Love God!

Discipleship Questions for Sunday

September 9, 2007

 

Scripture Readings:

 

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm: 90

Second Reading: Philemon 1:1-20

Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

 

Deuteronomy 30: 15"See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." -- NKJV

 

Psa. 40:0

  For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. 1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.  2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.  4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.  5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.  6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.  7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.  8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”  9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.  10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.  11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.  12 For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.  13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.  14 May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.  15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame.  16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!”  17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

 

Philemon 1:1-20
1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, 2to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. 8Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, 9yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you-being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ- 10I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, 11who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. 12I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, 13whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. 14But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. 15For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 16no longer as a slave but more than a slave-a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. 17If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. 18But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. 19I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay-not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. 20Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. -- NKJV 

 

Luke 14:25-33
25Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it- 29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish'? 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. -- NKJV

 

Discipleship Questions:

 

  1. Please read the Readings for today and ask yourself this question: “How much do I love God?”  Really ponder this question and all of the questions that swirl around it.  Open this up for discussion.
  2. The choice of obedience itself is twofold: It requires one “to love the LORD” and “to walk in his ways” (v.16).   Please discuss.
  3. In our Psalm response this morning we are reminded that God is our refuge in every point of life.  He’s our hiding place.  He Himself is the place where we can be totally ourselves – feel totally safe and secure.  Yes, it’s not about this place – this church building - it’s about Him!  As He is made the center of this place so this place will become truly what it was made to be – a safe haven – a refuge, a sanctuary - for all of who need to find home.  Truly the great St. Augustine had it right when He wrote, “Our heart is restless until it rests in you.”  Please discuss.
  4. “Now when I spoke about this to Brother Jerome at the Abbey of the Genesee he had, as usual, a fascinating take on it.  For him the most critical word in the entire passage was the word “turned” – Luke 14:25, “One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them.”

 

Jerome laughed and said when I read this I think of the Keystone Cops – Jesus is walking along with a huge crowd following closely upon Him and then suddenly He turns upon them and they bump into each other and fall all over the place.

 

You see that word signals a real turn around – a sudden stopping and turning!

 

And you can feel the sudden turn in sentiment – one minute Jesus is sharing stories – parables – when the crowd and they are enthralled and even entertained by His words but suddenly He turned upon them and asked them the hard question:

 

Listen to it again:

 

Luke 14:25

One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them,  26 “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple.  27 Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.

 

Now jump forward to verse 33:

 

Luke 14:33

“Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what’s dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple. 

 

Ah!  This is the cost of discipleship!  This is what it means to love and follow Him!

 

You see God is jealous for our love – our undivided love!”  Please discuss.

  1. What would cause you to love God?  Discuss this and then look at the crucifix – Jesus on the Cross and answer that fundamental question.
  2. Please close in a prayer of rededication to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen and Amen!