“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away… And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.”

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Matthew 5:29–30

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In this Sunday’s message, Amy Perez invites us to wrestle with the weight of Jesus’ call. This is not surface-level faith or cultural Christianity, this is the invitation to true discipleship. Jesus is not interested in fans, followers, or feelings. He wants faithful lovers who choose Him above every other relationship, desire, and identity. Through Luke 14, we’re reminded that following Jesus costs us everything but gives us more than we could ever lose. His love demands our full allegiance, not out of force, but out of the joy of finding a greater treasure.

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Sin Traps

• “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:14–15 NIV
• Temptation doesn’t start with scandal. It starts with a subtle shift.
• A seemingly irrelevant decision. A trajectory that inches us away from God before it crashes us into shame.
• Jesus uses strong imagery. Tearing out an eye, cutting off a hand, not because He wants us maimed, but because sin is that serious.
• The same hands and eyes meant for good can become the vehicles of bondage. Like a hidden snare, sin draws us in slowly until we’re stuck.
• David didn’t fall with Bathsheba in a moment. It began when he stayed behind in spring.

Sin Spreads

• “Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough?" 1 Corinthians 5:6 NLT
• Sin is not static. It multiplies.
• It disguises itself as private, personal, and manageable yet it infects every sphere of life.
• What starts in your thought life begins to shape your behavior, your beliefs, and ultimately, your relationships.
• You can’t compartmentalize compromise, sin spreads when ignored.
• But Jesus doesn’t just say, “cut it off”. He says, “I’ll take it from you.” Whatever you surrender is never truly lost. It’s traded for wholeness.

Grace Trains

• “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness…” Titus 2:11–12 ESV
• Grace is not a soft pass. It’s a sword.
• Grace doesn’t just forgive us after we fall, it strengthens us before we do. It trains us.
• Spirit-formed discipline looks like: Boundaries over indulgence, sacrifice over comfort, surrender over habit, stillness and accountability
• Real freedom isn’t doing what we want it’s being set free from what enslaves us.
• Jesus names sin not to shame you, but to heal you. To bring you into alignment with the person you were always meant to be.

Discussion Questions

• What snare or "seemingly irrelevant decision" is God calling you to take seriously today?
• Have you excused or minimized a behavior that’s actually enslaving you?
• In what area of your life have you tried to manage sin instead of crucify it?
• What false version of freedom are you holding onto and what would real freedom cost you?

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