Discipleship: What it means to follow Jesus
17 EPISODES
Who is Jesus and what does it mean to be his disciple? It seems like a simple question with a simple answer! In this 6-week series, we will be looking at a section in the middle of the Gospel of Luke, at the key turning point where Jesus’ identity is made crystal clear – he is the Christ of God. What does it mean for Jesus to be the Christ? And what, therefore does it mean to be a disciple of Christ, a ‘Christian’?
EPISODE 1
Disciples of Jesus Christ
In our first sermon of this series, we’ll get to the heart of Jesus’ identity, and in light of that, the fundamental meaning of what it means to be Christian, a disciple of Jesus. Jesus is the Christ who is king and sufferer and so to follow him is to deny self and take up the cross.
EPISODE 2
Encouragement for Disciples
The call to follow Christ Jesus can seem to be difficult and daunting. He graciously provides experiences of his glory and majesty to encourage and enable ongoing faith and obedience. In the word of God and in the experience of the Spirit’s ongoing work of grace, we experience the glory and majesty of Christ Jesus.
EPISODE 3
The Cost of Discipleship
Who is Jesus and what does it mean to follow him? In this confronting passage, the cost of following Jesus is shown to us. Following Jesus will cost us our personal pride and will completely change our personal priorities. This poses a great challenge for us: knowing these costs, will we follow Jesus?
EPISODE 4
The Mission of Discipleship
Jesus send 72 disciples on mission to preach the imminent kingdom, with the expected responses of woeful rejection and joy-filled acceptance. We likewise are called to join in with Christ's joyful mission of saving sinners from judgement.
EPISODE 5
The Devotion of Discipleship
Disciples of Jesus Christ are devoted to loving others unconstrained by limits and loving Jesus by drawing near and listening. This passage confronts us with our human tendency to limit love for others and be distracted in our devotion to Jesus. It shows us that as disciples we are to expand our understanding and practice of love for neighbour and be clear about what is most important in expressing love for Jesus.
EPISODE 6
The Dependence of Discipleship
Disciples of Jesus Christ are devoted to loving others unconstrained by limits and loving Jesus by drawing near and listening. This passage confronts us with our human tendency to limit love for others and be distracted in our devotion to Jesus. It shows us that as disciples we are to expand our understanding and practice of love for neighbour and be clear about what is most important in expressing love for Jesus.
EPISODE 7
With Him or Against Him (Part 1)
Disciples of Jesus Christ are devoted to loving others unconstrained by limits and loving Jesus by drawing near and listening. This passage confronts us with our human tendency to limit love for others and be distracted in our devotion to Jesus. It shows us that as disciples we are to expand our understanding and practice of love for neighbour and be clear about what is most important in expressing love for Jesus.
EPISODE 8
With Him or Against Him (Part 2)
The condemnation of the Pharisees for their unbelief and stumbling hypocritical behaviour warns of the dangers of inner darkness.
EPISODE 9
Right Fear
The right fear of God allows disciples not to fear opposition and abandonment. This passage encourages disciples of Jesus to fearlessly follow Jesus in the face of threat and opposition. We are to know that opposition cannot truly harm us, because we have security in Christ both in the present and in eternity.
EPISODE 10
Troubled with Greed and Need
Do not be troubled by greed or need, but seek God and His Kingdom instead. This passage calls both unbelievers and believers alike to take our focus and striving away from the material things of this world and towards seeking God and His Kingdom. This has both present and eternal benefits—present: freed from endless/pointless striving and anxiety, use of material possessions that blesses others; eternal: a place in God’s kingdom for ourselves and for others.
EPISODE 11
You Must Be Ready
Jesus is coming—blessed are those who listen and are faithful to Him (even in the face of division within family) while the faithless are warned of future punishment and judgement.
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Have Yourself a Very Little Christmas
The reader is encouraged to see that from a small and seemingly insignificant beginning, the Kingdom of God will grow, sometimes unseen, until it reaches all nations with its
transforming power.
EPISODE 12
Bear The Fruit of Repentance
A disciple of Jesus walks daily in personal repentance be it through suffering or blessing.
EPISODE 13
Entering the Kingdom of God
Many who seek to enter the Kingdom of God will not enter because they do not truly receive Jesus. This passage is to warn those who think they will enter God’s kingdom, but won’t because they do not properly respond to Jesus. A wake up call to professing believers to make sure that they strive to respond truly to Jesus.
EPISODE 14
Faulty Feasting
The attitudes and behaviours of the Pharisees as they feasted with Jesus shows them to be people who will not be in the feast of the kingdom of God. Disciples of Jesus are to repent from a self-determining righteousness and a life lived for self and this world. Professing Christians, in particular, must be careful not to end up making lame excuses to reject the kingdom of God and so be denied entry.
EPISODE 15
Count the Cost
You cannot be Jesus’ disciple if He isn’t your first priority, so make Him first before anything else in life!
EPISODE 16
Three Times Found
The self-righteous do not understand God’s extravagant joy at the repentance of sinners, because they are not like God, yet are still invited to join the celebrations.
EPISODE 17
Money Matters
Followers of Jesus must be more shrewd than those of this world in living in light of the future. As we consider what Jesus says, let us consider to change the way we live in general, and the way we use money specifically, to reflect our faith in the future reality of the kingdom of God.
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