DOCSLIB.ORG

Session 8 Counting the Cost Session 8 Counting the Cost Session 8 Counting the Cost Session 8 Counting the Cost

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Session 8 Counting the Cost Session 8 Counting the Cost Session 8 Counting the Cost Session 8 Counting the Cost Session 8 Counting the Cost “Ministries of Mercy” Chapters 11, 12 I. Before we begin stepping out in mercy, we must first count the cost. Luke 14:25-33 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? "Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. 1. What are some key points from this text regarding counting the cost? a. Before starting a project, it is important that we ___________ and wait on the Lord for His instructions rather than rushing off with our own plans. b. When considering a construction project, one needs to consider the _______________ and ______________ before beginning the work. c. When fighting a war, one needs to consider the ______________________. d. If costs are not counted before taking action, the kingdom will suffer ______________. e. In order to be counted a disciple of Christ, we must be willing to ___________________________ . 2. What are the costs associated with “giving ourselves away for the least and the lost?” 3. What is our calling? ° Matthew 9:9 ° Matthew 16:24 ° Mark 1:16-20 ° Mark 10:17-21 4. How shall we go? ° John 13:12-15 5. Where is our confidence? ° Matthew 18-20 6. What will it take for the Kingdom of God to come to the city of Atlanta, and all places where we serve? 7. What is my roll in building the city of God, and fighting the battle? 8. How will I discover God’s specific purpose for me? Chapter 11, “Expanding Your Vision” - Key thoughts 1. We don’t understand the impact of injustice, and our need to pursue changes in law, policies, corporate responsibility, and government flaws. 2. We box ourselves in to one ideology or another instead of looking at a community through “gospel eyes.” Example: a. Liberals – government will do the job b. Conservatives – business will do the job c. Gospel – we must do the job of addressing the selfishness of government and business IMPORTANT: Our mercy ministry efforts will dry up if we fail to attack the roots of the weeds in our communities. Our goal must not just be relief, but transformation through social justice. What are the consequences of a mercy ministry that fails to attack the roots of the problems? 1. We do more harm than good. 2. We damage the church. 3. The gap widens. 4. We experience stunted growth in our efforts of mercy. a. What we think are bridges are no bridges at all, because we don’t seek to meet real needs, only those we desire to meet. b. There are no boundaries set, and we spend all our efforts reacting as opposed to being strategically proactive. c. We become frustrated in our efforts of recruiting others. d. We lack vision for community transformation. II. Our Goal is Community Transformation. 3 Dimensions of Mercy 1. Immediate Relief – the alleviation of suffering caused by unmet, basic needs. Example: welfare checks - A good opportunity is to develop partnerships between churches (one with resources and the other with relational inroads into their community) 2. Individual & Community Transformation – to build up, develop, and restore the person to self-sufficiency. What is necessary? a. education b. job-training c. capital for starting new businesses 3. Long Term Reform – seeks to change social conditions and structures that create physical needs. The goal is not to simply patch up wounds, but going after the ones who have done the wounding. III. We must be willing to sacrifice if we expect to make an impact. A. Paul’s Example of Counting the Cost We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the off-scouring of all things until now. I Corinthians 4:10-13 Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. II Corinthians 11:23-30 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:7-11 1. The greatest temptation of the church today is to believe we can make great impact in mercy ministry without being willing to take part in great sacrifice. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name. Acts 9:16 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him. Philippians 1:29 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. I Peter 2:20,21 2. To the degree that we sacrifice for the sake of Christ, we share in the joy of the glory of Christ. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Acts 5:41 B. Paul’s Perspective in Counting the Cost Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:17,18 C. Our perspective towards Counting the Cost We are physical beings with a spiritual dimension. Or We are spiritual beings with a physical dimension. D. Our Encouragement Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2,3 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Kingdom Parables: Counting the Cost
    Notes by Pastor Tony McCall The Pentecostals of Lake City ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kingdom Parables: Counting The Cost Matthew 13:44-46 44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. A Costly Pursuit • Every year the slopes of Mount Everest o are littered with the dead bodies § of failed climbers. • The effort to climb the world’s highest mountain o is costly, all-consuming, and dangerous. • At Everest's highest point, o you are breathing in a third § of the amount of oxygen • you would normally breathe • due to the atmospheric pressure. • But it’s not the lack of oxygen that kills. o Avalanches are the foremost cause of death, § followed by falls. o Winds on the mountain § have been recorded • at more than 200mph. • At least one person has died on Everest o every year since 1969, § except in 1977. • The safest year on Everest was 1993, o when 129 reached the summit § and eight died. § To put that in perspective, • 1 out of every 16 people o who attempted the climb § died in the process. • The deadliest year for climbers of Everest o was 1996, when 15 died. § At that point an average • of 1 in 4 who attempted the climb o died before they reached the top.
