♪ Be cleansed, can be free ♪ ♪ Oh, what an amazing mystery ♪ ♪ What an amazing mystery ♪ ♪ That your grace has come to me ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Grace and peace, oh, how can this be ♪ ♪ That songs of gratefulness ever rise, never cease ♪ ♪ Loved by God and called as a saint ♪ ♪ My heart is satisfied in the riches of Christ ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Oh, what an amazing mystery ♪ ♪ What an amazing mystery ♪ ♪ That your grace has come to me ♪ ♪ Grace has come to me ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ What an amazing love I see ♪ ♪ What an amazing love I see ♪ ♪ That your grace has come to me, oh ♪ ♪ What an amazing love I see ♪ ♪ What an amazing love I see ♪ ♪ That your grace has come to me ♪ ♪ Your grace has come to me ♪ ♪ Your grace has come to me ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ What an amazing love I see ♪ ♪ What an amazing love I see ♪ ♪ That your grace has come to me ♪ ♪ Your grace has come to me ♪ (upbeat music) , (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) (gentle music) - Good morning, church family.

Happy Lord's Day. We will now begin our service. (upbeat music) (gentle music) Sing, I will offer up my life. ♪ I will offer up my life in spirit and truth ♪ ♪ Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to you ♪ ♪ Surrender, I must give my every part ♪ ♪ Lord, receive the sacrifice of a broken heart ♪ ♪ Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring ♪ ♪ To so faithful a friend, to so loving a king ♪ ♪ Savior, what can be said, what can be sung ♪ ♪ As a praise of your name for the things you have done ♪ ♪ Oh, my words could not tell, not even in part ♪ ♪ Of the debt of the world that is owed ♪ ♪ By this faithful heart ♪ (gentle music) ♪ You deserve, you deserve my every breath ♪ ♪ For you paid the great cost ♪ ♪ Giving up your life to death, even death on a cross ♪ ♪ You took all my shame away, there defeated my sin ♪ ♪ Opened up the gates of heaven and I'm back in the end ♪ ♪ Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring ♪ ♪ To so faithful a friend, to so loving a king ♪ ♪ Savior, what can be said, what can be sung ♪ ♪ As a praise of your name for the things you have done ♪ ♪ Oh, my words could not tell, not even in part ♪ ♪ Of the debt of the world that is owed ♪ ♪ By this thankful heart ♪ ♪ Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring ♪ ♪ To so faithful a friend, to so loving a king ♪ ♪ Savior, what can be said, what can be sung ♪ ♪ As a praise of your name for the things you have done ♪ ♪ Oh, my words could not tell, not even in part ♪ ♪ Of the debt of the world that is owed ♪ ♪ Of the debt of the world that is owed ♪ ♪ By this thankful heart ♪ (music ends) - All right, good morning.

Welcome to Breen Community Church. Let me get started with a few announcements. First of all, you got this invitation card when you were coming in. This is the invitation for our Christmas service that's happening on the 22nd. And again, we wanna take every opportunity that we have when you know that your family and friends are coming, that we, as we share about the meaning of Christmas and obviously there's going to be a clear gospel presentation on that day.

And so for you to prepare for that as well, but also you can take it and then you can just, even if you just hand it out to one person or your neighbors or coworkers or whatever it is, to take that opportunity. So we have some today, and then the rest of it, we have the bulk of it coming next week.

So if you didn't get one, grab one. If you need more, you can grab some as you're going out. But please use this as an opportunity to, even if they don't come, to be able to break the ice and share the gospel with them about the meaning of Christmas and be able to share with them the gospel, okay?

Along with that, every Christmas, we have a Lottie Moon Christmas mission offering that we take, and this is to support the mission work that's taking place. Again, as you guys know, we have Pastor Alex who is out in Taiwan that we are supporting, but we are supporting through the Lottie Moon offering, our annual offering.

And so if you go online when you give, there's going to be an area through the subsplash where you designate it toward the Christmas mission offering. So if you give it to them, our finance department is gonna be able to separate that from the regular offering. And then, so typically in the past, we just did it on that day, but we're gonna start even today.

It's gonna be open up until the 22nd. So whatever offering that comes in is designated for the Lottie Moon offering, for the mission offering, please designate it for that, and then we'll be able to send that over as soon as we get it. And then, again, up to the 22nd, okay?

So if you have a physical offering, we have a physical offering box. If you have a check, make sure you designate it that this is for Lottie Moon offering, and it's for the next three weeks. Again, that offering will specifically go for that. College Study Hall, the end of the quarter, College Study Hall is happening, starting next Sunday to Tuesday.

So they're asking that if you are willing and you're able to get signups for snacks and various things to just kind of encourage them, you can sign up for that, and then you can drop it off in the cafe area, starting next Sunday to Tuesday. Annual ping pong tournament is happening on December 31st, 5 p.m.

here in the sanctuary. So if you're interested in signing up for that, again, the ping pong tournament happens from 5 p.m. to about 9 p.m., and then we have our annual end of the year service, and you can just stick around or go grab dinner and come back. But if you're planning to sign up, there will be a signup table as you're going outside.

