The Cost of Discipleship
Notes
Transcript
Luke 14:25-35
“The Cost Of Discipleship”
Small Group Study Questions
*Start your small group time off with prayer and then read the passage of Scripture in its entirety before getting into the questions.
1. If someone were to say to you that they follow a particular person, what does that mean to you? How do you understand Jesus’ words in this passage about what it means to follow him? What is the difference?
2. What are the conditions for following Jesus that he communicates to us in this passage? What do you think of them? Do you feel that Jesus is asking for too much?
3. Read Luke 9:59-62. What are your thoughts on this passage? What is the point that Jesus is trying to make?
4. Read 1 Peter 2:21. Why did Jesus suffer? Why must we be prepared to suffer for following Christ as Christians?
5. Read Luke 14:28-32 again. What is Jesus saying to us through these two parables?
6. Read Luke 14:33. Why is giving up everything for Jesus, not so much in the sense of our belongings, though that could very well be part of it, but our desires and goals, critical to following Jesus completely in our lives? What is the danger of not surrendering every aspect of our lives to Jesus?
7. Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes this in his book The Cost of Discipleship:
“Discipleship is not an offer man makes to Christ.”
What do you think of Bonhoeffer’s words here? How do these words help us to better understand the cost of following Christ in our lives?
8. Have you counted the cost of following Christ? What has it cost you in your life? What is it costing you now? How can you become more committed to following Jesus in your life, whatever the cost?
Closing Prayer: Ask the Lord to remind you of how much he sacrificed for you, the cost he paid to bring you into right relationship with God, and to cleanse you of all your sin. Pray that God would make you surrendered to him in every way so that when it costs you to follow Jesus you would continue to do so. Thank God that he is faithful to keep you strong in following him as you rely on his power and grace for your life.