Meals with the Master
4th Course
Have you ever tried to keep up with someone whose pace and energy just seemed to be intimidating? And the harder you tried, the more you realized you couldn’t keep up? President Harry Truman once had someone who objected to his seemingly tireless pace, and he said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” It was clear then and now that the more you desire to lead and move, the harder the environment will get—so be warned.
This warning can extend to following Jesus as well. As we continue studying the Gospel of Luke and his record of the words and works of Jesus Christ, we’re beginning to realize that following Jesus was often not easy. There was a lot of “heat in the kitchen” of the disciples, as they not only wrestled with what Jesus taught them, but also with what Jesus told them to do!
In this 4th course of Meals with the Master, we’ll spend time looking at how Jesus challenged the disciples—and US—to grow in obedience, perseverance, patience, and more. But the challenges to grow weren’t simply in the realm of what they knew in their hearts, but also in what they did with their lives. And as we study, these challenges will be for us to tackle as well, even when they’re hard or seemingly impossible.
Don’t miss even one week of this 4th course!
Week One—March 13
If You Can’t Take the Heat, You Need More Time to Grow
Luke 8:4–18
Looking at the “Parable of the Sower,” we’re diving into what God does in the hearts and lives of His followers who take root in His Word and mission. While there are factors that will absolutely work to limit and prohibit growth, there are also factors that will refine and define you as you grow in your faith walk.
Week Two—March 20
If You Can’t Take the Heat, Remind Yourself Who Is Really in Control
Luke 8:22–39
Every once in a while, every Christ-follower needs a clear reminder of WHO we follow. It’s not a world leader. It’s not a pastor. It’s not a political party or a country. It’s Jesus Christ, the Ultimate Authority over every power known to man. Come and be strengthened (again!) by the great authority of the Man who as the disciples were reminded in a terrible situation, “when He gives a command, even the wind and waves obey Him!”
Week Three—March 27
If You Can’t Take the Heat, Remember the Timing Is in God’s Hands
Luke 8:40–56
We tend to feel the pressure and challenges of life due to timing. We have a timetable, and oftentimes (ok, ALL the time), God seemingly has a completely different timetable. Actually, God’s timing is so profoundly different that we feel the pressure when we have to wait for God to answer our prayer, help us through a challenge, or meet our needs. Waiting is the worst…except when it’s God’s best. And learning to wait and endure the heat of challenging moments is part of the growing process that every disciple must go through.
Week Four—April 3
If You Can’t Take the Heat, Just Remember Who Went before You
Luke 9:1–6
As we approach Easter, the challenge is to invite people to consider the message and claims of Jesus. Yet, one of the hard parts of following Jesus is following this command of Jesus to continually invite others to Christ. It’s the challenge of every single disciple to go and make more disciples, and the challenge began with the original disciples being sent out by Christ Himself.
Week Five—April 10
If You Can’t Take the Heat, Actually, through Christ, You CAN!
Luke 9:10–20
Following Jesus can be so challenging, especially when God calls you into something BIG: take a leap of faith, do something you’ve never done before, work against the odds, and step out…If you’ve EVER felt God calling you into something you feel unprepared or inadequate to do—serve, give, forgive, help, bless, love—this is something you need to know: it will be hard and require your trust, but with Christ’s guidance and power, you CAN.
Week Six—April 17
If You Can’t Take the Heat, Meet the One Who Can!
Luke 9:21–36
Almost everyone knows the feeling of seeing a preview for a movie they’re excited to see. As you sit and watch it with anticipation, you get excited to see how everything will unfold when that epic movie premiers! If Easter Sunday had a preview, it was the Transfiguration—an epic moment that showed who Jesus was and what He would accomplish. For the disciples, it was THIS moment, permanently etched in their hearts as they saw the glorified Jesus, that would carry them through the hardest moments that were to come.