10/19/25 A new direction for FBC, Pastor Cody Harlow, John 15:16

And I remember I

Pulled up here, I was visiting Incognito and I wasn't sure if this was the right church. Okay. The reason why is because that said I was coming to First Baptist Church Camden and how many of you have ever noticed that our outside sign says First Baptist Church at the crossroads. Anybody noticed that? Anybody thought what does that even mean? Like of course crossroads is right up here, but like I mean our sign doesn't even say who we are. No wonder we had a massive identity issue if we can't even get the signage right. And so I kind of I kind of drove down and I was like, "Well, I this is the address. I guess that this is it." And of course, we came out and we God called us here. It was in u May of 2016. I was talking to Pastor Kirk who is the best pastor that this church has had in since I've been here. He was awesome. Of course, he's the only other pastor other than myself. But I mean that I mean that in the most sincere form because he was he was a great leader and a godly man. And I remember talking with him because I was like, "Well, we're loving God. We're loving each other. We're loving our community. Loving our world. Why doesn't that have a four in it?" I don't know. I mean, you can still see this. This is just right by the office down there and on various signages. You know, if something's combined, what's left out? I don't know. And so it's just it's still not clear. So he said, "Well, why don't we put something that just says what we're doing?" And we just kind of come up with something a little bit more abstract. And so we came up with this. At least it says what we're about, but we have no clue what that is. I mean, you look at it, at least it's modern. At least it kind of, you know, has four things.

But we still don't know what it is. And so we've had this massive identity issue for a long time. And if you've been here since 2018, you'll remember after Pastor Kirk left I went to the Missouri Baptist Convention for a transitional pastor training. And one of the things that I did was I showed you guys the scary graph. You guys remember the scary graph? People have said, "I want to see the scary graph." For those of you who are maybe new here, this is part of our church history. All right? We're family, right? We're not an organization. I'm not a CEO. I'm a pastor. I'm a shepherd. So, I'm going to talk to you with no pretense. Okay? With as of 2018, which was right here. Okay? This is where we were and this was the trend line. Okay? We would be worshiping with 116 people in this service if that trend had kept up. And I mean this is this is not if we went back to the mid 2000s this would be up to 400 or so. So this is a 20y year two decade long ease into the grave for first baptist church of Candon. I want you guys to think about that. This big empty building. But that wasn't God's plan. If we zoom in, we'll see dramatically just how much it tapers off. You'll see right here, averaging about 170 or so, one 180 somewhere in there all the way down to 116. That's the 10-year view. That's with the trend. Thank the Lord he had other plans. If we look at 2020, we see the big dip. Of course, there's always an asterisk beside that. And now we are averaging just at 200 in services. Praise the Lord for that. We give glory to God for that because that Lord knows that's not my ability. I'm the worst administrator I know. But you know what? He's faithful to his people. Amen. >> He always leaves a remnant. And so we

Look at 2018 numbers. We're we are on the trajectory up. Praise the Lord for that. If we zoom in, we actually get a little bit of a better picture for where we're at. You'll notice that trend line. That's that bright green one that's going up there. We thank the Lord for that because he's the one that's giving this growth. And I it took six years for us to get to this point because if id introduced this back in 2018, well, we still had those same attitudes and those same methods that contributed to the 20-year decline in our church. Some of those still exist here. When we were sitting and we were praying about this and we wrestled with this for a long time. We spent a lot of time praying through this and seeking the Lord. I'll never forget I'll never forget when we all sat down and we were all thinking of different things and Jim he spoke up. He said, "Well, let me share with you my life verse." And so he shared this passage and I want to share it with you and I want to explain the passage but I want us to focus on John 15:16 and I want that's going to be the passage that I preach today which I know is not Ruth. Okay. But there's there's a massive reason for this in our church. Okay. And it's because not just your elders, not just your deacons, and not just the loving teams feel like this is the direction for our church, but it's exactly what Jesus says is his plan for believers. And so all that we have to do is say, "Yes, Lord. Amen." And walk in his plan. And so with that in mind, if you would stand with me in honor of God's word as we read John 15:es 12-1 17, he says this, "This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone laid down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command

You. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends. For all that I have heard from my father, I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you so that you will love one another. Let's pray. And so, Father, we do give you this time. We give you this these next 30 40 minutes where we just really sit and chew and think on these these verses and this passage. Lord, we just it for me, I know for many people out there, it's it's been a long time coming. But Lord, now is the right time. And so we just thank you for getting our church to this point. I ask Lord that you would just give us understanding that you would help us to see exactly what you're up to. We thank you that this church is not gone. I thank you that there's not 116 people out there among the congregation, Lord. But that you are working. And so we thank you for that. And we ask that you would continue to work. And Lord, we to be honest, I'm not interested in transitional growth. I don't want members from other churches, Lord. I want to see new growth. I want to see young people, old people, children reached with the Gospel, God. And in the meantime, I just I just pray that you would find us faithful. God, we got so many needs in our congregation. Health needs and physical needs and business needs. God, you know them all. And we just surrender them to you. We plead for you to work, God, and we ask that you would move among us in a mighty way today. We love you and we thank you for your grace. We thank you for your mercy in Jesus name. Amen. Well, John 15 belongs to what's called

The farewell or the upper room discourse. It is the most extensive section of teaching anywhere in the Gospels. He just sits and he talks with his disciples on the night before his crucifixion. And he's not with the crowds. He's with the 11. And he's giving his final words of instruction for life and for mission before his eventual departure. And he uses the image of this vine and this branch that he uses to teach that the father he tends to us. The son he gives life to us. And the disciples what are we called to do? We are called to abide in Christ. You see genuine disciplehip he says is proven by fruitfulness because apart from him we can do what? >> Nothing. These are not evangelistic appeals, but words of disciplehip that are urgent, that are intimate and meant to shape how believers live when Christ is no longer physically present with them. You see, in verses 12 through13, Jesus, he defines the marks of abiding, which is love for one another. This command it repeats what he said in earlier in John chapter 13 34 and 35 and it becomes the distinguishing sign of his followers if you are a follower of Christ you are going to love each other the love he describes is not sentimental it's not occasional but it is sacrificial and it is devoted to each other Jesus he says As I have loved you, his love chose, it taught, it served, and ultimately laid down its life. And it begins with God's initiative. We love because he first >> loved us, and it overflows toward others that are around us, especially towards fellow believers. And such love is the first fruit of those that are rooted in Christ. And it becomes visible proof of his life within us. In verses 14 and 15, Jesus, he deepens the picture. His

Disciples, they're not just servants. They are his friends. And what that means, we can't read that through western eyes. It means that he is sharing his heart. The one that is greater is bearing to us all the desires and we are called to obey his words and this friendship. It's not equality with the Lord. It's intimacy with the Lord. We know his heart. We know his desires. There's no question as to what we are called to do as believers. True disciplehip is obedient intimacy. To know Christ personally, to walk in his commands, and to let his word abide in us. We do this through prayer, through worship, through Bible study, things like that. And as his friends, we will learn and we will live out what he's commanded to us. And so, if we were to say like what is the sequence here? Jesus's sequence is intentional. He tells us to abide in him, which means to remain in Christ, remain in him. And then we move from abiding to obeying, keeping his commands, what he has said. And then that obedience will reveal itself through love as I have loved you. That self-sacrificial giving love. And that love is defined by going and bearing fruit that remains. In other words, abiding produces obedience and obedience proves love and love propels our mission. So, let's let's define a couple of terms here because they're pretty important for us. Let's talk about bearing fruit. It is to produce visible evidence of Christ's life within us through transformed character, obedient conduct, and the reproduction of disciples who remain in him. That's just the definition, right? If we were to talk about abiding, abiding is to live in ongoing obedient fellowship with Christ by continually drawing direction and strength from him through his word, prayer, worship, and

