A. MAKING A COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW JESUS

One of the fellows in The Navigators Ministry at San Diego State University felt God led him to do missionary work in the Philippines. He wanted to follow Jesus and make disciples. He lived there for two years and returned to the United States to continue his training in disciple-making. His training involved living in a Navigator home and moving to Seattle to attend a Navigator Training Center. It was remembered when he was in the Navigator Home, he hung a picture over his bed. The picture was of Jesus on the Cross. The words over the picture said, “Whatever it takes!” He was willing to do whatever it took to follow Jesus.  His life was incredibly fruitful with disciples. His love for God was wholehearted. The Lord took him home five years later.

Then Jesus said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) These were the words of Jesus to his disciples. Every new believer who has made this commitment has to consider the cost of following Jesus. This is not about attending a church group, meeting, or even making financial contributions. This is about a willingness to go all out in this relationship. This is about denying yourself and placing Jesus Christ in the center and the number one place in your heart and life.  That is why he gives these two commands to his disciples, establishing that this is a love relationship. This is not a religious relationship. Look at his words:

Luke 10:27:

‘He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself”

1. What do you think it means to love someone with all your heart?

2. What do you think it means to love someone with all your soul?

3. What do you think it means to love someone with all your mind?

4. What do you think it means to love someone with all your strength?

5. Which of those areas is the easiest for you to do?

6. What is the most difficult for you?

1. How do you feel when you hear Jesus ask you to make this kind of commitment to him?

2. How does loving your neighbor fit into all this?

3. Who is our neighbor?

4. What could you do to show love to your neighbors at work, at play, or home?

5. Let’s sum up the commitment Jesus is asking us to make.

6. What is one area you would like to start working on?

7. When will you get started?

1. What is the most important part of this lesson to you? Explain.

2. How do you see applying aspects of this lesson to your life?

3. When do you feel would be the best time to make that application?

4. What do you hear the Lord speaking to you about this right now?