welcome to the radical sermon series - kary oberbrunner...1 welcome to the radical sermon series. we...

21

Upload: others

Post on 12-Sep-2020

6 views

Category:

Documents


1 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of
Page 2: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

1

Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide.

First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of your Grace Groups meet weekly and other Grace Groups meet twice a month. No worries. We suggest doing the first lesson first (easy enough). Beyond that we have Optional Steps (10 in all). Read through them and pick the step(s) that make the most sense for your Grace Group in the weeks following.

We encourage you (the Grace Group leader) to get a copy of Radical. It will help you get a richer understanding about the series and this study guide refers to it several times. We have a smaller booklet version to get you started if you'd like. We have enough for every person in the church and you can get yours at the church office.

Also, there’s no need to waste paper if you don’t want to or need to. Each Grace Group Leader could pass this Study Guide around and have members take turns reading from it. Or if you want to, you can print off one for every member. Also, feel free to email this PDF or share the link for this PDF.

However, know this:

rest easy; it’s not a race, Jesus is the focus, the Holy Spirit is the teacher, there is more content than you can cover, the goal is transformation, not completion of the study guide go at a pace that works with your group in a manner that loves God and people.

As far as Sunday Morning goes, here is our schedule (based loosely on the chapters from Radical):

• 1/1/2012 = Someone Worth Losing Everything For

• 1/8/2012 = Too Hungry for Words

• 1/15/2012 = The Great Why of God

• 1/22/2012 = How Much is Enough

• 1/29/2012 = There is No Plan B

Enough history, let’s get started.

We’re thrilled you’re taking the step to explore what it means to follow Jesus in a radical way. We believe that our Radical is often God’s Norm.

Before we begin, please take a chunk of time to pray for your Grace Group and yourself.

Page 3: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

2

We can’t make you do anything. And we don’t want to make you do anything. We can only invite you into a redemptive and healing process for your heart, for your soul, for your mind. We can only invite you to go deeper with Jesus Christ.

He wants you to be free. He wants you to be alive. He wants you to be engaged....even more than you think you want.

So if you’re ready, we invite you to pray for God’s work in your hearts through this Radical series.

Page 4: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

3

RADICAL

Lesson Overview Biblical Passage

Luke 14:25–33

Supporting Passages

Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 9:57–62; Philippians 3:1–14

Memory Verse

Luke 14:33

Biblical Truth

Jesus calls people to give up everything and follow Him.

Context

Do we believe Christ is worth abandoning everything for? Do we believe Jesus is so good, so satisfying, and so rewarding that we will leave all we have, all we own, and all we are to find our fullness in Him? Do we believe Him enough to obey Him and to follow Him wherever He leads, even when the crowds in our culture, and maybe in our churches, turn the other way? The cost of following Christ is great. However, the cost of not following Christ is even greater. The cost of believers not taking Jesus seriously is vast for those who don’t know Christ and devastating for those who are starving and suffering around the world. The cost of not abandoning everything to follow Christ is great for those men and women who miss out on the infinite joy of knowing and experiencing Christ in all His fullness.

Learning Goals

• Explore Goal: Learners will examine what it means to give up everything in their life in order to follow Jesus Christ.

• Transform Goal: Learners will consider the cost involved in personally following Jesus Christ.

Page 5: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

4

Commentary Investigation When [Jesus] spoke these verses in Luke 14 He was on the road to [Jerusalem]. The context immediately preceding this passage finds Him in attendance at a dinner party held by a prominent Pharisee where He told a parable of a great feast for which the invited guests were too enthralled in their own lives to attend.

Jesus knew He was on His way to His death. He was going to the place where He would make the ultimate sacrifice to pay the penalty for the sin of all humankind. Many of His followers, however, continued to look to Jesus to be a deliverer in a military sense, one who would free them from Roman oppression. The crowd following Him only continued to grow.

Since Jesus understood what He was going to face, He also knew the trials through which His followers would have to persevere. He needed them to understand the level of commitment that was required in order to truly follow after Him where He was leading.