    [Show full text]
  • Counting the Cost No
    Sermon #1159 Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit 1 COUNTING THE COST NO. 1159 A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD’S-DAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 22, 1874, BY C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’” Luke 14:28-30. THIS passage is peculiar to Luke. He tells us that at the time when our Lord uttered it, great multi- tudes followed Him; it is observable that when our Lord was forsaken by the crowd, He was not de- pressed, and when His ministry became popular He was not elated; He was calm and wise in the midst of the excitement of the thronging multitudes. This passage is sufficient evidence of that fact. On this occasion our Lord spoke with a view to the winnowing of the great heap of nominal discipleship which lay before Him, that the chaff might be driven away, and only the precious corn might remain. The dis- course before us reminds us of Gideon’s process of diminishing that vast but motley host of which the Lord said, “The people are too many for Me.” After having bid the faint-hearted go, He next brought down the remaining thousands to the river, and bade them drink. And then He only kept for Himself those who lapped in a certain peculiar manner, which indicated their zeal, their speed, their energy, and their experience.
    [Show full text]
  • THE GOSPEL ACCORDING to LUKE Week 5 Discussion Questions “The Cost of Discipleship”
    THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE Week 5 Discussion Questions “The Cost of Discipleship” 1. What is the best bargain you’ve ever found? 2. When you get something for free, or at a greatly reduced price, do you think about who has borne the cost? Read Luke 14:25-27 3. How do you feel when Jesus says his disciples should ‘hate’ their family? 4. Has there been a time in your life where you had to decide to follow Jesus or your family? 5. What does it mean to carry your cross? 6. How do you put Jesus first in your life every day? Read Luke 14:28-33 7. How did you become a disciple of Jesus – did you jump in the deep end or did you enter via the shallow end, slowly and gradually? 8. When should we count the cost of following Christ? At conversion or later? 9. What do these two illustrations teach you about the cost of discipleship? 10. If there is a cost of discipleship, what is the cost of not being a disciple of Jesus Christ? Read Luke 14:34-35 11. Why is the image of salt associated with the cost of discipleship? 12. How can we encourage one another to stay salty? Read Mark 10:23-31 13. What are the costs of discipleship in this passage? 14. What are the positive aspects of discipleship? Talk 4/8 (Luke 14:25-34): 13/03/2016 “The Cost of Discipleship” by The Rev’d Dr Daniel Rouhead INTRODUCTION \\ WHAT DOES IT COST? Last week, we reached a turning point in Jesus’ ministry.
    [Show full text]
  • Pursuing God's Blessings Through the Beatitudes “I Take Ownership – the Power of Spiritual Mourning” Matthew 5:4
    Pursuing God’s Blessings Through the Beatitudes “I Take Ownership – The Power of Spiritual Mourning” Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” A couple of weeks ago in the series on the Beatitudes, I spoke of the six elements of spiritual mourning: As we are still dealing with the COVID–19 virus and its effects upon our lives; we need to focus on the what the Lord is saying to us through this time. The definition of spiritual mourning and how does it help us make progress in our Christian life? “Spiritual mourning is a heartfelt sorrow over specific sins; arising from humility and giving hope, that leads you to forsake these sins at the cross.” 1. Spiritual mourning names particular sins • Stop calling your sin: “A mistake – A slip up – It’s just my family heritage.” • We have to call it what it is: Lust – Jealousy – Greed – Pride – Adultery – Fornication – Pornography – Lying – Stealing. • You can’t really be FREE until you accept your responsibility and own up to your failure to be able to do what the Lord wants you to do which is being “Poor in spirit.” 2. Spiritual mourning involves heartfelt sorrow “Spiritual mourning is a heartfelt sorrow over particular sins; arising from humility and giving hope, that leads you to forsake these sins at the cross.” There must be an understanding on the difference between admitting to a sin and being repentant from the heart. The story of King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:18-19, 24 he disobeyed a direct command from God by taking plunder for himself and his men.
