Luke 20:1-18 / The Conclusion of Following Jesus

“If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. – Luke 9:23-24

The cross requires a conclusion

Who will be the authority?

We have the freedom to conclude

Things to consider when reaching your conclusion.

Who planted the vineyard?

1. Is there an authority
2. Who were the slaves

Who were the slaves?

1. Prophets of old
2. Personal prophets

Or others…

What about the son?

Did Jesus …………………yes or no

Is there a risk analysis involved?

1. Heaven
2. Hell

I have concluded…..

Luke 10:1-20 – The Blessed Responsibility of Following Jesus

The Responsibility is

Go and prepare the way of the Lord

Step One = Pray

Who would you pray for?   Lost

Step Two = Go

Where do you go?  In the streets, in the market, by the river, wherever people are – we need to be light in this dark world.

Bad News = we will be Lambs among the wolves Luke 10:13

Good News = Encouragements to follow in order to Keep going

Go Trusting for God’s Provision

What do you need? Nothing, Jesus will provide

Go looking for those who are receptive verses 7-11

Where do you see God working?

Go overcome with Compassion verses 12-14

What is their FOREVER future? In heaven or in hell

Go Exercising personal humility verse 16

What if you don’t “succeed” – our job is to Go & prepare the way.  They are rejecting Jesus, don’t take it personally.

Go Rely on God for Courage verse 17-19

What fear do you face? Our fears hamper, but Jesus is on our side.

Go motivated by Grateful hearts verse 20

What are you grateful for? Your name recorded in heaven.

Luke 9:23-24 - If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Free and Costly -- Is it worth it????

The Value of what we receive from God so far exceedingly surpasses anything we do or could ever do to "pay" for it that it is truly a gift.

Isaiah 50:7 - “For the Lord God will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore I have set My face like a flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.

Following Jesus requires Resolve - verse 51

Luke 14:27 He who does not bear my cross cannot be my disciple

Cross Bearing

Long definition - Personal sacrifices and self denials required to follow, accomplish, and obey God's will for us as it relates to His plans and purpose

Short definition - The cost of being a Jesus Follower

Following Jesus will cost our comfort zone - verse 52

Following Jesus will cost our security - verse 53

The opposition

1 Spiritual -- Secular

2 Open -- Hidden

3 Severe -- Light

Following Jesus will cost our Rights - verse 54, 55

Following Jesus will cost us Personally - verse 57-62

1 Physical comfort & ease

2 Relationships

3 Priorities - Jesus is the priority

The command is to Remember JESUS

Jesus transfers the mandate to remember Passover to a command to remember ME.  Exodus 12:14 - Feast of the Passover - Jesus is the Passover.

Remember His Birth

Luke 2:11 - Christ the Lord

Matthew 1:21 - Save From Sin

Hebrews 2:17 - High Priest - Salvation

Remember His Life

Acts 2:22 - Proof of who He WAS - IS

Hebrews 4:15 - Sinless life - Perfect Lamb without blemish

Remember His Death - Sacrifice for US

Hebrews 9:22 - shedding of blood; I Corinthians 15:3 - Christ Died for our sins; Isaiah 53:5 - By His wounds we are healed; 1 Peter 3:18 - Christ died for our sins to bring us to God; 2 Corinthians 5:21 - God made Jesus, who had no sin, to be sin for us.

Remember His Heart/Passion

Luke 19:10 - Seek and save the Lost

John 3:17 - Be saved through Him

Remember His Message - Great I AM

John 14:6 - Jesus is the Way, the Truth & the Life

John 10:9 - Jesus is the gate-all who enter through Him will be saved.

Remember His Promisse

John 14:3, 28 - I will come again - will receive you to myself

Revelation 22:12 - Behold I AM coming soon.

Holy Means = Set Apart / Moral Righteousness

1 Peter 1:17; Ephesians 4:1-2; Philippians 1:27-28; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12

Holy is a family trait.

Psalm 22:3; Psalm 99:3; 1 Samuel 2:2; Isaiah 6:3

Holy is pursuing a Relationship

Holy is a desperate Need

Joshua 24:19; Hebrews 12:14; Romans 6:22

Holy has Substitutes

1 = Happiness.  The truest happiness is found in realizing your purpose in a relationship with the Holy one!!

2 = Complacency or comparison. Is it much easier to rely on God's grace than to apply ourselves to holiness?

3= Grace.  Holiness is not being satisfied with taking care of the "Big" sins.

Growing Holiness - Luke 13:6-9; Romans 6:22

1 = Till

2 = Fertilize

3 = Weed

Pray!

The Command is to love and pray 

or to 1  Do The Best

        2  Ask The Best

Our Enemies are produced by

1. Our own fallen nature

2. Our Faith and following of Jesus

4 Compensations for loving our enemies

1  We get to mimic God

2  We get to Display God's Love

3  We get to Remember God's Love

4  We get to Test/Grow our trust-factor

                    The Great Challenge

                               Neither

Condoning  ................................ Condemning

Two Cliffs to Avoid

1  Avoid defensive reasoning

2  Avoid complacent acceptance

Two Guard Rails

1  Clear Biblical Direction

2  Tne of respect and care

The command is NOT... a manddate to remain opionless and silent about the attitudes and behaviors of others.

Jesus talked about making good judgments in Matthew 7.  We need to be wise and listen to the scripture and not foolish where we won't follow Jesus.

Two False ideas

God expects us not to Judge. If we use lax standards we will receive lax standards.

The Command is to be EXTREMELY care-full when dealing with others and their sin.

Pearl - help each other, follow Christ, speak truth in others

The CARE-FULL Points

1. Humility verse 3

3 Test for proper Humility

    1. Recognize own see - see the log in own eye 

    2. Ready to receive - get specks out

    3. Reservation - don't be excited to get speck out of his eye.

2. Relationship verse 3, 4, 5

Am I my brother's keeper?  Yes - he is my brother

3.  Right Standards verse 2 - God's standard

What standard should we use?  Romans 1:32-2:5

4.  Committed Involvement verse 5

Get Close, Be Gentle, Engage (be there)

An Example - John 8:1-8 Adultery

Two Mindsets to Live it

The Church is a hospital (for sinners)

We are nurses - to clean, to comfort, to nurture alongside the Great Physician, follow Jesus' order, rely on His commands, He will make the prescriptians

Matthew 5:16 - In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

The command is to do Good Deeds

2 Notes on Christian Good Deeds

They are prepared - Ephesians 2:10

They are Anticipated - James 2:17

The command is Be obvious

Public Deeds verses Private Disciplines

Private

1. Giving - Matthew 6:4

2. Praying - Matthew 6:6

3. Fasting - Matthew 6:17

Public

1. Actions - Ephesians 4:17-31

2. Attitudes - Philippians 2:5; Ephesians 4:1-3

3. Acts of Kindness - Luke 10; Matthew 25

The command is Glorify God

John 15:8 - My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples

God's Glory Statements

1. Thanks Statements - Thankful to God because He has forgiven me.

2. Gospel Statements -  Jesus paid my debt, so I will thank Him.

3. Identifying Statements - Jesus died for me, so I am glad he put me here to help you in this small way.  God receives glory.