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Luke 9:57-62 - Part 1 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Thanks, Jordan and Anna.
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Join me in your Bibles in Luke.
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Gospel of Luke, chapter 9.
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So as Jake stated earlier,
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!
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Put a lot of thought into New Year's.
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Maybe I should.
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But for a lot of people in our culture
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and those around us,
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it's like the time to kick off new things.
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It's to make big resolutions,
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small ones, big ones,
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all the best intention
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to bring about change in somebody's life.
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And out of curiosity,
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I looked up the top 2024 New Year's resolutions.
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None of them will shock you,
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but a survey says
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improving finances, shocker, 38%.
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Losing weight, 33%.
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Improving one's diet, 31%.
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And a lot of well-meaning, I guess,
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but fewer people focus on goals
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like learning a new skill, 8%.
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Hobbies, 7%.
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And traveling more, 5%.
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The problem occurs somehow
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when we fail to keep these new resolutions of change.
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I heard recently that March is the month
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when most people quit.
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Everything they're doing.
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They start strong in January,
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they struggle in February,
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and then they quit in March.
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And they start to say,
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this is harder than I thought it was going to be,
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so I'm just going to stop.
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After all, I made this promise to myself
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and not other people,
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so I can quit on myself.
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But some people make resolutions with somebody else,
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like your spouse or your friend,
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and that can end too.
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All you've got to do is tap into that same temptation
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and weakness that they're having
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and quit together.
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So unless one of you is stronger
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and can kind of push through a little more
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and say, no, no, we're not quitting.
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Keep going.
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So anyway, our sinful condition
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tends to drift us towards laziness,
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indulgence, and comfort.
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And so we don't like disciplining ourselves.
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But for the believer,
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discipline is a critical part of our everyday life.
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It's not like we just try it once a year.
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It should be infused to our everyday living.
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In fact, like a lot of the meaning of the word disciple
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comes from this idea of discipline.
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And so this week, today, next Sunday,
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we're going to talk about more specific resolutions
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maybe next week and unpack that.
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But I kind of wanted to give us one broad one for the day.
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And that is resolve to follow Jesus Christ.
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Resolve to follow Jesus.
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And it may sound kind of shallow for Christians, right?
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Of course we're supposed to follow Jesus.
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But there are only two types of people in this room.
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Those who have given their lives to Christ,
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who have repented of their sins
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and thrown their self on the grace of God
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and come to saving faith in Jesus Christ
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and are reconciled to God
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and now are disciples and followers of Jesus
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and those who aren't.
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And so let's look at, I mean, just, I think,
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just a very simple definition of a resolution
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is to reach a clear and firm decision on something.
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Right?
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And so Jonathan Edwards, we think of him
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when we think about resolutions,
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those who know some of their church history
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and read some of the old guys.
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Jonathan Edwards wrote,
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Resolved by God's grace to love my Lord Jesus Christ
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by daily denying myself,
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taking up my cross,
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and following him wherever he leads,
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no matter the cost.
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Those of you who are familiar with Jonathan Edwards,
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he did not write that.
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I wrote that.
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But I thought you would listen to it more
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if I said that he wrote it.
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So this is actually one of the points, okay?
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And I want you to, I'll read this slower
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so you can follow.
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But this is the main point we will be unpacking today.
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It's not a lighthearted subject
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to talk about the cost of discipleship.
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But our main point, we would say,
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is this resolution to resolve by God's grace
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to love my Lord Jesus Christ
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by daily denying myself,
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taking up my cross,
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and following him wherever he leads,
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no matter the cost.
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And so, just a quick reminder
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that we never graduate or move on from the gospel.
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It's the greatest news possible
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that God won for us over sin,
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over death,
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over hell by sending his son
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to graciously save sinners.
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That's what we read in John 3, right?
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That God so loved the world,
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he gave his only son,
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that whoever believes in him
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would have eternal life, right?
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They would not perish.
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For God did not send his son into the world
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to condemn the world, right?
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But in the world that might be saved through him.
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So, let's not confuse some things.
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Salvation is a free gift of God's grace.
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You cannot earn it.
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You cannot pay it back.
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It only comes as a result of God's grace,
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love, and mercy
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towards sinners in Jesus Christ.
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Alright?
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So, that's the good news.
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That's what we're resting on.
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And so, like I mentioned earlier,
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there's only two types of people in the room.
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Those who are probably most of us here,
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the church,
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those who have a relationship with Christ
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and have trusted for him
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and for salvation
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and have devoted their lives
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to following him
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and obeying him
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and loving him.
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So, for you,
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for most of us,
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let's renew our desire
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to follow Jesus.
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Renew our desire
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to take up our cross.
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And then there's those
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who don't have a relationship with Christ
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and are still at odds with God.
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In fact,
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called enemies of God
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and under his judgment.
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A very chilling verse in John 3,
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right after the famous John 3.16.
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John 3.36,
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whoever believes in the Son
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has eternal life.
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Whoever does not obey the Son
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will not see life,
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but the wrath of God remains on him.
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And so,
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point number one,
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so I gave you the resolution
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about following Christ,
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but point number one,
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there's just two points today,
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and we'll spend,
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I've done my best to keep you in Luke.
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So,
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besides looking at one other place.
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But,
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point one,
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is that Christ demands
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that you weigh the cost
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of following him.
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Christ demands
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that you weigh the cost
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of following him.
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And,
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we're going to start in Luke 9,
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go to verse 57.
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Alright,
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and in the context here,
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Jesus,
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it says earlier,
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has set his face
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towards Jerusalem.
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He's making
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a final journey
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towards Jerusalem
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where he knows
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he will be arrested,
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beaten,
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and crucified
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to save men
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from their sins.
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And so,
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along the way,
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Jesus encounters
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three different men
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who all claim
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and have interest
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in wanting to be
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his disciple.
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Right?
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And they're,
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what they say
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doesn't seem unreasonable
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on its face,
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but then Jesus responds
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to them
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kind of surprisingly.
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Let's look at
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verse 57.
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As they were going
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along the road,
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someone said to him,
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to Jesus,
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I will follow you
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wherever you go.
