The Cost of Discipleship: Embracing Truth in a Hostile World
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored a passage from the Gospel of Mark that, while focusing on John the Baptist, foreshadows Jesus Christ. This passage highlights the striking similarities between the deaths of John and Jesus, both of whom were handed over to death by hesitant leaders, spoke truth to power, and were innocent of any crime deserving death. This narrative serves as a "Mark sandwich," where the story of John's death is sandwiched between the sending out and the return of Jesus' disciples, emphasizing the cost of discipleship in a hostile world.
We live in a time of seismic cultural shifts, where expressive individualism has taken root, leading people to prioritize personal feelings over objective truth. This shift has pressured many churches to conform to cultural norms, diluting the gospel into a self-help message. However, the gospel inherently confronts our sin and points us to Jesus, who offers grace, forgiveness, and a new life. This message is increasingly countercultural and will bring offense, but it is the truth that sets us free.
The story of John the Baptist's death serves as a stark reminder of the cost of discipleship. John spoke truth to power and paid with his life, a fate that foreshadows the suffering that Jesus' followers may also face. Yet, this cost is worth it because following Jesus is the only way to know God, to live in truth, and to find true peace. Jesus is the exclusive way to God, and His words bring life and freedom. Embracing the cost of discipleship may lead to suffering and conflict, but it ultimately leads to eternal life and peace with God.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Cost of Discipleship: Following Jesus in a hostile world comes with a cost. Just as John the Baptist faced death for speaking truth, we too may face opposition and suffering. However, this cost is a testament to our commitment to Christ and the truth of the gospel. [01:51]
2. Cultural Shifts and the Gospel: Our culture has shifted towards expressive individualism, where personal feelings are often prioritized over objective truth. This shift pressures Christians to conform, but the gospel inherently confronts our sin and points us to Jesus, who offers grace and a new life. [04:09]
3. Biblical Illiteracy: There is a growing biblical illiteracy even within the church, leading many to base their lives on personal feelings rather than the Word of God. This ignorance pushes us closer to the precipice of self-worship and away from the truth that sets us free. [12:02]
4. The Exclusivity of Jesus: Jesus is the only way to God. This exclusivity is often rejected by the world, but it is a fundamental truth of the Christian faith. Following Jesus may lead to suffering, but it is the only path to eternal life and a relationship with God. [37:05]
5. True Peace in Jesus: True peace can only be found in Jesus. While the world offers temporary pleasures and distractions, they ultimately lead to chaos and turmoil. Jesus' words bring life and peace, both in this life and the next. [52:03]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:53] - John the Baptist Foreshadows Jesus
[01:51] - The Cost of Discipleship
[02:50] - The Mark Sandwich
[04:09] - Cultural Shifts and Expressive Individualism
[05:52] - The Influence of Culture on the Church
[07:49] - The Gospel Confronts Sin
[09:22] - The American Dream and Self-Worship
[10:38] - The Altar of Self
[12:02] - Biblical Illiteracy in the Church
[13:01] - Misconceptions About God's Word
[14:55] - Herod and John the Baptist
[16:45] - Herod's Guilt and Fear
[18:32] - Herodias' Grudge
[20:45] - The Dance and the Demand
[22:39] - Herod's Fear of Public Opinion
[24:42] - The Danger of Pleasing People
[26:23] - The Echo Chamber of Self
[28:22] - Herod's Execution of John
[30:14] - The Cost of Discipleship in a Changing World
[32:53] - Living in a Strange New World
[34:45] - The Authority of God's Word
[37:05] - The Exclusivity of Jesus
[39:00] - The Call to Take Up Your Cross
[40:51] - The Promise of Eternal Life
[43:16] - The Truth Will Set You Free
[45:02] - The Path to Freedom
[47:01] - The Power of Abiding in God's Word
[49:06] - The Cost of Swallowing Pride
[51:18] - The Only Way to True Peace
[52:03] - Jesus' Words of Eternal Life
[56:21] - The Cost of Following Jesus
[58:35] - The Testimony of the Martyrs
[01:00:52] - Questions for Self-Examination
[01:01:54] - The Peace of Following Jesus
[01:03:37] - The Incomparable Worth of Jesus
[01:05:56] - The Glory of God
[01:07:23] - The Call to Follow Jesus
[01:08:14] - The Invitation to Embrace the Cost
[01:10:57] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Mark 6:14-29 - The death of John the Baptist
2. John 14:5-6 - Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life
3. John 8:31-32 - The truth will set you free