There'll be a table outside so you can sign up there. Also for the BBA and WBBA. This is for the members or people who are becoming members in the church for the purpose of fellowship within the church. If you are planning to sign up, please sign up, go outside, and then sign up at the table as you're going out for all three services.

And then finally, our BAM retreat. The theme is Run to Win, and it's gonna be in January 31st to February 2nd at Pali Retreat, assuming that there's no natural disasters or the roads are still working, that retreat is gonna be happening. And the space is limited, okay? Last time, I think they had over, more than 200 people sign up for this, so there's a cap in the space.

So if you're planning to go, please sign up early. Our pastor that's gonna come and speak for us is Pastor Ian Kwon on the theme of Run to Win, okay? So please sign up for that. That is also happening outside as you are exiting. You'll see it run into a table, and please sign up for that as well.

I think that's all for the announcements. Let me pray for us, and then I'll give you a minute to give your offering. Again, if you have a physical offering, please drop it off on the box on the way out, all right? Let's pray. Gracious Father, we thank you so much for today.

We thank you, Father, for sustaining us and giving us a pause, Lord, in our schedule to give thanks to all the things that you've been doing in our lives and things that we are thankful for, things that we ought to be thankful for, and we ask, Lord God, that as we have come to worship you, that it may be an overflow of the gratitude in our hearts, Lord God, that we give to you.

May this time be a pleasing aroma to you. May the giving be given as an act of obedience, an act of worship, and may it be multiplied for the sake of your kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) Let us all rise and let's spend a few moments to greet the neighbors around us.

(gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) ♪ Holy is the Son of God ♪ (gentle piano music) ♪ None can stand before his majesty ♪ ♪ Beautiful beyond her eyes ♪ ♪ Worthy, he is worthy ♪ ♪ Holy is the Word of God ♪ ♪ He is worthy, Lord, he is worthy ♪ ♪ Come to play the rebel and the wretch ♪ ♪ Worthy, he is worthy ♪ ♪ Glory and honor of God ♪ ♪ He is great, he is in your name ♪ ♪ He is in your name ♪ ♪ No one can rival your glory and fame ♪ ♪ He lives by the name of Jesus ♪ (gentle piano music) ♪ Holy, holy is the Lamb of God ♪ ♪ Can't today forget the power of grace ♪ ♪ Rising from the grave to reign over us ♪ ♪ Worthy, he is worthy ♪ ♪ Glory and honor of God ♪ ♪ He is in your name ♪ ♪ He is in your name ♪ ♪ No one can rival your glory and fame ♪ ♪ He lives by the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Holy, holy, Lord almighty ♪ ♪ Worthy is your name ♪ ♪ Holy, holy, not beside you ♪ ♪ Greatly to be praised ♪ ♪ Holy, holy, Lord almighty ♪ ♪ Worthy is your name ♪ ♪ Your name ♪ ♪ Holy, holy, not beside you ♪ ♪ Greatly to be praised ♪ ♪ Holy, holy, Lord almighty ♪ ♪ He is in your name ♪ ♪ He is in your name ♪ ♪ No one can rival your glory and fame ♪ ♪ He lives by the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ No one can rival your glory and fame ♪ ♪ He lives by the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Holy, holy, Lord almighty ♪ ♪ Worthy is your name ♪ ♪ Holy, holy, not beside you ♪ ♪ Greatly to be praised ♪ ♪ Praised ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Your will, your will be done ♪ ♪ By God and Father ♪ ♪ As in heaven, so on earth ♪ ♪ My heart is drawn to self-exalting ♪ ♪ Help me seek your kingdom first ♪ ♪ As Jesus walked, so I shall walk ♪ ♪ Held by your same unchanging love ♪ ♪ Be still my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, lift your voice and pray ♪ ♪ Father, not my will, but yours be done ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ How in that garden he persisted ♪ ♪ I may never fully know ♪ ♪ The fearful weight of true obedience ♪ ♪ It was held by him alone ♪ ♪ What wondrous fate to bear that cross ♪ ♪ To bear my sin ♪ ♪ What wondrous love, my hope was sure ♪ ♪ When there my Savior prayed ♪ ♪ Father, not my will, but yours be done ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ When I am lost, when I am broken ♪ ♪ In the night of fear and doubt ♪ ♪ Still I will trust in my good Father ♪ ♪ Lest to one breaking I bow ♪ ♪ As Jesus rose, so I shall rise ♪ ♪ In ransom glory at the throne ♪ ♪ My heart restored ♪ ♪ With all your saints I sing ♪ ♪ Father, not my will, but yours be done ♪ (upbeat music) is we go forth, as we go forth, our God and Father.

♪ Lead us steadily in the fight ♪ ♪ That all the world might see your glory ♪ ♪ And your name be lifted high ♪ ♪ And in this day we overcome ♪ ♪ For you shall see us safely whole ♪ ♪ Now as your church we lift our voice and pray ♪ ♪ Father, not my will, but yours be done ♪ ♪ And in this day we overcome ♪ ♪ For you shall see us safely whole ♪ ♪ Now as your church we lift our voice and pray ♪ ♪ Father, not my will, but yours be done ♪ ♪ Father, not my will, but yours be done ♪ ♪ Father, not my will, but yours be done ♪ (upbeat music) Amen, you may be seated.