Importance

This passage teaches that [Jesus is God and Savior]. This passage of Scripture is important because it leads learners to consider the cost of following Jesus. It makes it clear that in order for a person to be a true disciple of [Christ], one must devote himself or herself to Him above anything and everyone.

This passage also points to the truth that [Salvation Is By Faith Alone].

Interpretation

(Luke 14:25-26) Jesus could never be accused of appealing to popular opinion. Though it appears He was garnering mass appeal, He was more interested in developing true [disciples] as opposed to crowds of adoring fans.

The difficulty in understanding His teaching to the crowd obviously stems from the harshness of the language He uses. The tendency is to try to rationalize verses like these by thinking that Jesus was only using [hyperbole] and did not really mean what He was saying. However, Jesus used the word “[hate]” for a very specific and purposeful reason. The Greek word miseo is not an absolute but a relative term. It could mean to “love less” (Mt. 10:37). However, here Jesus’ point was that a true disciple’s devotion to

Page 6: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

5

Him should make all other relationships appear to be characterized by hate in comparison.

This certainly doesn’t lessen the impact of Jesus’ words, especially in a society where honor of one’s parents was viewed as the highest of life’s callings. He still meant that our love for Him takes first priority above all others in our lives. Teachers regularly demanded great respect and affection, but in Jewish tradition only God openly demanded such wholesale devotion as Jesus claims here (Deut. 6:4-5).

(Luke 14:27) When a criminal was condemned to death by [crucifixion] he would have to literally carry his cross, usually the horizontal beam, to the site of the upright stake where he would be put to death. This was the same fate to which Jesus was journeying. No one would choose to suffer this indignity and torture, yet this is precisely the path Jesus calls His disciples to choose.

The picture here is one of death and sacrifice. In order for a person to truly follow Jesus, one must continually die to oneself, letting go completely of all that he or she has desired and pursued in life in order to fully embrace all that Jesus desires for him or her.

(Luke 14:28-30) The failings of inadequate or half-finished structures were well known. However, the point here is the shame the builder would suffer in a society obsessed with honor if he was unable to finish what he set out to accomplish. No builder of any reputation would allow himself to be caught in such a situation.

The same should be true for the disciple of Jesus. He or she should consider, before he or she ever commits, the persistence and perseverance he or she will need in order to follow Jesus wherever He leads.

(Luke 14:31-32) Whereas it would be a great embarrassment for a builder to be unable to finish his project, no shame could outmatch that of a king waging a foolhardy war. Contrasted with the previous three verses, the cost considered here is whether or not the disciple is willing to follow Jesus in the midst of great adversity that threatens to possibly overwhelm him or her.

(Luke 14:33) Only the person who has considered the cost of following Jesus and committed to pay whatever it may be can truly be Jesus’ disciple. The calling of Jesus does not necessarily involve the complete abandonment of one’s possessions and relationships, though it might. Rather the life of a disciple is one that most certainly requires full surrender to Jesus as his or her Lord. His or her commitment to Him must be without any reservation.

Page 7: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

6

Implications

These verses contain what is considered one of the most difficult of Jesus’ teachings. However, the difficulty does not excuse us from taking very seriously what Jesus teaches here. The call to be a disciple is not one to be taken lightly. It is not easy. It is demanding. It requires great sacrifice and commitment.

In our culture that seeks to always appeal to one’s own selfish interests and comforts, Jesus calls us to put Him first, a priority so above everything else in our life that they pale in comparison. Perhaps the most daunting conclusion we can draw is the unspoken questions Jesus leaves us with at the end of these verses: “Now that I have been clear about what it will cost, will you follow me?”

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 8: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

7

Optional Step #1 From the Book: Puddle of Tears

(10–15 minutes)

Refer to the “Puddles of Tears” section from Chapter 1 (“Someone Worth Losing Everything For”) of Radical on pages 4–6.

