I think I've posted this already...but am going to again...because maybe just maybe you didn't obey the first time :-) Listen to this series. Pretty please?
http://www.brookhills.org/media/series/radical
I have only listened to the FIRST series WHAT THE GOSPEL DEMANDS
I plan to in the coming weeks to listen to them all! I wanted to pass it along in case you were ready to get RADICAL too!
"JESUS is the goal! Sacrifice no longer seems like sacrifice in light of Christ." Amazing stuff!
Notes from the site regarding this sermon:
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RADICAL: What the Gospel Demands
Luke 14:33
The All-Important Question...
Do we believe this Book?
Do we believe what this Book says about the church?
Luke 9:57-62...
Will we choose comfort or a cross?
Will we choose maintenance or mission?
Will we choose indecisive minds or undivided hearts ?
Do we believe what this Book says about the lost?
2 Thessalonians 1:7 - “This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven
in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting
destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his
power.”
Revelation 20:15 - "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
Over 4.5 billion people (including hundreds of thousands in metro Birmingham) today on a road that leads to eternal hell.
Will we choose indecisive minds or undivided hearts ?
Do we believe what this Book says about the poor?
Today, over a billion people live (and die) in desperate poverty (less than a dollar a day).
Close to two billion others live on less than two dollars a day.
30,000 children today will breathe their last breath due to either starvation or a preventable disease.
We are not inconvenienced by this extreme poverty because those stricken by it are not only poor... they arepowerless.
Literally millions of them are quietly dying in relative obscurity and we can comfortably ignore them in our affluence, pretending like they don’t even exist.
Meanwhile, they do exist, and God measures the integrity of our faith by our concern for the poor.
On a more serious note, Jesus tells those with abundance that if they do not feed the hungry and clothe the naked, they go to hell.
Proverbs 14:31 - “Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker.”
Proverbs 21:13 - “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered..”
Proverbs 28:27 - “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his
eyes to them receives many curses.”
Luke 6:20-25 - “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied... Woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger.”
James 5:1 - “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.”
Matthew 19:21-23 - “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven’.”
Matthew 25:41 - To those who do not feed the hungry and clothe the naked, Jesus says, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
The Necessary Conclusion...
It is time to get RADICAL.
Below are the questions that the pastor leads his congregation to personally answer-I have printed them here for you to consider.
We begin by opening our Bibles to Luke 14. Imagine being in the crowd of people following Jesus
as we read Luke 14:25-35. Then write out your answers to the questions below.
If you were in that crowd and you heard these words, what would be your initial reaction?
According to this passage, what does it cost to follow Jesus?
Practically, what is it costing you to follow Jesus?
Would you describe your obedience to Jesus as radical? Why or why not?
How do you think your obedience to Jesus needs to be more radical?
Next, we turn to Matthew 9. Imagine the countenance and demeanor of Jesus as we read Matthew 9:35-38. Then reflect on these verses and write out your answers to the questions below.
Describe in your own words why you believe Jesus had such compassion for the people around Him. How do you think this compassion was evident in the way He lived?
Why do you think Jesus pleaded with his disciples to go into the harvest field?
When Jesus talked about the harvest field, He was referring to imagery of judgment. He knew that apart from trusting in Him, the people around Him stood under the eternal judgment of God. Do you believe that the people around you who do not trust in Jesus stand under the eternal judgment of God? What emotions does that incite in you?
If you believe that people without Christ are currently under the judgment of God and will one day be separated from His love forever, how does this change the way you live everyday?
Would you say that your life is marked by radical compassion for the lost? Why or why not?
How do you think radical compassion for the lost can become a reality in your life?
Finally, we turn to Luke 18. Imagine yourself in the shoes of the rich young man as we read Luke 18:18-30. Then write out your answers to the following questions.
Do you think this man really wanted to follow Jesus? Why or why not?
Do you think Jesus was literally telling this man to sell all he had and give it to the poor?
Do you think Jesus would say the same thing to you today if you were to see Him? Why or why not? If He were to say these words to you today, how do you think you would respond?
Why do you think it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God?
Why do you think Jesus takes such a radical stance on riches in relation to poverty?
Do you think Jesus’ words, if taken seriously, would have a radical effect on your life? What would
that effect look like?
Do you think Jesus’ words, if taken seriously, would have a radical effect on our church? What would
that effect look like?
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3 comments:
Platt's thoughts are SO good and SO challenging. But what's good and challenging about them is that they are directly from the Word of God! How is it that we read the Word and somehow make light of Jesus' incredibly challenging and radical words? I am humbled as I take a fresh look at what Jesus is saying to me. There's not a life worth living if its not lived radically for God. I have honestly feared what it will cost me to live that type of radical life, until recently. Surrendering my heart and my fear of what God might ask of me is a daily thing, but my life has been richer since I've started down the path of surrender and obedience to what Jesus calls us to. It's a beautiful, unknown path. I love that I am walking this road with you, dear friend! Love you! Amy
haven't had much time to go to blogs in a while...looks like i picked a good time. will most definitely check it out. i need to be challenged right now. thanks girl.
I've been meaning to listen to these. So many rave reviews!
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