If you can turn your Bibles to Luke chapter nine, be reading from verse 57 to 62. Luke chapter nine, verse 57 to 62. Okay, reading out of the NASB. As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes "and the birds of the air have nests, "but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." And he said to another, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go "and bury my father." But he said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead, "but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere "the kingdom of God." Another also said, "I will follow you, Lord, "but first permit me to say goodbye to those at home." But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand "to the plow and looking back, "is fit for the kingdom of God." Let's pray.

Father, we pray for deeper understanding. We pray for conviction from your word that we'd be obedient to you, that we would not simply be hearers but to be doers. May the power of your word affect us, mold us, and challenge us, that we may conform to the image of Christ in every way.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Just as a quick review to understand where this very difficult teaching is coming from. Up to this point, Jesus has been doing public ministry, and so he's been somewhat rejected. After he feeds the 5,000, he turns his attention to the 12 disciples, preparing them to go to the cross.

So he's been revealing himself. He asked them, "Who do men say that I am, "but who do you say that I am? "And upon this confession, I will build my church, "and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." And then he's been instructing them, preparing them for the cross.

He's about six months away before he goes, and he's already warned his disciples where he's going, but they don't fully understand because they think that at the end of this journey, he's gonna be sitting on his throne, and so they're thinking who's gonna benefit the most, who's gonna sit on the left and who's gonna sit on the right.

That's the mindset of where they are at, and that's not just unique to the disciples. Other people are clamoring and fighting to get to Jesus, not only to get to Jesus, but can they possibly be part of his disciples who are walking with him? Jesus says three very difficult things here.

Now, you might just hear it and say, well, maybe this is just for the disciples. This is not for everybody. This is not a calling for every person who wants to follow Christ. Could it possibly be? If you've already read the text, you may have just kind of skimmed over it and say, wow, Jesus was very harsh, and who would follow Christ if this was the criteria for following Jesus?

And so we may just dismiss it and say, this doesn't apply to him, or maybe the time is different. Jesus already went to the cross, and that's not what he expects from us today. We're gonna look carefully, and we're gonna see that this is exactly the calling of every disciple, and the question that we need to ask ourselves is, have you made this commitment?

Would you follow this Christ? Not a Christ that's been watered down, not a Christ that's been made to fit our culture and our generation, not a Christ that's going to challenge our way of life, but if this is what Jesus said to follow me, would you come? Can you imagine if we had a evangelical crusade, and we had all the best speakers of our generation come and give a presentation, and then said, if anybody wishes to come after me, come down to this aisle, raise your hand, and say the sinner's prayer, but then before you say this sinner's prayer, I want you to know exactly what is required of you.

I need you to come down with your bags packed. 'Cause we're gonna get on a plane, we're gonna go to the remotest part of the world, and I'm not, I can't guarantee that we're gonna have a house to stay in, I can't guarantee that we're gonna be able to eat well, I can't guarantee if we're gonna be even comfortable, we may even die early, but pack your bags and come after me, and they said, well, what about my parents?

He said, no, let the dead bury the dead, you come with me. And he said, well, let me go back and at least say goodbye to my family. He said, he who puts his hands to the plow and turns back is not worthy of the kingdom of God. Now, you need to come now.

If you want to receive Christ and follow me, get your bags, come down, and we're gonna leave. How many people would come? How many people would come? Even the ones who say, I do wanna come, would hesitate. Yet that's exactly what Jesus says here. That's exactly what Jesus says here.

So, is this actually to be applied? Or is this just for the 12 disciples? Or the man who was asking? Is this only relevant to the first century? Or is this actually something that we are to apply? When Jesus says, to deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow me, was that just to the disciples, or is that relevant today?

Isn't that a question that really is important to all of us? If he is requiring this as discipleship for every single person, who have made this decision? Who had committed their life to Christ, if this is the criteria to follow Jesus? Let me look at three things that he says here, and every single one of them is difficult, but it's gonna get exponentially difficult as he goes down.

First, he says to count the cost. Luke chapter 9, 57 to 58, it says, as they were going along the road, someone said to him, I will follow you wherever you go. You notice here, he doesn't say, can I follow you? He says, I will follow you. And it's almost kind of like he's doing him a favor.

I'll follow you. Part of the reason why he says this so boldly is because the parallel passage in Matthew 8 says, it was a scribe who was coming to him and asking him, I'll follow you. A scribe at that time was kind of a celebrity figure. He was already what's considered a religious giant.

He was the expert of the law. He was a lawyer of the town. So if you had any questions about your faith, about the Sabbath law and any tradition, this is the guy you would go to. So if you ask, who would be one of Jesus' followers, if the Messiah comes, he's gonna pick only 12 people, the scribe would definitely be part of that group, at least most people would have thought.

So the scribe comes to him and says, I'll follow you. Maybe these other people, they don't know who you are, but let me follow you. Jesus, instead of saying, welcome, he says, foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.