The Holy Spirit. And so to put it simply, abiding is the root of disciplehip. That's what it is. And bearing fruit is the proof of disciplehip. So you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain so that whatever you ask the father in my name, he may give it to you. As I said, we introduced this quite a while ago to the deacons and to the loving team members. And so we want to introduce it to you as our mission verse. We believe that this is the why First Baptist Church of Camden exists >> and it starts with salvation, right? You see, it has its origin in God. He chose us and yet his choices not just in regards to our salvation, but you were saved for a purpose. And that's the way that's gone since the beginning. Noah, he wasn't chosen out of that pagan culture because he was righteous. What does it say? Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. That's how it started. That's called God's unmmerited favor, his grace. And so, in spite of the whole earth being a terrible place, it was so bad that he saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth. And every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And that's not hyperbole. I believe that's very literal. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heaven for I birds of the heavens for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. And so what did God do? He had

Grace on Noah. By faith, Noah being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen. In reverent fear, constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this, he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. You see, God's choosing and unmmerited grace upon Noah was for salvation, but it was for a purpose, too. To save the world. And we thank the Lord for that. Otherwise, none of us would be here. We see that in Abraham's life, too. Abraham, he was raised by a pagan. His father Tara, the father of Abraham and of Nahor. They served other gods. Abraham did not know the Lord until what? The Lord said to Abraham or Abram, "Go to your country. Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you, and I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and I will make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So you got God's choice but his choice was for a purpose. What was Abraham's purpose? To be a blessing to all the nations which we know is fulfilled in Christ. And this teaches us about the importance of being rooted in Christ. You have to know the Lord. Our life, our identity, our purpose flows from Jesus. It says this in Colossians, therefore, as you received him, you received him by faith. As you received Christ, so walk in him. You walk in him by faith, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. And so this guards us from any sort of pride. It prevents us from going, "Look at what we've done." And it gives us assurance that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. He started it. He will complete it. Thank the Lord for that

Comfort and that reassurance. But it's clear from the verse that the purpose is not ours to invent. It's Christ's purpose that he gave to us to obey. And so what is the purpose? Well, we see two of them here in John 15:16. The first is to go and bear fruit. Now, that's a purpose clause in order that in order that we should go and bear fruit. Let's let's remember the definition, right? Bearing fruit to produce visible evidence of Christ's life within us through transformed character, obedient conduct, and the reproduction of disciples who remain in him. Let's talk about character real quick. We know that this about the fruit of the spirit. It's love, it's joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness, selfish selflessness, gentleness, self-control. Sorry, I was thinking of that song, The Fruit of the Spirit's Not a Coconut. Against such things there is no law. This is the character. And yet it's not that we see a little bit of love, a little bit of joy, maybe not so much peace or patience. We're always praying for patience, aren't we? Kindness. All right. No, it's the fruit of the spirit. It's one fruit. It's one fruit. So, we should see these things growing in our lives. This is a character, I guess you could say, a characteristic of Christ. And that's what it is. Is it's Christ likeness. We look at our conduct so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. You see here, fruit is tied to our good works like serving in the church and ministering in the community and practicing hospitality and much more than that. And here in our passage, it's in reference to conversion. We know this because the call is to go

And bear fruit, which is implicitly evangelistic. You see, the purpose of God saving you isn't because you're so special. It's because he's so good. And his choice isn't simply for your salvation, but it's for you to reproduce yourself as a follower of Christ in others. You are called to bear fruit for the kingdom of God by making disciples. You're not responsible for others responses to the Gospel, but you are called to sew the seeds of the Gospel that others may hear the word and receive it with gladness. And that's what's meant here by bearing fruit. And this is what we would call reproducing disciples. We are chosen and we are sent to bear fruit. Jesus, he said it this way. By this my father has glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. Now bearing fruit is understood as multiplying the life of Christ in others through evangelism and disciplehip. It's not about a program. It's not about catchy slogans or anything like that. It's about being personal and intentional with discipling others. And each one of us, if you are in Christ, you are a believer. And each one of us should be taking another believer, a younger believer, and investing in them and teaching them what God's word has to say and how the Holy Spirit has taught us. And that continues on and on and on. You reach one and you reach one and you reach one and everyone reaching one person. I remember a beloved pastor that I got to serve with. His name was we down Texas we called each called him brother, right? Brother Lynn. Brother Lynn Holly. He always would say, "Every member is a minister. Every single one of us. If you've got the Holy Spirit, you are a minister. Every member is a missionary. Each and

