Individual Nurturing (John 15:1-7)
Today, the Word we will share about is about individual nurturing. Once we believe in Jesus Christ, how can we grow so that we can wholly live our lives for Him? How can I develop and grow myself? How can I raise and help the other person?
Introduction – Root – Nature, Fruit
The most important thing is we need to help them have the correct roots. This root we’re talking about is the nature of our lives. And it’s also talking about the fruits.
Prayer
Where must we be rooted? Within prayer.
Evangelism
Our thoughts must also be rooted in evangelism.
Work
We also must have our roots within the work that we do.
Word
This root must be rooted within the Word.
1. Bible
1) Deut. 6:4-6 Word
In the Bible, in the Word of God, in Deut. 6:4-6, it says to engrave the Word of God on our hands, our foreheads, and doorframes so that this Word is completely rooted within my life.
2) Ecclesiastes 12:11 Nail
It says we must engrave this Word just as a nail is planted in.
3) Isaiah 22:22-24 Glory
It says the glory of God is rooted within the person.
4) Psalm 1:1-6 Fruit
Those who meditate on the Word of God day and night are those who can lay down these roots.
5) John 15:1-7 Together
Even in John 15, the verse we read today, it says the branch must go onto the vine in order to have this root. The Pharisees lived diligently but they were not attached to the vine.
6) Mark 3:14 With
Jesus called us to be with us.
7) Matthew 4:19
Jesus says, “Come, follow Me and I will make you fishers of men,” He didn’t tell us to do something; He told us to simply follow His Word, and when you follow the Word of the covenant of the pulpit message, you will be fishers of men.
8) Matthew 11:28
It says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened.”
9) Matthew 28:20 With
Jesus says He will be with us always.
2. Root
1) Direction
What does it mean to have this root? It means we’re aligned with this direction. The Pharisees were rooted within the Word of God, but they were not aligned with the direction of the Word of God. So, even though they knew the Word from an early age, why were they not able to receive the words of evangelism or prayer? It is because they were not aligned with the Word. If they were normal people who received the word of God and received grace and grew up and developed within this Word, aligned with the direction of God’s Word, they would receive those answers.
2) Nature
Because you’re aligned in that direction, you have this nature. Because we live our walk of faith and give sermons that are not aligned with the Word of God, there are no fruit and they’re in a hard place by nature, they have the nature that is not able to evangelize. They have this nature of being unable to pray. Why? It’s because they lived a life receiving the Word from the sermon but live their lives without this direction.
3) Life
This is aligned with life so I can be revived and others can, too.
4) With
God is with us
5) Fruit
And this is related to fruits. If you’re not able to evangelize, it means you don’t have these roots, it means you’re rooted in something else. You went to church for a long time, but you’re rooted in legalism. That is why you’re the main point of your life, and you’re rooted within that, trying to live. Answers are supposed to come, even if you have the correct roots and just remain still, and you’re able to see evangelism because those who have these roots have these kinds of eyes, but people who are not within these roots, even though they struggle a lot, they won’t be able to do this. It seems like something is working out but later on, they have no choice but to crumble. They may say, “I lived such a diligent life,” but it’s because they lived their lives without this direction.
3. 3 Things
There are three things we must be rooted within.
1) Gospel + Prayer (7 Blessings) – Identity, Authority
We need to have this root to pray to enjoy the blessings of the gospel. The seven blessings of the believer must be rooted within us through prayer. That is the blessing within Christ. We need to be rooted within this identity and authority through prayer. We have our new believers’ department, and they go over the gospel message over10 minutes, but I hope they will be able to learn more about the six states of the unbeliever and the seven blessings of the believer. The basic gospel message is very broad, so we want to be more specific so they can be rooted in it, because new believers must be able to know what prayer is, because they don’t understand. They might think prayer is something where they ask for something they want; that’s why we need a separate class where they learn about this.
So, we don’t need to assign a separate time, but during that same time, we just have to have this other class so they can learn about it more specifically so when they graduate form that other class, they can do that.