Now, reason why he calls himself the Son of Man, he used that title of himself more than any other title. And there's a reason behind that, because there was a specific prophecy about the Messiah that was gonna come in Daniel chapter seven and he said, that king, that anointed one, when he comes, the Son of Man, when he comes, he's going to have an everlasting kingdom.

He's gonna be an everlasting king. They're gonna call him the Ancient of Days. So this was not an ordinary man. This was a very specific prophecy, even though the term Son of Man is used for other people, Jesus was using this as a title of a fulfillment of the Messiah.

And the reason why he's using this term is because they thought that if they followed the Son of Man, the Messiah, the anointed king, he's gonna obviously gonna go sit on his throne. If a king comes, obviously he's gonna sit on his throne. And so the disciples were thinking, if we follow this king, we're gonna be part of his cabinet members to sit on his left and sit on his right.

And so probably the scribe was thinking the same thing, that if I follow the Son of Man, this king, that I'm gonna be elevated, even though he's already in an elevated position religiously, but then clearly following the Messiah is going to, there's gonna be some side benefits to this.

And that's why he says, I will follow you. But Jesus' answer to him is, even the animals have a place to raise their head. Even the birds, insignificant animals, but the king of Israel has nowhere to rest his head. In other words, he's saying he's homeless. In other words, what he's saying is two things here.

One, he doesn't have a home yet. In fact, he left his home in order to come. He did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. So one, he's left his home for the purpose of this mission. And two, that he is engaged in this work tirelessly.

You know, we live different when we're not home, right? We don't buy things. We don't seek for the most comfortable place, even though we may be on vacation, 'cause it's not our home. Even if it's not the most uncomfortable, I mean, not the most comfortable and it's not the best food, we know we're not home.

And so he is reminding the scribe and his disciples that the Son of Man, the king of Israel, did not come to be served. The foxes have holes, but the words of the heirs have nests, but the king of Israel has nowhere to rest. In other words, we're not gonna end up what you think is gonna happen.

You think that I'm gonna go to Jerusalem and I'm gonna conquer Rome and I'm gonna sit on my throne. That's not what he came to do. He came to seek and save the lost. In John 10, 16, Jesus says, "I have other sheep "which are not of this fold.

"I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice "and they will become one flock with one shepherd." Not only did I come to seek and save the lost in Israel, but this work is gonna continue to the remotest part of the world. And so every one of his disciples are gonna continue the work that the Son of Man came to do, that it's not gonna stop at the cross, it's gonna continue.

Second Thessalonians 3, 3-1, Apostle Paul says, "Finally, brethren, "pray for us that the word of the Lord "will spread rapidly and be glorified "just as it did also with you." And Apostle Paul lived like he was gonna die tomorrow. And every one of those disciples, every one of those disciples did exactly what Jesus told them to do.

They didn't understand. They thought he was going to the cross. When Jesus started going to the cross, they were confused and they abandoned him, but after the resurrection, they realized what Jesus was saying is exactly what Jesus was requiring, and that's exactly what they did. Every single one of them left everything behind and gave their life to continue the work of what Christ did on the cross.

Jesus says from the beginning to count the cost, to count the cost. In our generation, in our culture, because we're trying to attract as many people as possible, and with that paradigm, we try to make it as easy as possible for sinners to feel comfortable at church. Unrepentant sinners who have not fully devoted themselves to Christ yet have not committed themselves to Christ yet, but we want to make it comfortable.

So we want to have programs for children. We want to have certain organizations. We want to have a building. We want to have our service time that's going to be convenient for the most people. We don't want people to drive more than 30, 40, 50 minutes, or else people aren't going to come.

So we are trying our best to attract uncommitted people to be comfortable at church. And as a result of that, we have a church generation filled with people who have not decided to follow Christ, but who are active members in the church. And Jesus was telling them right off the bat, from the very get-go, to count the cost.

Jesus says in Luke chapter 14, 28, "You don't start building a tower "until you have calculated that you have enough to finish." You would be a fool if you started to build a home, and you only have enough to build a foundation, and you don't have the rest. You would not even begin.

And then he says in verse 31, "A king is not going to go into battle "if he sees an army coming with 20,000 soldiers, "and you only have 10. "And in your calculation, "you're not going to be able to conquer this king, "so you're not going to engage this battle." Jesus uses that as an illustration about following Christ.

Have you count the cost? What is required of you? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ? Or, have you just thought, you know, if I just go to church, I'm not going to church if I go to church. I'm not serving if I serve the church.

And you have retained everything of your old life. Nothing has been abandoned, but you've retained everything of your old life. So every once in a while, when you get poked in the area where you're uncomfortable, there's a little bit of discomfort, or maybe even a little bit of pushback.

A few weeks ago. You know, this is a commonly known thing among all the pastors in my generation. Don't talk about money in the church. 'Cause you're going to get a pushback. I can talk about sexual immorality, we can talk about faithfulness to the church, to your wife, to your children, we can talk about all of these things, and people will maybe even thank you for it.

