Embracing Sacrifice: The Radical Call of Christianity
Summary
In the sermon, I was reminded of the radical demands of the Christian life and the promise that comes with it. If we strive to give ourselves to Jesus, we will know him, have life in him, and spend eternity with him. The sermon also highlighted the story of Peter, who despite his shortcomings, was able to spread the gospel and baptize thousands. This serves as a reminder that our story isn't over either, as Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him. We may not know what that cross will look like or how long we'll have to carry it, but we are assured that it will lead us to where we need to be.
The sermon also touched on the story of Jesus explaining to his disciples about his impending suffering and death. Peter, out of love and respect, rebuked Jesus, saying that this must never happen. However, Jesus rebuked Peter in return, saying that he was setting his mind not on divine things but on human things. This serves as a reminder that suffering was a crucial part of Jesus's redemption of the world and that it's part of the divine plan. Jesus also warned that being a Christian is no easy matter and that it's a life of sacrifice, of living for him instead of for self.
Key Takeaways:
- Embracing the radical demands of the Christian life leads to knowing Jesus, having life in him, and spending eternity with him. [49:34]
- Despite our shortcomings, we are called to spread the gospel and baptize others, just like Peter did. [50:20]
- Suffering was a crucial part of Jesus's redemption of the world and is part of the divine plan. [28:36]
- Being a Christian is a life of sacrifice, of living for Jesus instead of for self. [30:07]
- Our temporal sufferings can be offered to Jesus, who is beyond time and space, allowing us to align our works and prayers with Jesus's eternal sacrifice. [45:13]
Study Guide
Main Points from the Sermon:
1. Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised. Peter rebuked him, but Jesus reminded him to focus on divine things, not human things. [28:36]
2. Jesus told his disciples that if they want to become his followers, they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. Those who lose their life for his sake will find it. [29:17]
3. Peter, despite his initial rebuke, later spreads the gospel and baptizes thousands. Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him, promising that the cross will lead us to where we need to be. [50:20]
4. Suffering was a crucial part of Jesus's redemption of the world. It's part of the divine plan. From death comes life, from suffering comes glory. [33:58]
5. Being a Christian is no easy matter. It's a life of sacrifice, of living for him instead of for self. It's about giving up our own ways and embracing the ways of the kingdom of God. [35:32]
Bible Chapters for the Group to Read:
1. Matthew 16
2. Acts 2
Discussion Guide:
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 16, how does Jesus explain his upcoming suffering and death to his disciples?
2. How does Peter initially react to Jesus's prediction of his suffering and death?
3. In Acts 2, how does Peter's actions reflect his understanding and acceptance of Jesus's teachings?
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does Jesus mean when he says those who lose their life for his sake will find it?
2. How does Peter's transformation from rebuking Jesus to spreading the gospel illustrate the process of denying oneself and taking up one's cross?
3. How does the concept of suffering leading to glory manifest in the life and ministry of Jesus?
Application Questions:
1. How can we apply the principle of denying ourselves and taking up our cross in our daily lives?
2. Can you recall a time when you had to suffer or sacrifice something for the sake of following Jesus? How did that experience impact your faith?
3. How can we encourage each other to focus on divine things rather than human things, especially when faced with challenges or suffering?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Radical Demands of Christian Life
Christian life is not a walk in the park. It demands radical commitment, sacrifice, and a willingness to put Jesus first, even when it's uncomfortable or costs us our relationships. This is a call to live out our faith in a way that is counter-cultural and often challenging, but ultimately rewarding.
Luke 14:26 - "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."
Reflection: Reflect on the last time you had to make a difficult decision that required you to put Jesus first, even at the cost of your personal comfort or relationships. How did you handle it and what did you learn from that experience?
Day 2: The Journey of Peter
Peter's journey is one of failure and restoration. Despite his shortcomings, Jesus chose him to be the rock on which He would build His church. This shows us that God can use our failures for His glory and that His grace is sufficient for us.
John 21:15-17 - "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' 'Yes, Lord,' he said, 'you know that I love you.' Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.'"
Reflection: Can you identify a time in your life when you felt like Peter, failing in your faith but then being restored by Jesus? How did that experience shape your spiritual journey?
Day 3: The Concept of Mortification and Renunciation
Mortification and renunciation are spiritual practices that involve denying our sinful desires and habits in order to grow closer to God. This is a call to die to ourselves and live for Christ.
Romans 8:13 - "For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."
Reflection: What is one habit or desire that you know is harmful to your spiritual growth? How can you practice mortification and renunciation to overcome this?
Day 4: The Danger of Cheap Grace
Cheap grace is the idea that we can receive God's forgiveness without true repentance or a commitment to discipleship. This is a dangerous misunderstanding of God's grace, which calls us to a life of repentance and obedience.
Luke 13:3 - "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Reflection: Have you ever been tempted to accept cheap grace, seeking forgiveness without true repentance? How can you ensure that your understanding of grace includes the necessity of repentance and discipleship?
Day 5: The Importance of Living in the Present Moment
Living in the present moment is a spiritual practice that involves offering our daily experiences to Jesus and trusting Him with our future. This helps us to focus on what God is doing in our lives right now, rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past.
Matthew 6:34 - "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Reflection: How often do you find yourself worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, instead of living in the present moment? What steps can you take to focus more on the present and offer your daily experiences to Jesus?
Quotes
1. "If we're willing to embrace the radical demands of the Christian Life, if we can strive to give our way ourselves for Jesus, we have this amazing over the top promise from him that we will know him, that we will have life in him, that we will spend eternity with him. He is our savior and he is our Lord." - 48:56
2. "Each and every one of you has a cross to bear, but it's not a one-size-fits-all thing. Your cross is custom tailored to fit on your shoulders. Our crosses can be huge, they can be little, they can be reoccurring or unique. But Jesus wants us to embrace our cross just as much as we want to receive all the good stuff that comes." - 40:48
3. "We can take our temporal sufferings and we can offer them to God to Jesus who is beyond time and space and it allows us to align our works and our prayers and our Joys and our sufferings to become part of what Jesus is redeeming. These sufferings are repurposed and they contribute to your personal sanctification, to your holiness, opens the door to Greater spiritual growth." - 44:58
4. "Renunciation signifies the negative, I'm walking this way and I renounce sin and darkness and death and the devil and I walk in the other way and at walking in the other way is when we're advancing towards Holiness. It's a spiritual battle from here to here all the way into eternity." - 36:38
5. "The most common mistake is trying to control the way we think this should all happen. We want to choose our own cross, we want to do it on our own schedule. But in reality, God knows the thing that you need at the moment. The crosses we bear most profitable to our souls and most acceptable to God are those which come to us accidentally or because of our state in life." - 36:38
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