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And Jesus said to him,
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foxes have holes,
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the birds of the air
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have nests,
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but the Son of Man
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has nowhere
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to lay his head.
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To another he said,
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follow me.
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But he said,
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Lord,
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let me first go
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and bury my father.
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And Jesus said to him,
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leave the dead
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to bury their own dead,
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but as for you,
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go and proclaim
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the kingdom of God.
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Yet another said,
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I will follow you,
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Lord,
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but first,
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let me say farewell
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to those who are at home.
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And Jesus said to him,
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no one
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who puts his hand
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to the plow
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and looks back
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is fit
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for the kingdom
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of God.
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So,
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why does Jesus
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actually call them
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to weigh the cost here?
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Right?
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Why does he
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tend to drive them away?
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As far as we know,
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these men turned away.
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We never hear about them again,
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never heard from them
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after this.
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And,
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what I want to
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throw forward to you
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is like in your
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evangelism
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and your sharing
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of the good news
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with unbelievers,
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I tend to get to a point
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where I've met
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with people several times
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and I've gone over
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the foundational
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gospel message
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with them.
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and when they get
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to that point
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and they say,
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yeah,
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like I'm in,
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I'm there,
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I believe it.
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I then kind of cringe
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and go,
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okay,
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let's look at Luke 9,
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let's look at Luke 14,
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let's look at Matthew 10
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and I hope you know
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what I'm saying
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when I say this,
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but I try to talk them
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out of following Jesus
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after that.
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And,
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not what you do
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if you want to grow
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a successful ministry
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and have a lot of people
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come around.
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But in fact,
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this is exactly
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what Jesus did
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when he got too popular
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and he would turn around
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and say,
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hey,
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listen guys,
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listen,
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this is serious.
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I'm not playing games.
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I'm not here for your fun
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and entertainment
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and to give you prosperity.
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So,
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at first glance,
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Christ seems to be
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a little unreasonable,
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but a closer study
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of the passage
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might help us
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unpack what's going on.
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and he looks straight
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through their words
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and goes after
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the idols of their heart.
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He chooses to sift
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at those things.
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And all of them
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refused to obey Jesus
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immediately
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when he said,
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you know,
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follow me.
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This proved,
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really,
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that they did not
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really believe
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who Jesus was.
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Okay?
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So,
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it's not like
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they had this genuine
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faith in Christ
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and he's saying,
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no,
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not you,
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go away.
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He's basically revealing
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they don't really
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believe who he is.
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That's like
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what's happening
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right here.
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He's exposing that.
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And so,
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the first man,
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Matthew,
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in Matthew 8,
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19,
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also tells this story
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and he says
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that he was a scribe.
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Alright?
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And so,
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this scribe
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made a very bold claim.
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I will follow you
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wherever you go.
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That's a huge claim
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for anybody to make,
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right?
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Very bold.
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But we know
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based on how Jesus
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responds to the man
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that he's looking
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for something else.
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And often,
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in this time,
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just like today,
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you would find
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an influential person,
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an influential teacher
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and attach yourself
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to that person
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in order that
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as they continue
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to prosper,
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you would kind of
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rise up with them.
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That's how you do it,
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right?
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Especially in the business world.
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And so,
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this guy really
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saw Jesus
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as a way
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of personal advancement
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in society
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and probably
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a means
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of comfort
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and security,
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right?
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And Jesus basically said,
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look,
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if that's what you're
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looking for,
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I'm not it.
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Go away.
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I'm not here
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to make you comfortable.
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Even foxes
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have places to go.
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I do not.
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And so,
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we know
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just based on
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Jesus' response
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what this guy
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was actually looking for.
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But rather,
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the Christian life
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is not one of comfort,
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but as we're talking about,
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suffering,
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going against
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the ways of this world,
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persecution even.
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And so,
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this man considered
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his earthly comfort
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and status
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more important
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than actually being
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redeemed,
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right?
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Have you ever seen
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people
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confess to be followers
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of Jesus,
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but yet in time
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it just revealed
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over time
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that they actually
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were trusting in Jesus
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for some other reason?
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Like to get them
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somewhere else,
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to give them
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something that they wanted,
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claiming to be believers.
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So,
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the second man,
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very tricky here,
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right?
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The second man,
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he said,
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let me go and bury my father.
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I'll follow you,
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but let me first go
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and bury my father.
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So,
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it seems like
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an honorable request.
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And Jesus isn't
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attacking that idea
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of honoring
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your father
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and your mother
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because we know
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elsewhere in the Gospels
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Christ defends
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the commandment
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to honor your father
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and your mother
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against those
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who really
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weren't doing that.
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But,
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with this statement,
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let me go and bury my father,
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it did not even
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necessarily mean
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that his father
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was dead yet,
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for one.
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So,
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meaning that he was
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waiting for him
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to pass away.
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And the phrase,
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I must bury my father,
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was a common figure
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of speech,
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which could also mean,
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let me wait
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for my inheritance.
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Like,
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let my father
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pass away
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and then let me
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get my inheritance
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and then I'll
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follow you.
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That's just what
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this really
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could mean.
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And again,
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Jesus isn't
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going against
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the commandment.
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He just basically
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said,
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look,
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this is more
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important.
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What I'm asking
14:17
you to do
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is more important
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than waiting
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for your
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inheritance.
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Right?
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It could reveal
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that the man
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really desired
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money and title
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that he would
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receive
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over the call
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to follow
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the Messiah.
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Right?
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So,
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again,
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we know
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these things
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just based
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on how
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Jesus responds
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to them.
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We know
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he's not
14:39
attacking the
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commandment
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to honor
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your parents.
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So,
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very clearly,
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this guy
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had a different
14:43
motive.
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So,
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thirdly,
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the third man,
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he basically
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says,
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let me say
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farewell to those
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at home.
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Let me go
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home,
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kiss everybody
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goodbye,
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wrap up my
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business,
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and then I'll
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follow you.
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Of all the
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requests,
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this seems
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the most
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reasonable,
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right?