But if you talk about money, there's going to be pushback. Has God really said that? Is the church just doing this and that? Because he says where your treasure is, there your heart is. And so a few weeks ago, I gave one of our covenants is to tithe and to give, and to establish Christ as Lord over your life.

And I already know. It's going to make a lot of people feel uncomfortable. Even the people who've been walking with the Lord for many years are going to feel uncomfortable. Because at the core of what we value is represented in money. So when Christ is not Lord over money, we can give everything else, as long as I retain my security, because money represents my time, my life, my security, my peace.

And so when we are challenged in that area, which Jesus talks about very often, said, well, I gave all this other stuff, but this stuff I need. Jesus said, if you follow me, I don't even have a place to rest my head. I didn't even prioritize where I'm going to sleep if you follow me.

You sure you want to follow me? In Luke 14, 33, so then none of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. Not just your time, not just your intellect, not just your Saturdays or extra time. He says, all your possessions. That's not Berean community church.

In fact, Jesus says this over and over and over again, because he knows exactly, he knows exactly where our treasure in our life is. It's in our bank accounts. As long as my bank account is secure, as long as my house and my investments are doing well, as long as you don't challenge me in this area, then everything else I can offer up to God.

And Jesus says, if you follow me, foxes have holes, birds of the air has nests, but the Son of Man, you sure you want to follow me? I don't even have a home to rest my head. Who would want to follow this Jesus? Now, the Jesus of our culture, follow Jesus, and if you pray enough, and if you maybe even give a little bit, God's going to bless you, and your family's going to be taken care of, you're going to have plenty to retire on, and everything that, well, you're going to maintain, but Jesus is a way to have what you desire, but he's going to make it even better.

Just trust him. Now, that Jesus, many will follow, but this Jesus, it gets worse, right? So if that shook you up, this is going to get even worse. He says in Luke 9, 59 to 60, and he said to the brother, another, follow me, but he said, Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father, but he said to him, allow the dead to bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.

Wait a second, I can't even go back home to bury my father? If I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, I can't even bury my father, what's going on here? I mean, the Bible, in the 10 Commandments, it says if you want to live long and prosper, honor your father and mother.

In fact, he rebukes the scribes and the Pharisees for dedicating a certain amount of money to the temple called the Korban, and then using that as an excuse, I don't have enough to support my parents, and he rebukes them for that. He rebukes them for not honoring their father and mother, and you have to remember, this is an Asian culture.

This is a very Asian culture, and I'm not saying the Western culture don't care about parents, but this is highlighted in particular in an Asian culture. This is something that I learned growing up as a Korean American. I realized growing up that in the Korean context and many other Asian contexts, you don't say somebody is mature until they learn to honor your father and mother.

You can be independent, make a lot of money, and become a big name in society, but until you recognize the people who sacrificed for you, you're not really mature. That's not unique to Korea, that's an Asian culture. And so this guy was basically saying, "Let me go back and take care of my dad," and Jesus says, "Leave him.

"Let the dead bury the dead." If you look at the context, he's not referring to a father who's died, because by Jewish law, he had to go back and bury him. If his father was dead, he wouldn't be able to be walking around, even talking to Jesus, 'cause he had to be isolated for seven days, up to even 30 days, 'cause he would've been considered unclean, handling his dead father's body, and he would've made other people who came into contact with him unclean.

So the fact that he's even having a conversation with Jesus is probably his father is not dead. In fact, that term, bury my father, is a Middle Eastern term that is still even used up to this day, and that term, bury my father, basically means let me go home and take care of my family first.

So after my father is old and he dies, and then I get his inheritance, and I don't have to worry about my family anymore, then let me follow you. He's addressing the condition of that person's heart, where he says, "I will follow you "once I've taken care of everything I need to take care of." The struggle with many believers is not a struggle between good and evil.

That's easy. Good and evil, that's easy. Normally the struggle is between good and what's best. What's best. Usually when we say to God, not yet, it's not because, oh, I wanna experience the world, and I wanna sow my roots and do whatever I want, and then I'll follow Jesus.

That person probably isn't even a Christian. Most people's struggle is not that. And we never say no, we say not yet. Maybe once my children are a little bit older, maybe once I have the bank account, and maybe once the retirement is taken care of, once the mortgage is, once my kid's a certain way, and once I get married, and so if you're 20, you say, well, right now I need to fixate on my career, and then once you get married, then I gotta take care of my wife and my children, then you get a little bit older, once my parents are taken care of, and for the rest of your life, there's always something that you need to be responsible for and you make taking care of your family equal to following Jesus Christ.

Jesus says, let the dead bury the dead. What he's saying is very difficult to swallow. Who would follow this Jesus? Luke 14, 26 is if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

If you're joining us for the first time, what kind of a church is this? Like, I don't want my kids coming to this church. What I read to you is not a doctrine of Berean community church, I just read to you from scripture. In fact, Jesus repeats this over and over again in his teaching.

The priority of Christ above all things. But again, the question is, who would follow this Jesus? The Jesus of our culture, the Jesus kind of like take all the sharp edges off, Jesus who doesn't judge and love you unconditionally no matter what you do, Jesus who supports you, Jesus who is gonna give you glory one day, but he says, follow me, I'm homeless.

Leave your family now and come after me. Well, it gets even worse than that. In verse 61 and 62, he says, complete undivided attention and loyalty to him. Another also said, I will follow you, Lord, but first permit me to say goodbye to those at home. Jesus said, no one after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.

All he's asking is to go home and say goodbye, and Jesus says, no. How do you understand this? What is he saying? Well, he explains when he says, no one after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. He's addressing somebody who is committed, but he's constantly looking back at what he left behind.

You need to be completely, completely committed to me. You notice here of the three things that he says and the two harder things that he says, well, let the dead bury the dead and don't even say goodbye, come now. They both pertain to family. They both pertain to family, especially in an Asian culture.

Those of you who've traveled and did missions, when we just came back from Taiwan, and one of the biggest obstacles of bringing somebody to Christ is their family. They will come and say, you know, it makes sense to me and I want to follow Jesus, but if I follow Jesus, it would mean that my parents are gonna disown me, that all the things that we've learned, ancestral worship and all this stuff, my parents are gonna think, but we're abandoning them.

We saw the same thing in Japan. Where people were interested and they're taught, you know what they're saying, like a nail that sticks out gets hammered first and you see that everywhere in the culture. Everybody just is forced to conform and so everything is done excellently because nobody rebels, not publicly.

And that's part of the main reason why people are unwilling to make that decision. They'll say, I'm interested, it makes sense, I want to be your friend, but to make that final decision to follow Christ, they say, my parents are gonna disown me. In fact, not only are they gonna disown me, this is a betrayal to our country to accept this foreign God into our home.

So they'll come right to the gate and never make that decision. We see the same thing in India. They'll hear the gospel and from the pressure from family, 'cause they know they're gonna be disowned, and the group of pastors that we work with, that's exactly what happened to them.

A former Hindu priest who became a Christian was kicked out of his home. His father kicked him out with three small children. He was left wandering in the streets, sharing the gospel from village to village. And in fear, in fear of that, people will not make that decision and people will say, you're betraying not only your family, but your country.

And so even the people who are interested will come right to the door and never fully commit. But you know what's interesting here is that would never happen here. Not because there's no pressure, not because the call is any different for us, it's because the church is more than willing to accommodate the uncommitted.

I've given portions, bits and pieces, but not all. I know you guys are probably already uncomfortable, right? Is he gonna end the sermon this way, right? Well, I mean, you read what I read. You're seeing what I'm seeing. But the question is, who would follow this Jesus? If this Jesus was preached, if this is what they understood in the masses that are coming, when they say 100,000, 200,000, two million people came to Christ, how many people heard this before they came to Christ?

Let me give you a simple answer to that. Not only do people make commitments like this, they get anxious when they don't. And let me tell you what I mean by that. Some of you in this, even here in the congregation, like I've officiated your wedding. If I officiated your wedding, your vows, 'cause I've never changed the vows since the first time I started it, right?

And so even if I didn't officiate your wedding, maybe one of the other pastors officiated the wedding, their wedding vows were similar. And it contained something like this, okay? So if I officiated, you said this. I'm gonna remind you in case you forgot. I so and so, right, this is the guys portion, take so and so as my lawfully wedded wife.

Easy, that part. I promise to love her sacrificially as Christ loved the church. How did Christ love the church? He died. He gave his life. Maybe you didn't understand what you were saying, right? Not only did you make this vow, you invited all your family and friends. Some 30, some five, six, 700 people in front of them, you said, I'm today going to die for my wife.

From this day forward, as Jesus died for me, I'm gonna die for my wife. I will protect and provide for her to the best of my ability from this day forward for better or for worse, whether she deserves it or not, for richer or for poorer, whether I have money or not, in sickness and in health till death do us part, until I can't anymore because I'm no longer living.

Not only did you make this vow, you had a celebration afterwards. You didn't make this vow and then go home and mourn. I died today. She made me do it. And I did it in front of everybody, so now I can't turn back. No. Here's the women's portion. I so and so take so and so as my lawfully wedded husband, easy.

I promise to honor and submit to his leadership as the church does to Christ. Submit to his leadership? This guy? This guy, as church does to Christ? He's our Lord and Savior. He's our King of kings and Lord of lords. I'm gonna submit to him as the church submits to him?

Are you serious? Not only did you make that vow, you invited hundreds of your family and friends and you also celebrated. Many of you are sitting here praying that you get an opportunity to do this with somebody. There's a portion of that vow making where you say, where the pastor will say, what God has put together, let no man separate from this day forward, that man will leave his father and mother and he will cling to his new wife and husband.

What God put together, let no man separate. And then you get to kiss your bride. Not once did I have anybody protest, leave my father and mother to sacrifice, to love her more than willing, happy to do it, celebrate it. You have anniversary pictures hanging on the wall to remind you of this covenant death that you took.

That you're gonna give your life to submission to this man and you celebrate every year you get together and if somebody forgets, you get hurt because they forgot this anniversary. Why was it a given that when you entered this covenant relationship with another human being, you rejoice? When the creator of our soul demands it, why do we say it's too much?

