]
B
Hey, family. Well, I pray that you were just as blessed by this teaching as I was. I'm just so grateful. Grateful again to be a part of a dynamic community full of love, full of revelation and wisdom. One has been a movement that's been blessing people for over two decades and I'm so glad that you got an opportunity to experience it. I also have a podcast called the called it's right here on wherever you're listening to this Spotify or Apple or wherever you're listening to this podcast, you can just look up the call T H E C A L L E D with myself, Ture Roberts. This is designed for entrepreneurs, leaders and business people. It's a weekly podcast and it will bless you. But hey, I enjoyed having you here. Meet us here next week. Check out the call. Much blessings to you. We'll catch you next time.