B2B (Part 8): What Truly Matters? - We Value Authentic Discipleship
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Consider the Cost: The Marshmallow Test
Sometimes you just have to ask yourself…is it worth it?
REVIEW
Mission: To help the lost be saved and the saved be disciples.
Vision: To be an outpost of God’s Kingdom that spreads His Gospel and His influence throughout the valley and beyond.
Motto: Jesus Today, Jesus Everyday, Jesus Always…in All Things.
Values: We Value…God’s Word…Dedicated Prayer…Authentic Discipleship!
There is a vast difference between someone who is attracted to following Jesus and someone who genuinely follows Him as His Disciple.
In our church, we want to value genuine, authentic discipleship!
25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. 34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
1) Discipleship is MORE THAN ADMIRING! (v. 25)
1) Discipleship is MORE THAN ADMIRING! (v. 25)
25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,
There was a great crowd accompanying Jesus.
There were many who had heard about Him.
There were many who wanted to see if was the real deal.
There were many who wanted to see what kind of impact He might give to their lives.
There were many who had followed for some time simply because Jesus sparks curiosity.
When Jesus turns to address the crowd, he is wanted to set a tone of distinction…
Just traveling to where he was going…
Just sitting and listening to His teaching…
Just admiring being in His presence…
Just flattering Him with some attention…
…IS NOT BEING HIS DISCIPLE!
2) Discipleship is ESTABLISHING JESUS AS FIRST AND FOREMOST! (v.26-27)
2) Discipleship is ESTABLISHING JESUS AS FIRST AND FOREMOST! (v.26-27)
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
As Jesus seeks to establish what it means to truly follow Him, He doesn’t leave any room for doubt!
He uses some direct language.
For clarity: Jesus is not advocating hatred towards those who should be your closest earthy relationships.
What Jesus is establishing here is that He takes precedent over everything!
Be Jesus’ disciple first before you consider yourself a son or daughter.
Be Jesus’ disciple first before you consider yourself a spouse.
Be Jesus’ disciple first before you consider yourself a parent.
Be Jesus’ disciple first before you consider yourself a brother or sister.
Be Jesus’ disciple first before you consider your own agency and autonomy.
Being Jesus’ disciple should define us and everything else in our lives.
When it comes to being Jesus’ disciple…it is a one way road. No turning back. No return.
When someone was carrying their cross and being escorted by a group of Roman soldiers…they weren’t coming back!
Jesus uses the word of “hate” not in terms of “strongly dislike” but in terms of comparison.
We must love Jesus so much that we yield to Him, His purposes, His Kingdom, and His Lordship above everything else!
To a lost world, this looks like hate!
3) Discipleship is COUNTING THE COST! (v.28-33)
3) Discipleship is COUNTING THE COST! (v.28-33)
28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
Parable of the Tower: Can you afford to follow Jesus? (v.28-30)
Jesus says, that following Him must not be a knee jerk reaction, but one of serious contemplation and consideration.
Do you love Jesus more than your parents, your spouse, your children, your siblings, your own life?
Are you willing to go all in on Jesus and live all our for Him?
Parable of the warring king: Can you afford to NOT follow Jesus? (v.31-32)
Again Jesus uses another parable, this time of a king going to war.
Can the king in question afford to NOT make peace before he embattles himself with one who is much greater than he?
Are you willing to reject Jesus and prioritize anything else over Him? Can whatever you prioritize over Him stand up to the weight and measure of eternity?
Renouncing ownership of all to gain everything! (v.33)
Renouncing all that we have doesn’t mean giving a way all we have.
Renoucing all we have means that all we have is no longer mine…it now belongs to Him.
Being His disciple means that He is the Master of it all…I therefore am just His servant and steward.
What does it look like when Jesus is in charge of your family, friends, and finances?
4) Discipleship is STAYING THE COURSE! (v.34-35)
4) Discipleship is STAYING THE COURSE! (v.34-35)
34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Having a flavor for Jesus is good…but letting that flavor fade proves worthless.
Following Jesus requires that we always let Him permeate and flavor all aspects of our life.
It’s like always keeping in mind that what this moment and every moment of our lives needs, is Jesus!
Being His disicple means you don’t let your life fade to being bland because you let the flavor of Jesus fade out of your life!
Closing
Closing
As a Church we must not just settle for admiring Jesus.
We must collectively value authentic discipleship.
We must seek after, call one another to, and hold each other accountable towards being authentic disciples.
As we close out this morning…are you a disciple or just an admirer?
What’s keeping you from letting go and being all in all for Jesus?
Whatever that is…is it truly worth holding on to over Him?
Let’s use this time of response to either establish or reaffirm our commitment to be an authentic disciple of Jesus!
