THE GLORY ROAD: LESSON 1 – March 4th, 2018

Luke 9:51-62 “Keep Your Eyes on the Road”

“Jesus set his face (resolved, fixed his heart) to go to Jerusalem” Luke 9:51

OPENING: If someone observed your life, what would they say is your number one priority?

TEXT: Read Luke 9:51-62 slowly and prayerfully using different readers and/or translations.

1. Resolute means to have a firm determination.  When it says that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem”, it implies that he was resolved or determined to go to Jerusalem.  In what ways are you resolved or determined in your life? How would your relationship with Jesus be different if you lived with more resolve, spiritually and relationally?  “Set my face” was a common Hebrew expression (see Jer. 21:10 as example). Where should we “set our faces” today as a church and as Christ followers? Jesus and Luke both wanted us to know that this was PLAN A.  What is PLAN A and how would your life be different if you lived according to this plan vs. another plan?

1. Luke 9:51-56 teaches us that the GLORY ROAD will be filled with a mixture of both opportunities and invitation.  What were the opportunities for the first disciples? What is the invitation? What does the rejection of the Samaritans teach us about the resolute of Christ and our own resolute as we journey down the GLORY ROAD?  Why did Luke emphasize verses 54-56? Describe the Lord’s view of judgment and grace. Why did Jesus rebuke the disciples, isn’t he being harsh? If Jesus would rebuke us today, what would it be about? Jesus and the disciples went to another village.  What does that mean for us to today as we try to “keep our eyes on the road”?  Extra look (Romans 8:16-18) compare Paul’s thoughts with Luke’s words?

1. Luke 9:57-62 emphasizes the road to glory for Christ!  What does it mean to follow Christ? Pastor Mark and other popular teachers emphasize that following Christ will make your life better and you better at life.  Does Jesus Christ teach this here? Jesus used three illustrations as warnings and exhortations to teach his disciples about following Christ. A: The hasty disciple who wanted to experience the riches of following Christ.  B: The hesitant disciple who wanted following Christ to be a secondary priority.  C: The homesick disciple who wanted to place family ahead of following Christ.  What do these illustrations mean and how do they make you feel about Christ’s expectations and priorities for following Christ?

1. DIG DEEPER: The GLORY ROAD is filled with suffering and opposition (see also Hebrews 12:1-3).  Pastor Mark sees a close connection with these three verses and the resolve of Christ to go to the cross.  How do you see it? In what ways are they connected? What is the significance of “fixing our eyes on Jesus” and “keeping our eyes on the road”, to living a life of resolve and firm determination?  What are some of your weights and sins that might keep you from experiencing the GLORY ROAD? What might the joy be that is set before you as a Christian?

NEXT STEP:  Pray for the Lord to reveal his PLAN A for your life.  Make a commitment to be resolute.