Class Lesson August 30, 2015

   AWAKE: A CALL TO A RENEWED LIFE

 

Don't sleep through your spiritual life.

Wake Up!

Every Christian and every church needs to draw aside periodically in a special time of study and reflection spiritually. This study has helped us do just that. For six weeks, we have spent time and study to Returning to: God, our first love, prayer, God’s Word, unity with other Christians, and the final lesson this week returning to the task of fulfilling the Great Commission personally and as a church.

RETURN TO THE TASK

 

Where do you like to go to recharge your batteries?

Sometimes you just need to get away, don't you? There can be something magical about a vacation. And I'm not talking about one of those vacations where you're on the move nonstop and everything is more work than relaxation. We've all experienced "vacations" where we came home more exhausted than when we left.

What you really need is a break from the routine. Something that helps you refresh your body and spirit. Something that refocuses your mind and emotions. Doesn't that sound inviting?

Here's the good news: two of the most powerful ways to do that - to regain focus - don't even require leaving town! Prayer and fasting can be done right where you are, and they can revitalize you and lead you to fix your attention on the parts of life that are truly important. In Acts 13, we see this principle at work in the church at Antioch. They prayed. They fasted. And God did something incredible in their midst.

What Does The Bible Say?

Acts 13:1-3

1 In the church that was at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 As they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to.” 

3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.

Acts 13:44-52

44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the message of the Lord.

45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to oppose what Paul was saying by insulting him.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas boldly said: “It was necessary that God’s message be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles!

47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified the message of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.

49 So the message of the Lord spread through the whole region.

50 But the Jews incited the prominent women, who worshiped God, and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.

51 But they shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium.

52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

The Point

A revitalized church spreads the gospel.

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RETURN TO THE TASK

I. A Church on Task Sends Out the Called to Share the Gospel

Acts 13:1-3

The church in Antioch is a great example of believers who loved Jesus and reflected that love in their ministry to people.They gladly shared the gospel with anyone - even Gentiles (see 11:20). Up to that time, Christianity was considered an extension of Jewish beliefs. After all, Jesus Himself said He had come to fulfill everything the Jews believed (see Matt. 5:17). Therefore, Jews who became Christians naturally went to other Jews to share the gospel.

In Antioch, however, believers began to realize the message of Christ benefited all people. They spread that message among the Gentiles, and "the Lord's hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord" (Acts 11:21). With that, the church in Antioch caught a passion for missions.

When we come to Acts 13, the Christians in Antioch were worshiping the Lord and fasting. Many scholars believe the time of worship, prayer, and fasting was undertaken with a specific goal in mind. The church had a heart for evangelism and missions, but how were they to proceed? What were they suppose to do? Instead of coming up with a plan that seemed best to them, the Christians at Antioch stopped. They prayed and fasted. They fixed their hearts completely on God.

And God responded! When the church's full and undivided attention was on the Lord, the Holy Spirit answered and offered direction. Specifically, the Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them to" (v. 2). This was a critically important moment in the early stages of Christianity. The church at Antioch had gotten serious before God, and they were about to get serious about the Great Commission (see Matt. 28:19-20).

What can we do to intentionally see God's guidance?

II. Some Who Hear Will Reject the Gospel

Acts 13:44-47

Saul (also known as the apostle Paul) and Barnabas headed first to the island of Cyprus. After going through the whole island, they crossed over to Asia and came to a place known as Antioch in Pisidia. They entered the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and Paul spoke to those gathered there. He preached about the connection between God's work in the Old Testament and His work through Jesus. Many responded positively to the gospel message (see Acts 13:43).

Not everybody was enthusiastic about Paul's preaching, however. When just about all the people in the city showed up the next Sabbath day to hear Paul preach about Jesus, some of the Jews "were filled with jealousy and began to oppose what Paul was saying by insulting him" (v. 45).

This is a principle: whenever God is working, we can fully expect Satan to fight against that work. "For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens" (Eph. 6:12). Satan will do everything in his power to stop the church from praying and advancing the gospel.

Unfortunately, Satan sometimes succeeds in his efforts. We've all heard of churches undone by disunity, gossip, immorality, and myriad other sins. Satan prowls around like a lion, seeking someone to devour (see 1 Pet. 5:8). Churches that fall prey to Satan's attacks don't resist him and stand firm. They cease to be praying churches, centered on the gospel and fixed solely on Christ.

Yet when Satan raises his ugly head even today, we must continue to march on. We must not back down from our call to the Great Commission. Paul and Barnabas did not. They didn't soften their message one bit. If anything, they became even bolder in their approach. What an example for us.

