JUNE 29th, Sermon & Ministry Resources

"FOLLOWING CHRIST WITHOUT RESERVATION" (Luke 9:51-62)

Lectionary Readings — Third Sunday after Pentecost — June 29, 2025

2 Kings 2:1-2,6-14; Psalm 77:1-2,11-20; Galatians 5:1,13-25; Luke 9:51-62

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Call to Worship (based on Luke 9:51-62)

Leader: When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

People: We come to worship, setting our faces toward God's purpose.

Leader: Jesus said, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

People: We follow Christ, not seeking comfort, but seeking the kingdom.

Leader: To another Jesus said, "Follow me." But he replied, "Let me first go and bury my father."

People: We choose to follow you today, O God, even when other duties call.

Leader: Jesus said, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

People: Give us focus and determination as we serve you without hesitation.

Leader: As we worship today, may our hearts be undivided.

All: We set aside our distractions and fix our eyes on Christ, ready to follow wherever he leads. Let us worship God!

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Opening Prayer (based on 2 Kings 2:1-2,6-14)

Let us pray:

Gracious and eternal God, we gather in Your presence today with hearts open to receive Your Spirit.

Like Elijah and Elisha journeying from Gilgal to Bethel, from Jericho to the Jordan, we come before You on our own journey of faith. Though the path isn't always clear, we trust that You walk alongside us.

Lord, we ask for the courage of Elisha, who refused to leave his teacher's side even when the road grew difficult. Grant us that same determination to follow where You lead, saying with confidence, "As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you."

Divine Creator, in the moments when we face our own Jordan Rivers—those barriers that seem impossible to cross—remind us of Your power to part the waters. When we feel inadequate to the tasks before us, help us remember Elisha, who picked up the mantle of his mentor and struck the water with faith.

May we, like Elisha, be bold enough to ask for a double portion of Your Spirit. Not for our glory, but that we might serve others with compassion and wisdom.

In this time of worship, may our eyes be opened to see the chariots of fire that surround us—Your presence that never leaves us, Your love that never fails us.

We pray this in Your holy name, Amen.

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Sermon Outline: [NOTE to Paid subscribers — scroll down for the full manuscript sermon].

[Note: All Scripture is taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.]

Sermon Outline: "FOLLOWING CHRIST WITHOUT RESERVATION"

Based on Luke 9:51-62

INTRODUCTION:

• Brief overview of the passage's context: Jesus is "setting his face toward Jerusalem," marking a pivotal moment in his ministry as he begins the journey that will lead to the cross

• Note the determination in Jesus' posture and the challenging encounters that follow

• Thesis: Following Jesus demands a forward-focused faith that doesn't look back or make excuses

I. FIXED FOCUS (vv. 51-53)

• Jesus' unwavering determination

  • "He set his face to go to Jerusalem" - idiom indicating resolute commitment

  • Understanding what awaited him in Jerusalem (suffering and death)

  • The Samaritan rejection as the first obstacle

• Application for believers today:

  • The importance of spiritual determination

  • Identifying our "Jerusalem" - God's clear calling despite difficulties

  • Handling rejection when following God's path

II. FORSAKING FURY (vv. 54-56)

• The disciples' misguided zeal

  • James and John wanting to call fire from heaven

  • Their misunderstanding of Jesus' mission and methods

  • Jesus' rebuke - revealing his heart of redemption, not destruction

• Application for believers today:

  • Recognizing when our religious passion becomes harmful

  • Replacing retribution with redemption in our interactions

  • Understanding the difference between defending faith and distorting it

III. FOLLOWING FULLY (vv. 57-62)

• The cost of discipleship illustrated in three encounters

  • First follower: Comfort vs. commitment (vv. 57-58)

  • Second follower: Competing priorities (vv. 59-60)

  • Third follower: Complete dedication (vv. 61-62)

• Application for believers today:

  • Examining our own excuses and hesitations

  • Recognizing that half-hearted discipleship is ineffective

  • Understanding that following Jesus is an all-or-nothing proposition

IV. FORWARD FAITH

• The forward direction of authentic discipleship

  • Why looking back hinders spiritual growth

  • How nostalgia, regret, or attachment to the past prevents progress

  • Jesus' call to a future-oriented faith

• Application for believers today:

  • Practical steps for maintaining forward momentum in faith

  • Leaving behind what holds us back

  • The freedom found in single-minded devotion to Christ

CONCLUSION:

• Recap of the three main points: Fixed Focus, Forsaking Fury, Following Fully

• Challenge to evaluate our own level of commitment

• Closing illustration of what forward-facing faith looks like in practice

• Invitation to respond with renewed commitment to follow Christ without reservation

Full Manuscript Sermon Below for Paid Subscribers