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Like,
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it seems
14:58
like,
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sure,
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Jesus would
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surely allow
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them to go
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and do that.
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So,
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what's the
15:04
problem?
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Why does
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Jesus respond
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this way?
15:07
It seems
15:07
like kind
15:08
of harsh.
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So,
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please hold
15:10
your hand
15:11
or your
15:11
bookmark
15:12
in Luke,
15:12
but look
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really quickly.
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This is the
15:13
only other
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place I want
15:14
you to turn,
15:15
but look at
15:16
1 Kings
15:17
really quickly.
15:19
1 Kings
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chapter 19,
15:21
and you'll
15:23
see some
15:23
very scary
15:24
parallels
15:25
in this
15:27
text,
15:27
but this
15:27
is when
15:28
Elisha
15:29
was about
15:30
to be
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taken up
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into heaven
15:32
and he
15:32
was passing
15:33
on his
15:35
mantle as
15:35
prophet to
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Elisha.
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Alright?
15:40
And look
15:41
at 1 Kings
15:42
19,
15:44
verse 19,
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now,
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just think
15:46
about how
15:47
Jesus responded
15:48
to that third
15:48
man and then
15:49
think about
15:49
this passage.
15:51
Alright?
15:52
So,
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he departed
15:53
from there
15:54
and found
15:54
Elisha,
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the son
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of Japhat,
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who was
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plowing with
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twelve yoke
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of oxen
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in front of
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him,
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and he
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was with
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the twelve.
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Elijah
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passed by
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him and
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cast his
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cloak upon
16:07
him.
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Symbolic.
16:10
And he
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left the
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oxen and
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ran after
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Elijah and
16:12
said,
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now listen
16:13
to this,
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let me
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kiss my
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father and
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mother and
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then I
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will follow
16:18
you.
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See the
16:19
connection?
16:20
And he
16:21
said to
16:21
him,
16:21
go back
16:22
again for
16:22
what have
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I done
16:23
to you?
16:24
And he
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returned from
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following him,
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took the
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yoke of
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oxen and
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sacrificed them
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and boiled
16:30
their flesh
16:31
with the
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yokes of
16:33
oxen and
16:33
gave it to
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the people
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and they
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ate.
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Then he
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arose and
16:37
went after
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Elijah and
16:39
assisted him.
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So,
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we'll stop
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there.
16:44
So,
16:44
what's amazing
16:45
is Elijah
16:45
grants that
16:46
request.
16:47
Sure,
16:48
go home,
16:49
kiss your
16:50
mother and
16:50
your father
16:50
goodbye.
16:51
But,
16:52
why did
16:53
Jesus refuse
16:54
to do it?
16:55
What's the
16:55
difference?
16:57
Well,
16:58
the difference
16:59
can be seen
16:59
in what
17:00
Elisha
17:00
actually does
17:01
when he
17:02
goes home.
17:03
He immediately
17:04
returns home,
17:05
says for a while
17:06
to his parents,
17:07
then he takes
17:08
all the oxen,
17:09
and oxen are
17:09
huge.
17:09
I saw one at
17:10
a fair a few
17:11
weeks ago.
17:11
They're like
17:12
a truck.
17:13
They're like,
17:14
you know,
17:15
Oregon Trail
17:16
doesn't do
17:16
them justice.
17:17
So,
17:18
like,
17:18
a bunch
17:19
of oxen.
17:20
So,
17:20
he sacrifices
17:21
them and
17:22
gives it
17:23
to the
17:23
Lord.
17:24
Right?
17:24
Here you
17:25
go,
17:25
Lord.
17:25
symbolic
17:26
acts of
17:27
severing
17:27
your old
17:28
lifestyle
17:29
to start
17:29
a new
17:30
one.
17:30
You see
17:30
that?
17:31
He had
17:31
nothing to
17:32
go back
17:32
to.
17:32
He destroyed
17:33
everything.
17:33
He had
17:34
nothing to
17:34
return to.
17:36
So,
17:36
this proved,
17:37
right,
17:37
that Elisha
17:39
abandoning his
17:39
home and his
17:40
livelihood proved
17:41
that his true
17:42
passion and
17:42
devotion was to
17:43
follow the
17:44
Lord's call
17:45
on his
17:45
life.
17:46
So,
17:47
Elijah didn't
17:47
mind if he
17:48
temporarily
17:48
returned home
17:49
to do
17:50
something like
17:50
that.
17:51
However,
17:52
we see clearly
17:52
that Jesus
17:53
perceived something
17:54
very different
17:55
about this
17:56
third guy.
17:57
And this is a
17:58
hard one.
17:59
He basically
17:59
said,
18:00
you may come
18:03
after me for
18:04
a little while
18:04
and you may
18:05
follow me for
18:06
a little while,
18:07
but you're
18:07
always going
18:08
to be looking
18:09
over your
18:09
shoulder.
18:10
You're always
18:10
going to be
18:10
going,
18:12
looking back
18:13
at home,
18:14
looking back
18:15
at your
18:15
family.
18:15
And at
18:16
some point,
18:17
you're going
18:17
to miss
18:18
them so
18:18
much that
18:18
you will
18:19
leave me
18:19
and you
18:20
will go
18:20
home.
18:22
And most
18:23
people don't
18:23
plow around
18:24
here.
18:24
I've done
18:25
some hay
18:26
cutting and
18:26
hay raking,
18:27
not the best
18:27
thing to do
18:28
if you have
18:28
a respiratory
18:28
problem.
18:29
people.
18:30
But like
18:31
just keeping
18:31
your rows
18:32
straight.
18:33
But if
18:33
you're
18:33
plowing a
18:34
straight line
18:35
and you're
18:35
always going
18:35
like this,
18:36
you tend
18:36
to do
18:37
this,
18:37
and so
18:37
you don't
18:38
really
18:38
accomplish
18:39
the goal.
18:40
And so
18:40
Jesus clearly
18:41
perceived that
18:42
this man would
18:43
leave him and
18:44
return back to
18:44
his family.
18:45
So he goes,
18:46
no.
18:48
Right?