Every single one of us, you have been called by God to make an impact for the Gospel. But I would go one step further. I would say that each place is a mission field. Everywhere that you go, whether it's down to Walmart or whether you're on the job or whether you're in your home to your neighbors, to your friends, each place that you go is a mission field for you to go and sew the seeds of the Gospel. We look at the great commission. Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age." You see, since Christ, he defeated sin and death and hell and Satan, he has all authority. And through our salvation, we have been made citizens of the heavenly kingdom. This world is not our home anymore. >> We don't belong here. We are sojourers. We are pilgrims. We are aliens traveling through this world. And we now function as ambassadors of that heavenly kingdom. Each and every single one of us are called to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ. And we live among the world as outsiders. We don't belong here. But we have a purpose here which is to grow the kingdom of God by reproducing disciples. He says here that your fruit should abide so that whatever you ask the father in my name he may give it to you. You see this establishes the permanence of our mission. Jesus he desires lasting fruit and disciples that persevere. Families that are transformed by the power of the Gospel and communities that are completely renewed by the truth and the power of Jesus Christ. That abiding, remember abiding means to live in

Ongoing obedient fellowship with Christ by continually drawing direction and strength from him through his word, through prayer, through worship and the Holy Spirit. It's not about seeing a bunch of people make decisions for Christ. It's about how many disciples are we bringing into the kingdom of God. Who's someone that you are investing in? Who is your one person that you are discipling? You know Jesus, he had 11 true disciples. But he really he really poured himself into three. Peter, James, and John. Do you have one? Do you have three? Do you have any? Have you made any disciples? We call this renewing lives for God's glory. You see, you are called to this work because the work of Christ is not about temporary lifestyle changes but about enduring transformation. It's about abiding in Christ and teaching others to abide in Christ. We used to think of leaving a legacy in terms of plaques and rooms or movements being started or buildings built. But plaques they get moved around. Movements they come and go. Buildings they decay. But people's souls are eternal. They last forever. Forever and ever. And so let's invest in the things that we know will last forever. And so this leads us to our mission statement, which is our outline, which is rooted in Christ, reproducing disciples, and renewing lives for God's glory. Amen. This is what we're called to do. This is what Christ has chosen us for, to live rooted in and reproducing and renewing for his glory, not our own. But now that we know why we exist, rooted reproducing renewing the question comes, how will we stay

Faithful to that calling? And so we've we've been praying through this, planning this, discussing this, and in these next seven points, here's the thing. We didn't want to we didn't want to ground all this in my desire and my personality or anything like that, right? One of these days I'm going to die and you know, First Baptist Church will continue on. Amen. >> Amen. >> It's just going to happen. So, we wanted to b we wanted to put this squarely in the unchanging pr principles that are found in God's word because God's word never changes. That's >> right. And so, so that's why we were thinking like we want this to be based in the Scriptures because strategies they come and go and tying our mission directly to Scripture secures it firmly. And so now we look at this passage and we go, "Yes, Lord, we're just going to follow that because that's your plan. Praise the Lord." But also, it gives us a sharp focus. See, this doesn't this allows us to not be distracted with a bunch of programs and activities and meetings that don't don't help us meet the vision that God has for us. We want to be laser focused so that way we can make an incredible impact in Camden and around the world. That's why you can do surgery with a with a laser and not a flashlight. It's because it's laser focused. It also helps us to have a strategic filter. You see, filters are designed to remove impurities so that we can receive the things that are healthy and that are good for us. Without filters, you know, if your body didn't have a filter, you'd be sick all the time. You'd die. And so, what this vision does is it gives us a filter to ask, is this rooting people in Christ? Is this