    [Show full text]
  • Discipleship and Mission
    Discipleship and Mission GENERAL INTRODUCTION This quarter surveys several calls to ministry and the expectations of those called. Calls to service, as recorded in the gospels of Mark and Luke, are highlighted. We explore Paul’s call to ministry, with special attention to the Roman church. On Easter Sunday, we examine Matthew’s account of the Resurrection. Unit I, “Call to Discipleship,” has four lessons and highlights several aspects of what it means to be called by Jesus as a disciple. They include hospitality, counting the cost, reaching the lost, and salvation for all people. Unit II, “Call to Ministry,” has five lessons that explore the diverse ways in which Jesus’ disciples were challenged to exercise their call to ministry: by witnessing to the Gospel message, acting with loving kindness, sharing the Resurrection story, and making new disciples through preaching, teaching, and baptism. Unit III, “The Spread of the Gospel” (four lessons), begins with Paul’s introduction of himself to the Jewish and Gentile Christians living in Rome. Paul affirms that the call to salvation is to Israel and to Gentiles. This call to salvation is a call to a life in the Spirit and involves a new life in Christ. Spring 2018–TOWNSEND PRESS COMMENTARY | 1 2 | TOWNSEND PRESS COMMENTARY–Spring 2018 March 3, 2019 Lesson 1 CALLED TO HUMILITY AND HOSPITALITY ADULT/YOUTH CHILDREN ADULT/YOUNG ADULT TOPIC: Humility Is Good GENERAL LESSON TITLE: Called to Be Humble for You and Kind YOUTH TOPIC: Sitting with the Lowly CHILDREN’S TOPIC: Dare to Care and Share DEVOTIONAL READING Luke 14:15-24 ADULT/YOUTH BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:7-14 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:7-14 PRINT PASSAGE: Luke 14:7-14 PRINT PASSAGE: Luke 14:7-14 KEY VERSES: Luke 14:13-14a KEY VERSE: Luke 14:11 CHILDREN Luke 14:7-14—KJV Luke 14:7-14—NIV 7 And he put forth a parable to those which 7 When he noticed how the guests picked were bidden, when he marked how they chose the places of honor at the table, he told them this out the chief rooms; saying unto them.
    [Show full text]
  • STEWARDSHIP PRAYERS Discipleship Lord Jesus Christ, You
    STEWARDSHIP PRAYERS Discipleship Lord Jesus Christ, you call us to follow you as disciples. Help us to respond wholeheartedly without counting the cost. Lord Jesus Christ, you invite us to proclaim your gospel of hope and salvation here at home and to all nationals and peoples. Teach us to be faithful evangelists in word and in action. Lord Jesus Christ, you have given us every spiritual and material blessing. Show us how to share our gifts with others, and inspire us always to follow your example of generous self-giving. Gracious Lord, teach us to give with a joyous and grateful heart that we may provide hope, consolation, and pastoral care to your people and thus give glory and honour to your holy name. AMEN Good Stewards Loving Father, you alone are the source of every good gift. We praise you for all your gifts to us, and we thank you for your generosity. Everything we have, and all that we are, comes from you. Help us to be grateful and responsible. You have called us to follow your son, Jesus, without counting the cost. Send us your Holy Spirit to give us courage and wisdom to be faithful disciples. We commit ourselves to being good stewards. Help us to be grateful, accountable, generous, and willing to give back with increase. Help us to make stewardship a way of life. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. AMEN Gratitude All powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks.
