Life After Death

In this new series that we're starting today, the name of this new series is life after death. Everybody say life after death. This series is important. This series is important because I feel like, and let me say this, this series is about discipleship. This series is about what it means to truly be a disciple of Jesus. Now, I must warn you, I must warn you, you ever watch the movie and before the movie they give you the disclaimer before the movie comes on? I must warn you, I must warn you, anytime we read in scripture where Jesus really starts talking about what it means to be a disciple, you have people who come to the realization of what it means, you have people who come to a realization of what it costs, and they decide this isn't for me. Anytime Jesus really gets to the crux of what it means to follow him, you find people who walk away with their head down, you find a bunch of people who leave, you find a bunch of people who's just like, I don't know about all of this. As I read through the scriptures and prepare for this series, I begin to feel the weight of the call. I begin to feel the weight of Jesus's words when he began to lay out what it means to be a disciple, and here's what I felt even more, I felt the disconnect of what we have come to know what Christianity means, and I don't just because I'm here in America and I can speak to it, I think we've lost the plot of what it means to be a Christian right here in America. I think we've completely lost the plot because when I look in the scriptures, Jesus, he gives us this commission, and the commission is this, he says go out and make disciples, and when I look in the scripture and understand what a disciple means, I can't help but look and notice we have very little real disciples. How could we have so many people who proclaim to be Christians? How could we have so many people who proclaim to be followers of Jesus, but when I look in scripture, what we call Christianity, what we call disciples, what we call followers of Christ, we can't find that in the scripture. I'm afraid, especially here in America, it might cost us too much. When I look at what it really means to be a disciple and come into this new life that Christ wants us to come into, I can't help but recognize, oh, we want the new life that Jesus promises, but we don't want to lose anything. We want the new life Jesus promises, but we don't

want to, here's this word, die to ourselves. We want this new life that Jesus promises, but Jesus says the way to this life is death. You have to leave something behind. You have to lose something, and I'm afraid that too many of us are more like the rich young ruler than we recognize. There's a story in the Bible, and this wasn't part of the notes, but there's a story in the Bible where Jesus goes to this rich young ruler, and the rich young ruler is saying, what must I do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus ends up telling him, I need you to sell everything, give it away. The rich young ruler walks away with his head down, sad, depressed, because he comes to this realization it just cost too much, and then Jesus follows up by saying, it's hard for the rich to enter the kingdom, and when I read that, I could recognize Jesus is not just talking about those who are rich financially. It's those who are rich, watch this, those who are rich culturally. I'm too tied to the culture. I'm too tied up. I'm too rich in my own preferences, in my own life plan. I have too many things. I'm too attached to pleasure. And if I look at the scripture, and I'm feeling like God wants me to put out the call to everyone. See. Tell them what it means to really be a disciple and let the chips fall where they may Because there are some who's gonna hit a message and say this is too costly I don't want anything to do with this But then there are a few who's gonna say I'll lay down my life He's he's worthy of it. All is not just a song. It's a reality He really is worthy of it all. He really is worthy me laying down my life He's really me worth leaving some things behind Jesus says if you want to step into this new life I have it for you, but will you be willing to die to some things? Will you be willing to let some things go that's what this series is all about and I'm gonna walk you through it. I I Love this and I said it a few weeks ago and I'll continue to say it Jesus will never ask us to do anything. He hasn't first exemplified for us to do We just came out of this what what we recognize in call Holy Week in good Friday and Easter Sunday I Can't help but look at it with these new eyes and see Jesus literally walked the path

He died and then he rose and when he comes and he tells us the thing that I just did I invite you on the same journey come die So that you can raise in again and experience this new life that I have for you The same journey I just walked is the journey that I invite you into I'm afraid too many of us Have missed this part Christianity missed this part of what it means to be a disciple and I'm gonna read the scripture and I'm gonna be short and to the point But I was recently talking with someone a Christian It was actually a group of people Christians Leaders in various spaces and The question came up and I don't want to get into too much detail, but a question came up and When a question came up, they said how would you respond to someone? Who tells you this thing? How would you respond to someone and the question was to look for I? Want to see if they mentioned what the Bible says about a certain topic But when asked the question the leaders responded while I would ask, you know, how do you feel What is it that you really feel? And I'm sitting there and I'm like Either we don't know what scripture says or we don't care what scripture says Either we don't know what it says We don't worry we can go through some scripture and it's not gonna tell us what it says We don't worry we can go through some scripture and help you understand but have you come to the conclusion that you read what scripture says, but you just disagree with it and Because you disagree with it or perhaps you don't even understand it The only thing you're left up to is your own feelings How do you feel about this how do you feel about that however you feel is how you should go

