The Cost of Discipleship (Mark 8:34-36)
How hard is it to be a follower of Jesus? In an effort to persuade people to accept Christ as their Savior, we can mistakenly give people the idea that there is no cost involved in being a disciple of Jesus. The reality is that it is not easy to be a follower of Jesus. It costs something to be a disciple.
In Mark 8:34 -36, Jesus gave His disciples a lesson on the cost of following him. He made it clear that the process of being a disciple is costly. There must be a denial of self, a decision to bear the burden of discipleship, and a daily commitment to keep following.
The payoff, however, is more than worth it. If we willingly surrender our lives to God and the ministry of the gospel, then we are actually saving it. If we try to save our lives for ourselves, then we will lose it. For this reason, following Christ should be a priority over pursuing material gain or earthly pleasures.
As high as the cost of discipleship is, the penalty for not following Jesus is even higher. Jesus said He would be ashamed of those who were ashamed of Him. Whether you follow Jesus or not, you will pay a price, but the cost of following Jesus is well worth it.
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- Sep 10, 2023The Cost of Discipleship (Mark 8:34-36)
The Cost of Discipleship (Mark 8:34-36)How hard is it to be a follower of Jesus? In an effort to persuade people to accept Christ as their Savior, we can mistakenly give people the idea that there is no cost involved in being a disciple of Jesus. The reality is that it is not easy to be a follower of Jesus. It costs something to be a disciple.In Mark 8:34 -36, Jesus gave His disciples a lesson on the cost of following him. He made it clear that the process of being a disciple is costly. There must be a denial of self, a decision to bear the burden of discipleship, and a daily commitment to keep following.The payoff, however, is more than worth it. If we willingly surrender our lives to God and the ministry of the gospel, then we are actually saving it. If we try to save our lives for ourselves, then we will lose it. For this reason, following Christ should be a priority over pursuing material gain or earthly pleasures.As high as the cost of discipleship is, the penalty for not following Jesus is even higher. Jesus said He would be ashamed of those who were ashamed of Him. Whether you follow Jesus or not, you will pay a price, but the cost of following Jesus is well worth it.
- Sep 3, 2023Mans Solution to Mans Problems (Judges 21:1-25)
Mans Solution to Mans Problems (Judges 21:1-25)Judges 21:1-25
- Sep 3, 2023Beware of the Leaven (Matthew 16:1-12)
Beware of the Leaven (Matthew 16:1-12)We are constantly surrounded by things that would kill us if they could. There are many creatures and organisms that are deadly to us if they attack us. There are chemicals and substances all around us that are potentially fatal. The world’s most deadly toxin, according to many scientists, is so poisonous that just one nanogram per kilogram of body weight is enough to kill a person. For this reason, we take reasonable precautions to protect ourselves. We cook our food to kill any potential germs that would make us sick. We wear bug spray to keep parasites from attacking us. Most of us do not go swimming with sharks. We are very good at protecting our bodies from things that would harm us. But what about our souls? Are we careful to guard against things that are potentially harmful to our souls? In Matthew 16, Jesus warned His disciples to be on guard against the evil influences that surrounded them. The language He used, however, left them wondering what He really meant. He said, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” They thought at first that He might have been referring to real food. But what Jesus was really talking about was the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. Their false doctrine was like leaven because just a small amount would permeate a large loaf. We cannot afford to let our guard down when it comes to false doctrine. Any belief that contradicts scripture must be avoided at all cost, because it will eventually taint many other beliefs and behaviors.
- Aug 30, 2023Ruth’s Second Redemption (Ruth 4:1-12)
Ruth’s Second Redemption (Ruth 4:1-12)Ruth’s first and most important redemption took place in Ruth 1. But there was another redemption that Ruth was blessed to experience, and how she came to experience that redemption is a beautiful illustration of the eternal redemption the God accomplishes through the gospel of Jesus Christ. The story of Ruth’s second redemption is wonderful to tell, but not as nearly wonderful as the story of our eternal redemption from sin.
- Aug 27, 2023They Knew Not That Evil Was Near Them (Judges 20:34)
They Knew Not That Evil Was Near Them (Judges 20:34)
- Aug 20, 2023The Process of Sanctification (Ephesians 4:20-24)
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- Aug 16, 2023Strange Obedience (Ruth 3:1-9)
Strange Obedience (Ruth 3:1-9)In Ruth 3, Ruth was given instructions by Naomi that seemed odd to us and most likely seemed strange to Ruth. But those instructions were based on the truth of God’s word, and by following those instructions, Ruth would receive a tremendous blessing. Her story should encourage us to obey God’s word, whether our flesh is comfortable with it or not.