    [Show full text]
  • On Counting the Cost
    On Counting the Cost Recently, there has been a great deal written about discipleship. Within this tremendous body of literature one may find a great many ideas about discipleship and theories related to the importance of discipleship. I, for one, feel the importance of discipleship but am often confused by what I read and what I see. As we look to the New Testament for some clear light on the subject, we see that the word “disciple” is used 269 times. This is interesting, especially in light of the fact that the name we have used for ourselves, “Christians,” is found only three times, and even then referred to disciples. The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ. The point is not merely one of semantics. What is more important is that the kind of life we see in the earliest church is that of a special kind of person. All of the assurances and benefits offered to mankind in the gospel evidently presuppose such a life and do not make realistic sense apart from it. The disciple of Jesus is not the deluxe model of the Christian, especially equipped as one writer said, for the fast lane on the straight and narrow way. The disciple of Jesus Christ in the New Testament is not a super Christian. He is a Christian. It is my hope that we might go from this place with the firm conviction that being a disciple, being involved in discipleship, should be at the very heart of our lives, our families, our churches.
    [Show full text]
  • In Jesus Christ. Moved by the Holy Spirit, We Strive to Create a Faith Commu
    JANUARY 12, 2020 | THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD LOCATION 7580 Clinton Street Elma, New York 14059 PARISH CONTACTS Parish Oce p: 683-5254 f: 681-5668 w: www.annunciation.cc e: parisho%[email protected] Rectory: 683-2077 Faith Formation: 683-5515 Strong Start Pre-K: 681-1327 MASSES Morning Prayer & Communion Service Monday-Friday 7:30am Daily Mass Monday-Friday 9:00am Saturday Vigil 5:00pm Sunday 8:00am, 11:00am and 5:00pm Holy Day of Obligation check bulletin for times RECONCILIATION Confessions are heard each Saturday at 4:00pm or by appointment. OUR PARISH NAME IS OUR MISSION! With Mary, we joyfully announce: “God with us” in Jesus Christ. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we strive to create a faith community of love and hope, of prayer, welcome and service where others will discover in and with us that Christ is Life! PASTORAL STAFF LITURGICAL LIFE Pastor Rev. Eugene P. Ulrich PASTOR’S LETTER Pastoral Associate - Administration Deacon James J. Jaworski I am into my third 6-year term as pastor of the Church of the Pastoral Associate - Ministry Picture Annunciation, Elma. We have completed two major construction of father Deborah A. Keenan, MDiv projects of our master plan of improvements. There will be a Assisting Clergy dedication ceremony in the spring for the new Committal Chapel, Deacon Joseph P. Mercurio Deacon Dennis W. Kapsiak Sacred Space in our cemetery, new storage facility and pavilion. Rev. Msgr. Richard W. Siepka Both my third term of pastoral service and dedication of structures Parish Secretary offer our faith community an opportunity to assess and to plan.
    [Show full text]
  • Discipleship: Part 3 • Luke 14:25-35
    Counting the Cost DISCIPLESHIP: PART 3 • LUKE 14:25-35 Baxter T. Exum (#1520) Four LAkes Church of Christ Madison, Wisconsin October 20, 2019 Most of us here this morning probably love getting a bargain. We took the picture on the wall up here earlier this year at the Pike Place Market out in Seattle. Some of you have been there, and you know that there is some wheeling and dealing going on - fresh fish, and fruit, and vegetables, and all kinds of produce and crafts. It is a lively place, and it is lively for a reason. People apparently love the fresh food and the haggling. Locally, we also love getting a good deal. We have thrift stores, and UW SWAP, and Craigslist. I have bought and sold a number of items on Craigslist, and up to this point I have not yet been murdered, so that is awesome. We shop around, we keep an eye out for coupons; some of us appreciate the Bucky Book or the various discount cards sold by the kids here at church. Buy one, get one free; 20% off; we do the survey on our Culver’s receipts and collect the Scoopie tokens. We do the Kwik Trip rewards card or the various fuel saver cards at area grocery stores. We compare prices. We shop around. I’ve been in the market for four new tires. We usually go to Weber up in Bristol, but I called around and actually found a better deal (which is rare) - buy three tires get the fourth one free at Farm & Fleet, and so we have an appointment set up for this coming Friday down in Verona.
