Recap:

The journey of faith is one of depth and endurance, a process of sinking roots into the rich soil of God’s truth. To flourish in faith, one must not merely skim the surface but instead allow God’s truth to anchor the soul deeply. In an age where truth is constantly challenged, the necessity of grounding oneself in the unchanging nature of God becomes ever more evident.

At the foundation of this spiritual journey is the truth that God is far greater than human comprehension can grasp. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and beyond the limitations of finite understanding. Recognizing the vastness of God is the first step toward spiritual growth. Alongside this truth is the reality of humanity—both sacred and sinful. Created in God’s image, yet fallen and broken, every person carries both divine imprint and deep need for redemption.

From the beginning, God has sought relationship with humanity through covenant. This covenant, established through sacrifice and sealed by blood, is central to the divine plan. It reaches its fulfillment in the incarnation—God becoming human to dwell among His people. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, stepped into history not merely to instruct but to rescue, redeem, and restore.

Yet the message does not end with salvation; it extends to kingship. Jesus is not only Savior but also King. His reign is both present and unfolding—a kingdom already here but not yet fully realized. The call to enter this kingdom is a call to transformation. It is not a mere invitation to pray a prayer but a summons to a radically different way of living.

When Jesus declared, “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the good news,” He was not merely offering comfort but issuing a challenge. The way into the kingdom is not through passive belief but through active surrender. To follow Christ is to embrace self-denial, to take up the cross, and to walk in the path of sacrifice. “Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25).

Christianity was never intended to be a spectator sport, a weekly ritual of attendance without transformation. It is not a religious hobby to be consumed but a total reorientation of life. It demands full allegiance. The comfortable seats, the well-placed coffee holders, and the convenience of modern worship must never lull believers into complacency. Faith is not meant to be observed but lived.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a theologian who stood against the rise of Nazi ideology in the 1930s, spoke of a grave danger: cheap grace. He defined it as grace without repentance, baptism without commitment, communion without confession—grace without the cross. This diluted faith offers the illusion of salvation without true surrender. Yet the gospel offers no such compromise. Grace is freely given, but it comes at the highest cost: the death of self.

In the kingdom of God, everything is redefined. Jesus does not promise ease or worldly success; He offers truth and transformation. He does not guarantee a life free from trouble, but He does assure that His presence will sustain through every storm. The call of the kingdom is to embrace a new identity as a Jesus person—distinct from the world, set apart in conduct, love, and purpose.

In the city of Antioch, where believers first received the name Christians, their lives were visibly different. They refused to conform to the moral decay of their surroundings. Instead, they embodied the kingdom, living out radical generosity, purity, and love. Their faith was not merely professed; it was demonstrated. The question remains—does the modern church reflect the same distinction? Do believers today live in such a way that their lives provoke curiosity and conviction?

To be a citizen of the kingdom is to live in imitation of Christ. As the apostle Paul exhorts, “Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1). Imitation requires focus—what one consumes, follows, and internalizes shapes the soul. The danger of misplaced imitation is evident in history. When the church in Germany aligned itself with nationalism over the gospel, it was not long before Jesus was removed from its teachings altogether. If the voices of culture dictate the direction of faith, the result will be a compromised gospel.

The call of Christ is to follow—not from a distance, not in word alone, but in radical obedience. It is a call to die to self, to surrender desires, ambitions, and personal kingdoms in exchange for His. The kingdom of God is not built on self-preservation but on sacrifice. Those who truly follow Christ will find themselves out of step with the world, yet firmly rooted in the life-giving truth of the gospel.

As the kingdom advances, the question remains—who will take up the cross and follow? Who will forsake the fleeting comforts of culture for the eternal reward of Christ? The call is clear: deny self, embrace the cross, and walk in the ways of the King. True life is found not in holding on but in letting go. The old life is gone; the new life has begun.

 

Group Questions:

Icebreaker Questions:

  1. If you could live in any historical kingdom, real or fictional, which would it be, and why?
  2. What’s one thing you found hard to give up but was ultimately worth it?
  3. Share a brief story about a moment when your faith felt especially deep or real.

Discussion Questions:

Exploring Faith and Depth

  1. What does it mean for you personally to have deep roots in your faith? How do you cultivate that depth?
  2. Why do you think it’s easy to skim the surface in our relationship with God instead of seeking depth?

Understanding God’s Nature

  1. How does recognizing the vastness and mystery of God impact your spiritual growth?
  2. Why is it important to keep God’s infinite nature in mind when dealing with daily struggles?

Humanity: Sacred and Sinful

  1. In what ways do you see humanity’s dual nature—created in God’s image yet broken—in your own life?
  2. How do you balance acknowledging your own brokenness while also embracing your identity in Christ?

Living Under Christ’s Kingship

  1. How do you practically live out Jesus’s kingship in your daily life?
  2. What areas of your life do you find challenging to surrender to Christ’s authority?

Cheap Grace vs. Costly Grace

  1. Discuss your understanding of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s idea of “cheap grace.” Where have you experienced or seen this in your life or in society?
  2. How can we avoid cheap grace and instead embrace grace that truly transforms us?

Kingdom Living and Distinction

  1. How can Christians live in ways that naturally provoke curiosity and conviction from those around them?
  2. Share an experience where your distinct lifestyle led someone to ask questions about your faith.

Radical Obedience

  1. What does taking up your cross look like for you today? Is there something specific God is calling you to surrender?
  2. Discuss the tension between losing your life for Christ’s sake and the natural desire to save and protect your own life. How do you navigate this tension?

Closing Reflection

  • What specific area is God inviting you to surrender or let go of this week?
  • How can the group pray for you to grow in radical obedience and deeper faith?