Radical Discipleship: Embracing the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Discipleship as a Lifelong Journey

The call to discipleship is a profound commitment that goes beyond mere conversion. It involves teaching others to observe all of Jesus' commands, as outlined in the Great Commission. This requires a deep foundation in His teachings and a lifelong journey of learning and obedience. Discipleship is not a one-time event but a continuous process of growth and transformation. It challenges us to align our lives with Christ's example and to be intentional in our spiritual walk. By embracing this journey, we become more like Christ and fulfill our purpose in His kingdom. [00:57]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Reflection: Who in your life can you intentionally disciple, and what steps can you take this week to begin or deepen that relationship?

Day 2: Choosing Christ Above All Else

True discipleship demands that we prioritize our love for Jesus above all earthly relationships. This means choosing Christ over family and loved ones when conflicts arise, ensuring that He remains our ultimate priority. This is a continual heart-searching process that requires us to examine our loyalties and affections. By placing Christ at the center of our lives, we demonstrate our commitment to Him and His teachings. This radical love for Jesus is the foundation of our faith and the key to living a life that honors Him. [03:19]

Luke 14:26 (ESV): "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple."

Reflection: Is there a relationship in your life that competes with your devotion to Christ? How can you realign your priorities to ensure He remains first?

Day 3: Embracing Daily Sacrifice

Taking up our cross daily involves a commitment to die to self and choose what pleases Christ over personal desires. This daily practice is essential for spiritual growth and true discipleship, as it aligns our lives with Christ's example. By embracing this sacrifice, we learn to live for God's glory rather than our own. It is a transformative process that requires us to surrender our will and trust in God's plan for our lives. Through this daily dying to self, we experience the fullness of life that Christ offers. [04:32]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Reflection: What is one personal desire or habit you need to surrender to Christ today? How can you take a step towards doing so?

Day 4: Faithfulness in Financial Stewardship

Jesus taught that we cannot serve both God and money, highlighting the importance of faithfulness in handling financial matters. By relinquishing our attachment to possessions, we can experience the true riches of life. Our faithfulness in financial stewardship reflects our faithfulness to God and our trust in His provision. This requires us to view money as a tool for God's kingdom rather than an end in itself. By prioritizing generosity and integrity, we align our financial practices with God's values and experience His blessings. [07:03]

1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV): "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."

Reflection: How can you practice greater generosity and integrity in your financial decisions this week?

Day 5: Living by Faith and Integrity

Our church's commitment to not taking offerings or paying salaries to leaders challenges us to live by faith and avoid materialism. This approach reflects Jesus' radical stance on money and underscores the importance of integrity in financial matters. By trusting God for provision, we demonstrate our reliance on Him and our commitment to His kingdom values. This lifestyle of faith and integrity is a powerful testimony to the world and a reflection of our devotion to Christ. It calls us to live with purpose and intentionality, trusting in God's faithfulness. [16:04]

Hebrews 13:5 (ESV): "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you simplify your life to focus more on faith and integrity rather than material possessions?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound differences between the New Covenant and the Old Covenant, emphasizing the call to make disciples rather than merely converts. Jesus' Great Commission in Matthew 28 instructs us to teach others to observe all that He commanded, which is a far deeper commitment than simply asking Jesus into one's heart. This approach requires a foundation of discipleship, as seen in the teachings of Luke 14 and Matthew 5-7, which we have diligently followed for many years.

The path of discipleship is marked by three critical conditions. First, we must love Jesus more than any earthly relationship, choosing Him above family and loved ones when conflicts arise. This is a continual heart-searching process, ensuring that Christ remains our ultimate priority. Second, we are called to take up our cross daily, dying to self and choosing what pleases Christ over personal desires. This daily dying to self is essential for true discipleship and spiritual growth. Third, we must relinquish our attachment to possessions, recognizing that money and material wealth are not the true riches of life. Jesus taught that we cannot serve both God and money, and our faithfulness in handling money reflects our faithfulness to God.

