Radical Discipleship: Embracing Transformation and Community

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus is Radically Inclusive

Jesus consistently broke cultural and social barriers, reaching out to those whom society rejected or marginalized. His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well demonstrates that no one is beyond the reach of His grace—He welcomes people of every gender, ethnicity, and background, offering living water to all who are thirsty. In a world that often divides, Jesus models a love that crosses every boundary, inviting us to do the same and to see others through His eyes of compassion and acceptance. [59:09]

John 4:7-14 (ESV)
A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Reflection: Who in your life have you overlooked or avoided because of differences—can you reach out to them with the radical inclusivity of Jesus this week?

Day 2: Jesus is Radically Exclusive

While Jesus welcomes all, He also calls each person to transformation, not leaving us in our brokenness but inviting us to a new way of life. He gently exposes the areas in our lives that need change, not to shame us, but to free us from the things that keep us from true life. Jesus makes it clear that He alone is the way, the truth, and the life, and that following Him means letting go of our old patterns and false sources of identity, embracing the exclusive claim of Christ as Savior and Lord. [01:13:08]

John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are holding onto old habits or beliefs instead of surrendering fully to Jesus’ exclusive call to follow Him?

Day 3: The Vision of a Diverse, United People

God’s ultimate vision is a community made up of every nation, tribe, people, and language, united in worship before His throne. Our differences are not erased but celebrated in Christ, and the only thing that truly matters is being clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. This vision challenges us to embrace diversity now, to love across boundaries, and to anticipate the day when all God’s people will stand together in unity and praise. [01:05:06]

Revelation 7:9 (ESV)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

Reflection: How can you intentionally build relationships with people who are different from you, reflecting God’s vision for a united, diverse people?

Day 4: Confession and Community Lead to Healing

True discipleship requires vulnerability and participation in a confessional community, where we can be honest about our struggles and receive grace and healing. Confessing our sins to God brings forgiveness, but confessing to one another brings healing, humility, and freedom from shame. We are not meant to walk alone; God calls us into relationships where we can support, forgive, and encourage each other as we grow deeper in Christ. [01:20:11]

James 5:16 (ESV)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Reflection: Who are the trusted people in your life with whom you can be completely honest—can you take a step toward deeper confession and community this week?

Day 5: Discipleship Means Being Made by Jesus, Not Just Attending

Being a disciple is not about being a passive attender but about actively following Jesus, allowing Him to shape and transform every part of your life. Just as in marriage, where true intimacy comes from ongoing relationship and not just ceremony, discipleship is a daily journey of being with Jesus, letting Him “make” you into His likeness. The question is not just what you do on Sundays, but who or what is truly forming you day by day. [56:09]

Matthew 4:19 (ESV)
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Reflection: What is shaping you most right now—are you allowing Jesus to “make” you, or are you being formed by something else? What practical change can you make today to follow Him more closely?

Sermon Summary

Today’s focus is on the heart of discipleship—what it truly means to follow Jesus, not just as an attender, but as someone being continually shaped by Him. Drawing from personal stories and the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, the call is to move beyond surface-level faith and into a life that is radically inclusive, radically exclusive, and deeply rooted in confessional community.

Jesus’ approach to people was shocking for His time and remains so today. He broke through cultural, gender, and ethnic barriers, engaging with those whom society taught us to reject. His inclusivity wasn’t about political correctness, but about a love that sees and welcomes the outsider, the broken, and the marginalized. Yet, this inclusivity is paired with a radical exclusivity: Jesus does not leave us as we are. He invites us to transformation, to leave behind our brokenness, sin, and the things that keep us from wholeness. He is not content for us to simply remain as we are, but calls us to be made new in Him.

Discipleship is not a passive experience. It’s not like a marriage where you show up for the ceremony and then live separately. It’s a daily, ongoing relationship where we are always with Him, and He is always with us. The question is not just, “Are you following Jesus?” but “Who or what is shaping you?” Our culture is full of things that want to form us, but only Jesus can truly make us whole.

A key part of this journey is confessional community. Healing and growth happen when we are honest with God and with one another. Vulnerability, empowered by grace, is the path to freedom from shame and addiction. We are called to relationships where we can confess, forgive, and be forgiven, moving deeper into Christ’s likeness together. This is not just a private matter; it’s a communal one. The way in—confession and grace—is the way on. We need people in our lives who know us, love us, and walk with us as we become more like Jesus.