Ask: How would you define “devotion”? Allow for responses and then point out that dictionary.com gives a simple two-word definition of the term “profound dedication.” Inquire whether or not your group considers this to be a good definition. Lead learners to consider their spiritual activity over the previous week. Direct them to name specific examples and identify how much risk or cost was involved in each activity. Ask: What makes our dedication to our spiritual life profound compared to other areas of our lives? Instruct learners to continue considering that question while you read aloud the “Puddles of Tears” section from Chapter 1 (“Someone Worth Losing Everything For”) of Radical on pages 4–6.

Explain while their devotion certainly can’t be easy, the circumstances surrounding these fellow Christ-followers in Asia enable us to easily see that their dedication to their faith in Jesus is profound. Say: The question that faces us today is, regardless of our life circumstances, will we respond to Jesus like Shan recognizing that He is worthy of all our devotion.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 9: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

8

Optional Step #2 From Our Culture: Hoarders

(10–15 minutes)

Refer to the website for the A&E television show Hoarders at http://www.aetv.com/hoarders.

Inquire as to whether or not anyone in your group has ever watched the television show Hoarders on A&E. Invite a few Hoarders’ viewers to describe a typical episode for the rest of the group. If no one present has seen the show, briefly explain that Hoarders is a documentary television show where each episode is dedicated to a person’s inability to let go of possessions in his life and it is having an adverse affect on his living conditions. Experts in psychology and organization are brought in to assist the hoarder in working through his issues by identifying what is really important and ridding himself of everything else. If you have the capabilities, play a clip from the show or walk through one of the virtual room tours available at the Hoarders web site at http://www.aetv.com/hoarders. Emphasize, even when the subject of an episode recognizes that his life would be better without everything he has hoarded, he often still has an extremely difficult time letting go.

Ask: What are some things in our lives we might not really need yet cling to for security or comfort anyway? Allow for responses. Inquire as to why we have such difficulty letting go of these things. Say: Jesus doesn’t promise us safety, but He does offer us security in our relationship with Him. He asks us to give up everything else for His sake.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 10: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

9

Optional Step #3 Interactive Core Study: The Cost of Following Christ

(15–20 minutes) Provide a dry erase board and markers.

Ask: What does it take to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? Allow for responses. Encourage learners to consider what other people believe are the requirements of discipleship, even if they don’t necessarily share those same thoughts. Record some (or all) of the responses on the board. Enlist a learner to read aloud Luke 14:25–33. Then lead learners in making a new list based solely on this passage of Scripture. Compare and contrast the two lists.

1. Following Christ means being devoted to Him above anyone else (Luke 14:25– 26).

Draw a circle on the middle part of the board and label it “you”. Direct learners to brainstorm all the categories of people with whom they have a relationship (spouse, children, parents, other family members, friends, co-workers, etc.). Draw other circles surrounding the first and label them separately with each of these categories. Next, lead learners to rank each of these categories according to the importance of the relationship (in practice, not theory) and assign numbers to each of the corresponding circles. Ask: If we really get honest with one another, where does Jesus fit in this ranking? Allow for responses.

Direct the group’s focus on verse 26. Guide learners to consider why Jesus would use such harsh language here. Explain while our tendency is to try to rationalize a verse like this by thinking that Jesus was just using hyperbole and didn’t really mean what He was saying, Jesus used this language for a very specific and purposeful reason. Emphasize that the Greek word for “hate” is not an absolute but a relative term. Say: Jesus’ point was that a true disciple’s devotion to Him should make all other relationships appear to be characterized by hate in comparison. Clarify that this doesn’t lessen the impact of Jesus’ words. He still meant our love for Him takes priority in our lives.

Remind students of the section in the book (“Talking People Out of Following Christ”) where David Platt relates this is a continuing theme from earlier in Luke where Jesus has been responding to the request of various other people to come and follow Him. Say: David writes “Jesus was simply and boldly making it clear from the start that if you follow him, you abandon everything . . . even your family” (pp. 7–10).

Page 11: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

10

2. Following Christ means continually sacrificing who we were for who He is (Luke 14:27).

Draw a cross on the board. Ask: What types of things immediately come to mind whenever you see this symbol? Allow for responses. (Jesus, church, Easter, etc.) Lead learners to consider what different types of things might have come to the mind of a first-century person living under Roman rule.