Helping us reproduce disciples? Is this helping you and I renew lives for the glory of God? And so we apply that to our ministries and each person can do that too because it's Biblical. It also helps us simplify things. It's easy to remember. It's easy to reinforce. It allows us to bring unity and cohesion to our identity and our purpose. We don't have to go outside and go, "Well, we're First Baptist Church at the crossroads or, you know, we're we're loving three or we're some weird ambiguous arrow thing." We don't have to worry about that. This gives us something to unify around, which is Scripture. And it's spiritually rich. There's nothing ambiguous with this. It's about our union with Christ. It's about multiplying disciples. It's about transformation through the power of the Holy Spirit. It also calls us to shared ownership because this isn't my mission statement. This isn't the elers's mission statement. It's Jesus's vision for his disciples. And so, it's something that each one of us can and should already be living out. And it also helps us to synchronize our ministries. If all of our ministries and programs are all shooting for the same goal, then it allows us to have tremendous impact in our community for the Gospel. And so, church, this is what we've been working through for a while now, rooted in Christ, reproducing disciples, and renewing lives for his glory until he returns. I want to read the entirety of the passage for you because it helps us get a full picture of Jesus's desire for us. He says this, "I am the true vine and my father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit.

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers. The branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me and my words in you and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants. For the servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends. For all have heard from my father. For all that I have heard from my father, I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you so that you will love one another. Amen. Head, heart, hand, head. God wants you to know that being rooted in him, reproducing disciples, and renewing lives isn't just a church mission. It's

Your personal purpose as a follower of Christ. Heart God. He wants you to believe that you are chosen and appointed not only to be saved, but to bear lasting fruit through a life rooted in him. God didn't just save you to sit. He saved you to bear fruit that remains. You see, he chose you in love, not only for redemption, but for reproduction, to live rooted in Christ and to see his life multiplied in others. In hand. God wants you to join your church family in living this mission together, being rooted in Christ, reproducing disciples, and renewing lives for God's glory. And so today, I want to ask you, if you are willing to embrace that calling, are you willing to personally commit to being rooted in Christ and growing in his word, increasing in prayer, abounding in worship, and abiding in his love? Will you commit yourself to reproduce disciples by investing in others with the same Gospel that has transformed your life? And will you re will you join us in renewing lives for the glory of God and the good of our community? Because this isn't just First Baptist Church's mission. It's our shared identity in Christ, being rooted in him, reproducing disciples, and renewing lives for his glory. For his glory, not our own. And so, Lord, make us a people rooted in your word. Help us to be focused on that. Help us to be about reproducing disciples to reach the lost that are here in our area, Lord, and in so many areas that are here around the lake. We just want to be useful, God. That's the cry of our heart. Father, just use us to change Camden. And Father, as our church considers this, I pray and plead that you would move hearts to fully adopt this Lord. I pray for the business meeting in a couple of weeks when we hopefully

Formally adopt this God as our church mission and vision, God. I pray that we would be unified around it. God, unite our hearts around your word. Unite our hearts around your person, God. Help our spirit help your spirit to bear witness towards each other that we are yours, that you have us, God. Father, please work in the hearts of this flock. We love you, Lord, in Jesus name. Amen. Let's all stand and let's respond in worship together. [Music] I remember I was I was running out of time. [Music] The bridge was far too wide. From the far side of the castle, you held me in your side. So you made a way across the great divide. Left behind heaven to build it here inside at the cross. You paid the debt I owe. Broke my chain, freed my soul. For the first time I have hope. Thank you Jesus for the blood applied. Thank you Jesus. It has washed me. >> Thank you Jesus. You have saved my life. Brought me from the darkness into glorious light. >> You took my place and laid inside my tomb of sin. You were buried for three days, but then you walked right out again. And now death has no ste. And lion has no way. For I have been transformed by the blood of the lamb. Thank you Jesus for the blood of life. Thank you Jesus. It has washed me white. Thank you Jesus. You have saved my life.

You brought me from the darkness into glorious light. [Music] There is nothing stronger than the wonder working power of the love the blood because sons and daughters we are transformed by a father through the Blood. The blood. There is nothing stronger than the wonder working power love. Love that. Because of sons and daughters. We are ransomed by our father through the blood. The blood. Thank you Jesus for the blood. Thank you Jesus. It has washed away. Thank you Jesus. You have saved my life. Brought me from the darkness into glorious light. [Music] Thank you Jesus for the blood of [Applause] Thank you Jesus has washed me. Thank you Jesus. You have saved my life. Brought me from the darkness into glorious light. [Music] >> Second Peter 3:18 says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." You may go in peace. Thank you.