What do these verses teach us about the process of sharing the gospel?





III. Some Who Hear Will Joyously Embrace the Gospel

Acts 13:48-52


In spite of Satan's efforts, Jesus still does amazing things among His people. The Jews may have rejected the gospel, but the Gentiles responded joyfully with open and ready hearts. They rejoiced and glorified God. Many believed and were saved. In spite of opposition and even persecution, the word of the Lord continued to spread throughout the whole region.

Persecution cannot stop the gospel from spreading. In fact, many times it does just the opposite. It's like different people I've known who try to get a campfire started "the old-fashion way." I've seen them spend hours striking a flint or rubbing sticks together with no results. Sooner or later somebody brings over a can of gasoline, and then - woosh! The fire has a sudden and fierce awakening.

Persecution can be like that gasoline. It can cause an explosive spread of the gospel. Missionaries often speak about amazing ministry opportunities in places of intense persecution - places where God is doing a great work.

How did Paul and Barnabas respond to persecution? They went right on preaching (see vv. 50-51). They went to the next city and strolled into the synagogue. They kept up the same routine throughout the Book of Acts - proclaiming the gospel, harvesting spiritual fruit, undergoing persecution, and then moving someplace new to proclaim the gospel once again.

Don't lose sight of what God is doing. The Gentile believers rejoiced in God's salvation. These new disciples "were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit" (v. 52), which surely brought joy to Paul and Barnabas as well. As Paul later wrote to a different group of Gentiles in Philippi: "I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer" (Phil. 1:3-4). We can find no greater joy than walking in the Spirit while being obedient to the call of God.

How have you experienced resistance in your attempts to make disciples?


What steps can we take to strive for revival in our church and community?




LIVE IT OUT

How will you obey God's call to fulfill the Great Commission? Consider thee following suggestions:

• Pray for the lost every day. Pray especially for someone who needs the message of Christ. Pray for the gospel to advance in your community and around the world.

• Share the gospel. Spreading the gospel isn't just for pastors and preachers. Actively seek out opportunities to share the good news of Christ.

• Lead your group on mission. Make plans as a group to proclaim the gospel in a tangible way witin your community. Start with prayer and move out from there.

We've seen what we can accomplish in our own lives and in our churches. It's time to see what God can accomplish. And there's no better way to start than through fasting and prayer.

 

Why Churches Talk the Great Commission but Don’t Do It

By Chuck Lawless

In seventeen years of doing church consulting, no church leader has said to me, “Our church really doesn’t want to do the Great Commission.” I’ve worked with many churches that proclaim the Great Commission but never get around to doing it.

Here are my conclusions about why churches so often fit this description.

1. Church leaders talk the language without letting the biblical texts “sink in.”

They speak about the Great Commission because the Bible so obviously commands it:

·         Matt. 28:18-20 ¹⁸ Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

·         Mark 16:15 ¹⁵ Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.

·         Luke 24:45-47 ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He also said to them, “This is what is written: The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

·         John 20:21 ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

·         Acts 1:8 ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

·         I suspect many leaders, though, echo the words out of evangelical habit more than out of heartfelt burden. When we proclaim the message without obeying the command, the words have not settled firmly in our heart.

2. Pastors are not committed to this task.

Again, leaders whose ministries are built on the Bible often do proclaim the mandate. I cannot say these words strongly enough, however: I have never seen a Great Commission church led by a pastor who was not himself deeply committed to the task. Unless a pastor bleeds for his neighbors and the nations to know Christ, the church he leads will not live out this burden, either.

3. Churches see the Great Commission as a task for full-time ministers or missionaries. This finding is reflective of a problematic clergy/laity divide in many churches, but we church leaders must take some responsibility here. Because we so often choose not to make disciples and delegate responsibilities, we propagate the idea that only “paid folks” can do this work.
4. Churches do not really believe nonbelievers are lost.

If you want to find out what your church members believe, survey them anonymously. Ask them if they believe good people without a relationship with Jesus will go to heaven when they die. Find out what they believe about the fate of those who die without hearing about Jesus. You might discover many church members have a theology that does not require taking the gospel to the nations.

5. Some leaders settle with partial obedience to the Great Commission.

The Great Commission passages resound with proclaiming the Word, making disciples, teaching obedience, reaching the nations, and relying on the Spirit. Some churches focus, though, on evangelism while failing to teach believers. Others emphasize discipleship but do not evangelize. Some influence their community but never touch the nations; others focus on global needs but miss their local community. These congregations may be partially obedient to the Great Commission – but partial obedience is also disobedience at some level.

