In this message we will begin to cover the second step of the God-ordained way: the nourishing and cherishing of the new ones that they may remain. In John 15:16 the Lord said, “I chose you, and I appointed you that you should go forth and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” We have been charged with three things: we should go forth, we should bear fruit, and our fruit should remain. However, to insure that our fruit will remain is not an easy task. In the past in the Lord’s recovery, although we were short in the matter of gospel preaching, we brought many to the Lord and baptized a good number. However, very few have remained. The Lord is now teaching us a very crucial step. We all must learn what to do so that our fruit will remain.
In John 21:15 the Lord charges us to feed His lambs. This is to do something for the fruit that we have borne that they might remain. If we love the Lord, we must feed His lambs, the little ones, the small ones, the young sheep. The fruit in chapter fifteen becomes the lambs in chapter twenty-one. To bear fruit is to multiply or produce the lambs. But after producing the lambs, we still have to bear the responsibility to feed the lambs.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Paul says, “We were gentle in your midst, as a nurse would cherish her own children.” Whenever a mother comes to cherish or nourish her little babe, she is always very gentle. In this verse Paul did not use the word “nourish,” but he used the word “cherish.” Cherishing includes nourishing, but it indicates more tender care than mere nourishing. When a mother cherishes her babe, generally, she will also nourish it. In Greek the word for “nurse” in this verse means “a nursing mother.”
When a baby is crying, the mother would not rebuke or spank it; the more the baby cries, the more gentle the mother would be. To cherish is to do everything in order to meet the little one’s need. Many times the mother knows why the babe is crying, but sometimes she does not know. When she comes to the baby and holds it, she may realize that the baby is hungry or cold. She would nurse her babe or hold it in a very loving way to warm it. Everything she does would become a kind of cherishing to that little babe to make it happy.
After we baptize someone, we must immediately consider ourselves as gentle, nursing mothers. Even Paul, the great apostle, became a nursing mother; he was so gentle with the young believers. After we bring people to the Lord and baptize them into the Triune God, we must take care of them.
After a new one has been saved and baptized, we should begin to meet with him in his home. The best way to carry out the home meeting is simply to cause this new one to feel happy. The first and main thing we must do is to make this one happy. Someone may ask, “After baptizing someone and after he has changed his clothes, what is the first thing I should cover with him: the first lesson of Life Lessons or the first lesson of Truth Lessons?” To use these materials at this time may be a kind of “spanking” to that newborn babe. After the baptized one has changed clothes and comes to us, we must have a kind of attitude, appearance, and gesture that is so pleasant to make this dear one also feel pleasant. If we are not gentle but are so dignified or strict in our gesture toward the new believers, they may be offended by us and may not want us to visit them again. While the newly baptized one is changing, we must learn how to exercise in such a way that our whole being would express a contagious joy. Then when he comes to join you, you might stand up and greet him: “Hallelujah! It is so good that you have been saved! Congratulations!” This will warm his heart and make him pleasant and happy.
We must cherish the new ones to make them happy. We have to learn how to speak to them in the best way. Whatever we say must be said so pleasantly. We may begin: “This Bible is really good. Look how it is bound and printed. It is really beautiful.” This kind of speaking will cause this one to feel quite pleasant. He would be happy for us to talk with him further.
How many of us have gone to a home to have a home meeting in the way of making people feel pleasant? To nourish and cherish the new ones, we have to be fine and gentle. Some brothers are very eager and intense. Their way of speaking may be too strong or rough. This may intimidate or somewhat frighten the young ones. Others are like preachers, theological school graduates, always presenting one portion from the Bible after another to instruct them. Their gesture would give people the feeling that they are proud. This kind of talk, this kind of attitude, this kind of gesture, will always cool down the new ones.
If you were in a home talking with a man and his young, four-year-old son comes into the room, what would you do? This is an opportunity. You might simply reach out and touch this boy’s head softly and speak to him. This is the best way to warm up the father’s heart. You could stop talking to his father and just speak to this child for a few minutes. Then the father would be so pleased that he might tell you some things concerning his son. To care for people in this kind of gentle way is not so easy to learn.
Suppose three saints have brought an old man to the Lord and have baptized him. How should they meet with this old man? While this one is still changing clothes, perhaps one of the three, a young sister, would begin to sing a song concerning the joy of salvation. To sing a hymn or a song is often the best way to begin, but you have to sing the right song, and you have to sing it with the right voice. You have to be pleasant and natural in your singing. It is hard for me to teach you this. This is something you must learn by practicing. You can practice by speaking and singing to yourselves at home, and you can also practice every time you are with the new ones.
To preach the gospel and to gain people by contacting them in a way that will make them happy require much learning. Actually, this kind of learning is endless. For me to teach you these things is not easy. You have to pick up the principles and learn through your practice. Do not take this matter lightly. It is not enough to have some knowledge of the Bible. You also must know how to take care of people in a way that their hearts would be open to you.
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