Commitment Beyond Easter: Following Jesus Daily
Summary
On this special Easter Sunday, we gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a cornerstone of our faith that we proclaim not just today, but every Sunday. The resurrection is a powerful reminder of the life and hope we have in Jesus. As we reflect on the events from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, we are reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the victory over sin and death that His resurrection represents. This message challenges us to consider what it means to follow Jesus beyond the emotional highs of Easter.
In Luke 9:57-62, Jesus encounters three individuals who express a desire to follow Him. Through these interactions, Jesus highlights the cost, concerns, and distractions that can hinder our commitment to Him. The first man is challenged to consider the cost of following Jesus, as it requires a willingness to embrace uncertainty and trust in God's provision. The second man is reminded that concerns for worldly matters, such as inheritance and societal perceptions, should not take precedence over the call to follow Jesus. The third man is cautioned against distractions from the past that can prevent us from fully committing to the path Jesus has set before us.
Following Jesus requires more than a simple "yes" on Easter Sunday. It demands a daily commitment to lay down our lives, release worldly concerns, and let go of distractions. This journey is not about achieving perfection but about faithfully walking with Jesus, trusting in His promises, and allowing His Spirit to guide us. As we celebrate Easter, let us renew our commitment to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, embracing the life and purpose He offers.
Key Takeaways:
1. Counting the Cost: Following Jesus requires us to consider the cost of discipleship. It involves a willingness to embrace uncertainty and trust in God's provision, even when the path is unclear. This commitment goes beyond emotional responses and requires a thoughtful decision to lay down our lives for Christ. [10:41]
2. Releasing Worldly Concerns: Our journey with Jesus calls us to prioritize His kingdom over worldly matters. Concerns about material possessions and societal perceptions can distract us from our true purpose. We must focus on what Jesus thinks rather than seeking approval from others. [15:54]
3. Letting Go of Distractions: Distractions from our past can hinder our ability to fully commit to following Jesus. We must keep our eyes fixed on the path ahead, avoiding the temptation to look back and compare our lives to what was. This focus allows us to walk the straight and narrow path God has set before us. [24:33]
4. Daily Commitment: Saying "yes" to Jesus is just the beginning. Walking with Him requires a daily commitment to die to ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him. This journey involves releasing concerns and distractions, trusting in God's plan, and embracing the life He offers. [26:34]
5. Embracing Renewal: God is in the business of renewal, transforming our hearts and minds as we follow Him. We have a responsibility to detach from anything that clings to us and hinders our spiritual growth. By doing so, we can step into the fullness of what God has for us, living a life that reflects His love and grace. [28:31]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:36] - Reading from Luke 9
[05:59] - The Cost of Following Jesus
[10:41] - Counting the Cost
[12:26] - The Concern of Worldly Matters
[14:36] - Releasing Worldly Concerns
[15:54] - The Distraction of the Past
[24:33] - Letting Go of Distractions
[26:34] - Daily Commitment to Jesus
[27:26] - Embracing Renewal
[28:31] - Following Jesus Beyond Easter
[30:24] - The Call to True Discipleship
[33:22] - Overcoming Guilt and Shame
[34:32] - Finishing What We Start
[35:51] - Invitation to Follow Jesus
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 9:57-62
Observation Questions:
1. In Luke 9:57-62, what are the three different responses from the individuals who express a desire to follow Jesus? How does Jesus respond to each of them? [02:36]
2. What does Jesus mean when He says, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head"? [12:26]
3. How does Jesus challenge the second man who wants to bury his father before following Him? What does this reveal about the man's priorities? [15:54]
4. What is the significance of Jesus' statement about putting one's hand to the plow and looking back? How does this relate to the concept of distractions? [24:33]
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does Jesus emphasize the cost of following Him, and how does this challenge the common perception of discipleship? [10:41]
2. How do worldly concerns and societal perceptions act as barriers to following Jesus wholeheartedly? What might this look like in a modern context? [15:54]
3. What are some examples of distractions from the past that can prevent someone from fully committing to following Jesus? How can these be overcome? [24:33]
4. How does the concept of daily commitment to Jesus differ from a one-time decision to follow Him? What does this daily commitment entail? [26:34]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: Have you counted the cost of following Jesus? What uncertainties or challenges do you face in your journey of discipleship? [10:41]
2. Are there any worldly concerns or societal pressures that are currently hindering your commitment to Jesus? How can you prioritize His kingdom over these concerns? [15:54]
3. Identify any distractions from your past that might be affecting your walk with Jesus. What steps can you take to let go of these distractions and focus on the path ahead? [24:33]
4. How can you make a daily commitment to follow Jesus more intentionally? What practical steps can you take to ensure that you are laying down your life and picking up your cross each day? [26:34]
5. In what ways can you embrace the renewal that God offers as you follow Him? Are there specific areas in your life where you need to detach from things that hinder your spiritual growth? [28:31]
6. Consider the role of community in your journey with Jesus. How can your small group support each other in overcoming the costs, concerns, and distractions of following Jesus?
