From Cultural Christianity to True Discipleship
Summary
### Summary
In today's sermon, we explored the profound difference between cultural Christianity and true discipleship. Using the parable from Matthew 25, we examined the reality of judgment and the necessity of a genuine faith rooted in the transformative work of Jesus Christ. Cultural Christianity, which focuses on outward appearances and societal norms, stands in stark contrast to the inward transformation that Jesus calls us to. This form of Christianity is more about admiration than actual following, often reducing Jesus to a figure of convenience rather than a Savior who demands our all.
We discussed how the greatest threat to the church is not external persecution but internal complacency and the rise of cultural Christianity. This form of faith is marked by a superficial adherence to Christian practices without a deep, transformative relationship with Jesus. The early church thrived under persecution because their faith was genuine and deeply rooted in Christ, unlike the comfortable and convenient faith often seen today.
The sermon emphasized the importance of self-denial and taking up our cross to follow Jesus truly. We are called to add to our faith virtues like goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love, as outlined in 2 Peter 1. These qualities keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. The key to avoiding ineffectiveness is to remember constantly what Jesus has done for us, focusing on His completed work rather than our efforts to earn God's approval.
We concluded by reflecting on the overwhelming love of God, which casts out fear and judgment. Jesus has already taken the judgment upon Himself on the cross, freeing us from the fear of condemnation. This understanding should lead us to a life of gratitude, worship, and genuine followership, where our actions are an overflow of the love we have received from God.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Reality of Judgment and Genuine Faith: Judgment is an uncomfortable but real aspect of our faith. True faith is not about our deeds but about what Jesus has done for us. This faith leads to a heart transformation, moving us away from the superficial markers of cultural Christianity. [00:52]
2. The Threat of Cultural Christianity: The greatest threat to the church is not external persecution but the internal rise of cultural Christianity. This form of faith focuses on outward appearances and societal norms rather than a transformative relationship with Jesus. [14:55]
3. The Call to True Discipleship: True discipleship involves self-denial and taking up our cross to follow Jesus. We are called to add virtues to our faith, such as goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love, to avoid being ineffective and unproductive. [23:38]
4. The Overwhelming Love of God: God's love is overwhelming and casts out fear and judgment. Jesus has already taken the judgment upon Himself on the cross, freeing us from the fear of condemnation. This understanding should lead us to a life of gratitude and worship. [30:00]
5. The Difference Between Admirers and Followers: Cultural Christianity often reduces Jesus to a figure of convenience, admired but not followed. True followers of Jesus are compelled by love to serve and care for others, reflecting the transformative work of Christ in their lives. [33:44]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:52] - The Reality of Judgment
[13:45] - The Greatest Threat to the Church
[14:21] - Early Church Growth Under Persecution
[14:55] - Cultural Christianity vs. True Discipleship
[15:30] - The Jesus of Cultural Christianity
[16:33] - The Impact of Cultural Christianity
[18:27] - The Ineffectiveness of Cultural Christianity
[20:19] - Admirers vs. Followers
[21:53] - The Call to True Discipleship
[23:38] - Adding Virtues to Our Faith
[25:12] - Inward Transformation vs. Outward Appearance
[26:44] - The Compelling Force of Love
[27:45] - Self-Denial and Following Jesus
[30:00] - The Overwhelming Love of God
[33:44] - The Invitation to Followership
[35:06] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 25:31-46 - The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
2. 2 Peter 1:5-9 - Adding Virtues to Our Faith
3. 1 John 4:18 - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
#### Observation Questions
1. In the parable from Matthew 25, what criteria does Jesus use to separate the sheep from the goats? How does this relate to the concept of true discipleship? [00:52]
2. According to 2 Peter 1:5-9, what virtues should we add to our faith to avoid being ineffective and unproductive? [23:38]
3. How does the sermon describe the difference between cultural Christianity and true discipleship? [14:55]
4. What does 1 John 4:18 say about the relationship between love and fear? How does this relate to our understanding of judgment? [30:00]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is internal complacency and cultural Christianity considered a greater threat to the church than external persecution? [13:45]
2. How does the concept of self-denial and taking up our cross, as mentioned in Matthew 16:24, challenge our modern understanding of faith and discipleship? [27:45]
3. In what ways does the overwhelming love of God, as described in 1 John 4:18, free us from the fear of judgment? [30:00]
4. How can the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-9 help us distinguish between being mere admirers of Jesus and true followers? [23:38]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own faith journey. Are there areas where you might be more of an admirer of Jesus rather than a true follower? What steps can you take to move towards genuine discipleship? [20:19]
2. The sermon emphasized the importance of self-denial and taking up our cross. What is one specific area in your life where you can practice self-denial this week? [27:45]
