Life On The Other Side | Followers. Not Fans | Lungz Makaula

- We're here to worship the Lord in this morning. It's a good morning to you, the house of Lord is lit. Let's give all our praise for the King today. (upbeat music) ♪ Can you feel the sun, the blues changing ♪ ♪ And some things to be given me ♪ ♪ Each other's for the expectation ♪ ♪ Of how the Lord is gone ♪ ♪ And do you feel the bondage breaking ♪ ♪ It's freedom catching up to you ♪ ♪ Do you feel the joy of eternity ♪ ♪ And God exchanging hope for you ♪ Let's sing this our way, go. ♪ Wake up, wake up, he's in our midst ♪ ♪ All the sun, he's riding this holy ride ♪ ♪ You rush me with this old potato, yeah ♪ ♪ The rain is coming in the summer ♪ ♪ Feel this undersea, the power is always falling all around ♪ ♪ This is how ♪ ♪ And spirit have your way ♪ ♪ Do what you want to ♪ ♪ Take your ride on this ♪ ♪ And if they shoot the wrong ♪ ♪ I run away ♪ ♪ We want your presence ♪ ♪ Coming on your day ♪ ♪ Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ Oh spirit have your way ♪ ♪ This won't be our hearts but now ♪ ♪ Your hearts right now ♪

♪ Let's sing it out ♪ ♪ Wake up, wake up, he's in our midst ♪ ♪ All the sun, he's riding this holy ride ♪ ♪ You rush me with this old potato, yeah ♪ ♪ The rain is coming in the summer ♪ ♪ Feel this undersea, the power is always falling all around ♪ ♪ This is how ♪ ♪ And if they have your way ♪ ♪ Do what you want ♪ ♪ Take your ride on this ♪ ♪ Make this your throne ♪ ♪ Fire on everything ♪ ♪ We want your presence ♪ ♪ Coming on your day ♪ ♪ Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ Let's sing this out ♪ ♪ Fire ♪ ♪ Wushing with ♪ ♪ Come every dawn or second ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit never fails ♪ ♪ We don't want to leave the same ♪ ♪ Fire ♪ ♪ Wushing with ♪ ♪ Come every dawn or second ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ We all must see that in a while ♪ ♪ Fire ♪

♪ Wushing with ♪ ♪ Come every dawn or second ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ We don't want to leave the same ♪ ♪ Fire ♪ ♪ Wushing with ♪ ♪ Come every dawn or second ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ We don't want to sing it again ♪ ♪ Fire ♪ ♪ Wushing with ♪ ♪ Come every dawn or second ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ We all must see that in a while ♪ ♪ Wushing with ♪ ♪ Come every dawn or second ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your play ♪ ♪ We all must be the same ♪ ♪ We don't want to ♪ ♪ Holy Spirit have your way ♪ ♪ We don't want to leave the same ♪ ♪ We all wanna be the same ♪ ♪ The sun is all over the world ♪ ♪ It looks great ♪ ♪ Spirit, have your way ♪ ♪ Do what you want to ♪ ♪ Take your right for grace ♪ ♪ Make this your own room ♪ ♪ Fire of heaven ♪ ♪ We want your rest ♪

♪ Calling on your name ♪ ♪ Spirit, have your way ♪ ♪ Thank you, keep it ♪ ♪ Let's give it a sound of place in this world ♪ (audience applauds) ♪ What I thought ♪ ♪ I needed ♪ ♪ Let me stray ♪ ♪ Back to Jesus ♪ ♪ All the things ♪ ♪ That I wanted ♪ ♪ Don't compare ♪ ♪ To your promise ♪ ♪ You found me broken ♪ ♪ To you, maybe ♪ ♪ When you found me on the room ♪ ♪ You called me back ♪ ♪ When you found me desperate ♪ ♪ I came and said it's fine ♪ ♪ When I found Jesus ♪ ♪ I found my love ♪ ♪ And I was stranded ♪ ♪ Just to get through ♪ ♪ And what my efforts ♪ ♪ Would impress you ♪ ♪ And all you wanted ♪ ♪ Was my heart fully given ♪ ♪ And now and forever ♪ ♪ I'm marked by your presence ♪ ♪ When you found me broken ♪

♪ You made me whole ♪ ♪ When you found me wondering ♪ ♪ You called me back home ♪ ♪ When you found me desperate ♪ ♪ You came and said it's fine ♪ ♪ When I found you Jesus ♪ ♪ I found my love ♪ ♪ One need is in Jesus ♪ ♪ How I long to see ♪ ♪ The breakthrough and I'll push through ♪ ♪ The crowd to touch you ♪ ♪ The God you said ♪ ♪ For me to be new ♪ ♪ Jesus means ♪ ♪ How I love to bow before you ♪ ♪ And here's my praise ♪ ♪ The cost they perfume ♪ ♪ You have time to always make room ♪ ♪ Jesus means ♪ ♪ How I long to see ♪ ♪ The breakthrough and I'll push through ♪ ♪ The crowd to touch you ♪ ♪ The God you said ♪ ♪ For me to be new ♪ ♪ Jesus means ♪ ♪ How I long to find before you ♪ ♪ And here's my praise ♪ ♪ The cost they perfume ♪ ♪ You have time ♪ ♪ You always make room ♪

♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ How I long to see ♪ ♪ The breakthrough and I'll push through ♪ ♪ The crowd to touch you ♪ ♪ The God you said ♪ ♪ For me to be new ♪ ♪ Jesus means ♪ How are love to bow before you? Here's my prayer, the constant prayer for you. You have turned. You are His name. Oh Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. When you found me the wrong way You made me whole When you found me wondering You called me back home When you found me desperate You came and satisfied And I found you Jesus I found my life And I found you Jesus I found my life And I found you Jesus I found my life And I found you Jesus Thank you Jesus Oh, you're so good too You'll find us right where we are You live the night and I for the one Thank you Jesus Thank you Jesus [Music] Thank you for finding us here [Music]

You came as a baby Yet you're almighty God And we praise you We praise you We praise you We praise you We praise you We praise you We praise you Oh, thank you [Music] You are almighty And almighty God We worship you You are almighty You are almighty And almighty Oh, you are almighty And almighty And almighty And we worship you You are You are worthy To be brave Let's forgive you We give you We worship you We worship you You are almighty And almighty

Let's say we give you We give you We give you Oh, love Oh, yeah We worship you Oh, oh You are worthy To be brave And you believe in Jesus Christ And almighty God We worship you We worship you We worship you You are worthy And you are worthy To be brave And almighty God We give you Oh, love Oh, yeah We must have you alone. You are worthy to be. Let's live as the place that I know we can be alone. We give you home. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy. You are worthy. I assure the Lamb of God the Lord to run. Who was in this and this to come. Set it on the throne above. Holy, sing it out. You are worthy to be blessed. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be blessed. We see you alone. The Lamb of God the Lord to run. The Word is in this because you are seated on the throne above. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be.

You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. You are worthy to be. We worship you alone. You are worthy to be. What you are, you do not know it. And what a path of pain it is. What a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus Christ, my King. What a path of pain it is. Oh, now they can't stand against. What a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus Christ, my King. The name of Jesus Christ, my King. The heavens are rising, the praise of your glory. What you are, you do not know it. If you have no right, if you have no peace, whoa. And now it's forever gone. And it's yours that the King has.

It's yours that the King has. It's yours that the Lord has. It's yours that the King has. I know it's yours that the King has. And what a path of pain it is. What a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus Christ, my King. What a path of pain it is. Oh, now they can't stand against. What a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus. What a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus. It what a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus Christ, my King. It what a path of pain it is. What a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus Christ, my King. It what a path of pain it is. Oh, now they can't stand. What a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus Christ, my King. It what a path of pain it is. The name of Jesus. Thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus. Come on Lord we are overwhelmed by your grace. That's why we were shouting and jumping and singing and crying and bowing. Not just because we're just some crazy religious people but because we know what it's like to go from death to life in your name and we know the truth that there is nothing this life can take

that God isn't going to give us back greater in return. God is no debtor. He's going to pay it back with resurrection life and we thank you and we praise you almighty God and we love you. Amen, amen. Well you guys go ahead have a seat. So good to be with you this morning and once you know we are a church in multiple locations we're shipping together. We have our friends joining us online. We got in Getty Espinual Campus meeting today. We have in Getty G.R. and then we have a bunch of folks all throughout the nation joining us from jails and prisons and so we are just so grateful to be worshiping with people beyond the four walls of this building. And if you're new here again we welcome you and we're glad you're here and we are actually kicking off a new teaching series today called followers not fans because how many of you know we don't just believe in Jesus we follow him. He is not just this good idea that makes our life better. He is the lord and savior we laid out our lives for just as he's laid down his for us and so we're going to be learning over these next few weeks and what it means to follow Jesus to be an actual disciple just to know some Christian things but to live them out in his name as he has an abundant life for you he wants you to experience in him and we are excited to make our faith more than just that of a spectator but actually be invited into the game with Christ. Windy City Chicago, our friend Pastor Lung, so why don't you make some noise for the gift of God that he's been to us? My my my my my I don't know about you, but I could have kept worshiping for a lot longer Wow wow wow There's nothing at the presence of God There's no substitute for his presence Oh father, we love you We exalt you this morning