### Observation Questions
1. What similarities are highlighted between the deaths of John the Baptist and Jesus? [01:51]
2. How does the concept of a "Mark sandwich" help us understand the cost of discipleship? [02:50]
3. What cultural shifts are mentioned in the sermon that challenge the gospel message? [04:09]
4. How did Herod react to John the Baptist's message, and what ultimately led to John's execution? [18:32]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is the cost of discipleship emphasized in the context of John the Baptist's death? How does this relate to the broader message of following Jesus? [30:14]
2. How does the rise of expressive individualism conflict with the gospel's message of grace and forgiveness? [04:09]
3. What does it mean that Jesus is the exclusive way to God, and why is this concept often rejected by the world? [37:05]
4. How does biblical illiteracy within the church contribute to the challenges Christians face in a secularized society? [12:02]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced opposition for your faith. How did you handle it, and what did you learn from that experience about the cost of discipleship? [01:51]
2. In what ways have you seen expressive individualism influence your own life or the lives of those around you? How can you counteract this influence with the truth of the gospel? [04:09]
3. How can you improve your understanding of the Bible to avoid the pitfalls of biblical illiteracy? What specific steps will you take this week to deepen your knowledge of God's Word? [12:02]
4. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." How does this statement impact your daily decisions and interactions with others? [37:05]
5. Think of a situation where you prioritized people's opinions over God's truth. How did that affect you, and what can you do differently in the future to prioritize God's perspective? [24:42]
6. Identify one area in your life where you need to embrace the cost of following Jesus more fully. What practical steps can you take to align this area with your faith? [39:00]
7. How can you find true peace in Jesus amidst the chaos and turmoil of life? Share a specific strategy or practice that helps you stay grounded in His peace. [52:03]
Devotional
Day 1: The Cost of Discipleship
Following Jesus in a hostile world comes with a cost. Just as John the Baptist faced death for speaking truth, we too may face opposition and suffering. However, this cost is a testament to our commitment to Christ and the truth of the gospel. John the Baptist's death serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of discipleship. He spoke truth to power and paid with his life, a fate that foreshadows the suffering that Jesus' followers may also face. Yet, this cost is worth it because following Jesus is the only way to know God, to live in truth, and to find true peace. Embracing the cost of discipleship may lead to suffering and conflict, but it ultimately leads to eternal life and peace with God. [01:51]
Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV): "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'"
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 2: Cultural Shifts and the Gospel
Our culture has shifted towards expressive individualism, where personal feelings are often prioritized over objective truth. This shift pressures Christians to conform, but the gospel inherently confronts our sin and points us to Jesus, who offers grace and a new life. In a time of seismic cultural shifts, many churches feel pressured to conform to cultural norms, diluting the gospel into a self-help message. However, the gospel inherently confronts our sin and points us to Jesus, who offers grace, forgiveness, and a new life. This message is increasingly countercultural and will bring offense, but it is the truth that sets us free. [04:09]
Romans 12:2 (ESV): "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Reflection: How have you seen expressive individualism influence your own thinking or actions? What steps can you take to ensure that your beliefs and actions are grounded in the truth of the gospel rather than cultural norms?
Day 3: Biblical Illiteracy
There is a growing biblical illiteracy even within the church, leading many to base their lives on personal feelings rather than the Word of God. This ignorance pushes us closer to the precipice of self-worship and away from the truth that sets us free. Many Christians today are not well-versed in the Bible, leading them to base their lives on personal feelings rather than the Word of God. This ignorance can push us closer to self-worship and away from the truth that sets us free. It is crucial to immerse ourselves in Scripture to understand God's will and live according to His truth. [12:02]
Hosea 4:6 (ESV): "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."
Reflection: How often do you spend time reading and studying the Bible? What practical steps can you take to increase your biblical literacy and ensure that your life is guided by God's Word?
Day 4: The Exclusivity of Jesus
Jesus is the only way to God. This exclusivity is often rejected by the world, but it is a fundamental truth of the Christian faith. Following Jesus may lead to suffering, but it is the only path to eternal life and a relationship with God. The world often rejects the exclusivity of Jesus, but it is a fundamental truth of the Christian faith. Jesus is the only way to God, and His words bring life and freedom. Embracing this truth may lead to suffering and conflict, but it ultimately leads to eternal life and peace with God. [37:05]
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: In what ways have you encountered resistance or rejection because of your belief in the exclusivity of Jesus? How can you lovingly and boldly share this truth with others?
Day 5: True Peace in Jesus
True peace can only be found in Jesus. While the world offers temporary pleasures and distractions, they ultimately lead to chaos and turmoil. Jesus' words bring life and peace, both in this life and the next. The world offers temporary pleasures and distractions, but they ultimately lead to chaos and turmoil. True peace can only be found in Jesus. His words bring life and peace, both in this life and the next. Embracing the cost of discipleship may lead to suffering and conflict, but it ultimately leads to eternal life and peace with God. [52:03]
Isaiah 26:3 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
Reflection: What temporary pleasures or distractions are currently preventing you from experiencing true peace in Jesus? How can you refocus your mind and heart on Him to find lasting peace?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The gospel will bring offense because it assaults the citadel of self-worship. You see, the gospel confronts us with our sin and leads, that sin that leads to our hopeless condition before God. The gospel points us to a Savior, Jesus, who offers grace and forgiveness and a new life by following Him." [06:52] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We are subservient to our Creator God. And we must take seriously what He says to us in the Scriptures. And we must see the path of following Jesus as God's saving expression to us. We cannot attain what we want on our own." [07:49] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Following Jesus is the only way to get to God. That's why you embrace the cost because it's the only path that's going to get you to God. I love John 14 verses 5 and 6... Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." [37:05] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Friends, Jesus is the only way to the peace that you're looking for. He's got the words. Now you might be living in a constant state of chaos and turmoil because of the decisions that you've made. When you made them, you were convinced that it was a pathway to peace. But you've discovered that it's brought nothing but chaos and turmoil to your life. Jesus. Jesus has the words. Turn to Him." [53:08] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Friends, don't do it today. Don't spend one more day chasing what you think is going to bring you peace. Because it won't. Only Jesus has the words of life. Only Jesus." [01:08:44] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The temptation is to update our faith and make it more palatable to the culture around us. We've seen the great churches of our day, the great denominations beginning to do this. And the latest was the United Methodist Church. And that, sadly, is not the lone example." [05:52] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We are too ready to surround ourselves with an echo chamber, people that will simply reflect to us what we ourselves think about ourselves or what we want to do. We surround ourselves with voices that will simply say, oh yeah, that sounds great. You know the problem with that? I challenge you, when it all falls apart, where are those same people that were in your ear saying to you, oh, this sounds like a great idea?" [24:42] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Following Jesus will lead you to the truth. John 8:31 and 32... If you continue in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free. Did y'all hear that? What makes us free? The truth. And how do we get the truth? By continuing in His word." [43:16] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If you're in bondage today, Jesus just gave you a path to freedom. You see, I'm not just talking today about people who are contemplating a path. I'm talking about people who not only contemplated, but have already started the journey. And you're in bondage and you might be thinking it's too late for me. No! No! Abide in His Word and that Word is going to lead you to the truth and that truth will show you how to get out of where you're in and bring you into freedom." [45:02] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Friends, when we are living our lives outside of relationship with God, when we are willingly disobeying Him, we are in that moment an enemy of God. And in that moment, we discover that though we might have grabbed the horn, we might have gotten the position, we might have got the relationship, we might have gotten the house and the money and the cars and all this stuff and everything the world celebrates. We have it all. But we don't have peace. And therefore, having it all is nothing." [58:35] (76 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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