Come, Let Us Build

Daily Bible Studies for the Week Starting on Sunday, January 9, 2005

This Week’s Scripture Reading  

Luke 14:25-33

     "25 Great crowds were following Jesus.  He turned around and said to them, 26 'If you want to be my follower you must love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters -- yes more than your own life.  Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.  27 And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me.  28 But don't begin until you count the cost.  For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills?  29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds.  And then how everyone would laugh at you!  30 They would say, 'There the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!'"

   "Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down with his counselors and discussing whether his army of ten thousand is strong enough to defeat the twenty thousand soldiers who are marching against him?  32 If he is not able, then while the enemy is still far away, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace.  33 So no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me." 

Prayers for the Week:

Sunday

Dear Heavenly Father. . . I thank You for the gift of salvation.  I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to be an atoning sacrifice for my sins.  Because He died for me, I want to live for Him.  I ask that You would help me to put Jesus first in everything, including all of my relationships.  I want You to be exalted through each relationship that I have.  Forgive me if I have put others, including family and friends, above You.  May You always be my first priority.  I ask this in Jesus' name. . . Amen.

Monday

Dear Heavenly Father. . . I praise You for Your abundant grace and mercy in my life.  I thank You for the gift of a new day to worship and celebrate You!  May I live this day to Your honor and glory.  I commit myself fully to You.  I am willing to follow You no matter what the cost may be.  I give my life to You as a sacrifice so that Your name might be exalted through my words and actions.  Grant me the grace to keep all that I have committed to You.  I ask this in Jesus' name. . . Amen. 

Tuesday

Dear Heavenly Father. . . I thank You for Your Word.  I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to offer truth and hope to this lost and dying world.  I realize that not everyone who calls you "Lord" is truly Your disciple, but only those who are willing to "count the cost."  I desire to count the cost in my life by taking up my cross and putting Your will before my own.  Forgive me if I have lived for myself, and not for You.  I ask that You would help me to give my life entirely for You this day.  In Jesus' name I ask this. . . Amen.

Wednesday

Dear Heavenly Father. . . I thank You for all the many blessings that You have given to me.  I am so blessed because of Your goodness.  Though You have given much to me, I ask that You would help me to not focus my attention on material things.  I admit that I often get caught up in the world and its desires.  I ask that You would forgive me and help me to focus my energy on You rather than material possessions.  Help me to use what You have given to me to expand Your Kingdom and Your purposes.  I ask this in Your Son's name. . . Amen.     

Thursday

Dear Heavenly Father. . . I thank You for all the many blessings that You have given to me.  I am so blessed because of Your goodness.  Though You have given much to me, I ask that You would help me to not focus my attention on material things.  I admit that I often get caught up in the world and its desires.  I ask that You would forgive me and help me to focus my energy on You rather than material possessions.  Help me to use what You have given to me to expand Your Kingdom and Your purposes.  I ask this in Your Son's name. . . Amen.     

Friday

Dear Heavenly Father. . . You are Sovereign above all creation!  There is nothing that is out of Your control.  My future, as well as New Life's future, is completely in Your hands.  I commit my life and my church to You this day in prayer.  Show me how I should respond to the "Come Let Us Build" campaign.  Help me to know Your will and Your voice so that I might obey.  I want to please You in everything I do, including where and how I invest my resources and time.  I need Your help.  I ask this In Your Son's name. . . Amen. 

Saturday

Dear Heavenly Father. . . You are Sovereign above all creation!  There is nothing that is out of Your control.  My future, as well as New Life's future, is completely in Your hands.  I commit my life and my church to You this day in prayer.  Show me how I should respond to the "Come Let Us Build" campaign.  Help me to know Your will and Your voice so that I might obey.  I want to please You in everything I do, including where and how I invest my resources and time.  I need Your help.  I ask this In Your Son's name. . . Amen.

Background on the Text

At the time Jesus' shared in Luke 14:25-33, He had been going throughout the countryside preaching, teaching, and healing those who had come to Him, and it is evident that He became well known throughout the region -- hence, "great crowds were following (Him)."  The popular thing to do was to follow Jesus.  In the preceding verses Jesus shares a parable by which He extends the invitation of the "Great Feast" to people on the "streets, the alleys of the city, and to the lame and crippled. . . (Luke 14:15-24)"  Jesus, however, makes the potent statements in verses 25-33 that probably took the people by surprise.  He was telling the crowds that there would be a great cost in following Him.  Jesus made abundantly clear that He must take absolute priority over everything.  He expands upon the preceding "Great Feast" parable by telling the people that, although the invitation is for everyone, only those who are willing to give up everything are considered His disciples.  Jesus' statements to the crowds regarding "counting the cost" most likely sifted the large crowd down to a few number of committed disciples.  Throughout much of the Gospels, the contrast between the "crowds" and the "disciples" is significant.  Only those who are willing to count the cost are the true followers of Jesus.

Monday

Observation:  What does the text say?

 

 

Tuesday

Interpretation:  What do these verses mean?

 

 

Wednesday

Application:  How can I respond to the text’s insights and teachings?

 

 

Thursday

After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:

Encouraged and strengthened me by:

 

 

 

Fallen short areas

 

 

 

What will I do with these insights?

 

 

 

 

Friday

After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:

What did God say to me this week?

 

 

 

Share insights and growth points

 

 

 

Changed/transformed how? 

 

 

 

Saturday

Reflective Thoughts

 

 

 

 

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from either the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, © 2006 (after Dec. 2, 2007) or the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, © 1996 (before Dec. 2 2007). Both are used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189, All rights reserved. New Life Christian Ministries, Inc. holds CCLI Number 1966192.   Individual copyright information is provided for words of praise songs and hymns used in the Daily Bible Studies.

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