Introduction

Welcome, dear friends, to this sacred gathering, this sweet communion of brothers and sisters in Christ. Our hearts are brimming with joy and our souls are thirsting for the living water of God's Word. We are gathered here today, not as mere spectators, but as active participants in the divine drama God is unfolding in our lives. We are not bystanders in the Kingdom of God but beloved children, called to live out our faith with passion, purpose, and perseverance.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the Gospel of Luke, specifically the ninth chapter, verses 23 and 24. Let us listen attentively as the Word of God is read: "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.'"

These are not easy words, dear friends. They challenge us, they provoke us, they compel us to examine our lives in the light of Christ's call to discipleship. We are called to deny ourselves, to take up our cross daily, and to follow Jesus. But what does this mean? What does it look like to live this out in our everyday lives?

In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "Discipleship is not a light matter. It is not a veneer; it is not outward adorning; it is a matter of the heart, deep, crucial, vital." Indeed, discipleship is not a nominal commitment or a casual association. It is a profound transformation, a radical reorientation of our lives towards Christ.

Today, we will consider three main points: Dedication to Discipleship, Demands of Discipleship, and Delight in Discipleship. As we consider these truths, let our hearts be open, our minds be attentive, and our souls be receptive to the transforming power of God's Word.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank You for the privilege of gathering in Your name. We thank You for Your Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. As we consider the call to discipleship today, may Your Holy Spirit guide us into all truth. Open our eyes that we may see, open our ears that we may hear, and open our hearts that we may perceive the wonderful things You have in store for us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Transition. So, dear friends, with hearts full of expectation, let us consider the call to discipleship, the call to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus. Let us consider the Dedication to Discipleship, the Demands of Discipleship, and the Delight in Discipleship.

Dedication to Discipleship

When we think about our relationship with Jesus, we often think about the joy, the peace, the comfort that comes from knowing Him. And indeed, these are all beautiful aspects of our walk with Christ. But there's more to it than that. There's a depth, a richness, a complexity to our relationship with Jesus that goes beyond our initial understanding. Let's take a moment to think about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

Being a disciple is not just about believing in Him or even just about loving Him. It's about following Him. It's about aligning our lives with His teachings, His values, His mission. It's about letting Him shape us, mold us, transform us into His likeness.

This is not something that happens to us while we sit back and watch. It's something we actively participate in. It's something we commit to, day in and day out.

The first thing we need to understand is that dedication to discipleship is a commitment. It's not something we do on a whim or when it's convenient for us. It's something we do consistently, persistently, relentlessly. It's something we do even when it's hard, even when it's uncomfortable, even when it requires sacrifice.

Think about the commitment it takes to train for a marathon. You don't just wake up one day and decide to run 26.2 miles. You have to train for it. You have to put in the time, the effort, the sweat. You have to push through the pain, the fatigue, the doubt. And you have to do it day after day, week after week, month after month. That's the kind of commitment we're talking about when we talk about dedication to discipleship.

But it's also about surrender. We are to be letting go of our own plans, our own desires, our own ambitions, and submitting to God's will. It's about trusting that His plans are better than ours, that His ways are higher than ours, that His purposes are greater than ours.

Now, our natural inclination is to hold on, to control, to dictate. But discipleship calls us to let go, to yield, to submit. It calls us to surrender our lives to Jesus, to let Him lead us, guide us, direct us. And this requires a level of trust, a level of faith, a level of surrender that goes beyond our natural inclinations.

But there's more to it than just commitment and surrender. There's also transformation. When we dedicate ourselves to discipleship, we're not just committing to follow Jesus or surrendering our lives to Him. We're also allowing Him to change us, to transform us, to make us new.

Finally, dedication to discipleship is about love. It's about loving Jesus more than anything else in the world. This is not a sentimental love. It's not a fleeting emotion or a warm feeling. It's a deep, abiding, sacrificial love. It's a love that compels us to follow Jesus, to surrender to Him, to be transformed by Him.

Transition. So, as we consider what it means to be dedicated to discipleship, let's remember that it's about commitment, surrender, transformation, and love. Let's remember that it's not a casual endeavor or a part-time pursuit. It's a wholehearted, all-in, life-changing commitment. And let's remember that it's not just about what we do, but about who we become in the process.

Demands of Discipleship

As we continue to reflect on the words of Christ in Luke 9:23-24, we find ourselves confronted with the stark reality of what it means to follow Him ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO