Week 1 - JOIN JESUS
FRUIT
Welcome to part 3 of Follow The Way called FRUIT.
Jesus calls us to join Him in mission to our circles of influence. We don’t need to do that on our own, however. As we remain in Jesus, He will help us produce the fruit of a missional life. Over 9 weeks, you’ll discover how to Join Jesus in making disciples by living a Prayer > Care > Share > Dare lifestyle.
Hopefully, you have already worked through FOLLOW and FAITH. If not, you’re encouraged to do so.
DISCOVERY DISCIPLESHIP GROUP
Let’s remind ourselves what we’re up to.
DISCOVERY
Instead of telling you what to believe and how to live, we’ll connect you with the Bible so you can discover that together as a group. Discovery promotes engagement in the process and ownership of the outcomes.
DISCIPLESHIP
Being a disciple is a whole-life response to Jesus as Savior and Lord. It’s about following Jesus and His way of life. As you grow in your faith and commitment to Jesus, you’ll learn to live your life as if He were in your shoes. Be with Jesus > Become like Jesus > Live like Jesus > Make Disciples of Jesus.
GROUP
You could go through Follow The Way on your own. You’ll get more out of it, however, if you work through it with 2 or 3 others. Consider finding a guide to coach you. This guide doesn’t have to be an expert in the faith. They just need to be a few steps ahead of you on the journey to point you in the right direction. Here’s a thought. After you have worked through Follow The Way, you’ll be ready to guide others through it.
3/3s FORMAT
In order to learn how to practically follow Jesus, our group will continue using what is called the 3/3s Format (Connect-Discover-Live)
CONNECT
What are you thankful for?
What challenge are you facing?
Have there been any answers to prayer?
Pray for each other.
From the last week of FAITH (Week 11 on RESPONSE) …
Did anything stand out to you from last week’s follow-up Bible readings?
How did your “I will …” statement from last week go?
How did your sharing goal from last week go?
DISCOVER
Ask God to speak to you as you read His Word.
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”
6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Have someone retell these passages in their own words.
What stands out to you in these passages?
What do these passages say about God (The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit)?
What do these passages say about people, including ourselves?
What do these passages say about the life God invites us to live?
Digging Deeper
Luke 19:10 (NLT)
For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.
How did Jesus describe His mission?
How does the story of Zacchaeus showcase Jesus’ mission?
His Mission Is Our Mission
John 20:21 (NLT)
As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.
The word mission comes from the Latin word missio which means “to send”.
What mission did the Father send Jesus on?
What mission has Jesus now sent us on?
How is our mission just the extension of Jesus’ mission?
Joining the Father
John 5:19-20 (NLT)
19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing.”
John 12:49-50 (NLT)
49 “I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
How was Jesus’ mission a partnership with His Father?
Joining the Son
Matthew 4:19 (NIV)
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
How is our mission to be a partnership with Jesus?
Why is Jesus’ authority and presence so important to our mission of making disciples?
Acts 18:9-11 (NLT)
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
Why did Jesus have to encourage Paul?
What did Paul do in response to this encouragement?
How could the shift from doing mission on your own to joining Jesus in mission practically impact your mission to those around you?
What do you need the encouragement of Jesus’ presence for right now?
Mission Assignment
In FAITH, you were introduced to the Daily Connect connection prompt:
GO with Jesus
Lord, how can I join you in mission to those around me?
How would regularly praying this, not just at the beginning of your day but repeatedly throughout your day, help you stay on mission?
Keep praying this prayer and acting on what Jesus shows you?
LIVE
What truth have you discovered from today’s Bible passage(s) and conversation?
What would stop you from believing and obeying this truth?
How will you live out this truth this coming week? Finish this statement: “I will ….”
Who else needs to hear this truth? How could you share it with them?
When will we meet again?
Who will facilitate that meeting?
Pray for God’s help as you seek to follow Jesus this coming week.
FOLLOW-UP BIBLE READINGS
After each group meeting, there will be 3 Bible readings to help you dig a bit deeper into what we have discussed.
To help you connect with Jesus, we encourage you to use the Daily Connect connection prompts with the first two Bible readings and the Lord’s Prayer with the third Bible reading.
Here are the Bible passages you are encouraged to read this coming week:
BUDDY SYSTEM
It’s recommended that you set up a buddy system for ongoing encouragement and accountability. Buddy people up and have them contact each other for a midweek check-in. Think of this as a five-minute phone call, rather than an in-person sit-down meeting. Touch base and ask these questions of each other:
How are your readings going?
How’s your “I will …” statement coming along?
How’s your sharing goal coming along?
How can I pray for you?