3. How can you cultivate the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-9 in your daily life? Choose one virtue to focus on this week and share a practical way to develop it. [23:38]
4. Think about a time when you felt overwhelmed by fear or judgment. How can the understanding of God's overwhelming love, as described in 1 John 4:18, change your perspective and response in similar situations? [30:00]
5. The sermon mentioned that cultural Christianity often focuses on outward appearances. Are there any "outward markers" in your life that you rely on to define your faith? How can you shift your focus to inward transformation? [14:55]
6. How can you actively combat complacency in your faith? Share one specific action you can take this week to deepen your relationship with Jesus. [13:45]
7. Reflect on the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. How can you serve others in a way that reflects the transformative work of Christ in your life? Identify one person or group you can help this week. [00:52]
Devotional
Day 1: The Reality of Judgment and Genuine Faith
True faith is not about our deeds but about what Jesus has done for us. This faith leads to a heart transformation, moving us away from the superficial markers of cultural Christianity. Judgment is an uncomfortable but real aspect of our faith. It is essential to understand that our salvation is not based on our works but on the completed work of Jesus Christ. This understanding should lead us to a genuine faith that transforms our hearts and lives, making us more like Christ. Cultural Christianity often focuses on outward appearances and societal norms, but true discipleship calls for an inward change that reflects the love and grace of Jesus.
In Matthew 25, Jesus speaks about the final judgment, where He will separate the sheep from the goats. This parable highlights the importance of genuine faith that results in actions reflecting Christ's love. It is not enough to merely admire Jesus; we must follow Him wholeheartedly, allowing His transformative work to change us from the inside out. This genuine faith will be evident in our actions, as we serve and care for others out of love for Christ. [00:52]
Matthew 25:31-33 (ESV): "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left."
Reflection: Think about your faith journey. Are there areas where you have focused more on outward appearances rather than an inward transformation? How can you shift your focus to a genuine faith rooted in what Jesus has done for you?
Day 2: The Threat of Cultural Christianity
The greatest threat to the church is not external persecution but the internal rise of cultural Christianity. This form of faith focuses on outward appearances and societal norms rather than a transformative relationship with Jesus. Cultural Christianity often reduces Jesus to a figure of convenience, admired but not followed. This superficial faith can lead to complacency and ineffectiveness in our spiritual lives. The early church thrived under persecution because their faith was genuine and deeply rooted in Christ. In contrast, cultural Christianity can lead to a comfortable and convenient faith that lacks depth and true commitment.
It is crucial to recognize the dangers of cultural Christianity and strive for a faith that goes beyond mere appearances. True discipleship involves a deep, transformative relationship with Jesus that impacts every aspect of our lives. This kind of faith requires self-denial, taking up our cross, and following Jesus wholeheartedly. By doing so, we can avoid the pitfalls of cultural Christianity and live out a faith that is genuine and impactful. [14:55]
Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV): "I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."
Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual life. Are there areas where you have become complacent or comfortable in your faith? How can you pursue a deeper, more transformative relationship with Jesus?
Day 3: The Call to True Discipleship
True discipleship involves self-denial and taking up our cross to follow Jesus. We are called to add virtues to our faith, such as goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love, to avoid being ineffective and unproductive. These qualities are essential for a vibrant and impactful faith. True discipleship requires a commitment to growing in these virtues and allowing them to shape our lives. By doing so, we can become more like Christ and live out our faith in a way that honors Him.
In 2 Peter 1, we are encouraged to make every effort to add these virtues to our faith. This process of growth and transformation is ongoing and requires intentionality and dedication. As we cultivate these qualities, we become more effective and productive in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. This kind of faith goes beyond mere admiration and leads to a life of genuine followership, where our actions reflect the transformative work of Christ in our lives. [23:38]
2 Peter 1:5-8 (ESV): "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Reflection: Consider the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1. Which of these qualities do you need to grow in? What steps can you take to cultivate these virtues in your daily life?
Day 4: The Overwhelming Love of God
God's love is overwhelming and casts out fear and judgment. Jesus has already taken the judgment upon Himself on the cross, freeing us from the fear of condemnation. This understanding should lead us to a life of gratitude and worship. When we grasp the depth of God's love for us, it transforms our hearts and compels us to live in a way that honors Him. This love is not based on our performance but on what Jesus has done for us. It is a love that frees us from fear and allows us to live confidently in the grace and mercy of God.
The overwhelming love of God should be the foundation of our faith and the motivation for our actions. As we reflect on His love, we are reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf and the freedom we have in Him. This understanding should lead us to a life of genuine followership, where our actions are an overflow of the love we have received from God. By living in this love, we can impact others and reflect the transformative work of Christ in our lives. [30:00]
1 John 4:18-19 (ESV): "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us."
Reflection: Reflect on the overwhelming love of God in your life. How does this understanding of His love impact the way you live and interact with others? How can you live more confidently in the grace and mercy of God?
Day 5: The Difference Between Admirers and Followers
Cultural Christianity often reduces Jesus to a figure of convenience, admired but not followed. True followers of Jesus are compelled by love to serve and care for others, reflecting the transformative work of Christ in their lives. There is a significant difference between merely admiring Jesus and truly following Him. Admirers may appreciate Jesus' teachings and example, but followers are committed to living out His teachings and allowing His love to transform their lives.
True followership requires a deep, personal relationship with Jesus that goes beyond mere admiration. It involves a commitment to serving others, caring for those in need, and living out the love of Christ in practical ways. This kind of faith is not about convenience but about a genuine desire to follow Jesus and reflect His love to the world. By becoming true followers, we can impact others and demonstrate the transformative power of Christ in our lives. [33:44]
James 1:22-25 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
Reflection: Are you an admirer or a follower of Jesus? What specific actions can you take today to move from merely admiring Jesus to truly following Him and reflecting His love to others?
Quotes
1. "And until then, you and I are called to have a real faith, a faith that is secure, not in the things we do to get into heaven, but in the things that Jesus has done to welcome us there." [00:52] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The greatest threat to the church is not from the outside. You leave this place, you'll hear, oh, we've got to... We're being persecuted. We're being persecuted. We've got to just huddle up and get in our little Christian bubble and protect ourselves from the outside threats. They're coming after the Christians. Do you think the first century Christians had that sort of mindset?" [14:21] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Cultural Christianity is focused on outward appearance instead of inward transformation. Dean, instead, of the church, I think I'm pronouncing that right, in his book by the title of Unsaved Christians, he says this, the Jesus of cultural Christianity is a type of historical imaginary friend with some magic powers for good luck and sentimentality. Amazing Grace is a song known from memory, but why that grace is amazing cannot be explained." [15:30] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "In cultural Christianity, we are comfortable with Christian lingo, but we have no understanding of what those words actually mean and the impact they make in our lives. In cultural Christianity, there's a mindset that places our security in heritage and values and rites of passage, and there's a generic sort of deity rather than the redemptive work of Christ." [17:00] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The greatest threat to the effectiveness of the church is not some outside persecution because, hey, we are able to freely gather here this morning, are we not? The greatest threat is from within, and it comes in the form of cultural Christianity, which rewards complacency, which rewards comfortability, which rewards having all of our needs appeased and met and our preferences catered to." [18:27] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Am I an admirer of Jesus or am I a follower of Jesus? And if you want a little insight into my preaching every week, I don't assume that everyone in the room is a follower of Jesus. In fact, I assume that some are not. And I think all of us have to have that assumption that those who are in the seats every week, all of those may be followers of Jesus." [20:19] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "To be in a follower way of life, the things that we do are only an overflow because love compels us to do those things. Love is a compelling force. It does something. So our love of God compels us to serve and to feed and to clothe and to serve who care for the widows and orphans and care for the marginalized and the forgotten of culture and to care for those people that no one else cares about." [26:44] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "If even just one of you today is freed from the, from the chains of religion, then thanks be to God. If even just one of you has a right understanding of God leaving today in which you have seen God as authoritarian or distant, some cosmic being, but He's not really involved in your life. even one of you sees Him as loving and compassionate and caring and involved and hearing us when we call out to Him, then thanks be to God." [32:26] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Whether you've been a Christian for all of your life, 50, 60, 70 years, or you're a new Christian or you're not even sure about all of this Jesus stuff, if you hear the invitation today, I want you to hear an invitation to a simple followership. A simple followership says if you give up the things that you think you've got to hold on to, you will actually gain everything. That's the requirements." [33:44] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Listen, even a small band of followers committed to pursuing Him can radically transform this world. It started as a movement. A movement of 12 ordinary people that became 70 and 3,000 and then thousands more of ordinary people like you and me who saw a different way of living in Christ and gave of themselves because Jesus gave of Himself for us. That is the way of Jesus. And that's what He invites us to. So are you a follower or just an admirer?" [34:22] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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