Steve Foster Are You Willing To Die?

Devotional

Day 1: The Call to Die to Self and Bear Fruit

A grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die to produce a harvest. This powerful agricultural image illustrates a profound spiritual truth. To live for oneself is to remain alone, but to die to self is to unlock a life of purpose and impact for God's kingdom. This is not a physical death, but a daily surrender of our own desires and ambitions. It is a choice to build our lives around God's purposes rather than our own. This path, though it requires sacrifice, leads to a fruitful and meaningful life. [01:05]

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24 ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific area of your daily routine or decision-making where you consistently choose your own comfort or preference over what you know honors God? What would it look like this week to “die” to that preference for the sake of bearing spiritual fruit?

Day 2: Going All In for the Kingdom

Commitment is the conscious decision to go “all in” for Jesus, based on who He is. It means staking everything on the truth of the Gospel, just as a card player risks everything on a winning hand. This is a response to the overwhelming evidence of God's power and faithfulness throughout Scripture. It is a presentation of our entire lives as a living sacrifice to Him. This level of commitment is not about partial involvement but complete surrender to His lordship. [06:00]

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1 ESV)

Reflection: When you consider the character of God—His power, love, and faithfulness—what holds you back from going “all in” in a specific area of your discipleship? Is it a fear of the cost, a lack of trust, or something else?

Day 3: The Singular and Simple Nature of Commitment

True commitment is always personal and singular; it cannot be made by a group on your behalf. It is also a simple, binary choice—you are either committed or you are not. There is no comfortable middle ground of being “fairly committed” or mostly obedient. This kind of wholehearted devotion defines a disciple and is evident in the consistency between their life inside and outside the church walls. It is a daily intention to follow Christ without looking back. [15:56]

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62 ESV)

Reflection: In what relationship or context of your life (work, neighborhood, family) would people be most surprised to learn you are a committed Christian? What is one practical step you can take to better integrate your faith into that environment?

Day 4: Commitment Obeys Without Knowing the Cost

Genuine commitment to God means obeying His call even when we do not know the full cost or destination. It is a step of faith that says “yes” to God before He reveals all the details of the assignment. This was the faith of Abraham, who went out without knowing where he was going, and the disciples, who left their nets immediately. This obedience is rooted in a trust that God’s call is worthy, regardless of the personal sacrifice it may require. [28:55]

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8 ESV)

Reflection: Is there a prompting from God you have been hesitating to obey because you want to know all the details and potential outcomes first? What would it look like to take a step of obedience this week in faith, even without that full knowledge?

Day 5: An Unreasonable Passion for the Gospel

A life fully committed to Christ often appears as an “unreasonable passion” to the world. It is a willingness to risk everything for the sake of the Gospel, one person and one conversation at a time. This passion is what fueled the early church to spread the message of Jesus despite intense persecution. It is the natural result of believing that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do. This kind of passion transforms communities and leaves a lasting legacy for God’s kingdom. [37:42]

“And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.” (Acts 16:31-32 ESV)

Reflection: What would it look like in your own sphere of influence to have an “unreasonable passion” for sharing the Gospel? Who is one “neighbor” in your life that you could begin praying for and engaging with intentionally this month?

Sermon Summary

John 12:24–26 frames the kingdom ethic with an agricultural image: a grain of wheat must die to produce abundant fruit. That image applies to believers, not as a message of initial salvation but as a call to reorient life away from self and toward God. Living “all about me” produces little lasting influence; living “all about God” yields spiritual multiplication, even when the path leads through loss, hardship, or death. The “all in” posture functions like a wager of ultimate trust—risking present comforts because the reality of God’s power and resurrection makes sacrifice reasonable and fruitful.

Commitment appears as a distinct, personal act rather than a group choice. Hymns and biblical commands frame surrender in singular terms: each person must choose to follow, present the body as a living sacrifice, and refuse to look back. Genuine commitment shows itself in consistent habits and costly choices—attendance, witness, generosity, and willingness to follow into unknown assignments. Historical examples surface: disciples who left everything to follow, martyrs and exiles who kept preaching under threat, and ordinary Christians who quit secure lives for cross-cultural service.

True devotion moves people where God leads without insisting on full disclosure of the map. Scripture commends those who go “not knowing” and trust God for provision and direction. Commitment also requires doing what must be done: standing firm under pressure, paying required costs, and speaking bold words when cultural pressure demands silence. The fruit of such obedience appears in multiplied disciples, resilient churches, and lives that leave spiritual legacies rather than merely material estates.

A posture of “unreasonable passion” converts steady faith into persistent evangelistic labor—one cup, one conversation, one neighbor at a time. That kind of passion treats commitment as binary, not cafeteria-style: either surrendered or not. Following Jesus inevitably shapes daily priorities, calls for costly obedience, and leads to a cross-shaped life. Anything less risks a life remembered more for inconsistency than for transformative kingdom impact.

