A Recap and Revision...

Yesterday, I preached a sermon called "The Cost of Following Jesus".   You can find it here if you want to listen to it.  But below is a synopsis of the sermon without the stories and a revision of the question I posed.   I revised the question because I realized that in asking for a response from people, it is assumed that I am looking for help for CoJ in helping people engage more deeply.   While I am not opposed to that, my hearts desire is to pose a question that gets each person who is part of CoJ to do some self reflection and work in their own lives.   So, here is a recap and a revision...

Something to ponder…  (Reflections on Luke 9:57-62)

 As Jesus was walking around one day, someone came up to him and said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”     Haven’t you also said that?

Following Jesus is more than taking notes or sitting in a pew.  Following Jesus is serious business and costs us something.  Following Jesus might take us to places we wouldn’t go on our own and ask of us things that we wouldn’t do on our own.  But when Jesus is Lord, we go where he sends and do what he says, because he is Lord.

To this fellow Jesus responded… we must leave our comfort zones (dens, nests, and pews) in order to follow Jesus.   Following Jesus is serious business.  Comfort, convenience, and personal preference have no place in following.

So, how does seeking comfort keep you from following Jesus?

Following Jesus is serious business and it requires that we engage deeply – with our lives including our time, talents and resources.

On the way, Jesus saw another person and invited him to come and follow him.  The guy said he would, BUT… there’s always a but isn’t there?    And another person told Jesus he would also follow him, but…   These last two would be followers sought to postpone following – to put off till tomorrow, what is a TODAY proposition!   Following Jesus is not something we can put off till tomorrow.  Because we all know that tomorrow never comes!

What has Jesus asked of you that you are postponing?  

What do you need to drop from your life in order to follow Jesus?   Sometimes we can’t respond to Jesus because we have too much going on.

Following Jesus involves more than an hour a day or a couple hours a week.   Following Jesus is more than a commitment made a long time ago.  It is a daily, hourly, every moment deal!   A “long obedience in the same direction.” (Eugene Peterson)

Following Jesus is serious business and will cost us something.   Following Jesus is not about comfort, convenience, or personal preference.  Following Jesus is more than taking notes or a commitment made a long time ago.  Following Jesus requires that we engage deeply with our WHOLE LIFE including our time, talent, and resources.  So, here is the question (and it’s a personal question.  Please substitute your name for the word “you” in the question and prayerfully consider it for yourself.)

What would help you (your name) engage more deeply with the mission and ministry of Jesus through Community of Joy?   Or another way to ask it… what would help ME engage more deeply with the mission and ministry of Jesus through Community of Joy?

After taking some time to prayerfully consider that question, please determine the next steps that you need to take and develop a plan so that you can more deeply engage.