Furthermore, we examined Jesus' radical stance on money, highlighting His actions in the temple where He drove out those who exploited God's people for profit. This underscores the importance of integrity and faithfulness in financial matters. In our church, we have committed to not taking offerings or paying salaries to leaders, trusting God to provide for our needs as He did for Jesus and Paul. This approach challenges us to live by faith and avoid the pitfalls of materialism.

Ultimately, the New Covenant calls us to a life of radical commitment and trust in God, where our actions reflect our faith and devotion. By adhering to these principles, we can experience the true riches of likeness to Christ, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and revelation from God's Word.

Key Takeaways

1. searching process. [03:19]
3. Daily Dying to Self: Taking up our cross daily involves dying to self and choosing what pleases Christ over personal desires. This daily practice is essential for spiritual growth and true discipleship, as it aligns our lives with Christ's example.

4. Faithfulness in Financial Matters: Jesus taught that we cannot serve both God and money. Our faithfulness in handling money reflects our faithfulness to God. By relinquishing our attachment to possessions, we can experience the true riches of life.

5. Living by Faith and Integrity: Our church's commitment to not taking offerings or paying salaries to leaders challenges us to live by faith and avoid materialism. This approach reflects Jesus' radical stance on money and underscores the importance of integrity in financial matters.

** [03:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Distinctive Features of the New Covenant
[00:57] - The Great Commission: Making Disciples
[01:32] - Foundation of Discipleship
[02:25] - Striving to Enter the Narrow Door
[03:19] - Loving Jesus Above All
[04:32] - Taking Up the Cross Daily
[05:50] - Giving Up Possessions
[07:03] - Jesus' Teachings on Money
[08:23] - Choosing Between God and Money
[10:15] - True Riches in Christ
[12:17] - Compassion and Righteous Anger
[14:01] - Jesus' Actions in the Temple
[16:04] - Church's Financial Practices
[19:04] - Conditions for Giving
[22:40] - Trusting God for Provision

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Matthew 28:18-20
Luke 14:26-33
Luke 16:13

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Observation Questions:

What does Jesus command in the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20, and how does it differ from simply making converts? [00:57]
According to Luke 14:26-33, what are the three conditions of discipleship mentioned in the sermon? [01:15]
How does Jesus describe the relationship between God and money in Luke 16:13, and what implications does this have for discipleship? [07:03]
What actions did Jesus take in the temple regarding money, and what does this reveal about His stance on financial integrity? [14:01]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the call to make disciples in Matthew 28:18-20 challenge the modern approach to evangelism that focuses on conversion? [00:57]
In what ways do the conditions of discipleship in Luke 14:26-33 require a deeper commitment than simply professing faith in Jesus? [01:15]
Why might Jesus have emphasized the impossibility of serving both God and money in Luke 16:13, and how does this relate to the concept of true riches? [07:03]
What does Jesus' reaction to the money changers in the temple suggest about the importance of maintaining integrity in financial matters within the church? [14:01]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your current relationships. Are there any situations where you might be prioritizing family or loved ones over your commitment to Christ? How can you address this? [03:19]
Consider your daily routine. What are some practical ways you can take up your cross daily and choose what pleases Christ over personal desires? [04:32]
Evaluate your financial habits. Are there areas where money might be competing with God for your devotion? How can you ensure that God remains your ultimate priority? [07:03]
Think about your involvement in church or ministry. How can you contribute to a culture of financial integrity and faithfulness, following the example set by your church's practices? [16:04]
Identify one possession or material attachment that you find difficult to let go of. What steps can you take to release your hold on it and trust God for provision? [05:50]
Reflect on a recent decision where you had to choose between pleasing yourself and pleasing Christ. What did you learn from that experience, and how can it guide your future choices? [05:00]
How can you actively participate in making disciples, not just converts, in your community or circle of influence? What specific actions can you take to teach others to observe Jesus' commands? [00:57]