    [Show full text]
  • Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit, for Theirs Is the Kingdom of Heaven.”—Matthew 5:3
    Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:3 “Heavenly Father, Your Son emptied Himself and became man to save me from my sins and to open the door to Your Kingdom. Open my eyes to see that my treasure is in heaven. “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus looked at the rich young man with love and asked him to go sell all that he had and follow Him. Right before him was the path to true happiness, but he clung to his possessions and his own will and went away sad (Mark 10:17–27). Jesus then looked at His disciples and said, “It is easier for a camel to pass through [the] eye of [a] needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:25). What do you think this means? To be “poor in spirit” does not necessarily mean poor in material things. It is an inner attitude of trusting and depending on God’s loving care for you and for all His children (Matthew 6:25–34). It could be a wealthy person like Zacchaeus who generously shared his riches or someone like the poor widow who gave all she had. By living the virtue of magnificence, a person is able to do great things for God by not hoarding their riches or talents. In doing so, they know that true happiness is found by recognizing God as the source of our gifts and by storing up treasures in heaven.
    [Show full text]
  • Sister Dorothy Stang Prayer Reflection
    EXTRAORDINARY MISSIONARY MONTH ~ OCTOBER 2019 Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN Prayer Reflection Introduction: Sister Dorothy Stang, a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, worked for more than 30 years in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil. She opened schools and offered classes in religious education for children and adults, but the heart and soul of her work was empowering local indigenous peoples and small farmers to secure land rights and engage in sustainable development projects. According to Sister Mary Alice McCabe, SNDdeN, who also works in Brazil, “Sister Dorothy was with the excluded migrant farmers in their constant, futile search for a piece of land to call their own. She persistently pressured the government to do its job of defending the rights of the people. She never gave up. She never lost hope.” On February 12, 2005, while walking along a muddy Amazon jungle road attempting to halt illegal logging where land sharks had interests but no legal rights, she was shot and killed. Authorities believe that the murder was arranged by a local rancher and that a consortium of loggers and ranchers who wanted to develop the land for their own purposes contributed to the bounty in an effort to silence Sister Dorothy. Her murder had the opposite effect with the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, giving the land in question, more than 22,000 acres, for sustainable development to the local farmers whose cause Dorothy had worked for so tirelessly. Today she is known as “the Angel of the Amazon.” Leader: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the peace of the Holy Spirit be with us.
    [Show full text]
  • 3-20-16 Real Discipleship Is Counting the Cost.3
    FIVE FORKS BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH www.ffbic.org SERMON: Real Discipleship Is Counting the Cost SERIES: Real Discipleship SCRIPTURE: Luke 14:25-33 SPEAKER: Adam Meredith DATE: 3-13-16 We’re talking during this Easter season about Real Discipleship. Last week we saw that real discipleship involves denying yourself and taking up your cross. Here are 2 quotes to summarize what we talked about last week. “Faith entails affirming the truth that Jesus is Messiah, but it also entails more than this. It entails acting on that truth by following Jesus in daily discipleship. James Edwards” If your faith real it’ll be evident in day-do-day living. It has to be. Second, “When believers confess who Jesus is, they also and inevitably confess what they must become. It’s never just ‘He’s over there, and I’m over here doing my own thing. No, whatever I see in Him, whatever I see Him doing, is what I am to become.’ But equally true, when believers follow Jesus in costly discipleship, they see Jesus as he truly is. James Edwards” Jesus says, “Do you want to know me? Take up your cross daily, and in so doing you will find more of me than in years and years of staying at a distance. That’s what we’re after here. Not just saying empty words, then going about the rest of our lives as usual. But a faith that is real, and genuine, and life-changing. Taking Up Your Cross. Today, very similarly in some ways, this week we are going to also see that Real Discipleship Is Counting the Cost.
    [Show full text]