Making disciples – bearing fruit and growing

Making disciples – bearing fruit and growing

"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth". (Col 1:6)

Dear Church,
The Lord wants us to hear this message clearly: the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, is bearing fruit all over the world and advancing, and He wants us to join in His mission!
This was the message Paul joyously declared when he wrote to the church in Colossae. Today, the truth of this message continues to unfold before us.

The gospel is for everyone
“All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit". Paul was writing to a church made up of mainly Gentile believers. He was at the same time aware that there were many Jewish believers who have embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ, as the gospel was spreading through the then known world. Everywhere the gospel was preached, there was response – in certain cases rejection, and in certain cases welcome. The gospel message was not bound by geography, race, gender, nationality or politics. It was certainly not restricted to only a certain class of people. The gospel is good news to anyone who will receive it.

The gospel is powerful
This gospel is “bearing fruit and growing”. It is not just a catchy phrase. It’s about life change. It is about transformation that brings about right living before God. It is “the power of God for salvation” (Rom 1:16). It is the powerful Word of God that will not come back empty without accomplishing His purpose (Isa 55:11). The gospel is active and dynamic.

The gospel is about God’s grace
The Colossian believers were people who experienced the wonders of God’s amazing grace. They received the gospel message. It impacted them. Their lives had been changed when they received what God freely and graciously provided. This is grace. The gospel is the message of God’s gift to undeserving people. It is the good news of God’s grace.

The gospel must be shared
Epaphras faithfully shared the good news with the Colossians. In turn, the Colossian believers, as beneficiaries, had the responsibility to live out the gospel and relay the good news. It’s a sobering responsibility. But this is God’s way. He could have used another more effective way. But God chose to use people who have received His grace to tell others. Paul drew our attention to the fact that God has given us “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). We are ministers, servants, entrusted with the responsibility to tell people this good news that God’s grace is available.
God will cause the gospel to bear fruit and to advance. Amazingly, He invites us, people who have experienced His grace, to be involved in His mission. What a privilege! What an awesome responsibility!
Our Lord Jesus therefore gave this solemn charge to all His beloved disciples, to “go and make disciples” (Matt 28:18-20). This is the call to the church to be engaged in the Lord’s gospel work, the gospel in the full sense of the word.

Church, let’s hear the call to make disciples. That’s our Lord's design for the good news of the hope of restoration to be brought to the world.

In 2011:

Hear the message to Jonah, and understand God's heartbeat.

Hear the message to Joel, and take hold of the Lord's promise.

Hear the message to the Colossians, and have an appreciation of the gospel's transforming power.

YCKC, the Lord has placed us here to exhort one another, to be accountable to each other in the Body of Christ, to have opportunities to minister together. The mandate is clear, the task is great, the outcome will be glorious, for the Lord will accomplish His purpose. We have the privilege of involvement in the Lord’s mission, and will have the joy of seeing the gospel bearing fruit and growing.

May this new year be one that is fruitful, the result of disciples going out faithfully to “make disciples” as our Lord has so commissioned us.


David LT Yap
Beneficiary of God’s grace
Serving as Lead Pastor in YCKC