Sermon Clips

Jesus said we are to go into all the world and make disciples, not just tell people, ask Jesus to come into your heart. You see, the way the gospel is preached today is you say you're sorry for your sins, ask Jesus to come into your heart now, believe that he has come, just trust him now keep coming regularly with the meetings get baptized one day. [00:00:17]

Jesus said in Matthew 28 go and make disciples of all Nations, and then teach them to do every single thing I commanded you, that's the Great Commission. So we decided to do that when we started CFC 48 years ago, and so conditions of discipleship Luke 14. 26 to 35. all that Jesus commanded Matthew 5 6 and 7. [00:00:57]

Strive to enter through the narrow door, it's not just simple ask me to come into your life no. Drive, have you ever heard the gospel being preached like that, very few are going to be saved so you want to enter in you've got to strive, it's not so simple just ask Jesus Come into your heart and relax because he said many will seek to enter and will not be able. [00:02:28]

One is you've got to love Jesus more than every single relative of yours and that's something you've got to Search Your Heart in all the time, because you may start like that but the time can come when you love one of your relatives more than Jesus it says father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, anyone if you love any one of them more than Christ. [00:03:13]

Condition number two is take up the cross every single day Luke 9 23. it's also in verse 27 years every single day to take up the cross that means die to myself, and we get numerous opportunities every day and as you look back over your life, forget the whole year in the month of August just last one month, did you have opportunities to choose between what would please Christ and what please yourself. [00:04:22]

If we take these things lightly and you don't repent of it I mean we repent of serious sins but if in a situation I have chosen myself to please myself and not Christ that's a sin you've got to repent of, and it's because many Christians don't take these seriously that they never become disciples in their whole life and their Christian Life is shallow. [00:05:03]

You cannot be my disciple if you don't give up all your possessions, possessions are what we possess and what possesses us as a relation to money and material things, and you find even a little child if your little baby as soon as it's born his hand is cleansed you put your finger in there it's grasping it that's how we are grasping for whatever we can for ourselves and possessing it. [00:05:50]

Jesus said no one can serve two masters, and most Christians in the world if you go to them and ask them who are the two masters in the world I tell you 90 of them will say God and Satan, and Jesus never said God in Satan, he said the two masters are God and money, and put God and money in that sentence either he will hate money and love God or he will hate God and love money. [00:07:14]

If you're faithful in a very little thing you'll be faithful in much, in the context it means money is a very little thing, do you believe that, it's a very little thing if it's a very big thing in your eyes, forget about discipleship, if you're faithful in that very little thing called money you'll be faithful in serving God. [00:09:27]

Money is not the true riches the true riches are, I remember years ago asking God lord what are the true riches in the Christian Life and the Lord showed me first of all, likeness to Jesus Christ, number two the anointing and fullness of the Holy Spirit the baptism in the Holy Spirit and Fire, and third Revelation on God's word, so I began to seek that. [00:10:05]

He drove the money changes out of the temple twice, first at the beginning of his ministry, John Chapter 2 Jesus began his ministry by driving people out of the temple who made were trying to make money out of God's people, picture this in your mind making money out of God's people, that's what infuriated Jesus A righteous anger. [00:14:16]

We decided we'd never take an offering and now we have over 100 churches in none of those churches do we take an offering I wonder whether there's any group of churches anywhere in the world where they never pass an offering bag around, I think we are the only ones, but we keep a box there because we see once that Jesus sat next to a box and the Widow came and put in some offerings. [00:16:04]

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Radical Discipleship: Embracing the New Covenant

Devotional

Day 1: Discipleship as a Lifelong Journey

Day 2: Choosing Christ Above All Else

Day 3: Embracing Daily Sacrifice

Day 4: Faithfulness in Financial Stewardship

Day 5: Living by Faith and Integrity

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Radical Discipleship: Embracing the New Covenant

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