Big Idea
It’s a joy to bring people to Jesus. And we rejoice when people meet Jesus.
Key Verses
Jeremiah 33:14-16 NLT
14 The day will come, says the Lord , when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. 15 In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. 16 In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’
Malachi 3:1-2 NIV
1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.
Mark 1:1-8 ESV
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John 1:35-37 NLT
35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.
John 3:26-30 NLT
So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.” John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NLT
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
J High Questions
If you could have a title at the end of your name, what would it be?
What reasons or fears do you have when you think about telling someone about Jesus?
Tell us something you love about knowing Jesus that makes you want to invite a friend to come and see.
Read Mark 1:7-8. How does John’s attitude of “He who is mightier than I” take some of the pressure of of telling people about Jesus?
Who in your life comes to mind that you could invite?
High School Questions
If you could have a title at the end of your name, what would it be?
What reasons or fears do you have when you think about telling someone about Jesus?
Matt gave three helps for pushing through the fear of telling someone about Jesus,
The pressure of results is not on my shoulders
Love and sincerity makes what felt like a failure still a step forward.
Pray before you invite. Provide a way after you invite.
How could you use those tools to help you tell someone about Jesus?
Read John 3:26-30. Why do you think John was so okay with having people leave him to go follow Jesus?
Who in your life comes to mind that you could invite?