Jesus like no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, I Have something to say and I want and I want to read us the scripture I'm gonna jump a bit in Luke chapter 9 verse 23 This is tough I'm gonna read two verses and I'm gonna drop down to the end of the chapter Luke chapter 9 Holy Spirit open up our ears our hearts and our minds so that we can receive what you want us to receive Father God, I pray for those who might be distracted for those who hearts may be hardened father. God, would you open us up now? Open our eyes open the eyes of our heart so that we can see you hear you know you and respond appropriately Luke 9 Verse 23, then Jesus 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 Let me pause it says whoever wants to be my disciple that key word is there it says they must You must deny yourself take up your cross daily and follow me you must In other words, you cannot be a disciple if you do not do these things. If you are going to be a disciple you must deny yourself, lay down your life plan, ask God I'm not interested in my life plan, I'm interested in your plan for my life. Lay down, take up your cross, it's going to be hard, it's going to require some pain, it's not all easy, I know what you've probably heard and I know what you probably feel, but take up your cross and do this and follow me, follow what I've laid, follow my life, follow how I treat people, follow what I teach, obey my commands. These are the prerequisites, this is what it means to be a disciple and if, can I say and if, can I say one more thing, I feel like we move the goalposts when Christ tells us to make disciples, you know it's no longer about being a disciple, it's more about being saved in our culture. It's all about being saved and so we, we, we relegate our faith, our Christianity to a moment instead of a lifestyle and when that happens and I'm talking, I don't want to be too harsh, I don't want to, I don't want you to feel like I'm condemning you, condemning myself, but here's what I recognize,

but here's what I recognize, this is an observation, I was speaking to my wife, I said, babe, you know what happens when we don't, when people don't recognize this is about a lifestyle and not just a moment, we end up having, this is an oxymoron, but we end up having a lot of saved heathens, we end up having a lot of people who are, who are saved and just living however they want to live. I made this declaration, I made this choice, but I haven't changed anything and I'm not experiencing transformation and now I'm mad at the church, now I'm mad at God, God's like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, where you started shouldn't be where you stop, that's just where it starts, now I want you to walk out this journey and as you walk out this journey of transformation, you'll start to step into this new life that I have for you, you'll start to step into it, but I think we need to be aware and wake up and open our eyes because some of us don't even recognize it, some of us don't even recognize, oh man, I really haven't been following, I started with this declaration, I came to the altar, I prayed this prayer, and God is like, yes, that's, that's, that's amazing, I love that you did that, I want you to put your trust in me initially, but I need you to continue to put your trust in me continually, I need you to continue, this is why he says, must pick up their cross daily, this is a daily thing, yeah, continue, continuing to get on your knees every day, continuing the prayer that Jesus prayed in the garden, and you've heard me preach before, you know I say it often because it's probably the realest prayer, it connects with me so much when Jesus is on the, on his knees, on his way to the cross in the garden, he says, if this cup can pass from me, please let it pass, but nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done, nevertheless, not what I want, it's what you want, father, how many of us honestly pray that prayer every day? God, I have my own plans, I have my own dreams, I have my own aspirations, there's things that I want, but nevertheless, God, not what I want, but what you want, God, nevertheless, not how I feel about a thing, I'm willing to make my feelings and my thoughts obedience to the truth of your word, some of us can't do that because we're too tied to our own feelings, but some of us can't do that because we don't read the word, and we don't even know what the word says, and I'm not condemning, I just have to bring this reality, these are the things that I recognize when I'm talking to people, when I'm talking, and it's honestly because I love you, when I'm talking to people, and I want them to step into this transformation, I want them to experience the life that God has, but when I'm talking, I'm like, God, they just, I don't even

