Elements City Church
Follow - week 5: Count The Costs
Jesus’s invitation is open to each and every person. It’s a simple, two-word invitation: "follow me." Follow Him -- not in an observe-from-a-distance kind of way, or as a detached Twitter follower follows one of their favs from afar. But as one who begins taking baby steps in His direction - steps with Him leading the way, sharing His life and thoughts on life. Baby steps into a relational connection that involves one step after another. Regardless of what you believe, regardless of how you might behave, Jesus simply invites you to FOLLOW.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 1:00 PM
Thanks for joining us!
Whether you're on-site or online, we are praying that tonight will be an encouragement to your soul. May God whisper to you and help you in taking your next steps in a journey with Him. If you're new, we'd love to have you fill out our connection card.
https://connect-card.com/yr4Y0g8VLBSqzKXeubjbFollowing Jesus is meant to be much more engaging than simply following steps to a program. It’s highly relational in nature. An invitation to something different than manufactured and monitored religious rituals, it’s an experience with God Himself.
It will challenge you at times.
It will comfort you at times.
It will enrich you, enlighten you, stretch you,
and continually call you forward.
Following Jesus is about discipleship.
"A disciple is someone who knows and follows Jesus, is becoming like Jesus, and is committed to the mission of Jesus.”
It will challenge you at times.
It will comfort you at times.
It will enrich you, enlighten you, stretch you,
and continually call you forward.
Following Jesus is about discipleship.
"A disciple is someone who knows and follows Jesus, is becoming like Jesus, and is committed to the mission of Jesus.”
Recap: Follow Jesus...
Being a sinner does not disqualify you, it’s actually a prerequisite.
Following Jesus, is an ALL SKATE - it’s for EVERYONE
We're each invited to step forward in following Jesus
Jesus is growing in us a faith in God that overwhelms our fear.
An overwhelming faith that trusts and follows after Jesus is the kind of faith that frees us to love other people.
We're to wear LOVE as our distinguishing marker.
Being a sinner does not disqualify you, it’s actually a prerequisite.
Following Jesus, is an ALL SKATE - it’s for EVERYONE
We're each invited to step forward in following Jesus
Jesus is growing in us a faith in God that overwhelms our fear.
An overwhelming faith that trusts and follows after Jesus is the kind of faith that frees us to love other people.
We're to wear LOVE as our distinguishing marker.
Consumer or Follower?
A consumer is in this for what they can get out of it. Jesus wants us to his follower.
Law professor and technology expert Tim Lu claims that there's an underestimated force that drives our daily lives—convenience. We want nearly everything about our lives to be convenient, efficient, and easy.
“When we let convenience decide everything, we surrender too much.”
Jesus did not offer total convenience in following him. He warned us to count the costs and at times to even do what is inconvenient in order to follow him where He leads - remembering, where he leads is always for our best, but may not be the easiest.
A consumer is in this for what they can get out of it. Jesus wants us to his follower.
Law professor and technology expert Tim Lu claims that there's an underestimated force that drives our daily lives—convenience. We want nearly everything about our lives to be convenient, efficient, and easy.
“When we let convenience decide everything, we surrender too much.”
Jesus did not offer total convenience in following him. He warned us to count the costs and at times to even do what is inconvenient in order to follow him where He leads - remembering, where he leads is always for our best, but may not be the easiest.
Jesus is saying, there is going to be a time, there are going to be moments, there are going to be crossroads & intersections, where what I want for you and what you want for you are different and in that moment you have to decide if you’re going to be consumer or a follower.
And if you decide to be a follower you are going to have to deny yourself. You are going to have to say no to you — in order to keep in step with me.
And if you decide to be a follower you are going to have to deny yourself. You are going to have to say no to you — in order to keep in step with me.
Mark 8:38 (NIV) "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
What is that? You know the Bible talks about that, it’s one of those future moments where we each will need to give an account for our lives before God.
=in the positive - Jesus is saying:
you acknowledge me HERE and NOW,
I’ll acknowledge you THERE and THEN.
Jesus answers both important questions:
What good is it if you gain the whole world and forfeit your soul, it’s no good.
And what would you give in exchange for your soul, everything!!
Follow me - even if that involves denying yourself.
What is that? You know the Bible talks about that, it’s one of those future moments where we each will need to give an account for our lives before God.
=in the positive - Jesus is saying:
you acknowledge me HERE and NOW,
I’ll acknowledge you THERE and THEN.
Jesus answers both important questions:
What good is it if you gain the whole world and forfeit your soul, it’s no good.
And what would you give in exchange for your soul, everything!!
Follow me - even if that involves denying yourself.
Salvation, becoming a Christian, becoming a member of the household of God through Christ is absolutely FREE. You can’t do anything to earn it. Salvation is free, it cost you nothing.
But following Christ in your lifestyle, following Christ in this life, following Christ in this sinful and broken world, is going to eventually cost you something.
But following Christ in your lifestyle, following Christ in this life, following Christ in this sinful and broken world, is going to eventually cost you something.
Following Christ will eventually cost you something.
Whatever or Whomever you follow (even yourself) will cost you — make sure it’s worth it…
Jesus is saying: following me is worth it; say no to yourself, so I can say yes to you.
Whatever or Whomever you follow (even yourself) will cost you — make sure it’s worth it…
Jesus is saying: following me is worth it; say no to yourself, so I can say yes to you.
Thanks for partnering with us!
Thank you for enabling us to be the Church in our city! Your gifts help fuel the mission of Elements City Church, as well as our capacity to share His love with as many as we can. You help us bring the HOPE and LIGHT of Jesus to our city! You can give online at the link below or through the Elements app.
http://elementscitychurch.org/give/Help for Ukraine
Thank you for all who are helping with our Ukraine Initiative. You can read more about it here via the link. Thank You to all who helped us pack some 400+ first aid kits last week; we'll soon get them sent off.
http://elementscitychurch.org/ukraine/Whether you joined us on-site or online, thanks for being with us tonight!
May you have a blessed week ahead!
Check out the app for upcoming events, and we look forward to gathering again next weekend. *NEXT WEEK IS OUR AFTER-PARTY! stick around for some March Madness style fun, food trucks, inflatables for kids, music and more... Invite a friend!
May you have a blessed week ahead!
Check out the app for upcoming events, and we look forward to gathering again next weekend. *NEXT WEEK IS OUR AFTER-PARTY! stick around for some March Madness style fun, food trucks, inflatables for kids, music and more... Invite a friend!