The invitation is clear: step out of comfort, embrace the awkward, and let Jesus surprise you. Join a confessional community, seek out those who are different from you, and let the Spirit lead you deeper. Discipleship is costly, but it is the only way to true transformation and joy.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus’ radical inclusivity means welcoming those whom society rejects, breaking through barriers of gender, ethnicity, and status. His love is not limited by our prejudices or cultural norms, and He calls us to embody that same boundary-breaking grace in our relationships and communities. This inclusivity is not about political correctness, but about reflecting the heart of God for all people. [59:09]
2. True discipleship is not about mere attendance or surface-level faith; it is about being continually formed by Jesus. Just as marriage is more than a ceremony, following Christ is more than a one-time decision—it is a daily, ongoing relationship where we are always being shaped by Him. The question is not just what we believe, but who or what is making us. [56:09]
3. Jesus’ exclusivity is as radical as His inclusivity. He welcomes us as we are, but He does not leave us there. He gently but firmly exposes our brokenness, not to shame us, but to heal us, calling us to leave behind sin and embrace the new life He offers. The gospel is not about affirming our brokenness, but about transforming it. [69:22]
4. Confessional community is essential for spiritual maturity and healing. We are not meant to walk alone; vulnerability with trusted brothers and sisters brings freedom from shame and the power of sin. Confession to one another, not just to God, is a means of grace that leads to deeper healing and authentic discipleship. [80:11]
5. The way of Jesus calls us to step into uncomfortable and unfamiliar spaces, just as He did. Whether it’s engaging with people outside our comfort zones or joining a life group, growth happens when we risk vulnerability and relationship. Discipleship is forged in the context of real community, where forgiveness, challenge, and transformation take place. [83:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[49:09] - Introduction and Personal Reflections
[50:13] - From Attenders to Disciples
[51:15] - The Priority of Discipleship
[52:33] - Three Marks of a Disciple
[54:00] - Jesus’ Surprising Ways
[55:23] - The Attender vs. the Disciple
[56:40] - Who or What is Shaping You?
[58:11] - Jesus’ Radical Inclusivity
[59:58] - Gender and Ethnic Barriers
[61:22] - Racism and the Church
[65:06] - The Vision of Revelation 7
[66:15] - Grace, Sin, and Shame
[69:22] - Jesus’ Radical Exclusivity
[72:14] - A New Kind of Temple and Priesthood
[75:31] - Brokenness and the Need for Healing
[77:26] - The Power of Confessional Community
[80:11] - Confession and Healing
[81:20] - The Importance of Life Groups
[83:18] - Stepping Into Uncomfortable Spaces
[84:26] - Amazing Grace and John Newton
[89:19] - Invitation to Go Deeper
[90:01] - Benediction and Sending

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

In John 4, what cultural and social barriers did Jesus cross when he spoke with the Samaritan woman? ([59:09])
According to the sermon, what was surprising about Jesus’ approach to the woman at the well? ([54:00])
What does 1 John 1:9 say happens when we confess our sins to God?
What does James 5:16 say is the result of confessing our sins to one another?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus chose to engage with someone that society taught him to avoid? What does this reveal about his character and priorities? ([59:09])
The sermon describes Jesus as both radically inclusive and radically exclusive. What does it mean that Jesus welcomes everyone but also calls us to transformation? ([01:09:22])
Why is confessional community described as essential for spiritual maturity and healing? How does vulnerability with others lead to freedom? ([01:20:11])
The speaker compared discipleship to marriage, saying it’s not just about showing up once but about ongoing relationship. How does this analogy help us understand what it means to follow Jesus? ([56:09])