Reread verse 27. Point out that most of us connect the phrase “carry his cross” with Jesus on His way to Golgotha to be crucified. This is precisely the type of picture Jesus was trying to convey because following Him involves dying to ourselves; letting go completely of all we have desired and pursued in life in order to fully embrace all He wants for us.

Refer students to the section of the book (“A Different Scene”) where David warns if we’re not careful we can settle for a “Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves” (pp. 6–7). Ask: Why is it so often the case that we become our own greatest hindrance in following where Jesus desires to lead us? Allow for responses. Emphasize the fact that dying to self isn’t something we do one time whenever we “get saved.” On our journey with Jesus we must continually sacrifice who we are for who He is.

3. Following Christ requires a cost that should be considered before we commit (Luke 14:28–32).

On the board write the two words “aspiration” and “goal”. Ask: What differences exist between an aspiration and a goal? Record the responses. Emphasize that an aspiration is most often something a person desires or hopes to have happen at some point in his life whereas a goal is a result towards which a person is currently actively striving.

Reread verses 28–32. Explain how being a disciple of Jesus is not something we sit around and wait to magically happen one day. Rather, it is an outcome toward which we must make a plan and consider the cost involved. Ask: According to these verses what are some of the costs to be considered? Emphasize how special attention should be given to the level of persistence and perseverance it will require to follow Jesus to whatever end He has for us, as well as, our willingness to follow Him in the midst of great adversity with the potential to overwhelm us. Say: Choosing to follow Christ at any cost is an essential decision we each must make before we even take the first step.

Indicate this is a decision that also doesn’t just affect us. Remind learners that David acknowledges the cost of following Christ can certainly be high, but also shares a realization he had in India: The cost of our not following Christ is high for those who do not know Him at all because it often means we are distracted by our own selfish pursuits from carrying the gospel message to those who have not heard (pp. 14–15).

Page 12: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

11

4. Following Christ requires radical abandonment of everything we previously sought in life for the freedom to fully pursue Him and His glory (Luke 14:33).

Lead learners to consider the wildest, craziest dreams they have (or have had) for their lives. Inquire as to what are some of the hindrances holding them back from realizing those dreams. Say: We all have dreams, but being a follower of Jesus is literally the ultimate goal of our lives. Guide learners to now consider what restraints currently exist that keep them from reaching this goal of following Jesus. Record some of their thoughts on the board.

Ask: When Jesus says anyone who does not give up everything cannot be His disciple, what does He mean by “everything?” Allow for responses. Emphasize the process of “giving up” means relinquishing all control. Explain that though we may or may not actually be called to literally abandon all possessions and relationships and die for the sake of Christ, the cost of being a disciple of Jesus is our acceptance of His total lordship over everything in our life. It requires we are willing to literally lose everything even if we do not.

David explores the value of this type of commitment by imagining what it would be like if we literally lived the parable of the treasure in the field. He concludes that, in this picture, Jesus is someone worth losing everything for (pp. 17–18).

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 13: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

12

Optional Step #4 Interactive Core Study: The Cost of Following Christ

(15–20 minutes)

Use the Teaching Outline to teach Luke 14:25–33. Divide learners into small groups to discuss the following questions:

• How do you think some people have tried to explain away these verses and make them less demanding?

• How does your current understanding of these verses affect your perception of what it means to be Jesus’ disciple?

• Why do you suppose Jesus chose to use such strong language when communicating His message in these verses?

• How do you sometimes lead people to think that following Christ is easy?

• What challenges do you face in carrying your cross as a follower of Christ?

• In what areas of your life do you currently need to count the cost of following Christ?

• Do you believe He is worth laying down everything for? Why or why not?

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 14: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

13

Optional Step #5 Core Study: The Cost of Following Christ

Supplemental Scripture: Follow Me (10 minutes)

Provide a dry erase board and markers.

Ask: If you had to succinctly express what exactly it is Jesus calls each of us to do with his life, what would you say? Record responses on the board. Read Matthew 4:18–22. Ask learners to identify what Jesus was calling Simon, Andrew, James and John to do (Come and follow me.). Indicate this continues to be basically what Jesus calls each of us to do as well.