We honor your name. We give glory unto your name for God. You are worthy For a thousand days for a thousand times over for a thousand years of our highest praise Because God you've been good to us Where will we be without you our Lord? What will we have without you our Lord? Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for your love Thank you for your provision. Thank you for the future. We have found in you. Thank you for the church Thank you for your word. Thank you for your spirit. Thank you for the son Jesus Christ Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the tomb. Thank you for the empty tomb Thank you for the risen saviour. Thank for the one who conquered death who defeated the grave who has no rival We honor you this morning, O Lord and we say God. We are so grateful to be in your house For we were glad when they said under wash that let's go to the house of the Lord and so father our confession forever shall being We will exalt the Lord forever in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. My my My my come on. Can we thank the Lord for the worship team? for leading us so powerfully My my It's good to be with you all again. It's good to see your faces good to see some new faces some familiar faces always an honor to be here with you all I was in the room for the last couple days over awaken and Man, I just want to say I'm always truly blessed by what God did in me as God ministered to all of us and Just so grateful that this is a place we can come to we were we're in a very significant time and out church and I really believe for a great deal of things I was in a time of praying fasting last week and so awaken came at just the right time and I was so grateful that I knew that I could be in this room and I would hear from God because nothing beats the presence of God in Jesus name So if you happen to miss awaken well, I'm so sorry Hopefully today God will do something to you Putting your calendar the next year if I think Brian said he's penciling it in for next year So do what you can to be there, but I'm so thrilled what God begun last week and I think he's going to continue on We had a powerful time together this morning You're ready and looking forward to it But we're starting a brand new series and I'm thrilled to be able to open up this series for you all This is a topic I can't deeply about and one that God's really begun to speak to me about

So it was it was the right timing for us too much followers not fans. We're gonna be in Luke chapter 9 Verse 18 the 25 this morning while you go there I don't typically have them with me, but we've moved our gathering this morning as a church to this afternoon as a team gathering They're watching online, but I have my kids and my wife with me this morning. So I wonder if you'd welcome them My little legends The legends the girls are in kids the boys wanted to be in the room because they've heard me talk about how powerful is to be in the room here and Luke chapter 9 verse 18 to 25 says this now It happened that he was as he was praying alone talking about Jesus the disciples were with him and he asked them Who did the crowds say that I am and he answered John the Baptist Other say Elijah and others that you're one of the prophets of old who has risen Then he said to them, but who do you? say that I am and Peter answered You're the Christ you're the Christ of God the risen Messiah and He strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one saying the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and He must be killed and on the third day be raised and he said to all Watch this our key text this morning if anyone would come after me Let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it For what does it profit a man? to gain the whole world and Yet lose or forfeit himself I want to talk to us this morning as we begin the series The life on the other side. The older I get -- oh, they're a little wobbly. The older I get, I don't know about you, but the more I realize that there is a difference between what you know and what you understand. Let me put it this way. You ever heard of someone who's not married, talking about marriage? They've read the books, they've listened to the podcast, they've got all the principles

down, but you know that they don't have a clue because they've not lived long enough or walked long enough on that road of marriage to know what knowing that actually will cost you. There's a difference between what you can answer and understanding what that answer actually requires. It's the same in parenting. You ever heard someone who is our kids talk about when I have children? When we have kids, my child will never. Because I listen to a podcast and I know I'll never have them until you have a child. Now all of a sudden you're like, oh, my gosh. Then you realize you discover really quickly that there's a dissonance and a difference between what you know and what what you know will cost you and me. I don't think this is too different from a life of faith. I think many of us, if you were asked a question, do you trust God? Many of us would answer yes. We know the Scriptures. We sing the songs. We know the right answers and how to answer that. But I have begun to believe and learn that really we don't actually know what that means until obedience asks something of you that you wouldn't have done. Until obedience has you woken a road you would have never chosen for yourself. We can know the answer, but sometimes we're not prepared for what that answer requires of us. There are some answers you can know and still don't understand what they mean. This is exactly where we find Peter in Luke chapter 9. This is the beginning of our text, Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do you say I am?" And Peter gets the answer right. Peter says, "You are God's Messiah. You are not John the Baptist. You're not Elijah.

You're not just one of the prophets, but you are the Christ. You are the anointed one. You are the one Israel has been waiting for. Peter correctly identifies Jesus. But what becomes clear almost immediately is that Peter is yet to understand what that confession means. See, because Peter, like many in his day, they had expectations around what that word Messiah meant. For Peter, like many of his peers, Messiah meant victory. Messiah meant the overthrowing of their enemies. Messiah meant power, had meant kingdom established, but Jesus says, "No, the Son of Man must suffer." Son of Man must be rejected, must be killed. And on the third day be raised. And Matthew and Mark's gospels give us a different account. They peek the curtain back into a deeper sense of the conversation. And what's interesting, many of you know this, but Peter hears Jesus and actually he pulls Jesus aside. Can you imagine that? He pulls Jesus aside and he rebukes Jesus, crazy, crazy. He goes, "No, this can't happen to you, Lord." And we know the text Jesus says, "Get behind me Satan." He goes, "You have set your mind on the things of man. You have not set your mind on the things of God." Peter knew who Jesus was, but Jesus still had to teach Peter what that really meant. And subsequently watch this what that means for those of us who claim to follow him. So then Jesus says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple, whoever wants to follow me must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me." And suddenly when you read that passage you realize that Peter's confession isn't something he believes about Jesus, but his confession actually makes a claim on him. Because if Jesus is who we say he is, if he is truly Lord over our lives, if he is truly