6. Churches tell members to do the Great Commission without teaching them how.

Most churches are guilty here. We tell folks to share the gospel with their neighbors but seldom train them to do so. We speak about discipling others, yet expect members to learn on their own how to do it. Likewise, we challenge folks to go to the nations without adequately assuring them of training and support. When we tell without teaching, we shouldn’t be surprised when our churches only talk about the Great Commission.

7. Church members fail to see the world around them.

The world is among us – as our neighbors, our co-workers, our store clerks, our teachers – but we fail to see them as sheep without a shepherd (Matt. 9:36). Somehow, we hear the words of the Great Commission without recognizing the opportunities around us to develop gospel-centered friendships. At a minimum, seeing our neighbors with God’s eyes should cause us to pray for the world represented among us.

8. Church members don’t know missionaries.

We know that mission work matters – after all, the Bible tells us so – but many church members have never “put a face on” that work. They know no international missionaries. They seldom even think about “missionaries” serving in North America. Thus, they know few stories of the amazing work of God around the world. Frankly, I lay this responsibility at the feet of church leaders as well: Great Commission pastors will introduce their church to Great Commission people.

9. Churches confuse “sheep swapping” with the Great Commission.

Transfer growth among churches is not always negative, but it is seldom Great Commission growth. If a church is not reaching non-believers, baptizing them, teaching them to obey Jesus’ commands, and taking the gospel to the nations, they are not doing the Great Commission.  They may, in fact, be only talking about it.

Which of these reasons most reflects your church? What other reasons would you add?

Why are we failing in the fulfilling of the Great Commission? 

I believe we are failing in fulfilling the Great Commission because so many of us (me included) concentrate primarily on teaching a person what he needs to do in order to be saved, and not on Jesus instruction to “make disciples.” We teach people the “five steps of salvation,” we baptize them, and tell them to be “faithful.” But, many times they have no idea what they’ve signed up for. They have no idea what faithfulness entails.

We haven’t explained to those with whom we’re studying that saved people are “disciples” and the cost of discipleship is total submission and total surrender. Chances are, we would have significantly fewer baptisms if we concentrated on really making disciples. But, if people knew what they were getting into first, we would probably have a whole lot better retention rate.

One passage has been rattling around in my mind all week. In Luke 14:25-33, Jesus talked about counting the cost of discipleship before becoming a disciple. I don’t know that we teach people this way. If a preacher got up and preached this way, some might say, “Stop discouraging people from becoming Christians.” But, Jesus wanted people to know exactly what they would be signing up for.

Here are some of the things he said:

1. Disciples Choose Him over Family

Jesus said that in order to come to Him, a person must, “Hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters” (vs. 26). I believe what Jesus is saying here is that you cannot be a disciple of His if you are going to choose your family over Him (see Matthew 10:37). Many people are favor the opinions and traditions of their family, over the teachings of Christ; Jesus says you cannot keep that mentality if you want to be His disciple.

2. Disciples Choose Him over their Own Life

Jesus said that a disciple must “hate…his own life” (vs. 26). This not only means we need to live for Christ, but we must willing to die for Him as well. Do we explain to people, before dunking them in the water, “You are signing up to die for Jesus, if that time ever comes.” Disciples are people who consider their own interests – even their own life – meaningless, compared with the interests of Christ and His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33).

3. Disciples Choose Him over Possessions

Jesus said, “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (vs. 33). Did you hear that?! Do you understand that Jesus just bluntly explained, you have to sign over ownership of EVERYTHING in order to be His disciple? Becoming a disciple means emotionally letting go of everything we have; totally surrendering to Christ. The time may never come when you have to physically give up everything you own, but in order to be a disciple of Christ you have to give up everything emotionally from the beginning. Jesus also said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

Are You a Disciple?

Perhaps the reason we don’t make disciples is that many of us are still struggling to become disciples ourselves. Well, I think it’s time to stop straddling the fence. I think it’s time to decide who we will follow (1 Kings 18:21). Will we follow our family? Will we follow our own selfish interests? Will we follow money? Or, will we be true disciples of the Messiah?

Don’t think that I’m saying you can earn your salvation by being a disciple of Christ; discipleship is not about earning salvation. Discipleship is about following the One who offers salvation and realizing that following Him is the only way to receive it (1 John 1:7; 2:1-6). In order to receive salvation, we must follow Him into the grave of baptism (Romans 6:1-7) and continue following Him for the rest of our lives.

Are you truly following Him? Are you teaching others to follow Him? Discipleship requires total sacrifice, but the rewards are out of this world!

Why Should You Help Fulfill The Great Commission?

There are at least four good reasons.

