Real Discipleship - Three Questions We All Must Answer, Part 2

Have you ever really wondered what does God really want from me and what does it mean to be a disciple follower of Christ me the way that Jesus would that's today. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge with trip living over the edges and international discipleship ministry helping Christians live like Christian were in the middle of our series, Jesus chose to change the world and walking us through the gospel of Mark revealing what Jesus had to say about disciples, so he missed any part of the serious catch up any time have LivingontheEdge.org close to the chirping program before we begin, I would remind you this is a classic living on the series that you're talking many years ago. Please go sound a little different than what you're used to that storage for part two of the stock to hear the temptation was being used by Satan to tempt Christ to tempt Jesus to come up with a plan that would eliminate the cross when the last time that anyone offered Jesus the kingdom and followership minus the crossmember. What happened Satan did memory said that all these kingdoms let's forget God's plan and are you dying is not really good deal. What I'll have more worship you if you only do what Jesus said no way I don't cut see you really want to get down to how this affects us see what Peter really wanted Peter had a true salvation knowledge of Christ.

He knew who he was and what he wanted. He wanted Jesus to now as his new Savior come in and fulfill Peter's agenda and that really what is asking what he wants is I want Jesus without the cost and trust me it sells. I want you to make me a head honcho over the Romans. I want you to make my marriage work out.

I want you to straighten out my struggling children. I want you to help me through these difficult issues. I want you to get my finances back in order to make me happy and fulfilled in Jesus is hell. I've been God of the universe for some time now and see the way this works.

Peter is I say what happens and I tell you where I'm going and you get the choice whether following me or not and where I'm going.

There's a cross there's also crowns. But I'm not to lie to you to get to the crown to get to go through the process. Always go together and what Peter basically was saying was, I want you Jesus.

But I don't want the road but has process and suffering and rejection and possibly death. I want that part of Christianity and Jesus rebukes them with the hardest rebuke in the New Testament says there is no other Christianity is new on the road any place it has to do with the real Jesus Christ does not process and we would be good to hear that today the same girl that I thought I might merit one time and we are pretty serious and you never know how serious it is, but you your 20 and zero series then you know she visited my house I visited her house and she came up with this idea. She said you know the house right across my folks is a white picket fence and my dad rents that out and we talked and I told him were serious and his plan is that we could come to the small town we could live there happily ever after. You would have to worry and he's, you know, the big guy in the community and you get a good job, nice package deal and she said you know this thing about being a Christian, do you have to be a disciple now this is the same here were my spiritual leaders and are you willing to go for broke or not. And then the girl that at least as best I can say I love the saying, you know, let's eliminate the cross and let's just have this nice happy comfortable life's get out of the commitment side of Christianity and we went our separate ways and we never had a big argument. We never had a big fight I had to choose between Jesus with the cross or playing like I had Jesus without worrying that where where you tempted do you want the Jesus who can just come to work your life that make things nice. Do you really want the Jesus who says if you really want real crowns supernatural power and impact and intimacy with me.

It means you'll suffer. It means you'll be rejected and means in many parts of the world and possibly here later. You may die. I wonder if the average Christian Star Trek transported into China today if we had the lineup and they said okay we Christians are there almost all raise our hands.

Great line of against us while we shoot you. The people are not Christians get in. This will which which one would you get some hypothetical which one would you lineup against Jesus's thing on the front and you are you my follower push all the chips to the table. This is fish or cut bait you seen the miracles you know I love you. You know I have power you seen I care for you, you know, I'll feed you will come to you when you when you when you're lives in a storm all, I'll do.

But this is a call to Lordship now. Notice how the call intensifies. Now the third question. Now we know where he's going.

Peter's not really excited about it. Quite honestly, a lot of times, either week and he ask you and I are you willing to follow me. Are you willing to follow me on this road is not a lot of Christians want to go down this road. See, we falsely think our ways a better way. Let's listen because it can give us three requirements. The following entities can give us three of the greatest reasons you'll ever hear the following with all your heart. Let's start with the requirements. He outlines them in verse 35 through 38 for whoever wants to save his life, not his physical life. That would be bios we get our word biology from it, but this is whoever wants to save his inner life is real life seen the motions we can award for psychology souk. It is the word here want to save your life. In real life. The real you will lose. But whoever goes on to say will lose his life for my sake will save out just before that that goes on to the reasons but listen to the requirement. If anyone would come after me, you want to follow.

The word means to desire look at the requirements before we get into the other. He must a negative command deny himself generic means for woman deny herself. This word means to say no to self interest to say no to selfish ambition to say no to earthly security is to deny yourself contrary contrary word and mean sacrificially say no to you being the center of your world and making decisions through the grid of will this make me happier, healthier welfare, wiser, which is how we can make our decisions. Will this make me more secure or successful, will this give me greater prestige.

He says you happen I have to say no to that stuff because unconsciously weekly say I've got to have this.

I've got a be here about have this done influence on got to be married or not married, and have so many kids in order for me to be happy is is you and I need to call a major timeout get serious with God as a look God choose, willfully tense. It says it a point in time she was at this point in time in my life to say no to my dreams and agendas for my life and now the positive and take up your cross.