- Aug 13, 2023The Traitor At The Table (John 13:21-30)
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- Aug 13, 2023How To Have Compassion (Mark 8:1-10)
How To Have Compassion (Mark 8:1-10)Humans are naturally selfish creatures. Left to our own devices we will always turn inward, doing the things that make us happy and that satisfy our desires. We will view our relationships with others as a means to achieve a self-serving goal. Because of our sinful, selfish tendencies, it is hard for us to have true compassion. Even acts of kindness that we do can be motivated by a selfish desire to feel good about ourselves or be viewed positively by others for what we have done. Jesus had no selfish tendencies, therefore everything He did was motivated by the holy desire for the good of others. He is the model of true compassion. In Mark 8:1-10, we find a record of one of the two famous miracles when Jesus fed the multitude by turning a tiny amount of food into an abundant feast. We often focus on the material aspect of the story, how seven loaves and a few fish could become a feast for 4,000, and we sometimes overlook Jesus’ motivation for the miracle. He stated that motivation in Mark 8:2 when He said, “I have compassion on the multitude.” If we follow that line of thought we find details in this story that show us how to have true compassion. Having true compassion means paying attention to other people and to their needs. It means taking the time to get to know them personally. It means
you are willing to sacrifice what little you have for their good, trusting God to stretch your resources so that neither you nor they will end up empty handed. Having true compassion means that you are not living for yourself, but that you honor God by genuinely caring for others. - Aug 9, 2023God’s Providential Plan (Ruth 2:1-17)
God’s Providential Plan (Ruth 2:1-17)There is no such things as luck. Nothing happens to us by pure coincidence because God is sovereignly working in our lives to achieve His perfect purpose in us and through us. How God sovereignly worked in Ruth’s life to put her in the right place at the right time to meet the right person to fulfill God’s plan for her is amazing to see. Trust what God is doing and obey what you know God wants you to do and you will see God’s sovereignty at work in your life too.
- Aug 6, 2023The Glory Of God (Jude 24-25)
The Glory Of God (Jude 24-25)Philadelphia Baptist Church has been in existence for over 85 years. The church has its roots near downtown Atlanta at the intersection of Cameron Street and DeKalb St. Today, you’ll find houses and I-20 on the land that once belonged to Cameron Street Baptist Church, as we were then known. We are not sure when the church actually began, but the earliest records we have on file are from 1931. By 1936, our name had been changed to McDonald Memorial Baptist Church. In October of that year, our total offerings were $21.46. $16.15 of that went toward the mortgage and $2.00 was spent to purchase coal to heat the building. By 1959, the church name had been changed to Philadelphia Baptist Church and the decision had been made to become an independent Baptist church. During the next few decades, the church saw many blessings. A new property was purchased and the church relocated to Conyers, GA in 1973. Also in the 1970’s, Philadelphia Christian School was started, which remained in existence until 2013. God’s blessing was evident as souls were saved and disciples were made. In 2007, another chapter was opened for the church when an old school building on 26 acres in Rutledge, GA was given to the church. Eventually, both church and school were relocated to Rutledge and we are still here today, continuing our mission of seeking the lost and training disciples. Throughout the history of our church, there has been only one constant. Our name has changed, our location has changed, our leadership has changed and our membership has changed. But there is One who has not changed the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is still the head of our church to this day. As we celebrate the history of our church, we want to give all the glory to Jesus, the only One who deserves it. This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. (Psalms 118:23)
- Aug 2, 2023The Bitter Road to Recovery (Ruth 1:19-22)
The Bitter Road to Recovery (Ruth 1:19-22)Just like eating bitter food leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, enduring bitter circumstances can leave a lasting impression that may take time to recover from. During the time of recovery, we will be tempted to allow the bitterness of life to cause us to become bitter in spirit. While the road to recovery may be bitter, but we do not have to be.
- Jul 30, 2023The Fix For Fear (Psalm 56:1-13)
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- Jul 30, 2023He Hath Done All Things Well (Mark 7:37)
He Hath Done All Things Well (Mark 7:37)“And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” -Mark 7:37-
In the creation account of Genesis 1, we read that at the end of each day God reviewed what He created and saw that it was good. We learn a foundational truth in those brief statements. God is a doer, and everything that God does, He does well. Some believe that God is impersonal and disconnected. They do not think that He takes a personal interest in our lives or cares about the details. They imagine that He is more of a spectator than the sovereign Author of history. This is not true. God is a doer. He is actively working His sovereign plan in each of our lives. Everything that happens to us then is part of God’s perfect plan. There are no surprises to God. He is not reacting to plot twists as the main character of your favorite story might. Even when we are affected by the consequences of sin, everything is still under God’s sovereign control. Whatever God does, He does well. Because He is good, He does good. (Psalm 119:68). That is why we can confidently affirm that all things will work together for good. (Romans 8:28). God does not make mistakes, and He does not overlook details. You can trust God in every situation because “He hath done all things well.” - Jul 26, 2023Responding to Tragedy (Ruth 1:6-18)
Responding to Tragedy (Ruth 1:6-18)Ruth 1:6-18 shows us how three ladies responded to their tragic circumstances. Naomi decided to return to the land of promise. Orpah's departed to go back to the land of Moab. Ruth was determined to remain with Naomi and chose to place her trust in Jehovah. God uses times of trial in our lives to draw us to Himself and to grow us. When we face tragedy in our lives, we must respond with repentance and faith, trusting God to work through the trial for our good and His glory.
