<p>Bible Study</p><p>Don&#39;t just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: </p><p>.</p><p>Sermon Notes:</p><p>Four Questions About Discipleship</p><p>1. What Is Discipleship?</p><p>A determined quest for Jesus Himself</p><ul><li>Bonhoeffer quote:<ul><li>“The determined quest for him who is the sole object of it all”</li></ul></li><li>Discipleship is relational, not transactional</li><li>Cultural lie: “It’s all about you”</li><li>Jesus calls us to lose our lives to find them</li></ul><p>Discipleship is ongoing</p><ul><li>“Follow me” is present tense</li><li>Daily, dynamic pursuit</li><li>Jesus is alive and leading us somewhere</li></ul><p>Distinction from salvation</p><ul><li>Salvation = gift of grace</li><li>Discipleship = walking out the new life</li><li>College acceptance illustration:<ul><li>Accepted freely</li><li>Respond with grateful participation</li></ul></li></ul><p>2. How Is Discipleship Sustained?</p><p>By love for Jesus</p><ul><li>Jesus asks Peter three times:<ul><li>“Do you love me?”</li></ul></li><li>Restoration after Peter’s three denials</li></ul><p>Jesus restores failing disciples</p><ul><li>Peter failed, but Jesus did not abandon him</li><li>Christ’s love heals and restores</li></ul><p>Love becomes the motivation</p><ul><li>Not guilt</li><li>Not success</li><li>Not position or results</li><li>We follow Jesus because we love Him</li><li>“We love because he first loved us”</li></ul><p>3. How Are Others Involved?</p><p>Discipleship is communal</p><ul><li>“We will go with you”</li><li>Christianity is not a solo pursuit</li><li>Importance of community and Life Groups</li></ul><p>Beware of comparison</p><ul><li>Peter: “What about this man?”</li><li>Jesus: “What is that to you? You follow me.”</li><li>Different callings, gifts, struggles, outcomes</li><li>Comparison damages discipleship</li></ul><p>Beware of collapsing faith into community</p><ul><li>You cannot live off someone else’s faith</li><li>Each disciple must personally respond to Jesus</li><li>Community supports personal discipleship, not replaces it</li></ul><p>4. What Does Discipleship Require?</p><p>Everything</p><ul><li>Jesus foretells Peter’s suffering and martyrdom</li><li>Contrast:<ul><li>Self-determined life</li><li>Surrendered life</li></ul></li></ul><p>Discipleship requires surrender</p><ul><li>Surrender of:<ul><li>Plans</li><li>Dreams</li><li>Reputation</li><li>Comfort</li><li>Even life itself</li></ul></li></ul><p>Learning surrender over time</p><ul><li>Sometimes through suffering</li><li>Sometimes through aging and limitation</li><li>The Lord teaches each disciple differently</li><li>Surrender helps us trust God&#39;s goodness</li></ul><p>Discussion Questions</p><ol><li>What&#39;s your &quot;Sea of Galilee story&quot;? [the circumstances through which you heard Jesus say &quot;follow me&quot;]</li><li>What&#39;s the difference between justification and discipleship?</li><li>Can someone be a Christian but not a disciple?</li><li>Explain the difference between a healthy concern for another Christian&#39;s discipleship vs. unhealthy comparison.</li><li>What has surrender looked like in your life?</li></ol><p>Additional Resources:</p><ul><li><em>The Cost of Discipleship</em> by Dietrich Bonhoeffer</li><li><a href="https://ridleyinstitute.thinkific.com/courses/encountering-jesus-through-the-gospel-of-mark">The Gospel of Mark course</a> taught by Randy</li></ul><p>Questions?</p><p>Do you have a question about today’s sermon? Email Randy Forrester (</p><p>).</p>