Is he worth less than our wife? Is he worth less than our husband? In fact, in Ephesians chapter five, it tells us as he lays out the relationship between husband and wife, you know how that ends. At the end of that, he says, this is really not about husband and wife.

I'm just giving you illustrations so that you can understand the relationship between God and his church. Every wedding ceremony is not ultimately about you. It's to remind us of him, that the real wedding ceremony is gonna happen, real banquet is gonna happen when Christ comes and all he is demanding is the same thing that your wife and your husband would demand because of the preciousness and the value of that covenant that you're entering.

Can you imagine entering in a covenant and the husband says, I will love you when it is convenient? I'll try not to look at other girls, but you know, I'm a human being. I'll take care of you when it's convenient. And if it doesn't work out, so be it.

Who would enter that covenant? What wife, what father, what mother-in-law would be there to celebrate with you for that covenant? What wife should enter into a covenant saying, you know what, I'm just gonna submit to the things that are easy. I'm gonna follow you and I'm gonna honor you if you deserve it.

Hopefully you can earn my respect. Even though we may struggle with the covenant, every single one of us recognize it's a good covenant. It's what causes us to persevere through tough times, it's what causes us to prioritize our wife and husband, it's what causes us and reminds us of preciousness of what we have entered.

It reminds us of preciousness of my wife and the priority of my wife, even though we may struggle with it, nobody says we should change that covenant. It's asking too much. No, nobody says that. In fact, over and over again, I have forgotten, so I need to go back.

Jesus is calling us to a covenant relationship with him. Not just casually to admire him, not just casually say, you know what, I'm gonna follow him when it's convenient. Not simply because he loves us this much, which he does, because of the work that he has committed to. Every once in a while, I'll counsel somebody and somebody says, you know, my future husband says he wants to be a missionary, but I'm not sure if that's what I want to do.

Is he really committed? Yes, he's committed. He's been praying about this since he was a child and he's gonna go out to missions. I want to marry him, but I'm not sure if that's what I want to be. What do you think I should tell that person? Marry him and see what happens.

Let's see who wins. Do you think that's a good counsel? Let's see who wins. Let's see who's more spiritual. Let's see who's more spiritual. Let's see who wins. Let's see who's more stubborn. Marry him and fight him, right? Fight him so that he doesn't go. Do you think that's a good counsel?

No, the right counsel would be you can't marry him then. You can't marry him. He's not saying he's gonna be a drunkard. He said he wants to carry the gospel to the remotest part of the world and he's looking for somebody to join him and you say you don't want to go, but you want to marry him.

Not only is Jesus worth our devotion, Jesus said this is what he has come to do. Hebrews 12, two to three, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. Why do you enter into this covenant with your husband and wife?

Because of the joy set before you, because this covenant is going to make you happy. Nobody forced you, you volunteered and you rejoiced, you celebrate every year. Because of the joy set before you, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God, consider him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

When you see what he says from that perspective, not only does it not sound unreasonable, what he demands of his people is beautiful. It's because he has committed to us. It's because he has committed to us. He is our groom, we are his bride. And so he's not simply asking to follow him, admire him.

He's asking us to join him, go where he goes, do what he does, sacrifice what he sacrifices. That as a son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many and to seek and save the lost, to come into a covenant relationship with Christ and join what he has committed to do.

Matthew 19, 29, everyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children, or farm for my name's sake, will receive many times as much and will inherit eternal life. Many who are first will be last and the last will be first. We're gonna open up the communion table. And if I can ask the leaders to come, we're gonna open up the communion table.

And I want to remind you again, just like we celebrate our wedding day, communion is an opportunity for us to celebrate our union with Christ. So if you have not united with Christ, if you have not repented of your sins, this is not a religious ceremony where if you just participate somehow, there's some benefit for you.

So we ask that you would stay seated and just be in quiet and prayer and contemplation before God. Those of you who are ready to come to celebrate this union, maybe you haven't thought about the covenant relationship with God in a while. And it's an opportunity for us before you come, search me and know me.

And maybe I was halfway in, maybe I was just picking and choosing. This I like, this I don't like, but you haven't fully surrendered to God. You've supposedly entered into a covenant relationship with one foot in and one foot out. To use this opportunity to rekindle your love for Christ.

Is he worth it? Do you believe that this covenant will lead to a greater joy in eternity? When you are ready, we ask that you would come one by one and let me ask the praise team to come. In 1 Corinthians 11, 23, it says, "For I received from the Lord "that which I also delivered to you, "that the Lord Jesus in the night "in which he was betrayed took bread.

"And when he had given thanks, "he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you. "Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, he took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is a new covenant in my blood. "Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.

"For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, "you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." After I pray, we're gonna sing our communion song. We're gonna sing that together. And then when you are ready, we ask you would come. Again, if you are looking for gluten-free, you go to that table, 'cause they have that set up for you on that side.

Those of you who are coming down the middle, the aisles are pretty tight, so we ask that you would make two lines. If you see it merging as one, make sure that you keep two lines, or else we're gonna create traffic up here. So two lines, and make sure you get yours, and then you go out to the side so that we don't create a traffic jam up here.

So let me pray for us, and then we're gonna take some time to prepare us before the communion table gets open. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this sacred time. As you told your disciples to now do this in remembrance of what you've done for us, as you delivered Israel, as you passed over, Lord God, your judgment upon this nation because of the blood of the Lamb.

We know, Father God, that we come to celebrate that our protection, our atonement, because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Help us to think deeply of what it is that we stand under, that we may love him, adore him, celebrate him, and proclaim him. May this sacred time cause us, Lord God, to be sanctified, and the church to be united unto the headship of Christ.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) This is my body. ♪ This is my body given for you ♪ ♪ This is the cup that holds the blood ♪ ♪ Of a new covenant ♪ ♪ This is forgiveness, simple and true ♪ ♪ This is the way that I have made for you ♪ ♪ Before you eat, before you drink ♪ ♪ Take a long look inside and tell me what you see ♪ ♪ He said do this in remembrance of me ♪ ♪ Do this in remembrance of me ♪ ♪ This is the bread of life broken for you ♪ ♪ This is the cup that holds the wine ♪ ♪ Of a new covenant ♪ ♪ This is the love of Christ poured out anew ♪ ♪ This is the son of God who died for you ♪ ♪ Before you eat, before you drink ♪ ♪ Take a long look inside and tell me what you see ♪ ♪ Then do this in remembrance of me ♪ ♪ Do this in remembrance of me ♪ ♪ Before you eat, before you drink ♪ ♪ Take a long look inside and tell me what you see ♪ ♪ Then do this in remembrance of me ♪ ♪ Do this in remembrance of me ♪ We invite you as you are ready to come one by one.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) - The table's gonna be closed in a minute, so if you haven't come up, we ask you to come.

(gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) - Father, we bless you and thank you and worship you for who you are in our lives. Lord, as you know that we are prone to wander and to be entangled with things in this world, help us, Lord God, that each time we come together as a church, especially as we celebrate communion, that you would remind us why we're here, why we live and have our being.

May Christ be exalted and that what we remember today would sanctify us, renew us, strengthen us, that we may follow Christ all our lives. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Let's all stand up for the closing praise. (gentle music) ♪ What gift of grace is Jesus my Redeemer ♪ ♪ There is no more for heaven now to give ♪ ♪ He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom ♪ ♪ My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace ♪ ♪ To this I hold my hope is only Jesus ♪ ♪ For my life is wholly bound to this ♪ ♪ Oh, how strange and divine ♪ ♪ I can see all is mine ♪ ♪ Yet not I but through Christ in you ♪ (gentle music) ♪ The night is dark but I am not forsaken ♪ ♪ For by my side the Savior he will stand ♪ ♪ I labor on in weakness and rejoice ♪ ♪ For in my need his power is displayed ♪ ♪ To this I hold my shepherd will defend me ♪ ♪ Through the deepest valley he will lead ♪ ♪ Oh, then I must move on and I shall overcome ♪ ♪ Yet not I but through Christ in you ♪ (gentle music) ♪ Fear I tremble, I know I am forgiven ♪ ♪ The future's sure, the price it has been paid ♪ ♪ For Jesus' blood has suffered for my heart ♪ ♪ And he was raised to overthrow the grave ♪ ♪ To this I hold my sinners will defeat him ♪ ♪ Jesus now and ever is my name ♪ ♪ Oh, how strange and divine ♪ ♪ I can see all is mine ♪ ♪ Yet not I but through Christ in you ♪ (gentle music) (singer vocalizing) ♪ We bow, I long to follow Jesus ♪ ♪ For he has said that he will bring me home ♪ ♪ And day by day I know my way ♪ (singer vocalizing) ♪ To this I hold my hope is hope that Jesus ♪ ♪ All the glory of his name ♪ (singer vocalizing) ♪ To this I hold my hope is hope that Jesus ♪ ♪ All the glory of his name ♪ (singer vocalizing) ♪ To this I hold my hope is hope that Jesus ♪ ♪ All the glory of his name ♪ (singer vocalizing) (singer vocalizing) ♪ This is complete still my life shall repeat ♪ ♪ Yet not I but through Christ in me ♪ ♪ Yet not I but through Christ in me ♪ ♪ Yet not I but through Christ in me ♪ - Let's pray.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God our savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.

(gentle music) ♪ God sent his son ♪ ♪ They called him Jesus ♪ ♪ He came to be loved ♪ ♪ He lived for them ♪ ♪ He lived and died ♪ ♪ To buy my pardon ♪ ♪ An empty grave is there too ♪ ♪ My savior lives ♪ ♪ Because he lives ♪ ♪ I can face tomorrow ♪ ♪ Because he lives ♪ ♪ All fear is gone ♪ ♪ Because I know ♪ ♪ He holds the future ♪ ♪ And life is worth the living ♪ ♪ Just because he lives ♪ ♪ Grace and peace ♪ ♪ Oh how can this be ♪ ♪ Lawbreakers and thieves ♪ ♪ For the worthless the least ♪ ♪ You have said that our judge ♪