Luke: More Costs of Discipleship

The book of Luke frames discipleship as a costly, ongoing commitment that reshapes every area of life. Discipleship requires denying self—putting Christ and the mission of showing gospel love first—even when that rearranges comfort, plans, or social expectations. Taking up the cross appears as daily, sustained obedience rather than a brief training program; following Christ demands single-minded devotion, not a casual or culturally convenient affiliation. Luke records three real-world responses to that call—enthusiasm without readiness, excuses tied to family or future plans, and the temptation to look back—and uses those encounters to clarify what wholehearted following truly looks like.

The narrative then expands the mission field by sending seventy-two ahead to towns, emphasizing both urgency and dependence on God: the harvest is plentiful, but workers remain few, so prayer for laborers becomes primary. Instructions for ministry blend practical hospitality, healing as a sign pointing to God, and wise disengagement from hostile towns while still proclaiming the nearness of God’s kingdom. Judgment themes warn that rejection after witnessing truth and miracles bears greater accountability than ignorance.

Authority over spiritual opposition accompanies the mission, yet true joy springs from assurance of being known by God rather than merely exercising power. Loving neighbor emerges as a central cost of discipleship through the parable of the Good Samaritan: mercy defines neighborliness, crossing entrenched cultural, religious, and political boundaries. The Gospel reframes neighbor as the one who shows compassion in concrete, sacrificial ways.

Persistent prayer forms the practical backbone of this life. Teaching the Lord’s Prayer and the parable of the friend at midnight underscore bold, regular asking—keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking—as the posture that sustains mission, brings needed workers, and transforms hearts over time. Holding fast to Jesus’ teachings produces spiritual clarity: truth becomes the instrument of freedom for those who remain obedient.

The call culminates in a liturgical and communal response: daily dependence on God, forgiveness toward others, and public commitment to proclaiming God’s kingdom in homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Discipleship, then, shows itself in reordered priorities, costly mercy, relentless prayer, and a single-minded pursuit of God’s will.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Discipleship demands denying self daily Denying self means reordering loyalties so Christ and the gospel mission take precedence over personal comfort, timetable, or cultural identity. This denial does not justify neglecting family; rather it reorients family life around kingdom proclamation and service. The cost is real: following will often feel uncomfortable, but it cultivates a life shaped by others’ needs instead of self-preservation. [01:09]
• 2. Follow Jesus without looking back Plow imagery calls for undivided focus: returning to former comforts or clinging to past securities disqualifies wholehearted service. The warning targets regret and divided affections that sap ministry effectiveness more than any external hardship. True following accepts loss without longing, trusting present obedience over postponed commitment. [06:17]
• 3. Love neighbor as radical mercy Mercy, not affinity or agreement, determines neighborliness; compassion must cross cultural, political, and religious walls. The Good Samaritan models costly, practical love that risks resources and reputation for another’s well-being. Imitating that mercy reflects God’s own rescue of sinners and roots discipleship in tangible, sacrificial care. [24:22]
• 4. Persistent, bold prayer changes outcomes Prayer receives priority in the mission: continuing to ask, seek, and knock reshapes hearts, opens doors, and calls out workers for the harvest. Bold persistence in prayer reveals dependence on God rather than human cajoling or guilt-driven recruitment. Long obedience in prayer often precedes visible conversions or answered needs, and it sustains the disciple through slow seasons. [28:14]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:33] - Luke series: discipleship focus
• [01:09] - Deny yourself: put Christ first
• [02:40] - Real responses to the call
• [05:29] - Go proclaim the kingdom
• [08:51] - Sending the 72: urgency and prayer
• [11:46] - Reception, rejection, and judgment
• [13:49] - Authority and heavenly assurance
• [16:36] - Who is my neighbor?
• [20:00] - The Good Samaritan explained
• [27:37] - Teaching on prayer: keep asking
• [30:15] - Obedience, truth, and freedom
• [31:44] - Closing: Lord’s Prayer and commitment

Bible reading
*Luke 10:25-37 (ESV)*
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

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Observation questions

1. According to the parable, what specific actions did the Samaritan take to help the injured man?
2. What reasons might the priest and Levite have had for passing by on the other side?
3. How did Jesus redefine the term “neighbor” in this conversation?
4. What does the lawyer’s question in verse 29 reveal about his heart?

Interpretation questions

1. Why did Jesus choose a Samaritan, specifically, as the hero of this story, and what would that have communicated to His original audience?
2. The lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” but Jesus’s parable answers a different question: “What does it mean to be a neighbor?” Why did Jesus shift the focus in this way?
3. How does the Samaritan’s compassion reflect God’s heart toward sinners?
4. In what ways does this parable challenge common cultural, religious, or political barriers that people erect today?

Application questions

1. Mercy—not shared identity—defines who our neighbor is. [24:22] Who is someone in your life that you struggle to see as a neighbor because of differences in beliefs, background, or lifestyle? What would it look like to show them tangible compassion this week?
2. The Samaritan took a personal, practical, and costly risk. [21:25] Where is God calling you to step out of your comfort zone to meet a practical need—even if it’s inconvenient or requires personal sacrifice?
3. It’s easy to justify withholding love from those we disagree with. [18:00] What political, religious, or social differences most often tempt you to treat others as less than neighbors? How can prayer help you see them through Jesus’s eyes?
4. The expert in the law wanted to limit the definition of “neighbor.” [16:36] In what ways do you sometimes try to narrow Jesus’s command to love others? What would it look like to actively expand your circle of compassion?
5. True neighbor-love involves ongoing care, not just a one-time act. [23:27] Is there a situation or relationship where God is asking you to commit to longer-term compassion, even when it’s difficult?
6. We are called to love because God first loved us. [24:38] How does remembering God’s mercy toward you change the way you respond to people who are hard to love?
7. Discipleship means loving your neighbor—not just agreeing with them. [25:02] What’s one step you can take this week to demonstrate love to someone you deeply disagree with?