Radical Discipleship: Costly Commitment, A Call For All

Jesus is absolutely worth everything within our lives. The fundamental question we must as is, “What is Jesus worth to me?”

Radical by David Platt challenges us to consider with honest open heart question, of how we think and take the gospel in our life. So many questions and stipulations that beckons us that leads us a stray with the so called, “The American Dream” has I believe, made many of us Christians here to forget how to live a life that reflects Christ and to actually live for him. So often dreams that one’s wanting to achieve contrary to what we are called to live all for the gospel, but instead we hide behind our own security, money, convenience, even family for our own self. (Luke 9:23)

By radical we mean becoming more and more like Jesus in every way. As David Platt the president of IMB (International Mission Board) urges you and I to join in The Radical Experiment. authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring. That’s a big, hairy, audacious goal for sure. But it is at the heart of what Jesus did every day with the disciples. He mentored them to become like him. He wasn’t kidding when he said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Let’s imagine for a moment, how would it look different? What if we radically obeyed Christ as the disciples did for real? the invitation to himself to believe and obey what we have already heard. What would happen if we all took the gospel serious in our little suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus’ definition?

As you can see, radical discipleship is going beyond the accepted norm. It is allowing every facet of one’s life to be shaped by the Gospel. It is more than attending a membership class, or attending worship, or even being a tither. We are to embrace fully, compassionately, and wholeheartedly a bigger dream – the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:19-20) Radical discipleship is of such a nature that, if we even come close to it in our daily lives, others will want to know what we have that they don’t have, which opens the door for us to share our faith.

Barna research study came up with a recent stat; less than 20% of Christian adults are involved in some kind of discipleship activity. If you ask pastors how well churches are doing with discipleship, only 1% say they’re doing a good job. Those two figures are telling. No wonder Western Christianity is in trouble. We are doing little more than shuffling people from one church to another and pandering to their consumer mentality to the point that all we are doing is warehousing those that stick. Most churches have filled with church members rather than Christians who act like Jesus.

No more of this sort of mere, intellectual, casual, nominal acceptance. This gospel enlist total abandonment.This gospel beckons for us to abandon dreams, plans priorities, treasure and pleasure in this world. God is worthy so much more than a casual comfortable christianity which is no biblical christianity at all.

Absolute submission to his person, absolute surrender to his purpose to the glory and praise to the ends of the earth. You will be totally consumed by this reality of the cross of Jesus!

“That is for the mature, not for me” This is basic elemental for Christians! This is Luke 9:23. This is what it means to follow Christ. We have Christians have right to deny ourselves. All our time, all our money, all our life is belong in the hands of God!

So what are we going to do? Start where you at. Plead with the Lord of harvest to begin to make a change within your heart, and God will receive all the glory. Now, that’s radical Christianity.