Curry's Chapel Church
20260920 - Radically Christian
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    Luke 12:49 NLT
    49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning!
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    Opening

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    JESUS WAS NEVER SAFE

    We’ve turned the Lion of Judah into a housecat who naps on the windowsill and occasionally purrs during worship.
    Let’s get something straight right from the start:
    Jesus was not safe.
    Jesus was not tame.
    Jesus was not polite.
    Jesus was not predictable.
    Jesus was not the soft, gentle, watercolor‑painting version we’ve hung in church hallways for the last fifty years.
    Jesus was radical.
    Jesus was disruptive.
    Jesus was confrontational.
    Jesus was dangerous to the status quo.
    Jesus was a threat to religious comfort, political power, cultural norms, and personal convenience.
    And here’s the part that makes us squirm: Jesus didn’t call us to admire His radical life — He called us to imitate it.
    He didn’t call us to be fans. He didn’t call us to be spectators. He didn’t call us to be consumers. He didn’t call us to be comfortable.
    He called us to be radical disciples.
    The problem is that modern Christianity has become domesticated. We’ve bubble‑wrapped the gospel. We’ve padded the pews. We’ve softened the sermons. We’ve turned the Lion of Judah into a housecat who naps on the windowsill and occasionally purrs during worship.
    But the Jesus of Scripture? Well. He flips tables. He confronts hypocrisy. He casts out demons. He walks on storms. He raises the dead. He calls sinners to repentance. He calls disciples to sacrifice. He calls the church to mission.
    And He calls us to follow Him with the same fire.
    Today we’re going to look at what radical discipleship really means — not the watered‑down version, not the cultural version, not the comfortable version — but the biblical version.
    And yes, we’re going to laugh. We’re going to get uncomfortable. We’re going to get convicted. And we’re going to get real.

    MAIN TEACHING

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    1. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL SURRENDER

    Luke 9:23 ESV
    23 And he [ Jesus ] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
    Jesus didn’t say, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him attend occasionally, be nice to people, and avoid cussing in traffic.”
    He said deny yourself. He said take up your cross. He said follow Me.
    That’s not comfortable. That’s not casual. That’s not convenient.
    That’s radical.
    Illustration: The Gym Membership Faith Every January, gyms fill up with people who are “radically committed” to getting in shape. They buy the membership. They buy the shoes. They buy the water bottle. They buy the protein powder. They buy the headband — because apparently you can’t get in shape without a headband.
    But by February? The gym is emptier than a most churches during the Super Bowl.
    Why? Because motivation is easy. Commitment is hard.
    Jesus doesn’t want gym‑membership Christians — excited for a moment, then absent when it gets hard.
    He wants disciples who show up daily, even when it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, or costly.
    Joke: Some Christians treat discipleship like a treadmill — they want the benefits, but they don’t want to actually turn the thing on.
    The Cross Is Not an Accessory
    We’ve turned the cross into jewelry. We’ve turned it into décor. We’ve turned it into a logo.
    But in Jesus’ day, the cross wasn’t a symbol — it was a death sentence.
    When Jesus said, “Take up your cross,” He wasn’t saying, “Carry something inspirational.” He was saying, “Carry something that kills the old you.”
    Radical surrender means dying to comfort, dying to convenience, dying to self‑centeredness, dying to the version of Christianity that never costs you anything.
    A housecat doesn’t demand surrender — a Lion does.
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    2. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL OBEDIENCE

    John 14:15 NLT
    15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
    Jesus didn’t say, “If you love Me, you’ll feel warm during worship.”
    He said obedience is the proof of love.
    Radical faith isn’t measured by emotion — it’s measured by action.
    Illustration: The Kid Who Cleans His Room… Eventually Imagine telling your kid, “Clean your room.”
    He comes back an hour later and says: “I didn’t clean it, but I thought about cleaning it.” “I didn’t clean it, but I felt convicted about cleaning it.” “I didn’t clean it, but I wrote a song about cleaning it.”
    You’d say, “Great. Now go clean your room.”
    Jesus feels the same way.
    He doesn’t want emotional admiration — He wants obedience.
    Joke: Some Christians say, “I’m waiting for God to speak to me,” while ignoring the 66‑book text message He already sent.
    Obedience Without Delay is what Jesus demands.
    Delayed obedience is disobedience wearing cologne.
    We say things like: “I’ll obey when life slows down.” “I’ll obey when I feel ready.” “I’ll obey when I understand everything.”
    But Jesus says: “Obey now.” And I say: ”Don’t wait to be hit with a spiritual 2x4. I guarantee you that won’t be fun! I know form personal experience.
    Radical obedience doesn’t wait for perfect conditions — it moves when Jesus speaks.
    A housecat doesn’t expect obedience — a Lion does.
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    3. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL LOVE