1.    Christ commanded us to do so.

A good athletic coach presents a list of rules and standards to the athletes and says, "These are the things you must do if you expect to be a part of the team." The athletes subscribe to and obey these rules, or they don't make the team.

The employer says to the employee, "Here are the rules," and the employee follows those rules, or he loses his job.

Our Lord has issued a command, "Go," and no true believer can take His order lightly.

But most Christians have never taken this command of our Lord seriously. We have been playing games while our world is in flames. We are like men and women who are straightening pictures on the walls of a burning building. We are dealing with peripheral issues when it is the hearts of people that need to be changed. The problems in the world that are threatening to engulf humanity can only be solved through faith in Christ and obedience to His commands.

If we take our Lord seriously, we must dedicate ourselves fully - time, talent and treasure - to the fulfillment of the Great Commission, not out of a sense of legalistic duty, but out of love and gratitude for what Christ has done for us. If we want to obey Him, He says, "Go," and that is sufficient reason for going. Mark 8:34-38 records our Lord's command to all who would be His disciples and, along with Mark 10:29,30 and John 14:21, promises rich rewards and great blessings to all who trust and obey Him.

He called his disciples and the crowds to come over and listen. "If any of you wants to be my follower," he told them, "you must put aside your own pleasures and shoulder your cross, and follow me closely. If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

"And how does a man benefit if he gains the whole world and loses his soul in the process? For is anything worth more than his soul? And anyone who is ashamed of me and my message in these days of unbelief and sin, I, the Messiah, will be ashamed of him when I return in the glory of my Father, with the holy angels.

"Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything- home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property - for love of me and to tell others the Good News, who won't be given back a hundred times over, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land - with persecutions!"

"The one who obeys me is the one who loves me; and because he loves me, my Father will love him; and I will too, and I will reveal myself to him."

2.    We are lost without Christ.

Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

That may sound narrow, bigoted, unloving and intolerant, but that is what the Lord Jesus said, and Jesus Christ is God! For many years I have asked people all over the world if they have found God. Apart from those who have met Christ in a personal, vital encounter, the answer in general is, "I am looking for God; I hope to find Him, but I haven't found Him yet!"

 

No person will ever find God until he receives Christ. Do you really believe that people without Christ are lost? Has it occurred to you that some of your family and friends, your neighbors and associates who do not know Christ are spiritually lost? The Word of God is emphatically clear:

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

All men, women, boys and girls are lost without Christ.

3.    People everywhere are hungry for God.

The hunger of people for God has been demonstrated in thousands of ways since the creation of man. This has been our personal experience since the beginning of the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. As a part of our worldwide training program, we spend several hours each week in actual person-to-person evangelism in the local communities, at the beaches and in public gatherings.

Frequently, thousands pray to receive Christ in a single afternoon. For example, on one occasion when ten thousand Koreans at a Leadership Training Conference in Seoul went out to share Christ, more than sixteen thousand people prayed and received Christ. And during one three-day Easter holiday, at least seventeen thousand heard that they could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ from 155 nationals in Mexico and twenty-five Latin American Campus Crusade staff; 1,245 indicated that they had received Christ. Campus Crusade staff in India prayed that five thousand students would receive Christ in a single year, and God answered with more than five thousand new believers.

During a period of approximately six months, four Campus Crusade athletic teams, two singing groups and André Kole, a well known illusionist, presented the claims of Christ to 351,887 students in 629 appearances. More than fifty thousand indicated that they had received Christ as their Savior. Many thousands of additional students and laymen have made commitments to Christ through the ministry of other staff members and the thousands whom they have trained.

And tens of millions around the world have indicted salvation decisions after viewing the "JESUS " film in their languages.

All over the world people are hungry for our Lord Jesus.

4.    There is an urgency to complete the task while the doors of opportunity are still open.

Never have the spiritual fields been so ripe for harvest. We dare not miss this unprecedented opportunity. If ever you plan to do anything for Christ and His kingdom, do it now before the harvest ends.

 

 

Where Must We Go?

We must go to the whole world. However, Jesus Himself gave us a strategy to follow. Just before He ascended into heaven, He told the disciples:

"You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The original meaning of this command suggests that we are to be involved in helping to reach each area at the same time, from Jerusalem to the ends of the world. I encourage you to begin sharing Christ as a way of life in your Jerusalem -- your home, your neighbor hood, your campus or classroom, your office or factory. Seek ways to present Christ in your community, your state, your nation, which is your Judea, and to the rest of the world.

God wants you to help spread His good news to the entire world through your prayers, your financial investments and your personal involvement, or through all three.

 

Be Sure You Are Committed to Christ

In Romans 12 the apostle Paul encourages, "Give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy -- the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think."