the Messiah, God sent Son, then that doesn't just demand a confession from us. It demands something from us. It doesn't just require us, it's not enough to just claim Jesus is Lord. It requires something of you. What does your answer require of you? This is what it requires of you. Deny yourself and take up your cross. You know, I read this again. I've read this over and over again. And I just quickly realized again that that phrase for us take up your cross, we hear that and think of something entirely different than what they think about. See, 'cause for us, we wear crosses. We decorate our homes with crosses. We sing about crosses. We put crosses on our buildings. But nobody standing there that day, heard accessory. When they heard Jesus say take up your cross, they heard death. What I say this, because in the Roman world, to give you some context, in the Roman world, if you saw anybody walking up the street, carrying a cross beam on their shoulders, you knew exactly where they were going. When you carried your cross, you knew that that person was not coming back. Carrying your cross was a one-way journey, and the destination was death on a cross.

So when they hear Jesus say take up your cross, their minds automatically meant, I'm going to have to lay down my life. That's what that means. In fact, there's one of the common choices before a man hung and died on a cross, they first hung a cross on him. And he had to carry that cross to his place of execution. So when Jesus says take up your cross, it's not just do something difficult. It's not just make a confession from time to time, it literally means to lay down your life. So this text is a reminder to us all this morning, that it is possible to define Jesus correctly, and still misunderstand what following Jesus will require. Uh-oh. You can have the right Christology and still resist the road to discipleship. And just in case they miss it, Jesus says it again, whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses their life for me will save it. And that's where the tension escalates for so many of us. Because there is nothing more deeply rooted in our humanity than trying to hold on to our lives. We spend, if for us we spend so much of our time, so much of our lives trying to preserve and protect the life we have built. Trying to protect our reputation, trying to protect our careers, my future, my plans, my ambitions, my finances, my,

we live our lives trying to protect, watch this, the life we imagined for ourselves. Everything in us says, save it. But everything Jesus says is if you save it, you'll lose it. Then he asks, what good is it for you to gain the whole world? And yet lose and forfeit yourself. So think on this for a second. Maybe the most dangerous thing that could happen to you is not that you don't get the life you've been trying to build. Maybe the most dangerous thing that could happen to you is that you do get it. And you realize that somewhere in gaining everything you thought you wanted, it cost you you. Y'all ain't ready for me today. Y'all ain't ready. This is why only mature believers can praise God when he says no. This is why only mature believers can thank God when he denies you what you want. This is why mature believers, don't wait till God gives me. I can praise God for the delay. I can praise God for the closed door. I can praise God, he didn't give me what I wanted because God has the force to know that the things I can give to you, there are certain things you can have that will kill you. Ah, thank God. Do I have some mature believers in the house? It's one thing to praise God for his good gifts. It's one thing to praise God for his kindness.

Oh, God blessed me. Oh, God gave me everything I wanted. Oh, God gave me what the thing I was praying for. But let me tell you something, is there somebody in the room who says I'm old enough now. I've seen God move enough of my life that I thank him for what he didn't give me. I thank him when he said no. I thank him when he closed that door because he was saving me from myself. Can I tell you the older I get the prayer, I pray the most is God, deliver me from me. Y'all ain't ready for this. You can gain all of that and still lose yourself. You can build the life you've always wanted and become somebody you were never created to be. So this tells me, oh, Lord, help me. This tells me that there is a life I can build whose very existence threatens the life that God is going to get through you. They missed it, Lord, just, they missed it. It's gone, just, I'm going to say it again. There is a life that you can build Let me give it to you like this, there is a life that is saved when the other is surrendered. There is a life that only leaves when the other is dies on a cross. This is what the Bible says, you must be born again because something ought to die before you can truly be born again. Let me give it to you like this, you're already. There is a life that can only come out of the tomb when the old life goes to the cross. Oh Lord Jesus, so maybe just maybe food for thought, maybe just maybe you are often the very thing that's standing between you and the life

