08/31/2026
Sermon of the Week: The Way of the Disciple is the Way of the Cross
Sermon Summary: This sermon calls believers to embrace the full cost of discipleship, which involves three essential commitments: denying oneself, taking up the cross, and following Jesus. Cn. Elizabeth emphasizes that disciples are meant to follow behind or beside Jesus, never ahead of him, as getting ahead of God leads to pride-driven agendas that can obstruct the gospel. True self-denial flows from love for Christ, who himself denied the splendor of eternity to become human for our sake. Taking up the cross means embracing suffering as a shaping force that conforms us to the image of Christ. Following Jesus is expressed through two forms of abiding: intimate personal prayer and communal life with the body of Christ. The sermon draws on Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 10 to show that disciples are one body sharing a common life, a koinonia that goes far deeper than mere fellowship. Cn. Elizabeth is clear that none of this is achievable apart from God's grace, and that believers must pursue the life of becoming Christlike both individually and together.
Key Points:
✅ Disciples are called to remain behind or beside Jesus, never ahead of him, as self-driven agendas can make a person an obstacle to the gospel
✅ Self-denial looks different for each person depending on their particular struggles, but always involves humility, releasing control, and setting aside personal desires for the sake of others
✅ Humility is a spiritual weapon against the powers of darkness, rooted in James 4:10, which calls believers to humble themselves before God
✅ Taking up the cross means embracing suffering rather than resisting it, allowing it to do its transformative work in shaping us into the image of Christ
✅ Abiding in Jesus happens in two ways: through solitary, silent prayer in the intimacy of personal devotion, and through communal life and participation in the Eucharist
✅ The Greek word koinonia, often translated as fellowship, more accurately means a shared life, pointing to a deep mutual participation among believers and with Christ
✅ Romans 12 calls believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, to honor one another above themselves, and to live in harmony as one body with many parts
✅ Everything believers offer to God has first been given to them by God; apart from Christ, believers have nothing
✅ Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together is cited as an encouragement for solitary believers to push toward community, and for community-dependent believers to develop a personal prayer life
Scripture Reference:
-Romans 12, which calls believers to present themselves as living sacrifices, to practice sincere love, humility, and harmony, and to be joyful in hope and patient in suffering
-1 Corinthians 10, which describes participation in the Eucharist as a koinonia, a shared participation in the body and blood of Christ that unites believers as one body
-James 4:10, which instructs believers to humble themselves before the Lord so that he will lift them up
Matthew's Gospel, referenced in the context of Jesus teaching about private, intimate prayer
What does it truly mean to follow Jesus? This sermon cuts to the he...