2) Evangelism + Thoughts
If the gospel is everything, evangelism is everything. Because the gospel isn’t everything to them, evangelism isn’t everything, and that thought is the problem. That’s why we need to imprint this correct thought into new believers. If all the blessings are contained within Christ, the gospel, then evangelism also contains everything, and this thought must be in new believers. That’s why, even though these people don’t go out somewhere, because they already have these kinds of thoughts, other people are attached to them. But think about it, if the gospel isn’t everything and evangelism isn’t everything, you just attend programs, but when you go out into the field, people won’t be attached to you but you chase after people. What root I have and how we nurture new believers is important.
3) Talent (Specialization, Business) – Mission
All people have a talent. Ever since we were made, God gave us a talent, we need to know why we have our specialty and must succeed, this is our mission. I need to root within these three things so I can nurture new believers. The person who doesn’t have these roots tries to nurture new believers, it will become hard. But the core of all evangelism training are these three things. The platform, the watchtower, and the antenna refer to these three things. That’s why disciple training and raising new believers is within these three things. This is a very important content. This is our entire life.
The studies and business we will do later on are contained within this, but if we don’t have this root, we will constantly chase after money and we’ll constantly have this conflict, “What am I good at?” You constantly have to worry and say, “What will I live and eat off of?” You have been rooted in these kinds of things. That’s why you, the people in the church, and the people in the field must be rooted within this, otherwise you will do useless things. You hold onto useless words, “You need to memorize this,” but that word has no relation.
We must help them enjoy this gospel through prayer and help them enjoy these blessings, and we need to change these thoughts so that once the gospel is everything, they’ll realize evangelism is everything. That’s when we need to help them to be rooted in the fact that, through their talents and specialty, they fulfill their mission.
Main
1. God – Know
In other words, we must help them know God.
1) Psalm 139:1-4
It says, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.”
2) Love
With this condition of love, God reveals how it is eternal.
3) Eternity
God’s love is unchanging.
4) With
God is with all people but He is specifically with the church members and leaders. Because we don’t nurture new believers that God is with them, they think they are alone, so we need to help them be rooted in this.
5) Needs (Phil 4:13)
God is the One Who fills our needs. He doesn’t fill us with things we don’t need; He only fills up our needs. If we don’t know this, we think we have to do something to receive answers from God, but this misunderstanding must be corrected. God will fill our need for Temple Construction. He doesn’t fill our greed but our need. God is the One Who will fill the needs of our remnants as they live their lives. That is why we must make new believers not be concerned with food, clothing, and shelter.
Because they don’t know about this, even though they go to church for a long time, they still worry about food, clothing, and shelter, and that’s why they have no choice but to constantly worry about unnecessary things. God will work upon necessary things and that’s how we must begin our walk of faith.
6) Guidance
God leads the believers because He guides us no matter the situation. No matter what problem, circumstance, or instance, God knows what we’re going through, so you must be rooted in this. If you don’t know this, you have no choice but to be taken aback.
7) Peace (Phil 4:6-7)
God will give you peace that is not of this world. This is not given in the world, and through this peace, we must overcome everything. Through this peace, we are able to overcome our drug addiction. If you don’t have this peace, you’ll have to struggle in order to obtain it. That’s why when you’re alone during worship, this peace must come upon you.
This peace is the peace of the Lord and He gives it to us, and that’s why if you have plenty or not, it doesn’t matter. Even if you’re surrounded on all sides, it’s okay, because this peace doesn’t come from our environment, but it comes from our Lord. That’s why our scars and mental problems can’t be solved with medicine, and we need to have the peace of the Lord.
2. Basic Word – Recite, Meditate
We need to provide them this basic thing so they understand the Word and are able to recite it and meditate upon it.
Prayer – Word (Pulpit)
That is why when you teach new believers about prayer, even for yourself, you must pray holding onto the Word. Especially the Word of the pulpit message because that’s important, because this message contains the direction of the church, but there are some people who read the Bible on their own and hold onto the Word. What is the danger in that? You’re not able to discern whether you’re able to hold onto the correct Word that is aligned with the direction of God.
Children have grown up in the church, reciting and memorizing all these verses for20+ years, but the reason why evangelism is hard for them is because their … word of God isn’t aligned with the direction of God, and that is why this pulpit message is so important. People who’ve lived their walk of faith for all their lives will understand this, that evangelism is the hardest thing. With the Word, you must pray and be aligned with the Word of evangelism, but you lived your life without this perspective so evangelism is the hardest thing and the walk of faith is very difficult, because they went to this kind of church. In other words, it’s a church that is not aligned with the direction of God.
The church may have revival because crowds will gather together but ask them what prayer is. They say prayer is for physical things, and of course that is prayer, but that is a prayer that has nothing to do with the Word. They’re unable to evangelize, it’s just not in their thoughts at all, and this is how they turn out. Who is the representative of this? It is the Pharisees and Jewish people. They memorized the entire Word, they fulfilled the Word of Deut. 6 by putting the Word of God on their foreheads, but instead of going into the direction of Canaan, they always talked about Egypt, so the ones going to Canaan are a minority.
It’s the same even now, we do things but are not aligned with the direction of God, and that’s the responsibility of the pastor; why would church members be responsible for that? That is why the important thing for new families and believers is to give them this Word. The people who give this Word to new believers must be rooted within these three things in order to relay the correct Word. That is why those people who are personally able to do these three things, God will attach new believers to them.
Forum
The reason why we do forum with new believers is to confirm whether they are aligned with this direction or not. Even for us, we have our regional churches and receive Word training. If you are not holding into these three things, you may imitate like a parrot but it doesn’t matter because the Pharisees did so much better. That’s why you must constantly hold onto these three things.
1) Meaning
That’s why if you’re able to just know the meaning behind the Word that God is giving through the pastor, you’re able to receive the answers. You need to understand the background of why that Word was written.
(1) Background
But the people who live their walk of faith by themselves means they try to do thing son their own and it’s not aligned with the Word of God. This “logos” word is written with this background in mind, and so if two people are having a conversation, but a third party listens in a little later on, even though they’ve heard these words, they may misunderstand what is being said as they don’t understand the context or the background. That’s why this is very important. Leaders of regional churches and those who are able to live a good walk of faith will continually read over the scripture and the Bible, why it was said and how it applies to my daily life, so that’s why you must listen very carefully to the sermons because the sermons are what give this background context. If you don’t understand this, you’ll try to hold onto the Word you want to receive, but that’s not aligned with the direction of God.
“Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness,” why was this Word given? You can’t just go forward by hearing this one sentence, but you must hear the background of why this Word was given, and that’s explained throughout the sermon. You need to receive this Word with this kind of background in order for that Word to be engraved within your heart.
Among the evangelist’s words, he talked about how people are very stubborn, they go along one direction if they think it’s right. You can’t communicate with such people at all, its’ because they haven’t received this kind of education. For example, history, or there are other subjects where you have to see the whole context and background instead of focusing on one thing, because if you don’t understand this, you’ll have to focus on one thing instead of focusing on what you need to focus on.
I said this earlier, but if two people are conversing, there’s a background to what they’re conversing about, but later on, a third party joins, then a normal person needs to discern why these words are being said, because they began to talk about these topics with this type of background, but if this third party just understands the words being said in that moment, then there is nothing that will work out. It will be hard to do business like this, it’s because they think only their thoughts are correct. It’s the same for the Word of God.
Mystery (Phil. 2:5)
We must help them to contain the mystery of Christ, so they can enjoy the abundant life.
Abundance (John 10:10)
The more you believe in Christ and live a walk of faith with Christ, you’ll have a life of abundance
Growth
It’s so I can grow. When you memorize and meditate on this Word, that is how you grow.
Grace
So we can continuously receive the deep grace of God.
Meeting
The Word is God, but if I meditate on and hold onto the correct Word of God, I’m able to meet with Him. Mysticism people say they experienced this meeting, but because God is Spirit, we cannot know that. God gives the accurate Word of God, and when I hold onto it and meditate on it and contain it in my heart, I’m able to have this accurate meeting, why is that? Because a large umber of people live apart from the Word, and if you ask, “What word did you receive from the Sunday pulpit,” many people get taken aback by this question. They all listened to the same Word, but the majority of people live separated form the Word of God, living separated from the things they want. Christ must be the greatest value of our lives, but we live separated from this fact because there’s something more valuable to us.
Apply
That’s why we aren’t able to apply the Word because we’re separated from the Word. If the Word is within me, then whatever circumstances I face, I will apply the Word.
Effects
Once you apply the Word, you can see the effects. That is why, for this reason, we meditate on the Word of God. So during COVID, we had a time on Saturday where the kids and I were able to meditate on the Word of God in the actual time of day, and with this one verse, I would explain very simply what it meant, but it’s important for the people who relay the Word to be in the direction of these three things. But if you’re not within these three things, you have no choice but to relay the Word in a legalistic way. Then, that is when the words of legalism will be rooted, then they have no choice but to abandon and give up on their masterpiece.
That is why I continue to go over the Bible verses regarding the fundamental problems, Christ, the solution of Christ, the seven blessings of the believer, and the six states of the unbeliever. We don’t need a lot of words; it’s important for the minister to give the correct Word they can root into and meditate upon.
I don’t know the inner state of all the remnants, but if they correctly understood it, it would be rooted in them unbeknownst to them. But the characteristic of those who know the word and cannot meditate is because they think they already know those words. It’s not that you just know it, but you meditate and you have this time of prayer to enjoy that Word. But why don’t we meditate? It’s because we think we already know it, so it’s okay. Not being able to pray means that that Word is not actualized in my life.
They slowly get these thoughts of evangelism, people who don’t have thoughts of evangelism can never evangelize in their field. It’s because they just go out into their business field to make money, so even in 100 years, they wouldn’t be able to evangelize. For such people, they have no choice but to grasp firmly upon success, and even if success comes upon them, they have no choice but to be seized by success.
Life
This is our life; we’re working within our daily lives, this has come to us as an answer and this is our mission, but we continue to say it’s hard and difficult, but once you continue to do this, it becomes your root and that’s when your nature changes. But no one asked, “Pastor, will we do this prayer school again?” It seemed like they felt a sense of liberation. It was in the morning at 11am, and even for me, it was a burden, I didn’t really need to do this, but I thought, “I have to do this,” when 11AM came. No one asked if we would continue this, so I said, “It’s fine.”
That’s why the people who understand the reason why the minister has set up this system are the ones who will follow. But no one asked why we need to do this, they just follow. They follow with their own thoughts. Once you understand why the headquarters messages are given, you have no choice but to follow. The reason why the blessing and the power of the throne are being spoken about, once you understand this reason, you have no choice but to follow.
3) Important
(1) Eternal
The important thing here is the Word is eternal, it means it is unchanging. No matter what changes in your circumstances, this Word will not change. Even if people change, this Word will not change. When you listen to the Word, that’s when your spirit and soul are revived.
(2) Soul
A newcomer came for five weeks and didn’t come for seven weeks, but this person tried to start a business with one of the deaconesses. This person lost a million dollars during COVID, and I told them, “You have to root in the church otherwise this will happen again.” The person said, “I already know,” and people who go to church already know these words, but do you truly know? This person probably doesn’t understand why this person is giving these words. This person probably understood it as, “This person is telling me to go their church,” so this means these people are unable to regard the church as precious.
God has raised the church in order to go along His direction, and that is why, even if you just go by yourself, because you’re not aligned with people around you to support you, there’s no reason for God to give you strength. This person told me, “I just like to listen to amazing sermons on YouTube at night and during the day,” so I mentioned the church because such a person will never receive answers or have resolution to their spiritual problems.
There are a lot of things incorporated in this, they may think, “I don’t like the church because the people are at a lower level and I don’t want to interact with them. Instead I’ll evangelize in my field and glorify God in this way.” That is correct but it is incorrect because God told the people in Mark’s Upper Room to evangelize centered on Mark’s Upper Room, and that’s why God attached businesspeople to them.
Because this is in their nature, that’s why all these things are separate. That’s why, especially for remnants, they must understand correctly and grow up in this, because if they don’t listen to this, they will have no choice but to go into a different direction.
(3) Victory
This Word can be victorious over Satan, Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus overcame the devil with the Word of God, but because we have this nature of being accustomed to the words of the devil and are pleased to hear these words, we have no choice but to be sucked up by those words if we don’t have the word of God.
4) Benefit
Then what is the benefit to this? If you meditate and pray about the Word of God, you will have this effect of evidence.
(1) Meditate (?)
What does meditation on the Word of God mean? Just think of it simply, if you worry about money, that’s meditation on incorrect things. When you worry about a problem you’re facing, that is in other words, meditating on that problem. Some people say they’re thinking deeply about a certain thing, but that’s people who have mental problems quickly. The world teaches us to think deeply about what we’re facing, but for us, we need to focus on the will and plan of God within that problem. Especially from the Sunday pulpit message, we need to meditate on this word and deeply think about that.
Whether you do regional church or have your own ministry, the people who meditate on this Word will see different things. Because this is a message that has melted into their lives, the message they proclaim is different. If you don’t have this experience, they have no choice but to summarize. Of course, we can summarize with our heads, but those who meditate are different themselves. The person who listens is different. Who will have this time? That’s why, utilize your early morning time. Especially on Sunday, after listening to this message, you need to have a time of deep meditation to think about the Word of God. Then the people who listen to this message will write down in their notes, but people who don’t meditate on the Word won’t even write their notes because they are at the level where they think, “I just received grace,” they just listen to it and leave.
Isn’t it the same in the world? If an owner or superior tells you something, you write it down, do you not do that? That’s the life I lived. If the owner told you to do something, do you remain still? There’s no one like that, but those are the very first people who will be fired in a company. Have you seen North Korea? If a superior officer tells them to do something, all the people are busily writing notes. Look at government officials, if they say something, people write it down. In your workplace, if your supervisor tells you to do something, of course you’d write it down, you can’t just listen to it and say, “Okay,” because you won’t remember it later on, and you’ll fail in these little things.
So, how can you say that you already know all the Word of God? Do you think you’ll be able to remember the Word of God, but because it’s a spiritual Word, it has nothing to do with your memory? I hope the remnants do this even as they go out into the world. You must always prepare something to write on. It’s the same in the church, you can’t say, “Pastor, did you mention this to me before?” Such people will have a hard life. In other words, even in the field, in the workplace, if a supervisor has to constantly look over their employees, they will be the first ones to go because there are so many other people who don’t have to be looked after. That’s why the remnants must always have something they can write on. Not only in the church, but also in the workplace, write it down, look upon it, and pray about it.
(2) Worry
Another benefit is all our worries will go away.
(3) Sin
We will be able to overcome sin. What is sin? It is not believing in Jesus. What is sin? It is not relaying or proclaiming Christ. Because of this sin, the Israelites were captives of Babylon. If you don’t know the gospel, you can’t proclaim the gospel, and that is all sin. All other things, God already knows your weaknesses and covers it up. That person speaks very harshly, but that isn’t a problem to God because that person believes in Christ and that person is trying to proclaim Christ and that covers up all their sins. That’s why it doesn’t matter if you’re weak because God is strong and God’s interest is only in the gospel.
He gave us this good news to the point where He died on the cross. God’s interest lies upon those people who want to enjoy and proclaim this gospel. But the Pharisees tried to live this luxurious and noble life, but God’s interest was not in that; Gods’ interest is not about whether you succeed or not, but it’s the gospel, and the church that proclaims the gospel and thinks that the gospel is everything.
Then after time passes, you’ll be able to realize all of this, you’ll realize that not knowing the gospel is sin. It doesn’t matter how well you do at work because you just need to do it as well as to the extent that god give you the strength. Firs you must be aligned with the direction of God for that field, even if you live a diligent life just like the Pharisees and the Sadducees, if you’re not aligned with the direction of God, it doesn’t matter.
That’s why whether you do discipleship training or meet other people, you must do it within these three things.
Prayer
God, we thank You. Thank You for giving us this grace in order to correctly raise up ourselves and other people through this healing evangelism school. Help us to enjoy evangelism and prayer through Word fulfillment. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen.