Hand in Hand

Welcome to Common Night (Give vision for this night.)

-Next Month we kick off a new series called “Masks we wear.”

-Talk about Student leadership launching.

-5th Quarter September 30th at Donegal High

-Fundraiser coming up October 30th.

Tonight we finish our series on who we are as a ministry.

Week 1- A burden for the lost.

Week 2- The Fathers Love

And tonight we are going to talk about the discipleship. Who can tell me our vision?

Matthew 4:18–22 NIV

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

John 15:1–8 NIV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Let’s Pray!

Have you ever been called out of your comfort zone? (Talk about speaking as the featured speaker at a military graduation.)

Part of following Jesus is the call to leave all that we know and to follow Him into areas that are not known. And once into the unknown, we live a life that bears Godly fruit, and one filled with faith.

But the encouragement and hope with this journey, is we don’t do it alone, we walk hand in hand with Jesus and others in this pursuit of knowing Him.

See I firmly believe and know this, that following Jesus is not a destination but rather a journey.

One and only point: Let’s be defined by a lifetime of walking hand in hand with Jesus.

So do we live a life of walking hand in hand with Jesus?

1.) We obey the call to come and follow.

-When people see our life do they see one that is marked by obedience and devotion to Jesus.

-Notice in Matthew 4 Jesus calls Simon and Andrew and they follow.

-How many know following is hard, it requires effort. (Story of leaving Target and following Jesus in ministry.)

2.) We remain in Him and produce fruit.

-Jesus uses this picture of us being branches connected to Him. I n this connection we bear fruit on our life that looks more and more like Jesus everyday.

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Colossians 1:10–11 NIV

so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,

-Let’s Repeat this “When I remain in Him, I produce fruit.”

3.) Others will want our fruit when we walk hand in hand.

-The reason people often times don’t want to believe in the Jesus we serve is because our fruit is spoiled or non existent.

-Imagine if I handed you fruit, and it was rotten what would you do? You would be disgusted and not want it.

-But when we live a life that is not always perfect, but rather filled with faith and walking hand in hand, people will want our Jesus.

Let’s Pray! (Family Prayer)