Consecration in Discipleship
Message by Ps Eduardo Ramos (2/4/17)
Opener:
1. Tony Campolo in his book ‘Who Switched the Price Tags’ talks about how some youths thought it would
be a good laugh if they switched the price tags on some articles in shops so that people wouldn’t know
the true value of the goods for sale. In his book Tony compares this with how we sometimes don’t
know the true value of things in our lives… So where are the price tags in our lives? What are some
things that are important to you? And what type of priority do you give them in your life?
Discussion:
2. Read Luke 14:25-35.
o From this passage:
 What is something that stands out to you?
 And what is something that raises questions for you?
 And what is something that challenges you?
o
From this passage what type of life is Jesus calling us to?
Price Tags
Based on Luke 14 we’re now going to consider where the ‘price tags’ are in our lives as sometimes we can
lose focus on what is important and get things mixed up with the values in our lives.
3. Personal relationship
a) What does it mean to hate yourself / families? [not a literal hate, but rather priorities]
b) In what ways can some relationships hinder our relationship with Jesus?
c) What can we do if we have a relationships that is hindering our relationship with Jesus? How can
we go about changing the situation, about giving it up?
2. Personal goals and desires
a) Have you honestly and objectively put your long term goals before the Lord for His approval? Plus
consider, where did your goals come from in the first place?
b) Do your goals feed your ego more than they honour God? Consider your various goals, either
thought through goals or values just lived out. e.g money in your bank account vs feeding people,
work life, serving in church
c) How do we put self to death and overcome our tendency to self-centredness? [Note: This is a lifelong issue.]
d) Are you willing to change your goals if God said you should? And how has He or how might He
communicate this to you?
3. Personal possessions
a) What place do you think possessions should have in our lives? [We can own possessions but no
possession should own us...]
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b) And what are some of the dangers associated with having possessions? [They can cause us to lose
focus, rob us from Jesus having a rightful place in our lives, make us self-sufficient and no longer
reliant on God…]
c) Why was Jesus being so clear about the terms of discipleship? And why is this so important? [So we
don't lose our essential Christ like qualities…]
Conclusion/Application
4. Ephesians 2:10 NIV - “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God
prepared in advance for us to do.”
o
o
Close your eyes so that you can personally take some time to consider the following questions in
your heart before God.
 Is there someone or a relationship that puts me in jeopardy of my relationship with Jesus
Christ?

Is there something that I am involved in that prevents me from growing in God?

Is there a personal desire or goal that I am not willing to put to death in my life so that I can
more fully follow Jesus? Eg maybe holding back for your own personal security etc.

Is there anything that I put greater value on than Christ?
We’re now going to take some time to pray. (either as a group or in 2s or 3s) I encourage you to
pray about the things that God is speaking to you about. Some of your prayers might be:
 Help me to be generous with my resources so that Jesus can have the proper place in my life
 I want to be your disciple
 I want to follow you with every aspect of my life for you are worthy
 Continue your work of grace in my life
We need to remember that our goals and possession are things that will pass, and instead hold
onto our eternal God!
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