WEEK 8 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

Practicing the way – Self-denial In an age of self-fulfillment

Introduction:

Jesus invited misbehavers and unbelievers to follow Him during His time on earth. We are all invited to follow Him. You are invited to follow Him, but you must know something about following Jesus. It will cost you something eventually. It may cost you money, career advancement, or even relationships. That’s because Jesus offers us the choice of denying ourselves now or losing ourselves later. We know many blessings come with being a Christian. But there are also some costs. It’s essential to think about and understand those costs. But you’ll find that when you pay the price for following Jesus, you’ll be glad you did.

Bottom Line: The cross is where apprenticeship starts and transformation takes root.

Something To Talk About:

Salvation is free, yet it costs you your life. You receive it freely at no expense, but once you receive it, you have just committed everything you are and have to Jesus Christ. You may protest, “That’s a contradiction! How can something be both free and costly at the same time?”

A foundational piece of discipleship is self-denial: According to Luke 9:23, following Jesus involves self-denial. Jesus says, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”This means being willing to sacrifice personal desires and ambitions for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom. This involves actively choosing to put God’s will above your own desires, even when it’s difficult. It’s about recognizing that you are not the center of existence but Jesus Christ is. Following Jesus means actively seeking to live by following Jesus’ teachings and examples, prioritizing His will and values in all areas of life. It’s a daily commitment that requires conscious effort and obedience. In essence, the cost of following Jesus is a willingness to die to your self-centered desires and ambitions and to embrace a life of self-sacrifice and devotion to Christ.
Discipleship comes with a cost: One day, a man went up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what can I do to gain eternal life?” (Luke 18:18) From his question, it seems that he wanted to follow Christ. Jesus responds and tells him to follow the commandments. I imagine the man was pleased because he responded, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” Then Jesus looked at him lovingly and said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor…” The man walked away from Jesus sorrowfully – he didn’t want to give up his stuff. Like many people today, the young ruler failed to understand that following Christ comes with a cost. He didn’t consider that Jesus would ask him to give up his greatest possessions. The Bible is clear. Following Jesus comes at a cost. Following Jesus can involve various costs, including sacrificing personal desires, relationships, and possessions, all in pursuing a deeper relationship with God and His kingdom. It requires a conscious decision to prioritize faith and discipleship above other worldly priorities.
Discipleship comes with an external value: Following Jesus, even with sacrifice, produces a reward far exceeding any earthly loss. Eternal Life as the Ultimate Reward: Discipleship is not just about living a life of service but about receiving a gift from God: eternal life. This gift is a promise that transcends earthly limitations and provides a hope that cannot be taken away. While eternal life is the ultimate reward, discipleship also brings blessings in this life, such as a hundredfold return on sacrifices made for Christ. These blessings include a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Even when disciples face persecution, the grace and joy of following Christ are a greater reward than any worldly loss. Discipleship is not a one-time event but a lifelong process of learning, growing, and following Christ. We should be encouraged to embrace discipleship with joy, knowing that our efforts will be rewarded with earthly blessings and the ultimate prize of eternal life.

Discussion Questions:

What words and concepts do people usually associate with what it means to follow Jesus?
Read Luke 14:26-27. Think of how Jesus defines discipleship in contrast to our natural assumptions. Why do you think He uses such strong words?
What does “take up your cross and follow Jesus” mean?
How does the concept of “taking up your cross” relate to denying yourself and sacrificing your desires?
What are some concrete ways that we might be carrying our crosses in our daily lives?
Following Christ means dying to yourself. What does that mean in practical terms?
How do we remember daily that Christ has given Himself for us so we can have everything in Him?
How can we support each other in carrying our crosses in tangible ways and through encouragement?
There is no cost you can pay in following Jesus that won’t be made up a thousandfold in the resurrection. Agree or disagree and why?
What is one thing that stood out to you from this week’s message? What challenged you?

Take one thing home with you:

Nestled in a few verses in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 14:25-35) is a Jesus who was not politically correct and did not try to save people’s feelings. Instead, Jesus explains the lifelong cost involved in choosing to follow Him. True Christianity is the most significant sacrifice any person ever makes … but it is in pursuit of the most precious prize ever glimpsed.

Jesus gives two parables that make the same overall point, namely, that a person must carefully consider the cost before rashly jumping into it. Jesus spells out, think with me for a moment about the phrases, “sit down and calculate the cost,” referring to the man building the tower (14:28); and, “sit down and take counsel,” referring to the king considering going to war (14:31). Both refer to careful, detailed, rational thinking in which you consider all aspects of what you’re getting into before you commit. Such careful thinking is opposed to an impulsive decision made in a moment of intense emotion, without much thought about the consequences.