    Jesus tells us how to love in Matthew 5:44 :
    Matthew 5:44 NLT
    44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
    Now that’s radical.
    It’s easy to love people who agree with you. It’s easy to love people who treat you well. It’s easy to love people who don’t annoy you.
    But Jesus says: Love the ones who hurt you. Love the ones who oppose you. Love the ones who make your eye twitch.
    Illustration: The Grocery Store Enemy You ever run into someone at the grocery store that you really didn’t want to see? You duck behind the cereal aisle like you’re a Navy SEAL on a covert mission.
    Jesus says: “Love that person. Pray for that person. Bless that person.”
    That’s radical.
    Joke: Some Christians say, “I love my enemies,” but they mean “I love them as long as I don’t have to see them, talk to them, or acknowledge their existence.”
    Love That Costs Something is what Jesus expects.
    Radical love isn’t sentimental — it’s sacrificial.
    It means forgiving when you don’t feel like forgiving. It means blessing when you want to curse. It means praying for people who make your blood pressure rise. It means choosing mercy over revenge.
    Radical love is not weakness — it’s warfare.
    A housecat doesn’t stretch your love — a Lion does.
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    4. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL SACRIFICE

    Remember the story of the rich ruler who asked Jesus: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus gave the answer in Mark 10:21
    Mark 10:21
    “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor… Then come, follow me.”
    Jesus didn’t ask the rich young ruler for a donation. He asked for everything.
    Why? Because Jesus doesn’t want part of your life — He wants all of it.
    Illustration: The Half‑Surrendered Life Imagine telling God: “Lord, You can have my Sundays, but not my Fridays.” “You can have my heart, but not my habits.” “You can have my worship, but not my wallet.” “You can have my future, but not my phone.”
    Jesus doesn’t negotiate partial surrender.
    Radical discipleship means radical sacrifice.
    Joke: Some Christians say, “Lord, use me however You want,” but what they really mean is, “Use me in a way that doesn’t interfere with my schedule, my comfort, my hobbies, or my nap time.”
    OH, the Idol of Comfort
    Comfort is the modern Christian’s golden calf.
    We sacrifice obedience to protect comfort. We sacrifice mission to protect comfort. We sacrifice generosity to protect comfort. We sacrifice boldness to protect comfort.
    Jesus didn’t die to make us comfortable — He died to make us courageous.
    A housecat doesn’t ask for sacrifice — a Lion does.
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    5. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL BOLDNESS

    Let’s look at Acts 4:13
    Acts 4:13
    “They saw the boldness of Peter and John… and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
    Boldness is a sign of being with Jesus.
    Not arrogance. Not rudeness. Not obnoxiousness.
    Boldness.
    Illustration: Let’s talk about the Quiet Christian vs. the Bold Christian::
    Quiet Christian: “I don’t want to offend anyone.”
    Bold Christian: “I don’t want anyone to miss Jesus.”
    Quiet Christian: “I don’t want to be weird.”
    Bold Christian: “I don’t want to be silent.”
    Quiet Christian: “I don’t want people to think I’m extreme.”
    Bold Christian: “I want people to know Jesus is worth everything.”
    Joke:
    Some Christians pray, “Lord, give me boldness,” but what they really mean is, “Lord, give me boldness as long as nobody looks at me, asks me anything, or expects me to say something.”
    Boldness Is Not Optional
    Boldness isn’t a personality trait — it’s a discipleship trait.
    You don’t need to be loud to be bold. You don’t need to be extroverted to be bold. You don’t need to be dramatic to be bold.
    You just need to be obedient.
    Boldness is simply refusing to hide Jesus.
    A housecat doesn’t call you to boldness — a Lion does.
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    6. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL REPENTANCE

    Acts 3:19
    “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.”
    Repentance isn’t saying “I’m sorry.” Repentance is saying, “I’m done.”
    Radical repentance means you don’t negotiate with sin — you kill it.
    Illustration: The Pet Sin Some people treat sin like a pet. They feed it. They hide it. They protect it. They justify it.
    Jesus says: “Put it to death.”
    Radical discipleship means radical repentance.
    Joke: Christians say, “I’m struggling with sin,” but sometimes the only thing they’re struggling with is the idea of actually letting it go.
    Repentance That Produces Fruit is what Jesus wants.
    Real repentance produces real change.
    It changes habits. It changes attitudes. It changes priorities. It changes relationships. It changes behavior.
    Repentance is not an apology — it’s a transformation.
    A housecat doesn’t confront your sin — a Lion does.
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    7. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL MISSION

    In Matthew 28:19 Jesus says:
    Matthew 28:19
    “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” [ peoples ]
    Jesus didn’t say, “Go and make excuses.” “Go and make yourself comfortable.” “Go and make sure you don’t offend anyone.”
    He said go. He said make disciples. He said all people.
    That’s radical.
    Illustration: Let’s talk about the Comfortable Christian vs. the Radical Christian
    Comfortable Christian: “I’ll serve God when I have time.”
    Radical Christian: “I’ll serve God because time is short.”
    Comfortable Christian: “I’ll share Jesus when the moment is perfect.”
    Radical Christian: “I’ll share Jesus because the moment is now.”
    Comfortable Christian: “I’ll follow Jesus when it’s easy.”
    Radical Christian: “I’ll follow Jesus because He is worthy.”
    Joke:
    Some Christians pray, “Lord, send me,” but what they really mean is, “Send me somewhere with good weather, good food, and good Wi‑Fi.”
    Your Mission Starts Where You Stand
    You don’t need a passport to fulfill the Great Commission. You need obedience.
    Your mission field is your home. Your workplace. Your neighborhood. Your grocery store. Your social media feed. Your conversations. Your daily life.
    Radical mission begins with radical availability.
    A housecat doesn’t send you on mission — a Lion does.
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    8. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL IDENTITY