Erase the previous responses and write the phrase “Follow Me” on the board.

Ask: According to what else you know of Scripture, what all is involved in following Jesus? Write learners’ responses all around the phrase. Emphasize to learners though we have a greater understanding of what it means to follow Christ from our understanding of God’s Word, these initial disciples had little idea of where exactly Jesus would lead them. Yet they dropped everything about their lives and followed Jesus. Explain how their exposure to Jesus had convinced them Jesus was worth abandoning everything for, which would ultimately mean laying down their lives.

Ask: How would you respond in Simon, Andrew, James and John’s same situation? How do you respond? Is He worth it?

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 15: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

14

Optional Step #6 Video Option: Do We Believe this Book

(7–10 minutes)

Provide the “Session 1” video and the means with which to view it. Show the “Session 1” video to your group. Ask: What do you find challenging about David’s question? (What does it mean to follow Jesus?)

Allow for responses. Lead learners to respond briefly to David’s conclusion that if we believe the Bible then it has radical implications for our lives. Pay special attention to what some specific implications might be. Encourage learners to explore the obstacles they experience in applying those implications to their lives by identifying them for themselves. Say: David described his own struggle with this question as being a crisis of faith or crisis of belief point in his own spiritual journey. Challenge learners not to be paralyzed with fear, shame, guilt or doubt even though they may be struggling with the implications of Jesus’ teaching about discipleship. Encourage them to meet this crisis head on by discovering what God’s Word says about what they claim to believe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZfC7vAbte4

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 16: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

15

Optional Step #7

Teaching Plan: Transform Activities

Dreaming the Life: Me, Them, Him

(5–10 minutes) Provide paper and a pen for each learner.

Instruct learners to create three columns on their sheet of paper labeling the first one “Me.” Direct them to list in that column some of the characteristics of where they’d like to be in life in five years. After a few moments, prompt learners to label the second column “Them,” and lead them to list where others would like to see them in five years. These might be general societal expectations or perhaps ones that are more personal from friends or family. After a couple of minutes have learners label the last column “Him,” and guide them to prayerfully consider what Jesus would like to see in their life in the next five years.

Once learners have made their three lists, direct them to notice any differences among them. Admonish them to specifically consider what needs to disappear or change from their “Me” list and be overcome from their “Them” list in order to make both match up with their “Him” list. Lead them to cross out anything that needs to be abandoned, circle what will need to be overcome, and swap what needs to change with its replacement. Challenge learners to maintain their lists, adding to and adjusting them, as they continue to work through the rest of the Radical Bible study.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 17: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

16

Optional Step #8 Living the Dream: Letting Go

(5–10 minutes)

Provide paper and a pen for each learner.

Ask: Have you ever had to give up something you really cared about in order to gain something else you believed would be better for you? Invite a few volunteers to share their experiences. Note even when we know the outcome will ultimately be worth it, the letting go is never easy because our natural inclination is to focus on ourselves.

Direct learners to jot down what aspects of their life are currently standing in the way of them being fully abandoned to Jesus Christ. Encourage them not to be overwhelmed by their list and not to feel the pressure to make any immediate plans for change. Once they have collected their thoughts, guide learners to prayerfully consider two items from their paper on which to focus. Challenge them to choose one that will be very difficult to give up and one that will be easier.

Then instruct learners to divide into pairs and work together to consider just how they might radically abandon these obstacles for the sake of following Christ. Direct them to begin making a plan of action for the areas in which they chose to focus. Encourage them to continue wrestling with their lists over the coming weeks as they continue to work through the rest of the Radical Bible study.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted

Page 18: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

17

Optional Step #9 Prayer Option: Follower's Prayer

(5–10 minutes)

Provide an index card and a pen for each learner.

Direct learners to record the following benediction on their index card as you deliberately pray it together:

Jesus, Whatever You say, I believe You. Whatever You do, I trust You. Wherever You lead, I will follow You. I devote myself to You above all others. I give up all my desires and pursuits for Yours. There is no cost too great for being Your disciple. I abandon everything that I may come after You. For You alone are worthy. Amen.

