Leader Guide
Brandon Heath
Artist: Brandon Heath
URL: http://www.brandonheath.net/
Album: No Turning Back
Label: Provident Label Group
Song: “No Turning Back”
Theme
Cost of Discipleship
Objective
To consider what it truly costs to be a disciple of Christ.
Warm Up
Play “What’s it cost?” Have available samples of everyday grocery item. Students will be split into two teams; each team will guess the actual price of the grocery items. Closest to the price (without going over) gets a point. Team with the most points wins.
Transition
Why is it a good idea to know how much things cost? What happens if you don’t have enough money? How do you decide what to buy?
Consider this, what if the price of something requires something more than money? Are there things you’re willing to do that money can’t buy? Are there things, maybe people, you’re willing to go above and beyond for?
Song
Brandon Heath considers the cost of following Jesus in his song “No Turning Back.”
Transition
Consider this; are there things you give up daily? What are they?
Maybe there’s something you’re willing to sacrifice for someone one you love, a cause you believe in?
Bible Study
Read Matthew 4: 18-22
What’s happening in this passage?
Three words change four lives forever – what are they?
What do you think these men were giving up?
Would you have dropped everything to follow a guy you didn’t know?
What about now – are there things you give up to follow Jesus today?
What did it cost to be a disciple of Jesus then?
What do you think it costs now?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:20
What does it mean to be an ambassador?
Is being an ambassador the same as being a disciple?
How are they related?
Wrap Up
In Matthew 4, Jesus calls to Simon and Andrew as they’re taking care of business with their fishing gear. With three simple words, the lives of two men were changed forever. Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” And they did!
In writing, it seems simple. They dropped their nets, they stopped what they were doing and they went with Jesus.
They gave up their jobs. They gave up their livelihood to follow a man, at best, they’d only heard rumors about. They didn’t know who this guy was. Yet, there had to be something…maybe a tone, or a look to this guy that called to them.
Think about what made you decide to follow Jesus. Was it a friend, your family? Maybe it was something indecipherable, a feeling you had inside that made you follow Jesus. Are there things you’re giving up to follow Jesus?
Maybe you don’t have to quit your job to follow Jesus today. Maybe it doesn’t seem like you’re giving up anything at all– but the very idea of being a disciple is, in fact, the very essence of sacrifice. As we make the decision to follow Jesus, we give Him our minds, our hearts, our livelihood. All of a sudden, everything we do is to be done with Christ in mind. By becoming Christ’s disciples we agree to become His ambassadors. We agree to give everything else up to make Him known. Are you living to make Jesus known?
Brandon Heath
Artist: Brandon Heath
URL: http://www.brandonheath.net/
Album: No Turning Back
Label: Provident Label Group
Song: “No Turning Back”
Theme
Cost of Discipleship
Objective
To consider what it truly costs to be a disciple of Christ.
Warm Up
Play “What’s it cost?” Have available samples of everyday grocery item. Students will be split into two teams; each team will guess the actual price of the grocery items. Closest to the price (without going over) gets a point. Team with the most points wins.
Transition
Why is it a good idea to know how much things cost? What happens if you don’t have enough money? How do you decide what to buy?
Consider this, what if the price of something requires something more than money? Are there things you’re willing to do that money can’t buy? Are there things, maybe people, you’re willing to go above and beyond for?
Song
Brandon Heath considers the cost of following Jesus in his song “No Turning Back.”
Transition
Consider this; are there things you give up daily? What are they?
Maybe there’s something you’re willing to sacrifice for someone one you love, a cause you believe in?
Bible Study
Read Matthew 4: 18-22
What’s happening in this passage?
Three words change four lives forever – what are they?
What do you think these men were giving up?
Would you have dropped everything to follow a guy you didn’t know?
What about now – are there things you give up to follow Jesus today?
What did it cost to be a disciple of Jesus then?
What do you think it costs now?
Read 2 Corinthians 5:20
What does it mean to be an ambassador?
Is being an ambassador the same as being a disciple?
How are they related?
Wrap Up
In Matthew 4, Jesus calls to Simon and Andrew as they’re taking care of business with their fishing gear. With three simple words, the lives of two men were changed forever. Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” And they did!
In writing, it seems simple. They dropped their nets, they stopped what they were doing and they went with Jesus.
They gave up their jobs. They gave up their livelihood to follow a man, at best, they’d only heard rumors about. They didn’t know who this guy was. Yet, there had to be something…maybe a tone, or a look to this guy that called to them.
Think about what made you decide to follow Jesus. Was it a friend, your family? Maybe it was something indecipherable, a feeling you had inside that made you follow Jesus. Are there things you’re giving up to follow Jesus?
Maybe you don’t have to quit your job to follow Jesus today. Maybe it doesn’t seem like you’re giving up anything at all– but the very idea of being a disciple is, in fact, the very essence of sacrifice. As we make the decision to follow Jesus, we give Him our minds, our hearts, our livelihood. All of a sudden, everything we do is to be done with Christ in mind. By becoming Christ’s disciples we agree to become His ambassadors. We agree to give everything else up to make Him known. Are you living to make Jesus known?