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to move beyond surface-level faith and into a life that is “radically inclusive.” Who in your life or community might feel like an outsider? What is one practical way you could reach out to them this week? ([59:09])
Jesus doesn’t leave us as we are—he calls us to transformation. Is there an area of brokenness or sin in your life that you sense Jesus is inviting you to leave behind? What would it look like to take a step toward healing? ([01:09:22])
The speaker emphasized the importance of confessional community. Do you have one or two people in your life with whom you can be completely honest? If not, what is one step you could take to build that kind of relationship? ([01:20:11])
Vulnerability is described as the path to freedom from shame and addiction. What holds you back from being vulnerable with others? How can you invite God’s grace into those places? ([01:19:01])
The sermon encouraged stepping into uncomfortable or unfamiliar spaces, just as Jesus did. What is one “awkward” or uncomfortable step you could take this month to grow as a disciple? (For example, joining a group, starting a conversation, or serving someone different from you.) ([01:23:18])
The speaker asked, “Who or what is shaping you?” Take a moment to reflect: What are the main influences in your life right now? Are there any you need to limit or replace so that Jesus is the one shaping you? ([56:09])
The way in—confession and grace—is the way on. How can you make confession and receiving grace a regular part of your walk with Jesus and your relationships with others? ([01:20:11])

Sermon Clips

If we confess our sins. He's faithful. He's also just. That means the price has been paid. So justice has been served. And we're forgiven of our sins and we're cleansed from all unrighteousness. But that's the us and God. But then you've got texts like James 5. What's it say? Confess only to God. No, it says confess your sins one to another that you what? Try that one a little louder. I'm not trying to goad you into it. Get that into you. Confess your sins one to another that you may be healed. It gets the poison out. It brings the humility that is so much part of what it means to be a follower of Christ. It gets rid of the shame. It gets rid of the guilt. It disempowers that aspect of Satan's hold over your life. [01:19:55] (61 seconds) Edit Clip

Because you think about historically, religions always had three key aspects to them. They had a temple, right? Some sort of temple. They had some kind of holy man, and they had some kind of sacrifice. But what is our story? Where's our temple? Two places. Jesus said repeatedly in the Gospels, tear this Jerusalem temple down, and in three days I'll rebuild it. So he's our temple. The Apostle Paul also said, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We're carrying, we're walking temples. And the priest is in us, and the sacrifice is in him. [01:11:01] (47 seconds) Edit Clip

Faith in Christ begins confession as a sinner. But the way in is the way on. And the tendency is okay, I did the way in and I'm not so sure about keeping this turned up. And you've got to understand that vulnerability, vulnerability, your ability to be vulnerable that is empowered by grace is the way to healing. If you're hiding it, it's just festering and turning into something that's even worse and worse and worse. [01:18:53] (40 seconds) Edit Clip

He knew. When he walked up, when she walked up, he already knew. And she had this realization of grace. She had this grace experience. He knew. Do you see that? He knew. And yet he's talking to me. Strike three, I'm not out. That's cool because that's what got all of us in too. It's what got us in. And imagine a world filled with loving, grace -filled, inclusive disciples of Christ who didn't project shame. [01:08:20] (46 seconds) Edit Clip

When it comes to sin and when it comes to brokenness, Jesus addresses those out of love and grace, not shame. And that's an inclusive and also you'll see in a moment exclusive trait. He includes you through grace, grace, love, mercy. But the sin part, he wants that to go away, but not through the torque of shame. [01:06:15] (37 seconds) Edit Clip

Discipleship is arguably the most critical subject, if you will, if you're really going to concentrate on something besides who Christ is. If you want to know how it applies to your life, discipleship is it. And we can't be making attenders if we want to see our lives transformed and the world transformed. We have to make disciples. [00:51:33] (26 seconds) Edit Clip

Here's what matters in the end. You read Revelation 7, verse 9. I love that particular text. John's having a vision. It says, after this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes, all people, all languages, standing before the throne, clothed in white, robed with palm branches in their hands. [01:04:33] (33 seconds) Edit Clip

We don't need to be ashamed anymore. And the weird thing about that woman is she understood it just like that. He knew me. When the conversation started, he already knew me. And I was okay. Hey, and now she's rushing out to tell everybody because she knows she needs to become part of confessional community. [01:16:41] (28 seconds) Edit Clip

Put yourself in really weird situations that you wouldn't normally hang out. Like, you know, a Jew going into Samaria when it's traditional to go around. You ready for this? Some of you are going to get upset with me about this. I go about once a week to a cigar lounge down on Millican and hang out with a bunch of guys whose every 10th word is the F -bomb. And I actually don't like that. But I'm learning to like them. And getting in these conversations with them, talking through. None of them have come to Christ yet, but I believe in they will. So, be bold. Include. Be bold. Exclude. Be personally bold. Join confessional community. [01:23:46] (55 seconds) Edit Clip

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