know if they know. I don't even know if they actually see it. I don't know if they get it. But even more dangerous is some who get it have you've made a choice with your actions that is too costly for you. God is like now is the time to make a decision. Make a decision. Crucify your flesh. I'm gonna say that part again because this is the hardest part and sometimes we just have to let it resonate. Crucify your flesh. What are the things that are contrary to what God says? In your own heart, in your own mind, in your own life. What are some things that God might be calling you? It's that thing that I need you to give up. It's that idea. Some of us have bad theology and God's like I need you to unlearn some of the things so you can step crucify your flesh and then make a commitment to follow me dearly. And then make a commitment to follow me dearly. I think of it sometimes like a like a like a marriage literally. A marriage doesn't stop at the wedding day. A marriage I can imagine marrying my wife when we got married 10 years ago and standing in front of him like I do. But the rest of my life living like I don't. This is how some of us treat this Christian faith. The day we get baptized it's I do but then the next week the next month is I don't. With my actions. This is why he says daily it's it's when I when I marry my wife it's every day I gotta wake up and say I do. Wake up and say I do. Every day I do. I do. I do. Again I do. Again I do. And again I do. Daily this is the life that Jesus wants. This is what commitment looks like in this Christian faith. I do every day. He says as you do this you can experience the life that I have for you and I want to jump down to the verse 57 because after Jesus says for whoever wants to save their life will lose it. Whoever loses their life for me will save it. Hold up can I stop at that part one more time? Because some of us think I love was it Pastor Jeremy was just up here earlier he talked about we live in an upside down kingdom. We I know it's counter cultural. I know it's counterintuitive. We're trying to pursue things on our own. Jesus is like no no no if you want to save your life. This is key people listen to me. He says if you want to save your life I'm showing you the way

to save your life. I know it's counterintuitive. I know it's counter cultural but the way you save your life is to lose your life for me. When you make a decision that God when you make a decision that God I'm going to live my life for you. I'm willing to let go everything and give up everything for you. Whatever you require of me I'm willing to do for you. He said when you do that that's when you save your life. That's when you'll find life. That's where you'll find transformation. That's where you walk into everything I want you to walk into but it's not until that happens and guess what is doing this every what would it look like for you every day. This is why we came through the anchor series and in the anchor series we had some daily habits. We had some things that we just have to keep in rotation. Some of us and again it's just human nature and you know what I love about Jesus because although he sets the bar high he never lowers the bar. His love and his grace makes room for our humanity. His love and his grace he's like I know you'll mess up. I know you won't get it but get back up again and get back on. Some of us some of us probably fell off the wagon and I want you to know he still loves you. He's still calling you. He still has grace that reaches you. He's like come on come back again. Get back on the bike again. Start pedaling again. As long as you have breath in your lungs it's not too late. I love you verse 57 right after Jesus says those things it says as they were walking along the road a man said to him I will follow you wherever you go Jesus replied foxes have dens and birds have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head he said to another man follow me but he replied Lord let me first go and bury my father Jesus said to him let the dead bury their own dead but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God still another said I will follow you Lord but let me first go back and say goodbye to my family Jesus replied no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the service in the kingdom of God we have people in this scripture very practical hear the call and like you know what that sounds good I'm down let me set some things up first and I'll join you tell me where to meet you she's like no there's an urgency associated with this there's another no I listen I know I know you're trying to do the right thing I'm not condemning you for it I know I know again it intuitively it makes sense let me go say goodbye she's like no no no this

decision that requires your immediate response come now come now he said no this for the first person who said I want to follow Jesus says I want you to be fully aware I want you to be fully aware that there's no place for me to lay my head when she told me he's speaking to comfort it's like I want you to be very aware this decision to follow me it's not a comfortable thing and I love this you know why I love this I love that Jesus is up front Jesus is not like a what do you call it when one of these like organizations that has hidden fees like man I signed up for this what is this where did this charge come from she's like no I'm letting you know from the onset so you don't get confused and lose heart in the middle of it I'm letting you know from the front it's not comfortable you might lose some people it's not easy but when you run into these uncomfortable situations in this journey know that it's part of it it's part of it and he tells us in another scripture he says in this world you will have trouble but take heart I have overcome the world you'll be good I got you I'm covering you I'm walking with you I've gone before you I've already made provision for you for that tough situation that you're in you're worried I don't know how I'm gonna face my family with this I have a new family that I'll adopt you into I'm gonna give you new vision a new mission a new purpose a new family a new mindset new habits I got it all for you but it's this new life that I have for you comes after death we want the new life that Jesus has for us in addition to our current lifestyle he's like no no no this I'm not an add-on I'm not an accessory you don't just get to add me on to your current what I don't even know if this makes sense but I'm gonna say it and I hope it makes sense and I'll try to clarify if it doesn't but I feel like one of our biggest issues is that we've successfully found a way to fit Jesus into our culture and it works for us he we're like Jesus here's who I am here's what I do here's how we function here in America here's how I function here on my job here's how I function here my family now where can I fit you into this she's like no I didn't come to fit in I came to establish a whole new kingdom I

