Jesus Begins His Ministry

(Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-15)

The Priority of Discipleship

Matthew 8

21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."

22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.

Have You Counted the Cost?

Luke 14 28 "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit

down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it --

29 "lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

30 "saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'

31 "Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with

ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

32 "Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.

33 "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Are You Willing to Pay the Cost?

• John 15 18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

• John 17 14 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Darkness

Matthew 4

16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the

region and shadow of death Light has dawned."

The UrgentUrgent Message

Matthew 4

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is

at hand."

Have You Warned Those You Love?Mark 9

44 “where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’

Luke 16 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham,

have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this

flame.’

The Commitment Christ Requires:

Matthew 4 19 Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make

you fishers of men." 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Matthew 4 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers,

James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their

nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their

father, and followed Him.

Christianity Only When Convenient?

Acts 24

25 Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for

you."

“Go Ye Into the World…”

Matthew 28

19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

What will your destiny be?What will the destiny of loved ones, friends and neighbors

be?

What effect can you have

about that destiny?