𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• When things or people compete for your attention or resources, how do you decide on what to prioritize?

• Think of a time when you had to choose between something you want and something you need. What did you choose and why?

• Have you ever been in a situation where you had to take a difficult or unpopular stand on an issue? What happened and how did it affect your relationships?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, “𝘚𝘦𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶.” 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.” 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝟭𝟬:𝟮𝟴–𝟯𝟬

Following an interaction between Jesus and a rich young ruler who could not part with his wealth (Mark 10:17–22), Peter told Jesus that the disciples had left everything to follow Him. In return, Jesus assures them that anyone who sacrifices relationships or possessions for His sake and the gospel will receive abundant blessings—both in this life, through the spiritual family and provision found in God’s kingdom, and in the age to come, eternal life. Today, we will look at three areas where we need to prioritize Jesus.

𝟭. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀.

𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 . . .” 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝟭𝟬:𝟮𝟵

Jesus said that as His disciples, we must be willing to forsake material possessions for the sake of the gospel. This does not imply rejecting these things entirely, but it emphasizes that nothing—whether wealth or property—should take precedence over our devotion to Him and His mission. The call to follow Christ includes placing Him above all else, recognizing that His kingdom and His eternal rewards far surpass any temporal resource or comfort. In Philippians 3:7–8, how did the apostle Paul describe what he had to give up in order to gain Christ?

𝟮. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀.

𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, “𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 . . .” 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝟭𝟬:𝟮𝟵

Jesus said that blessing awaits those who have left behind family—parents, children, and siblings—for His sake and for the gospel. This does not mean that our family is unimportant. Rather, we need to recognize that devotion to Jesus must come first, even above the people we love deeply. Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God transcends all other relationships, as He is the ultimate source of life and eternal reward. Share a time when you had to prioritize Jesus over your key relationships.

𝟯. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗶𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

“. . . 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝟭𝟬:𝟯𝟬

As His followers, Jesus assures us abundant blessings—a 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥—in this life, including new spiritual relationships and provisions through the community of believers. However, He also notes that there will be 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, recognizing that following Him often brings resistance and hardship. Despite this opposition, Jesus promises that the temporary suffering experienced for His sake is outweighed by the eternal rewards. How does Hebrews 12:2–3 encourage us to stay focused on Jesus despite challenges and resistance?

Jesus said that 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 (Mark 10:31). Unlike the world, where status, power, and wealth are often prioritized, the kingdom of God places a higher value on humility, sacrifice, and faithfulness to Jesus. It will require a shift in our priorities—placing Him above possessions, relationships, and comfort. Following Jesus involves both suffering and sacrifice, but the ultimate gain—fellowship with God, abundant life in Him, and eternal life—makes it all worthwhile.

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• What are some of the things you value greatly? What would you do differently starting today to show that Jesus is more important to you than these things?

• Think about the times God has proven Himself sufficient when you had to give up certain things or chose to prioritize Jesus over your other key relationships. Share what God showed you about Himself.

• Do you know someone who is experiencing resistance or persecution for the gospel? Encourage this person and connect him/her with other believers who can provide guidance and strength.

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for blessing you with resources and relationships. Ask God to give you a heart that’s ready to prioritize your relationship with Him above all these blessings.

• Ask God for the grace to stay focused on Jesus despite resistance. Pray that you stay connected with a community of believers who will stand with you and help strengthen your relationship with God.

• Ask God to give you open doors to demonstrate His love to the people around you, even to those who may be mocking you or persecuting you for your faith.