Also, the tenses in a point in time, and it's the positive essay.

Note to self interest. In the say yes to your agenda in your will for my life. Notice he didn't say to take up his cross, you need to go get across and walk around and hope you die from it. This is some masochistic text. What was the cross for Jesus was a little thought that was God's will for his life. He wants you to take up your cross, you know what your process. It's not you know, dealing with an aching back. It's not a mother-in-law is giving you problems.

It's not financial setbacks.

Your cross is the will of the cross is I want to do God's agenda instead of orchestrate life to get my agent crosses aces negatively. If the say no to that.

You have to say yes to him is like writing a check and you put your name on the bottom for me.

I write Chip Ingram on the top. I say God you thought in you billing what you want me married or not you feeling where you want to live you feeling what kind of job you fill in my cars or lack of cars you fill in the relationships you do what you want to do. I trust you.

He saying absolute loyal commitment to me and my agenda take up your cross for what for me the sake of these are strong words people and then the next part is in the present continual tips and follow me means to start following and continue to follow on with him and you know it's a little research on this. What's interesting. This is not a picture of following behind him.

He saying follow me on this road in fellowship together and walking side-by-side, and make a decision follow the path I'm on, and what was the path that Jesus was on God. I don't want to go to this cross but nevertheless not my will but yours choose to do God's will. I've chosen to do the father's will. My presence my intimacy, my empowering will be with you all along the way. This is a radical call to sacrifice and commitment of one's absolute life to the person in the purpose of Jesus Christ is not unlike the marriage commitment that we make is that basically what we do in marriage is that what is don't you say I make a radical commitment say no to all others. It's for life. It's out of love is to one person, and is for better or for worse. This is what Jesus is asking if you would desire to come after had a good friend affected the best man at my wedding. Good guys been a pastor and a small little community church in the rural parts of Ohio and it's really been frustrated he come from an ethnic background and he just does not fit their and she's not the kind of background in education that there are ministries that God can use this time to make away and so he's he's dealing with that. We got talking as we were talking this Chip, you know, gosh, I'm in a relocate what you think. I want you to do an upright said well I can only relocate to the southeastern part United States. What he means woman.

My in-laws are real close to their daughter.

Now that we have a baby and they only live in our way and we can never move beyond this area. Here, remove this area here that area here because they have to be so close to you not I would say this to someone off the street. I know this guy.

I love this guy straight niacin exit brother you the Lordship problem. I said, you don't ever come to God and you tell them apart. United States will live you don't ever come to God and tell him whether he can be married or not you ever come to God telling you that this child, this child this job. This can house you don't ever come to God call the shots us a brother. If you want to hear from God.

You better come to him with your hat your hand and say Lord I'm willing to do go wherever and until you get there you will hear because that is what Jesus is talking about now.

Hopefully at some of this point some of your sandal might gosh this sounds kinda scary. Let's think this through asking for absolute commitment just like to a marriage partner verse man alive. The reasons verse 35 for whoever wants to save his life and I've already explained this because I jump ahead will lose. But whoever will lose his life will save me saying there's a philosophy of life is a practical illustration. If you try and orchestrate your life and live out your own agenda and get all you can hasten what you can end up as a loser.

He said that if you will absolutely follow me. Give your life away and serve sacrificially and let me call the shots you be a winner he saying the only road to ultimate fulfillment is this is this way.

It's a paradox the way down going to get us to give me a radical sacrificial Christian.

That's where truth is if you go to resto is only three, people in restaurants people don't know why they're there and don't know much about life and it's very sad and are people who've given their life away in their rich, winsome and great majority of them are believers and they have this this piece in energy and they are people who have people who visit and there's people who tried to get all their life and they manipulated children with guarded money and they been selfish in their dinner wicked angry people in rest homes. If you've ever never been around an old bitter person you have never lived and you know what you need understand if you try and if you try to do it your way. You and old bitter person you lose your life if you give it away if you follow him with unreserved you will find your life.

Second reason verse was practical. This is logical. He says what good is it for a man to gain the whole world become financially well-off and yet forfeit us, always under management. Life's meaning or what can a man give in exchange for his soul uses three commercial economic terms, there and here he saying is that it's the wisest road in light of eternity. When you get an eternal perspective and see that your life is can be balanced not by how much you own, or what you have or what people think or how much prestige or how you dress all that jazz.

We are all convinced is really pretty important when you can look at that in light of eternity. He says how much is eternal life worth when you stand before God on judgment day. Would you give a million port 2 million 5 million $0.50. He saying this, the wisest step you ever take both now and for later is what absolute radical commitment to him with a picture of that. How many seem to have ever seen the Howard Hughes story Howard Hughes you talk about a God who gain the whole world and lost his and he was a weird dude and you by the very end.

