25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:25-27 (ESV)
TO BE A DISCIPLE
“Love” not Money
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
(A Few Money Scriptures)
1 Corinthians 16:2, 1 Peter 5:2, 1 Timothy 6:17, 1 Timothy 5:8, 1 Timothy 6:9, 2 Corinthians 9:7,
2 Corinthians 9:8, 3 John 1:2, Acts 20:35, Acts 8:20, Colossians 3:23, Luke 12:15, Luke 14:28,
Luke 16:11, Luke 16:14, Luke 6:38, Matthew 19:21, Matthew 5:42, Matthew 6:21, Matthew 6:25, Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19
Have Courage Like Stephen
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:54-60 (ESV)
Courage That Leads To:
- Sharing our faith
- Standing for God’s truths in humility
- Making the hard but right decisions
Big idea: When we serve Christ, there is a cost, and that cost can change lives!