Christ is inviting you into. Is this okay? Some of you are blaming the devil, devil goes I had nothing to do with that. That was all you boo boo. Some of you are the man of God. God why won't I have this? I'll read this in my Bible, I'll pray this prayer but I still don't have this and God's going because you're still in my way. Y'all came to play. Y'all didn't come to church this morning. I'm gonna keep going. This is why Jesus doesn't say deny yourself things. He says deny yourself because limitation, this is key because Christianity becomes very manageable. Christianity becomes very easy. In fact it looks at the Christianity we might have today. It becomes very manageable if all Jesus wants from me is some things. Don't get ahead of me doc. I can give up certain habits except for KFC in a Sunday night but that's between me and the Lord. I can give up certain pleasures. I can give up certain relationships. I can give up some money. I can give up some Sundays. I can even give you some time. I can negotiate with that if all Jesus wants me some things but Jesus reaches underneath what I have and lays claim to the real heart of the issue. Here's what he wants. He's asking who's Lord? Who is Lord? Because denying yourself things can still leave self on the throne. You hear what I said? Can I show you how this works and reality? I can fast and still be Lord. How? Because we'll come up with all manner of fasting. All kinds of ways to fast but there is not biblical. I just feel like fasting tic-tacs this week. Don't mind me. I'm just fasting. I'm fasting but because I'm still Lord I'll define what fasting looks like. Forgetting that the Bible prescribes what fasting looks like because the Bible knows what actually kills the flesh but you don't want to die. You don't want to die. You don't want you don't want God to tell you. I want to be Lord so I'll decide how to fast. God says go ahead. It ain't it ain't achieving nothing for you. That's why we can do 21 days of fasting. Nothing changes. I'm gonna leave alone. I'm sorry. I'm gonna leave alone. Hide your toes. Can I can I can I go a little deeper? I can give my money and still be Lord. Uh-oh. How you mean? Well because I won't give according to how the Bible prescribes I ought to give. The Bible is clear about

stewing my finances. The Bible is clear about the tithe but now I know better. I'm the Lord so I'll give my money in the way that I want to. When I want to. How I want to. When I'm done paying my things. If you have issues what I'm saying I apologize. Pastor Brian told me you can email him. Pastor Brian I didn't get it.com. Struck a nerve there. I can serve and still be Lord. You want to know how? Look at how you respond when you ask to serve in a place you don't want to be. When you're asked to serve in a team that you think is beneath. Let's keep moving. Let's keep moving. Lord they're going to stone me. I told you I shouldn't have said it. Jesus doesn't just merely come after what I possess. He comes after my claim to ownership of me. To deny myself means I relinquish my claim to be the final authority over my life. What that looks like is to make a conscious decision that says my desires are not Lord. My preferences are not Lord. My ambitions are not Lord. My plans are Lord. But Jesus you are Lord overall. And my life belongs to you. There's an old saying, the old saying she's to say, "He's the Lord overall, or he's not Lord at all." And that's not an indictment on Jesus, 'cause here's the reality, Jesus will always be Lord. It's an indictment on you. He's either the Lord over every part of your life, or he's not Lord in your life at all. Because here's one thing God will not do, 'cause he's a jealous God. He won't share the throne of your heart. Won't do it, so you gotta decide, do I wanna lead my life, or do I want the God who made heaven and earth, the God who knows the beginning from the end, the God who was the alpha and the omega, the God who defeated the grave,

the God who has all power, all glory, all dominion, all wisdom, all resource, do I want him to lead? Oh, I got this. I can often tell how people view God by whether or not they take control. 'Cause some of us have such a small view of who God is, you go, I got, I got this. You're like, what? Leave it, leave it. I got, I got, I got, I'm wrong at a time. This is the crux of it all, guys. This is ultimately what Jesus is trying to get in this text, the real question underneath the discipleship, whose life is this? - Amen. - That's the question, whose life is this? Who decides what success looks like? Who decides where your time, your talent and your treasure gets allocated? Who decides where your life goes? Who gets the final word and here's the kicker. When his will and my will collide, whose will prevails? Because until that question is answered and settled, our Christianity simply becomes something we add to our lives. Jesus just becomes another accessory. Accessory to my career, accessory to my plans, accessory to my ambitions, my relationships, my future. And can I tell you what that looks like? It looks like people which we have today who end up saying to Jesus,

follow me to the life I've designed for myself. Help me Lord, help me Lord. But that's not what the text says, that if you wanna be a disciple, you have to lay down your plans, your ambitions, your will and follow me. We wanna admit it, but too many of us, they've been times and lines you go, I wanna go this way and Jesus saying, but I'm leading you that way and you go cool, I'm gonna circle back with you and I'm done doing what I wanna do. The text says if you want to follow me, you want to be a disciple, the formula is simple, the prerequisite is simple. Here's how you get in, everyone get in, you just got excited, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. And this is where Paul helps our understanding because in Romans eight Paul says this, verse five, those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires. He continues in verse seven and says this, this is so crucial, that the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God, do you see that word? It cannot mutually exist. My will, God's will, self apart from God and following God, cannot neatly sit together at the table and share the salt. Because the self apart from God, the flesh is hostile to God.