Key Takeaways

1. Die to self; bear much fruit Surrendering personal prominence resets the axis of daily decisions toward kingdom ends. Dying to self is not mere asceticism but an ongoing refusal to let comfort, approval, or convenience dictate gospel obedience. When the self loses control, life multiplies through witness, service, and sacrificial generosity that outlasts temporal gains. [00:42]
2. Commitment requires personal surrender True discipleship never happens by committee; it demands an individual, irrevocable yes to follow. Personal surrender reshapes habits, speech, and priorities so that religious identity matches public life under pressure. That inward decision carries outward consequences—relationships change, time reallocates, and former certainties get reoriented toward obedience. [15:03]
3. Follow where God leads Faith commits to direction without full maps, trusting God to provide resources and clarity en route. Following “not knowing” means embracing uncertainty as the testing ground of trust rather than a reason to refrain. Such obedience widens reach—ministry, mission, and witness often begin when someone steps into the unknown. [26:08]
4. Commitment costs but yields joy Costly obedience exposes comfort and asks for real loss, yet it produces deep, lasting joy and spiritual fruit. Selling everything in the parable is less about material renunciation and more about recognizing the incomparable worth of God’s kingdom. Joy follows when retrospective eyes see investment that mattered for eternity rather than possessions left behind. [09:28]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:42] - John 12:24–26: Seed and Death
[02:09] - Two Life Perspectives: Me or God
[03:38] - “All In” Illustration (Poker)
[09:28] - Kingdom Worth Selling Everything
[15:03] - Commitment Is Personal and Singular
[26:08] - Follow Where God Leads
[32:03] - Cost and Courage of Faith
[36:40] - Unreasonable Passion: One Life at a Time

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
John 12:24–26 (ESV)
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Observation questions

What agricultural image does Jesus use to describe the principle of life through death?
According to the passage, what two outcomes are possible for someone who "loves his life" versus someone who "hates his life in this world"?
What does Jesus say is required for those who wish to serve Him?
What promise does Jesus give to those who serve Him?

Interpretation questions

Jesus says a grain of wheat must die to bear fruit. How does this principle apply to a believer's daily life, beyond physical death?
What does it mean to "hate your life in this world," and how does that contrast with a life lived "all about me"? [02:09]
The idea of "following" Jesus is paired with serving Him. Why do you think following is a necessary part of serving?
Jesus promises that the Father will honor those who serve Him. What might that "honor" look like in both this life and the next?

Application questions

Where in your life right now is God asking you to "die to self"—to let go of comfort, approval, or convenience for the sake of obedience? [00:42]
Commitment is described as a singular, personal act—not a group decision. [15:03] What is one area where you need to stop waiting for others and make a personal commitment to follow Jesus?
Abraham "went out, not knowing where he was going" (Hebrews 11:8). [28:55] Is there a step of faith God is asking you to take even though you don’t have all the details or guarantees?
The world shows commitment to hobbies, sports, and careers. [11:43] What would it look like for you to have that same—or greater—level of commitment to following Jesus in your daily habits?
How can you cultivate "unreasonable passion" for the gospel in your own life—one conversation, one neighbor, one act of service at a time? [37:00]
What’s one costly choice you’ve been avoiding because of fear or comfort? What would it look like to trust God with the outcome?
Reflect on a time when you chose obedience even when it was hard. What fruit did you see from that decision—in your life or someone else’s?

Sermon Clips

20s

#FollowMeansCross

“The your family's gonna kick you out. They're they're they're not gonna accept you because they don't believe this way. What you gonna do about that? I'm I'm gonna follow Jesus. When you follow Jesus, it always leads. There's no exception. Following Jesus always leads to a cross of commitment. It's just the way it is.”

43s

#JustFollowJesus

“Jesus said things like this, follow me. In fact, if you caught that verse 26, he says, somebody follow him. But it's not the first time he said it. He says that the Peter in in Mark chapter one, also in Matthew four, it's the same verse. He also says it to Peter in John 21. In John 21, after Jesus tells Peter, you walk where you want to right now, but one day they won't carry you to place you don't want to go. Know what Peter says? He says what probably we'd say. He looks at another side. What about him? Jesus says, if he remains to return, what's that to you? What he's saying is, ain't none of your business.”

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Steve Foster Are You Willing To Die?

Devotional

Day 1: The Call to Die to Self and Bear Fruit

Day 2: Going All In for the Kingdom

Day 3: The Singular and Simple Nature of Commitment

Day 4: Commitment Obeys Without Knowing the Cost

Day 5: An Unreasonable Passion for the Gospel

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Steve Foster Are You Willing To Die?

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