This week in our Come to Jesus Daily Devotionals, we continue in the gospel of Luke. In Luke 9:51-62 we see that we are called to model our lives on the costly obedience that Jesus showed to His Father. Today, we reflect on how Jesus is the perfect example of costly obedience.
‘As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.’ (Luke 9:51)
Lesson: Jesus knows the cost of following God as He went to the cross and He both sets us the example and will give us the grace to imitate Him in costly obedience.
You can listen to this devotional below (It’s also available on Spotify on the Community Church Putney podcast)
The worth of something should be reflected in what we are willing to pay for it. For those we love, for example, we would be willing to give anything for their wellbeing. However, too often we pay way too much for shiny things with expensive branding that are not worth much at all! The gospel message is about Jesus paying the cost for our salvation. He suffered and ‘became sin’ so that we can be redeemed to God. Our lives were so valuable to Him, that He carried the cross for us. Today’s text speaks of Jesus' commitment to paying that price as He, ‘resolutely set out for Jerusalem.’
As we read the gospels, and here in Luke, we see that Jesus knew that His destiny was to die in Jerusalem and then be raised to life. Luke expressly tells us, ‘As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven’, which is about His planned death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Unlike any of us, He knew the time and circumstances of His death. Early in this chapter, we read of the prophesied nature of His death:
”And he said, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.’“ (Luke 9:22)
”‘Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.’“ (Luke 9:44 )
And now in 9:51, we see that He was ‘resolutely’ committed to fulfilling God’s will that He die in Jerusalem. I hope we can see that Jesus’ death was according to God’s plan as it is prophesied and foreshadowed in so many ways in the Old Testament.
Jesus chose to die for us. He gave His life as a ransom to redeem us. Jesus is not martyr, He’s the Saviour! His death was God’s plan of salvation. There was no other way for us to be reconciled to a Holy God. He chose to carry the cross for us. Earlier in the chapter, we read about how we are to carry our cross:
‘”Then he said to them all: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.“‘ (Luke 9:23-24)
I hope we can see that when Jesus asks us to pick up our cross and follow Him, this is something that He has done in a much more painful way than any of us. Our costly obedience is an imitation of Christ who has set us the perfect example of costly obedience.
Response
Jesus knows the cost of following God as He went to the cross and He both sets us the example and will give us the grace to imitate Him in costly obedience. Through the rest of this section, and this week’s devotionals, we’ll see the different ways that carrying the cross will impact our lives. But, in essence, are you willing to lose your life - your will - in order to do God’s will? Will you die to self and live for God? So many of us treat Christianity in a light-hearted fashion. Today, let’s see that Jesus is calling us to imitate Him and carry the cross, knowing that this is the path to life.
COMMUNITY GROUP NOTES AND STUDY
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
Please ensure that the members of your group are aware and familiar with using the daily devotionals which is accessed in Church News or the Teaching button on the website.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Our message from our series in Luke on Sunday was entitled, The cost of following Jesus (Luke 9:51-62). In this section, Jesus sets the perfect example of carrying His cross and suffering, and then calling His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him, even when obedience is costly.
Please read Luke 9:51-62, and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything specifically from Sunday’s message?
How do verses 51-56 teach about Jesus’ suffering?
Read verses 57-61 and discuss: What are the various ways in which following Jesus may be costly? And, secondly, what experiences do you have of carrying your cross for Jesus?
What is the principle and application taught in verse 62?
SIV - How might seeking to share our story and the message of Jesus be costly to us?
SIV - Why will living a wholehearted life for Christ, as outlined in this text, make us effective as witnesses to the gospel?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
Let’s pray together that, this week, we will have opportunities to SIV; and pray for anything else that’s come out of our time in God’s Word.
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