Everything that we want to do in and of ourselves apart from God wants to dishonor what God wants to do in your life. The Bible says this and it's hostile to God, it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. There it is, the fundamental problem with the flesh, what is the flesh? It is the self apart from God. The problem with the flesh is not merely that it does bad things, it that it refuses to submit. Here's what this looks like, oh Lord, help me, forgive me. It looks like saying I'm a Christian. I want to own the title, but I look at what Jesus teaches in the Bible and call it bigotry. Y'all ain't ready for this, y'all ain't ready for me. It's when you hear me go, I'm a Christian, but I just think, I don't know if I agree with everything that's, what? I'm a Christian, but I don't know if everything that Paul teaches really is applicable for us today. I still want to come on my own definitions. I want to come on my own version of this thing because it's my life at the end of the day, isn't it? That's what the flesh will do. It is hostile to God, it is foolish to believe because as long as the flesh is alive, it says I decide, it says I determine, it says I control, it says I define and I am my own authority. And Paul says that life cannot produce the life of God. And that's the whole reason we're disciples. We follow Jesus so he might transform us into his image. But if we come produce that life as long as we live this life. And Romans 813 he concludes this, if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if the spirit, but by the spirit you

put the death, the deeds of the body, you will live. There's the parox again. Jesus says save it to lose it, lose it and you'll save it. And Paul says live by the flesh and you'll die. But if you die and put it to death, then you shall live. Now we start to understand what's taking up your cross and how it's fundamental to the foundation of discipleship. Because we start to realize that Jesus isn't trying to kill me, he's trying to kill what's killing me. What's killing you? You know what's killing you? The version of you that has to be Lord. The version of you that has to control the outcomes. This is why so many of us can't live by faith because we can't control the outcome. So we go, no, Jesus, I'm good in this here boat. He's trying to kill the version of you whose identity depends on applause. Because if you live on the applause of man, you'll always live in hostility to God. He's trying to kill the you who cannot obey until everything makes sense. The me who says I belong to muah. And Jesus says, give me that life. Not because I want to erase who you are, but because that version of you is keeping you from becoming who I created you to be. Jesus isn't asking you to surrender for surrender's sake. He's asking you to surrender the part of you that's killing who you were created and made to be. This whole text is a call to stop trying to preserve the life you imagined at the expense of the life Jesus wants to lead you into. Let me put it a different way. Stop protecting the life you can't keep at the expense of the life you can't lose. And here's where we get a little sticky wicked because Luke adds a word that will mess you up. Luke gives us a word that brings us all the way into Monday morning. He says, take up your cross daily. I was fine with taking them across one time. Then Paul done messed me up and said daily. This joker, just leave me alone man. Leave me alone. It was hard enough the first time. It was hard enough today. Paul says, hey, that's nice. See, we can often romanticize surrender. To that one moment, oh my gosh, I remember that one time I moved on my knees and awakened was so good and God met me and I gave him everything. Brother, that was 30 years ago. You ain't changed anything since. Luke says like this, hey, that's cute. Do it again tomorrow. And on Tuesday and Wednesday and on Thursday. And just when you think you got this thing figured out, don't you dare forget Friday because Friday will sneak up on you. And don't sleep on A, don't sleep on Saturday. Paul and Jesus and Luke remind us daily why because yesterday's surrender does not eliminate today's opportunity for self to climb back onto that throne.

Because if you sleep on Saturday, there he comes again, self. Oh, I'm back. You got to kill that sucker every day. Daily. Why? Because you don't take up your cross once, because self is always trying to climb off the cross and onto the throne. And here's what got me when I realized this. So many of us don't realize that the self we've been trying to save is actually sabotaging you so that it becomes the self you serve. Yeah, I missed it. This is why we must daily surrender. Daily forgive when you rather punish. Daily submit when you'd rather control. Daily tell the truth when lying would protect you. Daily serve when nobody notices. Daily stay pure when no one else would know. Give when you'd rather keep, obey when you don't understand. That's discipleship. That's being a follower and not a fan. It's a long obedience in the same direction. And it's at that moment right there, I'll start to my notes and I said, "Wait a minute." I can see now why so many people walk away. I can see now why so many people don't finish the race. Because if you don't know any better, you're sitting there going, "Why would anyone sign up for this?" This is why I'm convinced we have more fans than followers. Because why would anyone willingly choose this life? Why would I relinquish control? Why would I willingly surrender? Why would I not run my own life? It sounds crazy. This is why I know we playing games ago, I take that my cross, I get cute. But then I remember it. And this is why I'm so passionate about teaching this and this is why I wanted to finish here. I know I'll beat you up, I'm sorry,

I'll beat you up so far. But I had to beat you up to understand what you're saying yes to. But for the season saints in the house, you wonder why some of us are still here? You wonder why we still worship God, why we still say yes to this every day? It's because we know that there's something on the other side. The text doesn't end with death. That's the problem. So many people get so focused, so hung up on the death, I must die, I must deny myself, I must take them across. Why? We get hung up there, but it never rebeyond because the text doesn't end with death. The Bible says the Son of Man must suffer, yes. He must be rejected, yes. He must be killed, yes. But Jesus says on the third, oh my God. On the third day, he shall be raised to life. There's the gospel inside the command. The path that Jesus is inviting us into does not end at Calvary. There is life on the other side. The cross is not the destination, life is. Death is not the destination, life is. Surrender is not the destination, life is. This is what Jesus is inviting us into,

