(5–8 minutes, easy setup)
Learners will consider how a person’s environment impacts his or her understanding of a commitment to Jesus.
(5–8 minutes, easy setup)
Share the following story with learners: For years, a pastor in Iran, Youcef Nadarkhani, was jailed because of his conversion to Christianity and his effort to convert other Muslims to faith in Jesus Christ. He was not only thrown into jail indefinitely but also condemned to death by hanging. The Iranian courts gave him multiple chances to recant his faith, but he refused.
Ask: How would this kind of environment affect a person’s response to Christ? How would it change the way we view following Jesus? As learners share their thoughts, point out that most of us don’t live with the same level of persecution as Youcef but that Jesus has called us all to the same standard of commitment. Explain that today we will discuss what it means to commit our lives to following Jesus.