7. How can you encourage others in your life to move beyond the emotional highs of Easter and commit to a daily walk with Jesus? What role can you play in their spiritual journey? [30:24]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Uncertainty of Discipleship
Following Jesus requires us to consider the cost of discipleship. It involves a willingness to embrace uncertainty and trust in God's provision, even when the path is unclear. This commitment goes beyond emotional responses and requires a thoughtful decision to lay down our lives for Christ. Jesus' encounter with the first man in Luke 9:57-62 highlights the need to count the cost of following Him. The man is challenged to understand that discipleship may not offer worldly security or comfort, but it promises a deeper relationship with God and eternal significance. [10:41]
Luke 14:28-30 (ESV): "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? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’"
Reflection: What uncertainties in your life are you hesitant to embrace for the sake of following Jesus? How can you begin to trust in God's provision today?
Day 2: Prioritizing the Kingdom Over Worldly Concerns
Our journey with Jesus calls us to prioritize His kingdom over worldly matters. Concerns about material possessions and societal perceptions can distract us from our true purpose. We must focus on what Jesus thinks rather than seeking approval from others. The second man in Luke 9:57-62 is reminded that concerns for worldly matters, such as inheritance and societal perceptions, should not take precedence over the call to follow Jesus. This requires a shift in perspective, valuing eternal treasures over temporary gains. [15:54]
Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Reflection: Identify one worldly concern that often distracts you from your spiritual journey. How can you intentionally prioritize God's kingdom in this area today?
Day 3: Letting Go of the Past to Embrace the Future
Distractions from our past can hinder our ability to fully commit to following Jesus. We must keep our eyes fixed on the path ahead, avoiding the temptation to look back and compare our lives to what was. This focus allows us to walk the straight and narrow path God has set before us. The third man in Luke 9:57-62 is cautioned against distractions from the past that can prevent us from fully committing to the path Jesus has set before us. Letting go of past regrets or successes is essential to moving forward in faith. [24:33]
Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV): "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Reflection: What past distraction or regret do you need to release to fully embrace your future with Jesus? What step can you take today to let it go?
Day 4: Committing Daily to the Journey with Jesus
Saying "yes" to Jesus is just the beginning. Walking with Him requires a daily commitment to die to ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him. This journey involves releasing concerns and distractions, trusting in God's plan, and embracing the life He offers. True discipleship is a daily decision to align our lives with His teachings and to seek His guidance in every aspect of our lives. [26:34]
Luke 9:23 (ESV): "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"
Reflection: What is one specific way you can commit to following Jesus more closely today? How can you incorporate this into your daily routine?
Day 5: Experiencing Renewal Through Spiritual Growth
God is in the business of renewal, transforming our hearts and minds as we follow Him. We have a responsibility to detach from anything that clings to us and hinders our spiritual growth. By doing so, we can step into the fullness of what God has for us, living a life that reflects His love and grace. Embracing renewal means allowing God to work in us, changing our perspectives and priorities to align with His will. [28:31]
2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need God's renewal? How can you invite Him to transform this area starting today?
Quotes
1. "We packed this place out. It was a great time of worship, and in that moment, we celebrated the ... So it's kind of weird to say we celebrated, but we took into account, and we reflected, and we remembered Christ dying on the cross, him taking the burden of our shame and taking the weight of sin and carrying it on himself. And the shedding of his blood that we could be forgiven. And then as Lena shared, yesterday was Saturday. Saturday is a moment of waiting on the Lord. It was also a moment of discouragement, a moment of despair, because everybody was waiting to see if this Jesus was really going to resurrect as he said he was going to resurrect. And so it was filled with doubt, with fear, with anxiety, quite possibly, and we were just waiting. And then came Sunday morning, and the stone was rolled away, and Jesus was no longer there, and Jesus resurrected. Amen, so that we can have life and life to the full. This is a message that we simply don't just preach on Easter Sunday at the collective church. This is what we speak every Sunday at the collective church. And so this is what Easter is all about. Even if you don't know who Jesus is, even if you were forced to be here, even if you've fallen away from Jesus, even if you're a seeker, everybody, we come to celebrate the risen king." [66:00] (72 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We have this beautiful moment of Good Friday. And then we have our Easter services and we preach the Gospels. We should always be preaching it. And sometimes we're compelled by emotion or we're compelled by a moment to make a decision to follow Jesus. And after Sunday, let me let you guys know, then comes Monday. And then comes Tuesday. Tuesday, in where you still have this responsibility to live out your faith. But what happens is, is oftentimes we say yes to Jesus, but we don't really know what we're signing up for. We say yes to Jesus without counting the cost. And then when we realize what it costs, sometimes we're like, I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I really want to do this. I don't know if I can continue to do this because, in essence, this is kind of expensive. And let me tell you something. The gift of salvation, we constantly say it's free. If it is so free, then why does it cost us our lame? Down of our lives as well." [613:00] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The first temptation that we face is what I said, the cost. Jesus said this. Are y 'all still with me this morning? As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, I will follow you wherever you go. And Jesus replied, Father. Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. Jesus was looking at the heart. He saw what his issue would be. Jesus was saying, look, dude, you want certainty. There isn't always certainty, but there's faith. You always want to know how it's going to happen and when it's going to happen. You aren't always going to know, but God and there's faith. And so he said to him, look, man, I don't even know sometimes where I'm going to sleep at night. I don't even know sometimes where my food is going to come from. But I know that my God is. Good, I know my heavenly Father is good and he provides for all of my needs according to his riches and glory." [771:00] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "And so basically to sum it up this man wanted to follow Jesus but he wanted to follow Jesus on his own terms what I mean by that he wanted to let Jesus know how committed he was going to be he wanted to follow Jesus based on how he wanted to follow Jesus instead of following Jesus the way that Jesus desired he followed Jesus does that make sense he wanted to create the conditions for following Jesus he wanted to create the the playbook on how to follow Jesus when we have the greatest playbook it's called the word of God and sometimes what I think happens is we we kind of want to follow Jesus based on our own conditions we want to follow Jesus out of convenience we want to follow Jesus the way we want to follow Jesus we want to do the things that we want to do and all this and then we figure out where Jesus fits into that and Jesus was saying look if you're going to follow me it's going to cost you something and you're going to have to get the concerns of this world lastly before I start my other sermon" [1188:00] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The third temptation that Jesus would speak to is a distraction another temptation that would hold them from following him would be a distraction he says in verse 61 still another said I will follow you Lord but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family and Jesus replied no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God dang Jesus he just want to go say bye to his mom and his dad and his tia and his abuelita and his uncle chewy he just that's that's the noble that's what that's what Jesus would want to do and Jesus wasn't attempting to be mean what Jesus was trying to articulate to him is the reality is that in your heart you would be distracted with your past as you try to step into your future you choose to follow me your distraction" [1254:00] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Saying yes to Jesus is the easy part. Saying yes to Jesus is the easy part. This is the easy part. but walking with Jesus will require more than just a yes. Saying yes to Jesus is the easy part, but walking with Jesus will require more than just a yes. What does it require? What does it require for me to truly follow Jesus? It requires, number one, count the cost. Can I really lay down my life to follow him? Can I really die to my flesh, pick up my cross, and follow him daily?" [1594:00] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "I think that the greatest response, the greatest thing that Jesus desires from us as a form of an acknowledgement and an appreciation, and an adoration for what he's done on Easter Sunday, is to simply say, I will follow you. I will follow you wherever you lead me. I will follow you wherever you desire to take me. I will follow you until the end because I know that in you, you've promised me life to the full here and life afterwards. And at the very end, at the very end of the day, you paid a penalty. You paid a penalty in which would have taken me straight to a place like hell that I don't want. You took away my shame. You've taken away my guilt. You've taken away my pain. You've renewed my mind. You've renewed my heart. You've renewed my life. And so my response to you is to say, yes, I will follow you, not in words, but in life." [1711:00] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "He's not just looking for a conversion and converts. He's looking for followers. If you read your Bible, if you read your Bible, when you read your Bible, if you ever dive into your Bible and you read the Gospels and you read the the epistles and you read all of the letters in there, it speaks of the heaviness of what it means to follow Jesus and the joy that it means and comes with following Jesus. I feel like we've bypassed all of that for the sake of the warm and fuzzies and cubes and so maybe you'll never come back but you've heard this message today he is the way he is the truth he is the life he says follow me pick up your cross follow me don't just sing about the cross don't just cry on good friday about the cross don't just cry during communion because you felt the goose pimples follow me do as i do live as i live and then bring more with you to the table because they're watching" [1824:00] (74 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "And what he wants is us to finish what we started. And if you haven't started, he wants you to start. And he wants you to finish. And his Holy Spirit will give you all that you need to accomplish the task. But I remember feeling guilt and shame as I would take back the uniform. Oftentimes, I wonder even how many Christians known Jesus and have fallen away from the faith or have quit. And one of the reasons they don't come into the church is because they feel this guilt and this shame for what they didn't finish. I want you to know that if that's you here at The Collective, there is no guilt and there is no shame. That when you're here, you are family. It is like Olive Garden without the breadsticks primarily because we can't afford them. But nonetheless, he says, come to me all who are wearing burden and I will give you rest." [2090:00] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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