He is in the dark have his long fingernails and couldn't touch anybody and he had no relationships and died a decrepit man who own, probably more than anyone. That's the picture Bible paints 1/3 reason is this verse is practical. The next is logical and the last one is an issue of the future, if any man or anyone is a shame shrinks back, unwilling is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the world that we live in the Son of Man, the Messiah will be ashamed of him when he comes in his father's glory with the holy angels a reason to follow Christ is the only road to ultimate fulfillment is the wisest road in light of attorney in this last one, it's the essential road. In view of future judgment day will come people when you and I will stand before the Messiah and what we start out say you will make some decisions that will significantly affect the entire outcome of your life and you can stand before Jesus and ongoing stand before Jesus and he is coming back and he's gonna look you and I and he's going to say not just did you know me, but he's can ask you what did you do with your life and for some people this is not going to be a happy meeting because they were ashamed and they shrunk back and they lived there agenda instead of God's and Jesus will be ashamed is a scary thought if Jesus Christ would walk up to you today and look you and I and say who do you say that I am.

Can you say you're my Savior.

If not, pray right now and say come in my life. Forgive me. I've set. Second question is if he ask you well. You've heard if you follow me to be suffering, rejection, and possibly death but a crown. Are you willing to follow up on my road. Are you willing to deny yourself for me and what today I want to pause and just take a moment with you very privately. This question of the Lordship of Christ being willing to follow him no matter what is become actually more critical in the days were living in than ever before.

You know as little as a few years ago you could say yes I love Jesus and I follow him and really matters to me and actually no one gave you a hard time but now you identifies a Christian just for saying that you love Jesus just for saying some things that Jesus said about marriage or gender, or life you can be called a heater and be persecuted. So let me ask you, are you wavering or are you committed to believe that Jesus is the way the truth and the life, and if so does your behavior say that. Does your time say that. Does your money say that this is in the guilt trip.

This is the God of the universe as you heard today, promising a life that's really life and giving a reward. That's beyond measure, both now and forever. But there is a price to pay.

There is no crown without the cross, Jesus will freeze your life is that you would be committed to him without reservation that you'd be all in that whatever he would say the answer is already a yes Lord, I'm willing doesn't mean that it feels good, doesn't mean that you won't be afraid if you been wrestling with this. I'm going to ask you right now where ever you are and if possible to even bow your head and close your eyes and respond to the truth, Lord Jesus, I need you desperately I know that I'm a follower of yours but I know you're not the Lord of my life, you're part of my life, but I'm running my life right now I want to stop and I want to tell you on this day that what ever you want me to do. I will do it wherever you want me to go I will go I am committed to you and your plan as outlined in your word, but I'm committed to your church. I'm committed to making you the center of my life and boldly and courageously sharing with others that I love you that I believe in you and that my hope is in you, both now and forever Greek word Chip Franks will if you're looking for some help in recommitting your life to Jesus developing a deeper relationship with them. We have a great resource for its trip series true spirituality becoming a Romans 12 Christian through his teaching, you'll discover a clear blueprint to become a genuine follower of Christ, and besides the broadcast. Let me encourage you to order the book holder for small group resources, there's a lot of ways to experience the foundational truths found in Romans chapter 12 to learn more about all the series resources for true spirituality go to special offers@livingontheedge.org or on the trip and remap trip on that same idea of helping us grow deeper in our faith. Could you talk a little bit about a resource we developed back in 2020, called daily discipleship with trip.

I think it would really encourage your listeners to hear how this tool is impacting lives everywhere. I'd be glad to Dave for what a privilege it was to literally walk through whole chapters of the Bible and do it virtually and do it personally. Now, as I consider the impact of those two years.

I'm grateful for Living on the Edge team and the supporting technology that allowed the daily discipleship to become possible and successful. We had over 150,000 people participate so far. Second, I'm humbled by the testimonies of people experiencing spiritual renewal of addressing issues in their lives rebuilding marriages.

I got to hear stories of people gathering their kids around her streaming with other people from other cities. As I got a chance to mentor them in God's word and third.

I'm invigorated by the magnitude of God's grace and power as he birthed this tool at a time of great necessity with people's lives were shut down when they didn't know what to do. It just blew my mind to meet with them personally and hear that instead of just podcast are teaching more. Thanks for the information they were getting to God's word for themselves. They begin to write me and share with me how they are hearing God's voice there. Walking with God. They are making decisions, but for us to continue with this level of technology investment. It's extraordinarily expensive and here's my request. If you did any of the daily discipleship's or if you've met someone that's made a difference in their life, would you just pray about giving a gift today so we can keep doing what we've been doing to mentor people one on one, and right now there could be a better time because every gift that you give from now to July 7 will be double dollar for dollar. I can't wait to make the next daily discipleship and I sure need your help. Thanks so much. With God's been ministering to you through Living on the Edge you want to get it on supporting us now would be a perfect time because thanks to the generosity of a group of ministry partners. Every gift we receive will be doubled between now and July 7 to send a donation, call us at AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org Listeners tap donate. Thanks in advance for doing whatever God leads you to do as we close you know a great way to get plugged in with all of our resources are Living on the Edge is through the trip and remap there you can listen to past series sign up for daily discipleship and much more.

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Starting today with the chip and remap until next time. This is the same. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge