Day 3: Pursue Discipleship
REMINDER:
We are hoping that you will join us this Friday @the Place, 7pm! Let us pursue God’s presence in the company of his people! We would love to see you there!
Matthew 16 [New Living Translation]
21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!" 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's." 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?
The disciples misunderstood what it truly meant to follow Jesus. They didn’t realize that following Him would involve suffering, and even death. Jesus spoke openly about the suffering He would face, but Peter, not understanding this, rebuked Jesus, saying it could never happen. Jesus, however, sharply corrected Peter, saying his view was from a human perspective, not God’s, and even attributed this wrong thinking to Satan.
Jesus then teaches His disciples what it really means to follow Him. He explains that they must take up their own crosses and be ready to face suffering too. Discipleship involves sacrifice, and following Jesus is not a path without a cost. There is no shortcut—being His disciple means being willing to endure hardship for the sake of God's kingdom.
The cost of discipleship is real and unavoidable. Jesus warns His followers that if they try to avoid this cost, they will lose the true life He offers. Gaining the world’s riches or success means nothing if it costs us our souls. Following Jesus requires more than comfort or worldly gain; it means choosing His way, even when it’s hard.
As we move into 2025, we are challenged to take our commitment to follow Jesus more seriously. We must not fall for the trap of believing that discipleship should be easy or cost-free. The enemy may try to deceive us into thinking that following Jesus doesn’t require sacrifice, but we must stand firm in the truth that true discipleship always involves a cost. Be warned- when discipleship costs you nothing, the enemy may be working!
May this year be the year we pursue discipleship with a deeper passion, fully embracing the sacrifices it calls for. Let 2025 be a time when we follow Jesus wholeheartedly, knowing that true life and purpose come from walking the difficult but rewarding path of being His disciple.
QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION
1. As you face 2025, how fully prepared are you to pursue and embrace the cost of discipleship, understanding that following Jesus may involve sacrifice and hardship? What commitment will you give Jesus this year?
2. How can you guard against the temptation to seek comfort or avoid the challenges of following Jesus, and instead embrace His way wholeheartedly?
3. In what areas of your life are you being called to take up your cross and follow Jesus, even when it’s difficult or requires personal sacrifice?
PRAY FOR…
Pray specifically for those who do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior; that they may come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Pray for people to get to know Jesus through Faith Fellowship Aurora, through the faith groups, the services and various ministries that we offer.
Pray that those attending FFA [services and faith groups] will have a renewed passion for discipleship.
Pray that more disciplers will be raised up in FFA.
