David Platt's book is written on the shoulders of others. As early as 1937 Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship was an attack on "easy Christianity" and "cheap grace." Platt echoes A.W. Tozer's I Call it Heresy from 1974 in which Tozer expressed his "feeling that a notable heresy has come into being through evangelical Christian circles — the widely accepted concept that we humans can choose to accept Christ only because we need him as Savior and that we have the right to postpone our obedience to Him as Lord as long as we want to!" Tozer goes on to say that "salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred scriptures."

More recently, Dallas Willard wrote that "the last command Jesus gave the church before he ascended to heaven was the Great Commission, the call to 'make disciples of all nations.' But Christians have responded by making 'Christians,' not 'disciples.' One must not play at 'faith in Jesus,' or at faith in God through Him, without having made the radical choice to live as his apprentice." (Italics mine)

And only one month prior to Platt's Radical, John Stott published his final book, Radical Disciple, in which he said "our common way of avoiding radical discipleship is to be selective: choosing those areas in which commitment suits us and staying away from those areas in which it will be costly. But because Jesus is Lord, we have no right to pick and choose the areas in which we will submit to his authority."

I chose Platt’s Radical for our Growth Groups because he exposes our potential blind spots in light of our purpose to be God’s people in the world, on mission to our neighbors and the nations.  My hope is that as we study the scriptures and consider Platt’s commentary we will become the followers of Jesus we are meant to be; and will not, as Stott put it, "provoke Him to say again 'why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?''' — Luke 6:46

Brian

Since the day I met Jesus, He has instilled within me a strong desire to worship Him. I enjoy both private and corporate worship. I take seriously the calling of God upon my life to lead His people to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4). Wholehearted living for God is it!  Anyone wanting to know God and following Him will have to do it with determined, focused effort and do it consistently or you will end up with mediocre worship that isn't worship but the form of it.

People worshipping God and giving their all are found from Genesis to Revelation. In Worship: Believers Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby describes one particular account that inspires me in my personal worship of God. It is found in John 12:1-8: the anointing of Jesus at Bethany just before the cross. After the meal, Mary took a "bottle of perfume" that she had been saving. It was very expensive perfume. She shocked everyone. She knelt at Jesus feet, broke the bottle and began pouring it over His feet. She continued to astound everyone when she began wiping Jesus' feet with her hair.

Several lessons can be learned from this all-out, over-the-top act of worship. Let's look at them:

1. What Mary did revealed what was in her heart. She loved the Lord more than anything else and she showed it.
2. A true "heart attitude" of worship will find a way to express itself outwardly. When we love God it will show in our life through our actions, particularly in times of worship. Mary offered her "bottle of perfume." What is your rare bottle of perfume that you can offer to God?
3. Mary's act was one of deep and honest humility. She was unashamed to let everyone know how much she loved Jesus. She risked ridicule, criticism, and embarrassment.
4. Mary's act was one of great sacrifice. She gave "lavishly." She did not hesitate to give what cost her the most.
5. Mary's worship had an affect on her and on others. Her worship was on her hands, it was in her hair, it was everywhere she went – the aroma of a worshiper.
6. Mary's worship pleased God. This is the ultimate test. We may please ourselves, and we may please others with how we worship, but the question we must always be asking ourselves is "Is what I am doing, pleasing to God?" This is the most important thing.

I encourage our Foothills Church family to worship God. Consider Mary and her "all-out" worship of God and incorporate that into your own personal worship of God. In my own "private life of worship" it takes focused time of prayer and scripture reading to come into the presence of God. Why would corporate worship be different? I encourage you to BRING YOUR WORSHIP WITH YOU each Sunday as we gather! If you are unprepared, unfocused, and unconcerned in your approach when you come to worship, that is the kind of worship you will get. But if you come having prayed at home and read the scripture of the day and asking God to open your eyes and heart, tremendous things will happen.

One additional way to help facilitate our corporate worship is through the Worship Arts Blog here on our own Web site. Go to the Worship Arts Blog and you will see and hear a list of all the songs we are doing each week in worship. You can listen and learn them at home and BRING YOUR WORSHIP WITH YOU!

I am privileged to served God at Foothills Baptist. I love all of you and continue to seek God's presence and direction in all our worship.

Craig