    In Galatians 2:20 , Paul says the following to help us understand our identity:
    Galatians 2:20
    “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”
    Radical discipleship means you don’t just believe in Jesus — you belong to Jesus.
    Your identity is no longer: Your past Your failures Your trauma Your habits Your preferences Your politics Your personality Your reputation
    Your identity is Christ.
    Illustration: The Name Tag Imagine walking into a conference and they give you a name tag. You write your name on it.
    But when you follow Jesus, He takes the name tag and writes His name over yours. You belong to Him.
    That’s radical.
    Joke:
    Some Christians say, “I want to be more like Jesus,” but they panic when He actually starts changing them.
    Identity That Cannot Be Shaken — that’s Radical.
    When Christ becomes your identity, criticism can’t crush you. Failure can’t define you. Fear can’t control you. Sin can’t label you. The past can’t imprison you. The world can’t intimidate you.
    Radical identity produces radical confidence.
    A housecat doesn’t rewrite your identity — a Lion does.
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    9. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL TRUST

    Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us:
    Proverbs 3:5–6
    “Trust in the Lord with all your heart… and He will make straight your paths.”
    Radical trust means you obey God even when you don’t understand Him.
    Illustration: The GPS That Makes No Sense A few years ago while going to an appointment in Indy: The GPS directions made absolutely no sense to me. It told me to take a route that seemed illogical to me. So, I ignored it and went the that made sense to me.
    I should have followed the GPS, because I ended up coming to a dead stop for an hour on 465. I ended up late to my appointment. The GPS knew something I did not. I learned my lesson So I trust it now.
    Why? Because I trust it knows something I don’t. Just like I trust Jesus.
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    When it comes to Jesus you follow His directions even though it makes no sense to you.
    Jesus says: “Trust Me like that — but better.”
    Joke: Some Christians say, “God, guide me,” but then argue with every turn He gives them.
    Trust That Walks Into the Unknown is what we must do with Jesus.
    Radical trust means stepping into the unknown with confidence in the One who knows everything.
    It means obeying without full clarity. It means moving without full understanding. It means believing without full visibility.
    Radical trust is not blind — it’s anchored.
    A housecat doesn’t ask you to trust the unknown — a Lion does.
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    10. RADICAL JESUS CALLS US TO RADICAL HOPE

    In Romans 15:13 Paul prays this:
    Romans 15:13
    “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…”
    Radical hope means you believe God is working even when you don’t see it.
    Illustration: The Seed Underground When you plant a seed, nothing happens for a while. You water it. You wait. You stare at dirt.
    But underground, something is happening.
    Radical hope means trusting God is working beneath the surface.
    Joke: Christians say, “God is never late,” but they often add, “But He sure misses a lot of opportunities to be early.”
    Hope Refuses to Quit
    Radical hope refuses to surrender to discouragement.
    It refuses to bow to despair. It refuses to collapse under pressure. It refuses to give up when circumstances scream otherwise.
    Radical hope is stubborn faith.
    A housecat doesn’t give you hope — a Lion does.
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    CONCLUSION — JESUS CALLS YOU TO BE RADICAL

    Jesus didn’t call you to be safe. He didn’t call you to be silent. He didn’t call you to be casual. He didn’t call you to be convenient.
    He called you to be radical.
    Radical in obedience.
    Radical in love.
    Radical in sacrifice.
    Radical in boldness.
    Radical in repentance.
    Radical in mission.
    Radical in identity.
    Radical in trust.
    Radical in hope.
    The world doesn’t need more comfortable Christians. The world needs disciples who are on fire. Disciples who refuse to blend in. Disciples who refuse to back down. Disciples who refuse to compromise. Disciples who refuse to be silent. Disciples who refuse to be lukewarm.
    Jesus was radical. His disciples were radical. The early church was radical.
    And now — it’s your turn.
    The Lion of Judah is roaring — not purring. And He’s calling you to follow Him radically.
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    CLOSING PRAYER

    Father, We come before You today asking for holy courage. 7 Not the courage of comfort, Not the courage of convenience, But the courage of Christ.
    Make us radical disciples. Strip away our fear. Burn away our excuses. Break our attachment to comfort. Destroy every idol that competes with Your glory.
    Teach us to obey quickly, To love sacrificially, To repent deeply, To trust boldly, To hope fiercely, And to live missionally.
    Fill us with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Let boldness rise in our hearts. Let compassion flow from our lives. Let holiness mark our steps. Let Jesus be seen in everything we do.
    Lord, make us dangerous to darkness. Make us unshakeable in trials. Make us unstoppable in obedience. Make us unmistakably Yours.
    We surrender. We commit. We follow. We go.
    In the mighty, radical, and life‑changing name of Jesus we pray — Amen.

      • Luke 12:49NLT

Curry's Chapel Church
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