THE PASSIONATE DISCIPLE

Week 1

Luke 14:33 (NIV) "In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples".

Luke 14:26 (NIV) "If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."

1 - DO WE BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT WHAT IT

MEANS TO BE A CHRIST FOLLOWER?

Luke 9:57–58 (NIV) 57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

1.1 WILL WE Choose COMFORT or a CROSS?

Luke 9:59-60 (NIV) 59He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

1.2 WILL WE CHOOSE MAINTENANCE OR MISSION?

Luke 9:61-62 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

1.3 WILL WE CHOOSE INDECISIVE MINDS OR UNDIVIDED HEARTS.

• What’s expected of a Christ follower in Luke 9? Everything!

• What’s expected of a Christ follower in Luke 14? Everything!

2 DO WE BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE

LOST?

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 (NIV) This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might

Revelation 20:15 (NIV) Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

3 DO WE REALLY BELIEVE WE NEED TO LIVE

PASSIONATELY FOR THE POOR?

Isaiah 58:6-11 (NIV) “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Isaiah 58:6-11 (NIV) 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Proverbs 14:31 (NIV) Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Proverbs 21:13 (NIV) Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.

Proverbs 28:27 (NIV) Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

Luke 6:20–25 (NIV) Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

Luke 6:20–25 (NIV) 23“Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. 24“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.

James 5:1 (NIV) Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.

Matthew 19:21–23 (NIV) Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 25:36–41 (NIV) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

Matthew 25:36–41 (NIV) 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' 41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' "

What does it mean to be a passionate Christ Follower today?

What does it mean to live passionately for the lost?

What does it mean to live passionately for the poor?

So I'm inviting you to journey with me these 6 weeks. Every week. We don’t have to do any of what Christ has been talking to us about but I ask you how do we turn a deaf ear to…

– 20,000 children

– 4.5 billion lost people

– Church Planters and Christians leaders

Hebrews 13:7 (NIV) Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Let’s Pray…