not less life, but real life. He's inviting us to an abundant life, eternal life, resurrection life. This is why Jesus says in John 10 and I have come that they may have life and life abundantly. This is why he says in Romans 623, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, my Lord. The mind governed by the spirit is life and peace. John 1, 4, John says in him was life and the light of all mankind. And in 11, 25 and John, Jesus stands at the grave of Lazarus and says, I am the resurrection and the life. This whole thing is about life, life in Christ, life with Christ, life through Christ. Oh, it's about life and my notes just all disappeared. What is happening? Not today, devil. You're playing with the wrong one 'cause I'll preach this, cut, blanche. (congregation applauding) It's about life. And I'm not just talking more when you die. Here's the mistake we've made. We have reduced resurrection life to only when we die. Forgive us, O Lord, for all of us who've had microphones, who've only ever taught resurrection life on Easter, because resurrection life is beyond the grave. Thank God, don't hear me. Now, you know what I'm saying?

Thank God that one day mortality will put on immortality. Thank God that one day there'll be no more death. There'll be no more weeping. There'll be no more warning. There'll be no more crying. Thank God for that. But eternal life does not begin when you die. Eternal life begins when you come alive with Christ. John 17, three says this. This is eternal life that they know you. The only true God. And you might know Jesus Christ who he has sent. Resurrection life, the life Jesus is gonna give us is not just merely about length of life. Once you die, it's a kind of life. Denying yourself and taking up your cross is the doorway to a life of unbroken communion with the God who made the heavens and the earth. And he might know you and you might know him. Resurrection life and denying yourself is a doorway into the life of God. Watch this, it's the life of God finally breaking through into my human existence here and now. It's not just when I die, but on a Monday when I'm highline next to hospital bed. On a Tuesday when I'm praying and I need wisdom. On Wednesday when I'm sick and I need healing. On Thursday when I'm in debt and need provision. On Friday when I'm praying for my children to come back to Jesus. On Saturday when I'm crying, I have to God for help.

I can call upon the name of the Lord because I'm a disciple. We have the full power, the grace, the glory, the dominion, the almighty for powerful work. I've got to work in our lives here and now. That's the life that we have in Christ Jesus. Can I show you what this life looks like? Can I teach you a little second? This is what the life that Jesus and body this looks like. It's a life where sin is no longer my master. It's a life where shame doesn't get the final word. It's a life where I can have peace that doesn't make sense. It's a life where circumstances that are happening around me don't control the outcomes of my life. It's a life where my joy is not held hostage by what's happening around me. It's a life where I don't need anybody's approval because I'm already accepted in Christ Jesus. It's a life where I don't have to manufacture identity because I have received on in Christ Jesus. Can I preach it like I feel it? It's a life where suffering can hurt me without defining me. It's a life where disappointment can wound me without destroying me, where loss can grieve me without emptying me, where the wall can take from me without taking who I am. Because my life is in Christ. This is resurrection life. My God, I feel like preaching. It's grace when I fail. It's mercy when I fall. It's strength when I'm weak. It's wisdom when I don't know what to do. It's all glory to God. It's comfort when my heart is heavy. It's the old things passing away and old things becoming new.

It is Christ in you the hope of glory. Can I go deeper? Can I preach it like I feel it? Can we go to church this morning? What is the hope of glory? Second Corinthians chapter four. Here's the hope of glory. It says that we have a treasure like Charles of Clay to show that the power of God is from him. Hear me, hear me, hear me, hear me. Let me get this out of me. Let me get this out of me. Let me get this out of me because this is important. Somebody see this. This is what this life looks like and the hope of glory looks like. It means we are hard pressed on every side, but we are not crushed. It means we are perplexed, but we are never in despair. It means we are persecuted, but we are never abandoned. It means we might be struck down, but we are never destroyed. Why? Because we always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life, the life of Jesus may reveal to our bodies. There it is again. There it is again. Death leads to life. The cross leads to life. Surrender leads to life. This whole thing of discipleship has done about less life. It's about life to the fallen. Oh, God.

Oh, God. I feel like preaching. I feel the Holy Ghost. I feel God on this. This is why Philippians 3, put on Philippians 3. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it anyway. I'm going to preach it like I feel it. This is why Philippians 3 Paul sounds like a madman. Because Paul, for so long, you can say, we're going to come a minute left. I'm going to use everyone in the system in Jesus' name. Paul sounds like a madman because in Philippians 3 Paul starts by listing everything that used to give him identity. He lists his pedigree. He talks about his status. He talks about his achievements. He talks about his religious credentials. He talks about everything that used to build his life upon. And you said, this is who I am until he meets Jesus. When he meets Jesus, he understands that to follow Jesus, he has to deny all of that. He has to take up his cross, lay down his life and follow Jesus. And you would think that what comes next in Philippians is Paul mourning the loss of everything he had to give up. You would think that what comes next in Philippians is Paul complaining, grieving everything he had to give up to follow Jesus. But if you know the Bible, you know that's not what comes next. Let's read together Philippians 3 verse 7 and 11. He says, whatever gain I had, I counted it all as loss

