When it comes to sharing the gospel with those around us, most of us find it too daunting of a task to undertake. In this message, Pastor Jeremy DeWeerdt encourages and challenges us that reaching the lost with the message of Jesus is possible for each and every one of us! The potential is limitless for what God can do through you!
Notes 📓✏️:
Fields of Potential
A field is a place of potential. (It’s where things can grow)
Luke 10:1-4 (NLT) “The Lord (Jesus) now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places He planned to visit. These were His instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.”
There is a strong sense of urgency in the voice of Jesus.
Jesus instructs the disciples to not get distracted.
Jesus tells the disciples to pack light.
Luke 10:5-7 (NLT) “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.”
Everywhere the disciples went, blessing was to come.
Jesus wanted them to plant in one place.
Jesus said blessing would come back to the disciples for the Kingdom work they were doing.
Luke 10:16 (NLT) “Then He said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting Me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting Me. And anyone who rejects Me is rejecting God, who sent Me.”
Not everyone would listen, and the disciples should not take that personally.
“Evangelism”
“When I hear the word “evangelism,” my mouth goes dry, my hands get sweaty, and nothing I say seems to make much sense.”
John 12:32 (NLT) “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Myself.”
Matthew 13:3-10 (NIV) “Then He told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.”
Matthew 13:18b-23 (NIV) “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
It is not the messenger, and it is not the message that determines the productivity.
It is the condition of the soil. (Heart)
They had to be there long enough to identify the barriers holding people back from Jesus, AND to be an example of Jesus to those people.
2 Corinthians 6:2 (NLT) “For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.”
Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
Discussion Questions 📝❓:
First Stop:
- How can we draw strength from our past victories to help us navigate the challenges we’re facing right now?
- What does it look like to use the valley moments as invitations to trust God?
- How does your perspective change, knowing that your season in the “valley” is temporary, or as Pastor Jeremy said, “You’re just passing through?”
- What perspective can we gain from Psalms 34:19?
Mile Markers:
- Can you share a time in your life when you had to combat the mind games of the enemy when he tried to distract you and get you to focus on the hardship of your circumstance rather than embracing the beauty that CAN be found in the valley?
- How can we change our mindset from worst-case scenario thinking to living out our battles knowing that God is with us?
- God is in control: the battle is His, but we also have a role to play in our victory. What is our role in the valley?
Destination:
- Even though the valley moments of life are some of the lowest , this is also when God can do some of his best work. How have you been intentional with your valley seasons and what have you seed God do?
- Perspective changes everything. As we mature in our faith, we may naturally default to a position of trusting God when facing a battle. In your own words, how would you communicate the process to get to that place in your relationship of learning to trust Jesus?
- After hearing about the life of David and the kind of spirit he had when facing valley moments, what qualities or characteristics does this spirit entail, and how can you cultivate it in your own life?