The Brights' Story

My wife and I were materialistic and selfishly ambitious before we became Christians. After we received Christ, we grew in the fellowship of the church, and the more we studied the Bible and the more we became aware of the love and grace of God, the more we loved Jesus, and the more we wanted to serve Him.

One day, in the spring of 1951, we knelt in our home in the Hollywood Hills of California and signed a contract with the Lord as a formal act of relinquishing the title deeds of our lives to Him. We each made a list of all the things that we had desired before we fell in love with Christ and really began to follow Him. We had very luxurious appetites!

"Lord," we prayed, "we want to surrender all of our own ambitious, worldly, materialistic plans and desires to You. By Your enabling grace and power we are turning our backs upon the things that have encumbered us in order that we might serve You, the living God, more effectively and fruitfully. You have commanded us to seek first the kingdom of God and lay up our treasures in heaven. Now we want to seek You and Your way above everything else. We want our treasures to be used for your glory. We want to serve You and do whatever You want us to do and go wherever You want us to go, whatever the cost."

Opening his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul wrote, "This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ's slave, chosen to be a missionary, and sent out to preach God's Good News." In the words of Paul, Vonette and I became Christ's slaves as we made our commitment to the Lord Jesus.

It was only a short time later that God gave me the vision to help reach the world for Christ to which I referred earlier. We call that vision Campus Crusade for Christ, New Life World.

Today, we own very little of this world's goods -- mostly personal items. We don't own our home, which we rent, nor do we own a car, though transportation is provided for our ministry. We literally live as God supplies our needs from day to day. But, oh, what adventure to live for Christ -- to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords without the hindrances and encumbrances of possessions which possess us and rob us of our power with God and others!

This may not be what God will call you to do. But whatever your situation, you can trust a loving God when you surrender every life ambition to Him. No experience in life compares with seeking first the kingdom of God, laying up treasures in heaven, keeping Christ in control of your life, doing what He calls you to do, and being an instrument through whom He changes lives. This is real living life at its highest and best. Every morning and evening we kneel in our Lord's presence, together whenever possible, to acknowledge His lordship. We invite Him to be Lord over every area of our lives and claim by faith the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit in order that we may live holy lives and be more fruitful witnesses for our dear Lord.

 

Self-Study Guide

1. Many have argued that the Great Commission was only for the apostles to whom it was originally given and is not for us today. Name two things in Matthew 28:20 that prove the Great Commission is intended for Christians today.

²⁰ teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2. Why is it important that Jesus is who He said He is, the Son of God? How would you describe His character?
3. How does Ephesians 1:19-23 express God's power? What additional fact does Jeremiah 32:17 bring out?

¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

God’s Power in Christ

²⁰ He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens— ²¹ far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He put everything under His feet^] and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.

¹⁷ Oh, Lord God! You Yourself made the heavens and earth by Your great powerand with Your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

4. List some reasons that the New Testament church had such a great impact. (See 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10)

⁵ For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we were among you for your benefit, ⁶ and you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. ⁷ As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸ For the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything, ⁹ for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God ¹⁰ and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

5. Why should you be involved in telling others about Christ?

6. Why is it critical that we take the news of Jesus Christ to every land?

7. How would you describe Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria in relation to your world today? (See Acts 1:8)
8. What is involved in the fulfillment of the Great Commission? Explain the role of both evangelism and discipleship in its fulfillment.
9. What place does prayer have in the fulfillment of the Great Commission?
10. What personal strategy of evangelism did Paul exhibit in Acts 13 and 14? What additional strategy did he employ in Acts 18:1-11?
11. What are the essential ingredients of a personal strategy? What personal strategy do you (or will you) use?
12. List five people whom you would like to train (disciple) to share the gospel, or one person whom you can ask to disciple you.
13. What commitment will you make regarding your answer to Question 16?

Group Discussion Guide

1. Discuss the relationship between the Great Commission and the biblical principle of obedience. (See Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Colossians 3:22; John 14:15; Acts 5:29)

2. In your group, share the name of at least one person whom you know who needs Christ. Spend time praying as a group for each unbeliever mentioned.

3. What barriers do Christians need to overcome to make the Great Commission first priority in their lives? What do you think will happen when these barriers are turned over to Christ?

4. All of us have resources and talents that can be used to accelerate the fulfilling of the Great Commission. Share with your group one special resource that you believe God has given you.

 

The Harvest is Plentiful 

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Prayer of Commitment

Father, above all else that we do in our church, help us to take steps to share the gospel with all people, here and around the world. Amen.

See you on Sunday,

In His Love,

David & Susan