for the sake of my Christ Jesus. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake, oh, it is true. I have suffered loss, but I count all of that as rubbish. Compared to what I have gained in Christ, men may be found in him not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I might know him and the power of his resurrection. I willingly share in his sufferings. This isn't a man grieving the loss. This isn't a man who's grieving the loss of what he gave to Jesus. This is a man who's trying to find language like I do every day to articulate what I have found in Christ Jesus. And can I tell you what he found? He found his life. He found his spirit. He found his peace. He found his joy. He found his freedom. He found his presence. He found his power working in us. So I asked the question this morning, Church, what exactly am I clinging to? What life am I really trying to save that is anything better than what I found in Jesus Christ? Can you see how it has made no sense? This is why we can boldly come to you. We sound crazy when we say to you, hey Church, it's time to deny yourself. Hey Church, it's time to take up your cross and die daily to follow Jesus. We sound crazy, but it's because we know of what we have found on the other side. There is nothing I can build in my own strength. There is no life I can build in my own ability that compares to the infinite value of what I have found in following Jesus. So why? Why am I so afraid to surrender? Because there's nothing that I can give to God that can outweigh what he gives to me. What could I possibly gain in this world that compares to following him? So this is why Church, when Jesus says, follow me, every day of my life, my answer will forever be yes and amen. Yes, I will follow. Whatever he asks, I will give it. Whatever has to be surrendered, I will surrender.

Whatever has to be laid down, I'll lay it down. Because if the story ended on Friday, then yes, surrender would be foolish. If the story ended in the grave, then yes, holding on to your life would make sense. And if death had the final word, then Church, save yourself and hold on to everything you've got. But I know that there's a couple thousand people in this room who know that he is not here, but he is risen. And the Bible says that he got up on the third day, and because he rose, I rise, and because he lives, I live. So I don't have to be afraid of what dies on the road of obedience, because I know where this road ends. At the cross is a resurrection. After surrender, there is life. After losing everything, I find him. After dying, I will live, because there is a life on the other side. There is a life far greater than anything I could have imagined, and that's why for all my days, my confession will be. Jesus, here I am. You can take my Sundays. You can take my worship. You can have my time. You can have my gifts, because my life, my whole life belongs to you. Jesus, you are Lord over everything. I have decided to follow Jesus, and I'm not turning back. What is it? What is it? What is taken up the cross? And denying myself when compared to Jesus. What does it profit me to gain the whole world, and lose myself? Whatever I lose, following him, can never compare to what I have found on the other side. And so this morning, Church, I invite every one of us to make a decision today, right here, right now, in this very moment, to say, you know what? I might have said for a long time I followed Jesus, but I really hadn't counted the cost. And today, with full view of what's on the other side of my surrender, on the other side of lay my life down, I choose to follow Jesus. To follow Jesus, to deny myself and take up my cross. There are others of you in the room who have never given your life to Jesus. You've never made that decision, because you thought for someone that you could do this without him. And you've been trying to build a life, trying to make it work, trying to get all the pieces to fall together. And that's why the good news is such good news, because it tells you and me that all I have to do is arms up, surrender, lay it all down and say, "God, I give you my life," because I now recognize what's on the other side of that decision. It's life and life abundant. I have decided to follow Jesus, there is no turning back. Someone asked the team to lead us for a few moments in that song, as we make that decision

this morning, then Jordan's going to come up and lead us all in whatever he wants to do. I'm done. I'm tired. Cook it now. [Applause] Go ahead. I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back, no turning back, no turning back. Well hey friends, if anybody in here has made that decision today to follow Jesus and receive him as Lord and Savior, forgiver of our sins, and the one who resurrects us to new life, if that's you in here, I want you to know we're going to have some ushers, they're going to come down the rows with some Bibles and resources, and I want you just to wave your hand at them because we want to put that into your hands, we want to walk alongside you, we want to encourage you, tell us, let us know you put your trust in Jesus today and you are following him, we got hand right over here brother, and hey, if you need prayer for anything, we got a team of people over on this side of the room, they'd love to pray with you, whatever is going on, our prayer team would love to contend with the Lord and faith for you, as well as if you're newer here, we have in Getty 15 happening in just a moment, right outside those barn doors to my left, I'll be waiting over there, excited to see some of you guys and we'd love to just have a few moments to get to know you better and share our heart, but let's pray out before we go into this week, Father, thank you, thank you so much for calling us and inviting us to follow you, to know you, and God, we know it's going to be hard in this journey, but by your spirit would your grace empower us to do the impossible, would you awaken our souls to the reality of your great love and the joy and privilege it is to follow you, Jesus, and help us to be a light in the dark

places we go to this week so other people would want to follow you too, pray you would do that in Jesus mighty name, Amen. Amen. Amen. God bless you church and have a great rest of your week. We'll see you. [MUSIC PLAYING]