Believer or Disciple?

In one paragraph

Pastor Mike (filling in while Ray McDaniel was in North Carolina for his daughter's graduation) preached from Colossians 3, asking the congregation to take honest spiritual inventory. The central question was whether Christians are living with their eyes fixed on eternity or whether comfort has quietly become the thing they are actually chasing. He closed by asking everyone to sit with the...

Read together

1. Colossians 3:1 since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God
2. Colossians 3:2 set your minds on things above, not on earthly things
3. Colossians 2:20-23 since you died with Christ to the elemental forces of this world, rules about do not handle, do not taste, do not touch have an appearance of wisdom but lack value in restraining sensual indulgence
4. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, you are not your own, you were bought at a price, therefore honor God with your bodies
5. Romans 12:1 called to lay down our lives as a living sacrifice and not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind

Talk about it

1. Mike drew a contrast between a believer and a disciple and left those as open questions at the end. How would you personally describe the difference between the two, and which one do you think Christ calls us to?
2. Mike talked about the danger of going 'all in on the temporary,' using the example of high school social life, and said comfort can become an idol. Where do you see that pattern showing up in your own life right now?
3. Mike read from Colossians two that rules and self-imposed restrictions 'lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence,' and then said he thinks God is more interested in our connection with him than in white-knuckling our behavior. What does that kind of honest, ongoing conversation with God actually look like for you in practice?
4. Mike said he is convinced God is more concerned with our direction than our perfection, and encouraged people to simply tell God where they are, even if that means saying 'I don't even think I want you.' How does that land with you, and has there been a moment in your own faith where starting that honestly made a difference?
5. Mike closed by quoting Jim Elliot: 'He is no fool who gives up what he could never keep to gain what he could never lose.' He then asked what we would do differently if we were looking back at the end of our days. What does your honest answer to that question look like?