came to make it all new I don't want you to fit me into your schedule I don't want you to fit me into your culture I want you to come into my culture in my kingdom and start living the way I called you to right here in the world that you find yourself in in the world not of the world I'm not going to go too much into this because in these next weeks I believe with all my heart there's aspects of this discipleship journey, there's aspects of this that I believe God wants to highlight and make real to us but he told me CJ first make them aware because sometimes it's just a lack of awareness. Like oh man, maybe he is calling me tomorrow. Maybe there are some things I'm still holding on to. Maybe I really haven't committed the way I thought I, maybe I'm just Christian by name and not by action. And that's why I love the words that Jesus chooses. The way he chooses is so simple but it's so direct. He never lowers the bar. He said go and make disciples. Being a disciple is the goal. Being a disciple is the goal. And what did I say? He says for a disciple, whoever wants to be my disciple, this is what he's calling us to make. This is who he's calling us to be and this is who he's calling us to teach other people. He says whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me. Whoever wants to be my disciple go and make disciples. What is a disciple? A person who follows Jesus and who has decided I'm going to pick up my cross daily. I'm going to follow you. I'm going to deny myself. It's not about what I want. It's not my self-interest. And Jesus, I'll say it one more time, he sums this up. It's a clear picture, a short picture of it in the garden. Man, I wish if we could all pray this prayer. Man, I wish we could all start to, it starts to become super real to us the way this prayer has become real to me and even realer. That we would get on our knees and say, God, not what I want, it's what you want. It's the most powerful thing you can pray. In the moment of despair, in the moment of suffering, in the moment of temptation, in the moment where you want to throw it all away because it's hard, get on your knees and pray, God, not what I want, but what you want. In the moment where it doesn't make sense to you, in the moment where it's more comfortable and more convenient to do something else, when God might be leading you one way, get on your knees and say, God, this is what he told him. And I told you this a couple of weeks ago. He said, pray so that you will not fall into temptation. What is the temptation? The temptation is to move

outside of his will. Because the move in his will sometimes feels like it costs so much, it hurts so much. God, everybody else around me is living however they want to live. God, if I start living the way you want me to live, people at work won't look at me the same. But you know what'll happen? They'll start looking at you, although they won't say it immediately, they'll start looking at me like, man, you really, you really moving different. You really, I'm going to use the word from the past series, you're really anchored in a world that's going up and down. This is what he means when he says, and it's different scripture, let your light so shine before men that they would see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven. How can they see that? When you're living the way Christ called you to live with boldness, unapologetically in every space. For some of us Christians, we got to start taking up space in the spaces that we're in. Some of us, we just gotten too quiet about our faith. Say, no, no, no, no, no. The commission is clear. Go and make disciples. But before you make one, you got to be one. I wonder how many disciples according to the scripture we actually have. I believe Rochester can start looking different. If everyone in this room really made a decision to be a disciple, not just be saved, being saved is great. I love it. We need it. But it's step one. Jesus doesn't stop at step one. He says, I'll go and make disciples. Disciple lay your life down for me. I promise you what you're holding on to. It's not worth what I have for you. Let it go Heads bow eyes closed Will you follow me Will you lay down your life? Will you lay down your preferences? Will you let go the things that holds on that you're holding on? so dear to Here's what I know and love about Jesus and the decision to follow Jesus when I decided to follow Jesus I recognize that there's losses But there's also sacrifices and there's a thin line between the two and we miss it What you lose following Jesus is probably something you should have lost in the first place You won't get it back and that's good because you need it to go But then there's sacrifices this things that you lay down for something better He said I have something better for you Come trust me come follow me. I'm worth it

I'm worth it. Whatever you're holding on to and it's promising you Peace, it's promising you joy. It's promising you pleasure. He said all those things is promising you it can't give it to you Or it can only give it to you temporarily I have something better for you come lay down your life. I Wanted to take a minute of reflection Where do you stand where do you fit in with all of this? Is this your first time hearing this Maybe you heard it and it's coming to the forefront of your mind again Jesus wants us all here to make a decision. Some of us have to make a decision for the first time God I will follow you Wherever you lead me. I'll go whatever you say do I'll do God, I'm tired of living the way I've been living I want to lay my life down and go along this journey with you I say yes God to whatever it is that you have for me Where do you stand with this I Told you anytime Jesus preached this message of being a disciple. There are too many who walked away Will you be one who walks away? Or will you be one who says God send me God choose me God. Here I am If you're in this room God here I am If you're in this room And you just want to make that decision the first step And say God I'll put my trust in you God I hear you knocking on the door of my heart. I hear you whispering to me I feel a nudge and I don't want to stay where I'm at I want to step into this new life. If you're here and ask you could you do me a favor every but every head bow Every eyes closed nobody looking around If that's you you want to make that decision, could you please slip your hand in the air there we go I see you There we go You can we do this can we have some members of the prayer team, please come to the front