Read - Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, Matthew 13:44-46

Examine - Whenever you sign a contract, it is important to look at the fine print. Otherwise it may end up costing you more than you expected. The same is true of following Jesus. The idea of following Jesus seems like a pretty easy one at first glance. Most people generally like the idea of eternal life and doing good in their lives and the world. However what if the invitation to Jesus sounded a little different. What if the fine print of following Jesus was in bold and said it would cost you friendships, popularity, opportunity, and even more? Would you still do it? As we look at Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, we see that we will never give up more than we gain in following Jesus.

Apply - Ask your student what are some things that they would struggle to give up if Jesus said they needed to in order to follow them. Share some things that would be difficult for you.

Pray - Ask God to give your family confidence that no matter what you give up when following Jesus, that He will provide abundantly more.

Read - John 1:43-51, 2 Corinthians 5:7

Examine - If we were to measure the amount of information that we know compared to the amount of information that there is to know in the world, what we know would look like a drop of water in the Pacific Ocean. There is so much that we just don’t know, and we will never know everything there is to know while on this earth. When it comes to our faith, this often materializes as doubt. Doubt can be debilitating at times. It can cause one to turn away from God and reject His existence. However, as we see with Nathaniel, your doubts can actually strengthen your faith in Jesus. God can use our greatest questions to reveal how He is the greatest answer. We may not have all the answers, and doubts may still pop up, but no amount of doubt is bigger than the Truth of Jesus. And when our doubts are met with Truth, our faith grows.

Apply - Discuss with your student some of the biggest questions you both have about life, the Bible, and faith. Help remind them that we don’t have to know everything about God for Him to be true.

Pray - Pray that for any questions that might be holding your student back from following Jesus to a greater extent, God can give them truth, whether in answers or in peace despite their questions.

Read - Matthew 9:9-13, Luke 19:1-10

Examine - Being excluded is arguably one of the most painful feelings. Do you remember the disappointment of not being invited to a birthday party or missing out on a starting position on a team? That sense of rejection can be truly devastating. Take it a step further—have you ever been intentionally excluded from something important? The bigger the opportunity, the greater the disappointment when you're left out. Fortunately, when it comes to the greatest invitation of all—the invitation to follow Jesus—everyone is welcome. Unlike sports teams or social events, where popularity, talent, or religious appearance can influence who gets in, following Jesus is open to all. It’s simply for those who are willing to accept the invitation and choose to follow Him. As we look at Jesus' invitation to follow him we see that everyone is welcome to the table that Jesus sits.

Apply - Ask your student if there are reasons they feel like they might not be invited to follow Jesus?

Pray - Pray that God would help us and others to accept his invitation to follow him.

Read - John 21:15-19, Matthew 16:24-2, John 15:18-25

Examine - Sometimes things cost more than they are worth. Whether it is overpriced amusement park food or a new designer brand item, we can look at it and think, “That is just too much.” We can even have that thought about following Jesus. But this answer is so much more: Jesus' invitation to follow Him is an invitation to suffer. We can get confused that the invitation to follow Jesus means we will never experience difficulty or suffering. Jesus actually said the opposite! Ultimately, what we can count on is that suffering is weighty, but it is not wasted.

Apply - Ask your student if there is a specific area of their life right now that they would identify as suffering? Encourage them to bring that to God in prayer.

Pray - Pray that God would often remind us of His presence in the midst of suffering.