Challenge people to keep their index card somewhere it will be readily visible during the time they continue to work through the rest of the Radical Bible study.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION(r). NIV(r). Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) NavPress, 2011. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of LifeChange curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 19: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

18

Optional Step #10 Master Teacher Outline

THE COST OF FOLLOWING CHRIST (15–20 minutes) Use this outline and the Biblical Commentary to prepare to share the truths of this passage with learners.

Introduction: We’ve boiled down what it means to follow Jesus to a simple A-B-C. Admit. Believe. Commit. For good measure, we often throw in a prayer of salvation just to make sure our bases are covered. However, when we consider the actual words of Jesus, Himself, we find that following Him actually requires a lot more of us.

1. Following Christ means being devoted to Him above anyone else (Luke 14:25–26).

Jesus was concerned with having true disciples as opposed to legions of fans and admirers. Jesus used drastic and dramatic language to show people the level of devotion it took to be His disciple compared to their commitment to other relationships in their lives.

Illustration: David relates other accounts from earlier in Luke. He summarizes what Jesus was saying to people by writing: “Become homeless. Let someone else bury your dad. Don’t even say good-bye to your family” (p. 8). He closes the section by pointing out that Jesus “was simply and boldly making it clear from the start that if you follow him, you abandon everything . . . even your family” (p.10).

2. Following Christ means continually sacrificing who we were for who He is (Luke 14:27).

The cross was a symbol of death, and carrying one’s cross meant going to one’s death. Jesus knew that following Him might result in physical death but also wanted His audience to understand the self-sacrifice that discipleship certainly required.

Page 20: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

19

Illustration: David contrasts a scene of a church-wide celebration on the multimillion-dollar church campus on his first Sunday pastoring the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, with a recent trip he had taken to work with persecuted Christians in Asia. He points out, in the midst of our American culture, even “well-meaning, Bible-believing Christians” can settle for a “Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves” (p. 7).

3. Following Christ requires a cost that should be considered before we commit (Luke 14:28–32).

Jesus admonished His listeners to consider whether they were willing to fully follow Him to the end wherever He might lead them.

Jesus also called upon His audience to consider whether they were willing to follow Him in the face of great adversity from a hostile world.

Illustration: David acknowledges the cost of following Christ can certainly be high, but also shares a realization he had in India, that the cost of our not following Christ is high for those who do not know Him at all (pp. 14–15).

4. Following Christ requires radical abandonment of everything we previously sought in life for the freedom to fully pursue Him and His glory (Luke 14:33).

For any who still might not have understood, Jesus made it perfectly clear in order to be His disciple one must give up everything, all of his earthly pursuits and desires.

Being a disciple of Jesus was an all-or-nothing pursuit; there could be no casual observers.

Illustration: David imagines what it would be like if we actually literally lived the parable of the treasure in the field. He concludes that, in this picture, Jesus is someone worth losing everything for (pp. 17–18).

Conclusion: Most of us would rather imagine all the blessings we’ll receive from following Christ than count the cost of what it will take to be His disciple. The reality is we have to give up everything, including ourselves. The question we’re left with is this—do we believe He is worth it?

Copyright © Clarity Publishers, 2010. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of Radical Bible Study curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted.

Page 21: Welcome to the Radical sermon series - Kary Oberbrunner...1 Welcome to the Radical sermon series. We will be your tour guide. First, a couple things right out of the gate. Some of

20

Radical Study Guide Survey

1. Please rate the group experience on a scale from 1 – 10 with 10 being most helpful to your development.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2. Please explain why you rated the experience as you have in #1:

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________   3. What was the most significant lesson you learned while in the group? Please

be specific.

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

4. What would you like to see more or less of? For example: a certain topic

expanded on, a new topic, more discussion, suggestions for handouts, other?

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 

5. If you feel that you have received value from this group, would you be willing to share your excitement in a testimonial? □YES □NO

If Yes, please share your testimonial below: