8. Follow

LOOK BACK

Praise

Read Psalm 16:7-11 and teach a new song

Celebrating God’s Faithfulness

How have you experienced God in your life this week?
How have you experienced God working through your life this week?
Were you able to tell anyone this week about what God is doing in your life or pray with anyone?

Caring for each other

Do you need any help from God in your life?

Motivation and Encouragement

John 16 teaches us that the Holy Spirit is actively at work in the hearts of those around us. He is showing them their sin. He is creating a desire to be right with God. He is creating a longing to avoid the fear of death, which is eternal judgment. He is tearing down the objections of their minds and hearts. Our job is to fish for those people through witnessing, finding those whose hearts are ready. Let’s encourage each other by reminding each other that the Spirit is already working before we even go.

LOOK UP

Context

The night before Jesus was crucified, he had dinner with his 12 closest disciples. He told them He was going away but that He was going to send the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, to be with them forever. He teaches them that through the presence of the Holy Spirit living in them, He himself will be with them. This story uses the image of a vine and its branches to describe what our relationship with Jesus should be like.

Read

Read or watch John 15:1-11 two times as everyone listens

¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.²He 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.³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.⁴Remain 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.

⁵“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.⁶If 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.⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.⁸This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

⁹“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.¹⁰If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

What stands out for you in this passage?
What do you like and what bothers you in this passage?
Why do you think this passage is important?
What are some possible ways a person could apply this passage? Is there:
- A behaviour to change?
- A promise to claim?
- An example to follow?
- A command to obey?
Ask God what He wants you to do in response to the passage.
Share this with the group

Read, Tell and Correct

Read the story again. Have someone tell the story and ask the group to correct if necessary.

Summary

Without Jesus, we cannot do anything. We can only have a fruitful life when we depend on and remain in Him. This happens as we submit in obedience to His ways, allowing his life to flow in and through us so that we can bear fruit for the glory of God. In other words, we need to let the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, direct and empower our lives by faith.

For further enrichment: Read Transferable Concept #4: How to Walk in the Spirit and discuss with another group member.

LOOK FORWARD

Preparing for Mission

Review the principles of Spiritual Breathing from lesson 3, “Keeping in Step with the Spirit”
Practice any skill or topic from previous lessons as needed

Going on the Mission

What is God revealing as your next steps this week with him and others?
Share this step with the group and ask someone to pray for you as you take this step in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Commit everyone’s goals to the Lord. Ask the Lord to help us be faithful and use us to start a movement of people living the MyFriends Lifestyle.

8.

Follow