18:49
So,
18:50
in case that's
18:51
not enough,
18:52
you can go
18:52
back to Luke
18:53
now.
18:54
Go back to
18:55
Luke.
18:55
Luke.
18:56
In case
18:57
that's not
18:58
enough,
19:00
Jesus goes
19:01
on to
19:01
expound more
19:03
a little
19:04
later.
19:04
Like,
19:05
look at
19:05
Luke 14.
19:07
Let's go to
19:08
Luke 14 a
19:08
few chapters
19:09
later,
19:09
and he
19:09
returns to
19:10
this idea
19:11
of discipleship.
19:13
So if that's
19:14
not enough,
19:14
again,
19:15
like Jesus
19:15
basically says,
19:16
you have to
19:16
renounce all
19:17
you have in
19:19
order to be
19:19
my disciple.
19:21
So this is
19:22
his final
19:22
journey to
19:23
Jerusalem.
19:24
Think about
19:24
this.
19:24
He's not like
19:25
the most
19:25
upbeat.
19:26
He's like
19:26
feeling lonely.
19:28
He's feeling
19:28
the weight of
19:29
what's going
19:30
to go on.
19:32
And he's
19:32
being followed
19:33
by these
19:33
crowds of
19:34
people that
19:35
basically just
19:36
want him to
19:36
do cool
19:37
tricks.
19:38
Right?
19:38
A lot of
19:39
them.
19:40
And he
19:41
just,
19:42
it's one of
19:42
those moments
19:42
where he
19:42
has it.
19:43
You know,
19:43
he's had it
19:44
and he goes,
19:44
hey,
19:44
listen to me.
19:45
Listen very
19:46
carefully.
19:48
He boldly
19:49
turns around
19:49
and confronts
19:50
this crowd,
19:51
this sort of
19:52
flirting with
19:52
him,
19:53
if you want to
19:53
put it that
19:53
way,
19:54
and warns
19:55
them of the
19:56
heavy weight
19:56
and cost it
19:58
means to be
19:58
his disciple.
19:59
Don't be
20:00
quick to
20:01
become my
20:02
follower.
20:03
And he
20:03
uses two
20:04
examples of
20:05
building,
20:05
one building,
20:06
and one going
20:06
to war to
20:07
illustrate this.
20:08
Luke 14,
20:09
verse 25.
20:11
Great crowds
20:12
accompanied him
20:12
and he
20:13
turned and
20:13
said to
20:14
them,
20:14
here it
20:14
is,
20:15
if anyone
20:15
comes to
20:16
me and
20:17
does not
20:17
hate his
20:18
own father,
20:19
mother,
20:20
wife,
20:20
children,
20:22
brothers,
20:22
sisters,
20:23
yes,
20:23
even his
20:23
own life,
20:24
he cannot
20:25
be my
20:25
disciple.
20:27
Whoever
20:28
does not
20:28
bear his
20:29
own cross
20:30
and come
20:30
after me
20:30
cannot be
20:31
my
20:31
disciple.
20:33
For which
20:33
of you
20:34
desiring to
20:34
build a
20:35
tower does
20:35
not first
20:36
sit down
20:36
and count
20:37
the cost
20:37
whether he
20:38
has enough
20:39
to complete
20:39
it?
20:40
Otherwise,
20:41
when he's
20:41
laid a
20:41
foundation
20:42
and he's
20:42
not able
20:42
to finish,
20:43
all see
20:44
it and
20:44
begin to
20:45
mock him,
20:45
saying,
20:46
this man
20:46
began to
20:47
build and
20:48
was not
20:48
able to
20:48
finish.
20:50
Or what
20:50
king,
20:51
going out
20:51
to encounter
20:52
another
20:52
king in
20:53
war,
20:54
will not
20:54
sit down
20:55
first and
20:55
deliberate
20:57
whether he
20:57
is able
20:58
with 10,000
20:59
to meet
20:59
him who
21:00
comes against
21:00
him with
21:00
20,000?
21:02
And if
21:03
not,
21:03
while the
21:03
other is
21:04
yet a
21:04
great way
21:05
off,
21:05
he sends
21:05
a delegation
21:06
and asks
21:07
for terms
21:07
of peace,
21:09
so therefore,
21:11
any one
21:11
of you,
21:13
so personal,
21:14
any one
21:14
of you
21:15
who does
21:16
not renounce
21:16
all he has
21:17
cannot be
21:18
my disciple.
21:19
Gosh.
21:20
So this
21:20
isn't like
21:21
seeker friendly,
21:22
this isn't
21:22
like he's
21:23
really wanting
21:24
to just build
21:24
a cool church
21:25
and have a lot
21:25
of people,
21:26
he's like,
21:26
no.
21:28
Like if you
21:29
don't love me
21:31
more than
21:31
anything else,
21:32
even your own
21:33
life,
21:33
you cannot
21:34
be my disciple.
21:35
That's a
21:35
condition.
21:37
Again,
21:38
it's not
21:38
replacing our
21:39
gospel message
21:40
of grace
21:41
and our
21:42
gospel message
21:43
of faith
21:43
alone in
21:44
Christ.
21:45
It basically
21:45
is just
21:45
saying,
21:46
you know
21:47
what,
21:47
if you
21:48
truly believe
21:49
who I
21:49
am,
21:51
none of
21:51
this will
21:51
be a
21:51
problem.
21:52
But as
21:53
Westerners,
21:54
as Americans,
21:55
we read this
21:55
and it just
21:56
doesn't quite
21:57
ring true,
21:58
but in
22:00
Jesus'
22:00
world,
22:01
the people
22:02
he's talking
22:03
to,
22:03
for them
22:04
to become
22:04
his disciple
22:05
could mean
22:06
death.
22:07
It could
22:07
mean separation
22:08
from family.
22:10
Many years
22:11
ago,
22:12
there might
22:12
be two people
22:13
here who
22:13
remember this,
22:14
Nathan being
22:15
one of them.
22:16
I had a
22:16
friend from
22:17
Kyrgyzstan
22:18
come and
22:19
visit and I
22:20
got like a
22:20
large crowd
22:22
of college
22:23
students,
22:23
probably like
22:24
80 to 100
22:24
in here,
22:26
to hear him
22:26
talk.
22:27
It's a
22:28
buddy of
22:28
mine,
22:29
his name's
22:30
Ossal.
22:31
And he
22:32
basically said,
22:33
hey,
22:33
in America,
22:34
when people
22:36
want to become
22:36
Christians,
22:37
they walk
22:37
the aisle,
22:38
they shake
22:39
the pastor's
22:39
hand,
22:39
they pray a
22:40
prayer,
22:40
they're baptized,
22:42
and then they
22:42
are expected
22:43
to kind of
22:43
show up on
22:44
Sunday and
22:44
be a pretty
22:45
good person
22:45
and give to
22:46
the church,
22:47
just outwardly,
22:49
right?
22:49
But he's like,
22:49
in Asia,
22:50
when you become
22:51
a Christian,
22:53
first your
22:53
family rejects
22:55
you and
22:56
kicks you
22:57
out.
22:58
Secondly,
22:59
your community
22:59
will ostracize
23:00
you.
23:01
And then
23:02
thirdly,
23:02
the government
23:03
will either
23:03
not allow
23:04
you to
23:04
work,
23:05
or they
23:06
will imprison
23:06
you or
23:07
kill you.
23:08
And then
23:08
he said,
23:09
and if
23:10
someone we've
23:11
been sharing
23:12
Christ with
23:12
does all
23:13
that,
23:14
we know
23:14
they're a
23:14
true Christian.
23:16
So,
23:18
even today,
23:19
this is true
23:20
for many
23:21
places in
23:22
the world.
23:23
And I
23:23
don't think
23:24
that Jesus
23:24
would say to
23:25
us,
23:25
hey,
23:25
Americans,
23:26
that's not
23:26
you,
23:26
so be
23:27
thankful you
23:28
live in the
23:28
land of the
23:29
free and the
23:29
home of the
23:30
brave.
23:30
I think
23:31
he would
23:31
say,
23:31
no,
23:32
I demand
23:32
that same
23:33
loyalty
23:34
from you.
23:37
And that's
23:37
chilling.
23:39
But firstly,
23:40
we see in
23:41
Luke 14
23:42
right here,
23:43
a superior
23:44
love to
23:44
family and
23:45
self,
23:45
right?
23:46
He doesn't
23:46
say,
23:47
the term
23:47
hating here
23:48
doesn't mean
23:48
malice,
23:50
evil,
23:51
towards your
23:52
family or
23:52
your friends.
23:53
love to
23:54
love to
23:55
love to
23:56
love to
23:57
love to
23:57
love to
23:58
love to
23:59
love to
24:00
love to
24:00
love to
24:02
love to
24:02
love to
24:04
me.
24:04
You should
24:05
cultivate such
24:06
a love and
24:07
devotion to
24:07
me that all
24:08
other loves
24:09
in comparison
24:10
look like
24:11
hate.
24:13
Right?
24:14
So,
24:14
very similarly
24:15
in Matthew's
24:16
Gospel,
24:16
you don't have
24:17
to turn
24:17
here,
24:17
but very
24:18
similar
24:18
passage about
24:19
the cost of
24:20
following Jesus.
24:21
Jesus said,
24:21
do not think
24:22
that I have
24:23
come to
24:23
bring peace.
24:24
I have not
24:25
come to
24:25
bring peace,
24:27
but the
24:27
sword.
24:28
The person's
24:29
enemies will
24:30
be those of
24:30
his own
24:31
household.
24:32
So,
24:32
meaning,
24:34
that Christ's
24:34
real presence
24:36
in your life
24:37
will cause
24:38
division.
24:39
It will cause
24:40
people to
24:40
not want to
24:41
be around
24:41
you.
24:43
I lost a
24:44
lot of my
24:44
friends when
24:45
I first
24:46
became a
24:47
believer,
24:48
just because
24:49
I didn't
24:49
want to
24:50
shoot guns,
24:51
hunt,
24:51
fish,
24:52
and blow
24:53
things up
24:54
every day
24:54
anymore.
24:55
That was
24:56
like the
24:56
context of
24:57
our friendship,
24:58
plus a few
24:58
other things.
25:00
But,
25:01
some remained
25:02
friends,
25:02
but I basically
25:03
just said,
25:03
look,
25:03
I'm done
25:04
with that.
25:04
Look,
25:04
I'm not
25:04
living for
25:05
this anymore.
25:07
I just
25:08
exposed that
25:08
they weren't
25:09
really my
25:09
friends,
25:09
sort of,
25:10
to begin
25:10
with.
25:11
But,
25:12
a superior
25:13
love to
25:13
our family
25:14
and our
25:14
friends,
25:15
like it
25:15
could cost
25:16
you that.
25:17
Some of
25:17
you have
25:17
had family
25:18
issues because
25:19
you've been
25:19
loyal to
25:21
Jesus.
25:21
You've
25:21
said,
25:22
I'm not
25:22
going to
25:22
compromise on
25:23
what Christ
25:23
said.
25:24
I'm sorry.
25:24
And they've
25:25
responded harshly
25:27
to you.
25:27
They don't
25:27
understand why
25:28
you think the
25:29
way you think.
25:30
Right?
25:31
But secondly,
25:32
he wraps that
25:33
up by saying
25:34
that you have
25:35
to love me
25:35
more than
25:36
even your
25:36
own life.
25:37
and he
25:39
calls them
25:39
to bear
25:40
their cross.
25:42
Earlier
25:42
in Luke
25:44
9,
25:44
if you want
25:44
to go back
25:44
to Luke
25:45
9,
25:45
and then
25:45
we'll,
25:46
you know,
25:46
you don't
25:46
have to
25:47
turn anywhere
25:47
else.
25:48
We'll go
25:48
back to
25:48
Luke 9
25:48
really quickly.
25:51
More of a
25:51
selection of
25:52
scriptures today
25:53
from Luke.
25:54
But Luke
25:54
9,
25:55
if you go
25:55
to verse
25:55
23,
25:56
a little
25:56
earlier in
25:57
the chapter,
25:58
okay,
26:00
he says,
26:00
if any
26:01
one of
26:01
you would
26:02
come after
26:03
me,
26:04
let him
26:04
deny
26:05
himself,
26:06
take up
26:07
his cross
26:08
daily
26:09
and follow
26:11
me.
26:12
For whoever
26:13
would save
26:13
his life
26:14
would lose
26:14
it,
26:14
and whoever
26:15
loses his
26:16
life for
26:17
my sake
26:17
will save
26:18
it.
26:19
For what
26:19
does it
26:20
profit a
26:20
man if
26:21
he gains
26:21
the whole
26:21
world and
26:22
loses or
26:23
forfeits
26:24
himself or
26:25
his soul
26:26
in some
26:26
translations?
26:28
Alright,
26:28
so take
26:29
up your
26:29
cross and
26:30
not wear a
26:31
cross necklace.
26:32
It is an
26:32
invitation to
26:33
come and
26:34
suffer and
26:35
die.
26:36
I have
26:37
no problem
26:37
with cross
26:37
necklaces.
26:38
Just saying,
26:39
it is an
26:40
invitation,
26:40
it is not
26:40
a pretty
26:41
thing at
26:42
all.
26:43
One would
26:44
literally be
26:44
saying farewell
26:45
to this
26:46
life,
26:46
to their
26:46
family,
26:47
to their
26:47
plans,
26:48
and like
26:49
saying,
26:49
yep,
26:49
I could
26:50
die.
26:51
And in
26:52
the world
26:53
we are
26:53
told to
26:54
constantly,
26:56
we are
26:56
told to
26:57
protect
26:57
yourself,
26:59
promote
26:59
yourself,
27:00
preserve
27:00
yourself,
27:02
entertain
27:02
yourself,
27:03
and comfort
27:04
yourself,
27:05
Christ says,
27:06
slay
27:07
yourself.
27:08
Slay
27:09
yourself.
27:10
Not to
27:11
just abstain
27:12
from certain
27:12
things,
27:13
but to
27:13
relinquish
27:14
control of
27:14
your life.
27:16
Right?
27:17
A willingness
27:17
to follow
27:18
and serve
27:19
Him,
27:20
and to
27:20
keep His
27:21
commandments,
27:21
to suffer,
27:22
and maybe
27:22
even perhaps
27:23
die for
27:23
Him.
27:24
But think
27:25
about it
27:25
this way,
27:26
I am not
27:26
trying to
27:26
put words
27:28
in Jesus'
27:28
mouth,
27:29
so you
27:29
can check
27:30
me
27:30
here,
27:31
but
27:31
paraphrasing,
27:33
if He
27:33
said to
27:34
you,
27:35
if you
27:36
knew
27:36
that coming
27:37
after me
27:38
and being
27:38
my disciple
27:39
meant that
27:39
it could
27:40
cost you
27:40
your life,
27:41
would you
27:42
do it
27:42
anyway?
27:43
Are you
27:44
that desperate
27:44
for me?
27:46
Am I
27:46
that glorious
27:47
to you?
27:48
Would you
27:49
be willing
27:49
to give
27:50
up your
27:50
life here
27:51
to have
27:52
eternal
27:53
life later?
27:54
Would you
27:55
be willing
27:55
to?
27:56
You might
27:57
not,
27:57
but it
27:58
could happen.
27:59
Would you
27:59
still come?
28:00
Were you
28:00
that desperate?
28:01
Would you
28:02
give it
28:02
up?
28:04
So it's
28:04
not to
28:05
be a
28:05
believer,
28:05
not just
28:06
a call
28:06
to learn.
28:07
I love
28:07
theology,
28:08
I love
28:08
doctrine,
28:09
it's
28:09
awesome,
28:10
I'll
28:10
nerd out
28:11
with you
28:11
all day,
28:12
but becoming
28:13
a follower
28:14
of Jesus
28:14
is not
28:15
about just
28:15
learning some
28:16
cool things
28:17
and dogma
28:17
to make
28:18
our lives
28:19
better,
28:19
it's a
28:19
call to
28:20
a person.
28:22
And
28:22
Bonhoeffer,
28:23
Dietrich
28:23
Bonhoeffer,
28:24
a lot of
28:24
us know
28:24
that name,
28:26
he wrote
28:26
a book,
28:27
Cost of
28:27
Discipleship,
28:28
and after
28:29
it was
28:30
published in
28:30
the U.S.,
28:31
he had a
28:32
choice,
28:33
they said,
28:34
here in
28:34
America,
28:35
hey,
28:35
why don't
28:35
you stay
28:35
here?
28:37
Stay here,
28:38
you'll have a
28:38
successful
28:38
ministry,
28:40
a lot of
28:41
people will
28:41
listen to you
28:42
and trust you
28:42
and you can
28:43
have a great
28:43
ministry here
28:44
in life,
28:45
don't go back
28:45
to Germany,
28:46
right?
28:46
the Third
28:47
Reich is
28:48
firing things
28:49
up,
28:50
and he
28:50
basically
28:50
just said,
28:52
I'm paraphrasing,
28:53
like,
28:54
if I don't
28:54
go back
28:54
to Germany,
28:55
everything I
28:55
wrote in
28:56
this book
28:56
is a
28:56
lie.
28:58
And so
28:58
he goes
28:58
back,
28:59
you know,
28:59
and we all
29:00
know the
29:00
story,
29:00
he eventually
29:01
is martyred
29:03
by the
29:04
Nazis.
29:05
But he
29:06
said,
29:06
salvation
29:07
is free.
29:08
Thank
29:09
goodness,
29:09
right?
29:10
But
29:10
discipleship
29:11
will cost
29:12
you your
29:13
life.
29:14
And so
29:14
salvation
29:15
costs nothing,
29:16
but discipleship
29:17
will cost
29:17
us everything.
29:19
And it's
29:20
a lifetime.
29:21
Delinquished
29:22
control of
29:23
all things.
29:25
If I had
29:25
to pull
29:26
in a passage
29:26
that Paul
29:27
wrote that
29:28
goes alongside
29:29
this,
29:31
right?
29:32
Talking about
29:32
the death
29:33
of Jesus,
29:34
he says,
29:35
he died
29:35
for all
29:36
so that
29:36
all those
29:37
who live
29:38
would no
29:39
longer live
29:40
for themselves,
29:42
but for
29:42
him who
29:43
died and
29:43
was raised
29:44
for their
29:44
sake.
29:46
Second
29:46
Corinthians
29:47
5.15,
29:48
that we
29:48
would no
29:49
longer live
29:50
for ourselves,
29:51
but live
29:51
for him
29:52
who saved
29:52
us.
29:53
So if you
29:54
are a
29:54
believer,
29:55
have you
29:55
taken the
29:57
command of
29:57
Christ to
29:58
deny yourself
29:59
and take up
29:59
your cross
30:00
daily,
30:00
seriously?
30:01
Or is it
30:02
just floating
30:04
around?
30:05
I confess
30:06
there's many
30:07
days I'm
30:07
just sort
30:08
of getting
30:08
by and I'm
30:09
not really
30:10
thinking about
30:10
what it
30:11
means to
30:12
follow Jesus
30:13
daily in
30:14
the context
30:15
that I
30:15
am,
30:16
denying
30:16
myself,
30:17
denying
30:17
myself
30:18
comfort,
30:19
sleep,
30:20
food,
30:20
whatever else,
30:21
things that
30:21
I want
30:22
for the sake
30:23
of other
30:23
people,
30:24
and to
30:25
give those
30:26
over fully
30:27
to Christ.
30:29
Has your
30:29
life reflected
30:31
a love and
30:31
devotion to
30:32
Christ that
30:34
appears funny
30:35
and different
30:36
to the fallen
30:36
world around
30:37
you?
30:37
Already you
30:38
just blend
30:38
in and
30:38
nothing looks
30:39
different.
30:40
It's something
30:41
to think
30:41
about.
30:43
So all
30:43
of that
30:43
was point
30:44
number one.
30:44
Christ
30:44
demands that
30:45
you weigh
30:45
the cost.
30:46
And then
30:46
wrapping it
30:48
up,
30:49
point number
30:50
two,
30:51
this is the
30:52
beautiful part.
30:52
Christ is
30:53
worth losing
30:54
everything to
30:55
gain.
30:56
Right?
30:57
Christ is
30:57
worth losing
30:58
everything to
31:00
gain.
31:01
Right?
31:03
The reality
31:04
is that
31:04
Christ alone
31:05
is worthy
31:06
of our lives.
31:07
It overrides
31:08
everything
31:08
else.
31:10
No human
31:10
relationship,
31:12
no employment,
31:13
no hobby,
31:14
or anything
31:14
else you
31:14
have compares
31:15
to the
31:17
greatness of
31:17
knowing Jesus
31:19
Christ our
31:20
Lord.
31:20
All things can
31:21
be taken away
31:22
from you.
31:23
And one of
31:23
my questions
31:25
I asked guys
31:26
I'm sharing
31:26
the gospel was
31:26
like, hey
31:27
man, what are
31:28
you living
31:29
for?
31:29
And they'll
31:29
say, fill
31:31
in the blank,
31:31
you know,
31:32
money,
31:33
comfortable
31:34
life, to
31:35
be a good
31:35
athlete, to
31:37
get married
31:38
and have a
31:38
nice place
31:39
to live
31:39
and a good
31:40
job, to
31:41
have good
31:42
health.
31:42
That's a big
31:43
one.
31:43
Especially when
31:44
you're talking
31:44
to college
31:44
students because
31:45
they think
31:45
that they're
31:45
invincible.
31:47
And then
31:47
you just
31:48
say, can
31:49
you lose
31:50
all of that?
31:51
Is all
31:52
that permanent?
31:52
And they'll
31:52
say, probably
31:53
not.
31:54
I can lose
31:55
all of that.
31:56
And say, well,
31:57
it's not worth
31:58
giving your life
31:58
for then.
32:00
Like, you
32:00
will lose
32:00
it all.
32:01
Like, Christ
32:02
is the only
32:03
thing that
32:03
cannot be
32:04
taken away
32:04
from you.
32:05
Period.
32:06
And Jesus
32:09
says later
32:10
on, and
32:10
Mark and
32:11
I will
32:12
paraphrase some
32:13
of this, but
32:14
the disciples
32:15
come to him
32:15
and they're
32:15
kind of
32:16
whining, you
32:17
know, like
32:17
they do
32:18
sometimes, like
32:18
we do
32:19
sometimes.
32:21
Like, Lord,
32:22
we've sacrificed
32:24
and we've left
32:25
so much to
32:26
follow you.
32:27
And he
32:27
basically is
32:28
like, really?
32:28
Have you?
32:29
Have you
32:29
sacrificed
32:31
everything to
32:32
follow me?
32:34
Jesus responds
32:34
to them.
32:36
Jesus said,
32:37
Truly I
32:38
say to you,
32:38
there is no
32:39
one who
32:40
has left
32:41
house or
32:42
brothers or
32:43
sisters or
32:44
mothers or
32:45
sacrificed family
32:46
lands for
32:47
the sake of
32:48
the gospel who
32:50
will not
32:50
receive a
32:51
hundredfold now
32:52
in this life
32:53
houses,
32:54
brothers,
32:54
sisters,
32:55
mothers,
32:55
children,
32:56
and lands
32:56
with persecutions
32:58
and in the
32:59
age to come
32:59
eternal life.
33:01
So what he
33:01
basically says
33:02
is like,
33:02
whatever you
33:03
think you're
33:04
sacrificing,
33:05
when you
33:06
compare it to
33:06
what you're
33:07
gaining in
33:07
me,
33:08
it is no
33:09
comparison.
33:10
Like, you
33:10
will not
33:12
even be able
33:13
to speak of
33:14
sacrificing
33:15
anything if
33:16
you truly
33:16
believe what
33:18
I'm giving
33:19
you.
33:19
It's like
33:20
giving up
33:21
garbage to
33:21
get gold.
33:23
You know,
33:23
you're like,
33:23
I sacrificed
33:24
my garbage.
33:26
You know,
33:26
it's not like
33:28
that at all.
33:28
We gain
33:29
everything in
33:31
Christ.
33:33
You know,
33:33
and so I
33:33
just want to
33:34
pose this
33:36
thought to
33:36
you.
33:39
We've had
33:39
it easy.
33:41
We've had
33:42
it easy for
33:43
a long
33:43
time.
33:45
Being a
33:45
big history
33:46
guy, I
33:46
can tell you
33:47
that we've
33:47
lived in
33:48
the most
33:48
prosperous,
33:50
peaceful
33:51
stretch of
33:51
human history
33:52
ever.
33:54
And it
33:56
may, if
33:57
God shows
33:57
mercy,
33:58
continue that
33:58
way for a
33:59
little longer.
33:59
I'm not
34:02
at all a
34:03
doomsdayist
34:04
or hey,
34:05
the end
34:06
is nigh.
34:07
But if
34:07
you ask
34:08
people,
34:08
anybody in
34:08
this room
34:09
that's older
34:09
than 40,
34:11
would some
34:13
of the stuff
34:14
that's going
34:14
on today be
34:15
happening here?
34:16
People go,
34:16
oh, no
34:17
way.
34:18
Like, men
34:19
calling themselves
34:20
women, women
34:21
calling themselves
34:21
men, men
34:22
getting pregnant,
34:23
call people by
34:24
pronouns.
34:26
If you try
34:26
to tell your
34:28
kid that there
34:29
are any other
34:29
gender than
34:30
what they
34:31
want to be,
34:31
we're going
34:32
to throw you
34:32
in prison,
34:33
that's actual
34:34
stuff going
34:34
on in our
34:34
country today.
34:36
And that
34:36
blows our
34:37
minds.
34:37
And we may
34:38
be sheltered
34:39
from it a
34:39
little bit
34:40
just because
34:40
of the
34:40
culture we
34:41
live in.
34:43
But the
34:44
stuff that
34:45
we hear
34:46
today, we're
34:46
going to
34:47
have to just
34:47
kind of
34:47
kindly say,
34:49
no.
34:51
Because
34:52
thus says
34:52
the Lord.
34:54
Not a
34:55
conservative
34:56
American
34:56
response,
34:57
but a
34:59
deeply
34:59
rooted,
35:01
gospel-centered
35:02
conviction about
35:03
what God
35:04
says.
35:05
That's what
35:05
we will
35:06
suffer for.
35:06
Most of
35:07
the time
35:07
when Scripture
35:07
talks about
35:08
suffering and
35:09
persecution,
35:10
it's not
35:11
just because you
35:12
get sick and
35:12
ill.
35:13
Of course,
35:13
that counts as
35:14
a trial.
35:15
But it's about
35:16
suffering for
35:17
Christ's sake.
35:19
Right?
35:20
Saying no to
35:21
the world
35:21
around us.
35:22
And we
35:25
have to
35:25
prepare ourselves
35:27
for that.
35:27
Have some
35:27
deeply rooted
35:28
theology and
35:29
what it means
35:30
to follow
35:31
Jesus and
35:31
say, Lord,
35:32
help me.
35:33
Right?
35:34
It's been
35:34
easy for us.
35:35
Right?
35:36
And there's
35:37
tests that
35:37
could be
35:38
coming.
35:38
I don't
35:38
know for
35:39
sure, but
35:40
it seems to
35:40
go that
35:41
way.
35:42
And then
35:42
lastly, I
35:43
just want to
35:44
affirm just
35:44
two things
35:45
in closing.
35:46
Like, we
35:48
fail, okay?
35:48
We fail at
35:50
our devotion
35:51
to follow
35:52
Christ, okay?
35:53
So this
35:54
isn't a call
35:54
to be
35:55
perfect.
35:56
It's not a
35:56
call to get
35:58
this all
35:58
figured out
35:59
in a week.
36:00
But with
36:01
God's help,
36:01
we can push
36:02
forward, we
36:03
can progress,
36:03
we can be
36:04
faithful disciples
36:05
carrying our
36:06
cross daily.
36:07
But when we
36:08
fail, remember
36:09
that our
36:10
identity and
36:11
our salvation
36:12
lie secure
36:13
in Christ so
36:14
that we
36:15
strive in
36:16
His love,
36:17
not to gain
36:17
His love,
36:18
okay?
36:18
It's really
36:19
huge to
36:19
remember that.
36:21
But then
36:21
lastly, again,
36:22
willpower alone
36:24
won't be able
36:24
to help you
36:26
fulfill this
36:27
resolution to
36:28
follow Jesus.
36:29
And we
36:30
need God's
36:31
grace, His
36:33
strength to
36:35
help us.
36:36
Christ is our
36:37
sufficiency, and
36:38
He can sustain
36:39
that life of
36:40
holiness and
36:41
devotion to
36:42
following Jesus.
36:44
If you have
36:45
on your
36:45
bulletin a
36:48
quote by
36:48
Edwards on
36:49
here, go
36:50
back to
36:51
Edwards real
36:51
quick,
36:51
start with
36:52
that and
36:52
end with
36:53
that.
36:54
But your
36:55
historic
36:55
quotation by
36:56
Edwards, he
36:57
says,
36:58
being sensible
36:59
that I am
36:59
unable to do
37:00
anything without
37:01
God's help,
37:02
I do humbly
37:04
entreat him
37:04
by His grace
37:06
to enable me
37:07
to keep these
37:08
resolutions so
37:10
far as they
37:11
agree with
37:12
His will for
37:13
Christ's sake.
37:15
That is a
37:16
great way to
37:16
say this, like
37:17
Lord, help
37:18
us to do
37:19
that.
37:20
Close
37:20
me in
37:21
prayer.
37:21
Let's
37:21
close
37:22
me in
37:23
prayer.
37:24
me in
37:26
me in