Andrew Fountain - Jesus Sets his Followers a Challenge

Full sermon notes - Jesus sets his Followers a Challenge

• Today we are going to look at a couple of very short parables in Luke about understanding the demands of following Jesus
• Not thinking out future consequences can be fatal
  • Story: burning old cabinet at the back of the house
• First let’s set the scene

• What does it mean to “carry our own cross” —back to that question later

• v.29 “none of us of course”
• Folly

• Construction started in 1826 and, due to the lack of funds, was left unfinished in 1829. This circumstance gave rise to various nicknames such as “Scotland’s Disgrace”, “Edinburgh’s Disgrace”, “the Pride and Poverty of Scotland” and “Edinburgh’s Folly”.

• Construction of the country’s most expensive private home, which has been standing half-built for five years, might never be completed, a confidential report says.
• Does anyone want to have a go at explaining this parable?
• Do you think that this parable would incread the number of people following Jesus?
  • Was Jesus’ goal merely to gain as large a following as possible
  • Why not?
• Taking on a commitment without thinking it through
  • Story: Tumblestone jewelry at Young Enterprise -did not evaluate our capabilities

• “No king of course”
• How can we explain this parable?
  • Is it saying the same as the previous?
• In A. M. Hunter’s words, “On the forst Parable Jesus says. ‘Sit down and reckon whether you can afford to follow me.’ In the second he says: ‘Sit dowm and reckon whether you can afford to refuse my demands.’”
• Thinking through the commitment of following Jesus
  • Choice to leave IBM

Petter Hagberg (Brita Nilsdotter) was born in 1756 in Finnerödja, Sweden. In 1785 she married Anders Peter Hagberg who was a soldier of the guard. Shortly after the marriage he was called away to participate in the Russo-Swedish war (1788 – 1790). At a loss without her husband, Brita dressed herself as a man and enlisted in the army to find him. She participated in the Battle of Svensksund (pictured above) and the Battle of Vyborg Bay as a marine. During her time there her commanding officer called out the name “Hagberg” and both she and her husband stepped forward – she found him at last. The two kept her sex a secret. Later, at the battle of Björkö Sund, Brita was wounded and ordered below deck to have her wounds taken care of. She went unwillingly and her sex was revealed. After the war she was given a pension (unheard of at the time) and was granted a license to trade (also unheard of for a married woman). She was awarded a medal of bravery and given a military funeral.

• Commitment
  • Woman who became a soldier to find her husband: Britta Hagberg
  • en.wikipedia.org/…rita_Hagberg

• Need examples of what it means in practice today.

• Examples
  • Carpet in the hall and stairs (Calvin—God has given variety of food)
  • Jesus took his disciples away for a while to rest

Jesus, All for Jesus

Updated on 2014-11-09 by Andrew Fountain