08.17.22 | Discipleship & the Kingdom

Today, we will be utilizing our time of fasting and prayer to dive deeper into our BREAD reading from Matthew 19:

A man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

“Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.”

“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

In this passage, Jesus is sharing with his disciples and this man about what it means to follow him. Jesus highlights that there is a cost involved; there are things that someone might have to give up to be a disciple of Jesus. He reminds them of what following Christ looks like, and the text is inviting us, the readers, to consider what our own future as a disciple might require of us.

Using our four movements of FAST, prayerfully read through the passage again. Ask the Spirit to highlight what he is inviting you to pray about and fast over today. Is there something specific coming to mind that the Spirit is prompting you to talk with God about? Something specific regarding your discipleship to Jesus? Remember, the Holy Spirit is always kind and loving, never condemning or shaming.

Use the four movements of FAST to focus on this request:

  1. Focus: Find a quiet place to settle your mind and open yourself to the Holy Spirit’s presence.
  2. Adoration: Spend time honoring and exalting God, tell him what you appreciate about him. Contemplate on who he is and what he has done. You might even be able to get a sense of his presence with you.
  3. Speak: Commune with God, taking moments to both speak to him about what’s on your heart and to pause and listen for his voice. Use journals to write down what you hear him say. Ask simple follow up questions like, “is there anything else you’d like me to know about [fill in the topic]” to really get to the heart of what Jesus wants to communicate to you and what you want to say to him or plead for while you fast.
  4. Transform: Commit to taking active steps to change or address what the Lord revealed during your time of fasting.

Past Fasting & Prayer Focus Posts