“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” – Luke 9:23-25
- Regarding the Gospel of the Kingdom, how would you briefly (1-2 sentences) summarize the message of:
- John the Baptist?
- Jesus?
- Peter and Paul?
- Can you “believe” something without giving your all to it?
- James 2:14-20
- What kind of belief does Jesus call his followers to?
- Hebrews 11:6
- Matthew 10:34-39
- John 3:16-21
- John 8:24
- What keeps us from fully embracing the good news of God’s Kingdom?
- Matthew 6:24, Mark 4:19 – Looking for fulfillment in the wrong places.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – Looking to the world’s definition of success/abundance.
- 1 John 5:20-21 – Idols pulling us away from the truth.
- A diluted message brings a diluted response.
- Becoming captured by another vision of what’s best for the world.
- “Church hurt” or similar scenario preventing participation with a Kingdom community.
- The gospel message is radical. Have we responded to it?
- Pledge allegiance to God’s Kingdom!
- Be radically faithful to the radical message!
- The good news of God’s Kingdom is an incredible gift we can accept or reject.
- What is the sobering truth Jesus delivers in Matthew 7:21-23, and how should that impact us?
- “Burn the ships” is a saying that refers to a strategic decision to eliminate any possibility of retreat. It originates from the story of the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who, upon arriving in Mexico in 1519, ordered his men to burn their ships. This action symbolized their commitment to the mission and removed any option of retreat, forcing them to fully commit to their goal. How can we apply this mindset to our walk as disciples of Christ?
- Luke 9:62
- Philippians 3:13-14
- We opened the study with the simple question of “what is the gospel?” How has your answer to that changed now?
- We can’t just make this a study series that we finish and move on from. What was a message so powerful that people literally gave up everything to follow it? What was a message so potent that the leaders behind that message were executed? We know how the disciples in the Bible responded—it’s up to us to decide how we’re going to respond. How are we going to let this message change our lives? How can we use it to change the lives of others?
- Romans 12:1-2
- Colossians 3:10-11
- Ephesians 4:23-24
- Hebrews 6:10-12
- Hebrews 12:1-4
- 1 John 3:23-24
Click here for referenced Scripture printout.