Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus | Luke 9:18-27
In his book, “The Comfort Crisis,” Michael Easter argues that modern life has eliminated most sources of discomfort—physical, mental, emotional—and as a result, we are less healthy and less resilient. His point: We are inclined toward comfort, so, we avoid hard. That has made us weak, fragile, unfulfilled. Easter proposes that intentional exposure to discomfort is essential for growth and well-being.
The comfort crisis is not new, though. It is rooted in a love of self which prioritizes safety, security, and self-preservation. But the problem is more serious than we think. The comfort crisis hasn’t only made us weak and left us unfulfilled. It is also a great obstacle to following Jesus. In Luke 9:18-27, the lesson Jesus wants to teach his disciples is that to follow Jesus is to follow him into suffering. Following Jesus is HARD. Following Jesus is DANGEROUS. Following Jesus is WORTH IT.
Following Jesus means not only confessing him as King but also surrendering to him daily in wholehearted devotion.
We are, by nature, creatures of comfort and pursuers of safety. So, ask yourself, “How will I give up comfort today and follow Jesus?”
We save our life by giving it away to him.
We gain our soul by being willing to lose everything.
All who endure will hear Jesus’s affirmation for faithfully following him. “Well done my good and faithful slave. You have been faithful. Now, enter into the joy-filled rest of your king. That is the comfort we were created for. That is the comfort we long for.
Resources of the Week
Denying Self and Bearing our Cross
The Way of the Cross by James Montgomery Boice
Lord, Help Me See the Ways to Die Today by Trevin Wax
Kingdom and Cross by Jeremy Treat
Song of the Month: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Text to Give Contribution Update
We’ve Got a New Text to Give Process!
To donate using our Text to Give option, follow these simple steps:
Open your phone’s text messaging app.
Text: GIVE $[amount] (for example: GIVE $25) to the number +1 (844) 755-5384
You will receive a secure link to confirm your donation. Click the link and follow the instructions to complete your donation.
If you have any questions, please call the church office at (512) 837-7725.
Opportunities to Serve and Grow at High Pointe
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
Men’s Walking Together Group | Wednesday, June 18 at 6:30 PM (ongoing meetings until
August 13)
Men, please join us on Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM from June 11-August 13 as we meet to study God’s Word and read through “The Blessings of Humility” by Jerry Bridges. For more information and to register, click here.
Meaningful Membership Class | Sunday, July 13 | 1:15 PM to 4:30 PM
If you’re interested in learning more about High Pointe or pursuing membership with High Pointe, please mark your calendars Membership Class. This class will cover three main questions: What is the church and why should I join, what does High Pointe believe, and what do we expect of church members at High Pointe. Click here to register.
Ladies Bunco Night | Saturday, August 2 | 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Please join us for a fun evening of Bunco on Saturday, August 2 from 6:00 PM to 8:30PM at the church! There is no cost to attend this event; however, participants must bring a bag of candy to participate in the Bunco game. Click here to register.
T2G (Titus 2 groups) Begin in September
T2G will start up again in September. But now is the time to sign up! T2G is a discipleship ministry offering gender-specific, intergenerational community among the women of High Pointe. Each group consists of one or two “older” women meeting together with 4-6 “younger” women. The groups meet once a month to encourage women in their faith and to promote deeper relationships among the different generations of women in the church. Each leader has chosen a book that the group will read together over the course of the year (September through May). Please consider joining us for the year ahead.For more information, please contact Mary Delk at 763-442-0919 or at marybethdelk@gmail.com. We encourage every one of our young women to be involved in T2G and we will help you find a group that works well for you.
Summer Life Class | Sundays at 9AM
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us. This session, we are offering the following Summer Life Class:
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian Today?
The way Christians live out their faith has always been affected by the culture and context around them. That’s as true for us today as it was for believers centuries ago. So how have Christians remained faithful in the face of changing times, challenges, and cultures? This summer, join us as we explore the lives of key figures from Church History and discover how they sought to follow Christ in their own era. Each week we’ll zoom in on a different individual (or group), considering their faithfulness, flaws, and what we can take away from their example.
Please note: There is no children’s ministry or nursery provided during the summer months.
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
July 6-27 | Summer Preaching Series
July 6 | Mark Cambranis
July 13 | Pastor Kenneth Mbugua, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Nairobi, Kenya
Join us on Sunday, July 13, at 5:00 pm to hear about the state of the gospel work in Africa through the ministry of pastor Mbugua.
July 20 | Guyton Garland
July 27 | Pastor Blake White, Southside Baptist Church, Abilene, TX
August 3 | Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
August 10 | Isaiah | Pastor Robert Cline
August 17 | Luke 9:28-50 | The Majesty of Christ | Pastor Juan Sanchez
August 24 | Luke 9:51-10:24 | The Cost of Discipleship | Pastor Juan Sanchez
August 31 | Luke 10:25-37 | Love Your Neighbor | Pastor Juan Sanchez
SPECIAL FIFTH SUNDAY GATHERING | 5:00 PM | Vision Night
Join us as we gather for food and fellowship to kick off the new church year and to ask the Lord to guide us and guard our steps in the coming year of ministry together.
Begin praying as you prepare to join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Gospel Partner of the Month: Middle East Ministries
It is our joy to support one of our High Pointe families serving in the Middle East. We will not refer to them by name to protect their identity and location, but you may pray for them as you work through our membership directory.
Please pray that the Lord will give them favor and fruitfulness in their work. Pray that the Lord may send a like-minded and similar life-stage family (or two) to serve alongside them. And pray that we would care for and encourage them well.
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours and on weekends. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
