Tag: discipleship

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 14:25-33 NLT ~ count the cost

Gospel Reading: Luke 14:25-33 NLT

A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison — your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

Unfinished Structure on Staten Island, NY (sat idle for two years)
Unfinished Structure on Staten Island, NY
(sat idle for two years)

“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

“Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.”

Prayer: Lord God – In whatever situation we find ourselves today… may we discover your Kingdom purpose… count the cost… then take up the cross you have given us… and follow you. No regrets… no turning back… pressing onward to your upward call in Christ Jesus… who is our Life and our Blessed Hope. May we honor you in all things. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Give Me Jesus” – Matt Stinton; Bethel Music

Morning Reading: Luke 13:22-30 NLT – it ain’t easy

Reading: Luke 13:22-30 NLT

Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”

"The Narrow Door" This photo was taken at the first parish church in Plymoth, MA. It is the site of the original "pilgrim's church" which migrated from Leiden, Holland to the new world.
“The Narrow Door”
This photo was taken at the first parish church in Plymoth, MA. It is the site of the original “pilgrim’s church” which migrated from Leiden, Holland to the new world.

He replied, “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’

“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God.

“And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – Give me the courage and fortitude to do hard things for you. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to percieve your Kingdom purposes in the world around me. And make me a doer of your Word and not a hearer only. To you be the glory. Amen.

Hymn: “Take My Life and Let It Be” – Frances R. Havergal (1874)

Morning Reading: Luke 9.57-62 NLT – Kingdom duty

Reading: Luke 9.57-62 NLT

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus hand follow meBut Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”

The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – So many distractions… so many good things to do. Give me the courage to sacrifice the good for the best – following you wherever you lead me. May I honor you in all things. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” – Selah (YouTube)

I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus — no turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me, the world behind me, the cross before me, the world behind me, the cross before me — no turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, I still will follow, though none go with me, I still will follow, though none go with me, I still will follow, no turning back, no turning back.

Morning Reading: Luke 9.23-27 NLT – via dolorosa

Reading: Luke 9.23-27 NLT

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

In the old town of Jerusalem, paving the way of Jesus Christ, the traditional Way of the Cross took place on the Good Friday towards Saint Sepulchre.
In the old town of Jerusalem, paving the way of Jesus Christ, the traditional Way of the Cross took place on the Good Friday towards Saint Sepulchre.

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.

I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus – you call me to let go of my life… to give up anything that gets in the way of my relationship with you. Forgive me for clinging to the things of this sinful and dying world… trying to drag them along with me on the via dolorosa. You are my Lord and my God. Give me the courage to drop my baggage.. take up the cross you give me to bear… and follow you today. Amen.

Spiritual Song: “Take Up Your Cross” – The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (YouTube)

Morning Reading: Luke 12.42-44; 48 NLT

And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.”

“When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”  Luke 12.42-44; 48 NLT