radical part 1 luke 9. someone worth losing everything for... what kind of person would this be for...
TRANSCRIPT
Was Jesus a Success?
• Only 120 followers despite being heard by tens of thousands
• Only 12 hard-core devotees
Puddles of Tears
“A woman on the other side of the room spoke up next. “Some of the members in my church were recently confronted by government officials.” She continued,
“They threatened their families, saying that if they did not stop gathering to study the Bible they were going to lose everything
they had.” She asked for prayer, saying, “I need to know how to lead my church to follow Christ even when it costs them
everything” (4-5).
Puddles of Tears
“As I looked around the room, I saw that everyone was now in tears. The struggles expressed by this brother and sister were not isolated. They all looked at one another and said, “We need to pray” (5).
Radical Commitment
• “Both of the men in the picture with me are church planters in India. The pastor on the right is pastor Pujenata. He has planted 64 churches personally!!! Most Christians don't even witness to that many people in a lifetime. Modern day Paul!”
Radical Commitment
• Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh of Iran, held in Evin Prison for five months for refusing to turn from Christ
Radical Commitment?The American church
• Our reasons for “following Christ”
• “We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves” – David Platt (7).
Talking People out of Following ChristLuke 9:57-62 Three men came to follow
Jesus
• Guy #1 “I will follow you wherever you go.”
• Jesus’ response - Luke 9:58
• Expect homelessness
Talking People out of Following ChristLuke 9:57-62
• Guy #2 “My Dad died, I need to go bury him first.”
• Jesus’ response - Luke 9:60
• There are more important things to do
Talking People out of Following ChristLuke 9:57-62
• Guy #3 “I need to say ‘bye’ to my family first”
• Jesus’ response - Luke 9:62
What to expect if you follow me
• Become homeless
• Let someone else bury your dad
• Don’t even say good-bye to your family
Talking people out of it?
• “Contrary to what I may have thought about Luke 9, Jesus was not using a gimmick to get more followers. He was simply and boldly making it clear from the start that if you follow him, you abandon everything—your needs, your desires, even your family” – David Platt (10).
More Radicalism
• Luke 14:26-33
• “Sounds a lot different than “Admit, believe, confess, and pray this prayer after me.”
Christian News Publication (2004)
• Main Headline, “First Baptist Church celebrates new $23 Million Building”
• Smaller Headline, “Baptist Relief Helps Sudanese Refugees”
• “…..Baptists have raised $5,000 to send to refugees in western Sudan.”
Radical Commitment
• Are you willing to become a radical follower of Jesus?
• 1. Commit to believe whatever Jesus says
• 2. Commit to obey what you have heard