Dusty - Week Four

Counting the Cost of Following Jesus

Pastor Josh highlighted how Jesus often challenged potential followers with a "but first" statement that revealed what they needed to surrender to truly follow Him. He examined three encounters from Luke 9 where Jesus confronted individuals about valuing comfort, possessions, and people's opinions more than Him. Pastor Josh emphasized that while following Jesus requires sacrifice—just as the crowd at the triumphal entry failed to understand—the cost is worth it because we were created for relationship with God. Through several personal examples, including his security system and grill purchases, he illustrated that what seems expensive actually delivers superior value, parallel to how surrendering our lives to Jesus yields eternal rewards that far outweigh the cost.

1) Genuine commitment often requires sacrifice. Go to Matthew 16:24-26, Jesus explains what it truly means to follow him. Take a moment to read this passage together. What specific "crosses" might you be called to bear in your own life right now? How does the promise that "whoever loses their life for me will find it" change your perspective on these sacrifices?

2) Someone read Luke 18:18-30. When the rich young ruler approached Jesus, he walked away sad because he couldn't surrender his wealth. What's your "but first" that Jesus might be asking you to surrender? After reading this passage, discuss whether there's a difference between something being difficult to surrender vs impossible to surrender.

3) During Sunday's sermon, we heard how the crowd welcomed Jesus with "Hosanna" but had expectations of a warrior king. Read John 6:60-69 where many disciples turned away when Jesus' teaching became difficult. What expectations of Jesus have you had to adjust in your own journey of faith? When has following Jesus been different than what you initially expected?

4) The third person in Luke 9:61-62 was concerned about family approval. Read Galatians 1:10 and discuss: How do we balance honoring our relationships while ensuring we don't value human approval over God's? Share a time when you had to choose between pleasing others and following what you believed God was calling you to do.

5) Jesus asked his followers to "count the cost" before committing to him. Philippians 3:7-11 shows Paul's perspective on what he gained versus what he lost. After reading this passage together, reflect on this question: If you were to make a spiritual balance sheet of what following Christ has cost you versus what you've gained, what would that look like? Would others looking at your life see evidence that you believe the gain outweighs the cost?