Apprentice 2 Jesus

Discipleship/Spiritual Formation

  • Jesus knows what holds us back

    In Mark 10:17-22 we have the story of the rich young man coming to Jesus and asking what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. He finds out that it is more than checking off a pretty good list. Read more

  • The continuous lessons of the cross

    34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for… Read more

  • BEING salt and light

    13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. (Matt. 5:13, NIV) A disciple of the kingdom who does not LIVE like a disciple of the kingdom is… Read more

  • To remain… to abide… to bear fruit

    I have been in the habit of reading through a daily lectionary reading the past several months. It is a joyous journey that keeps me faithfully reading the broad scope of the biblical story. But then there are passages that sweep into my spirit with a fresh wind and I am held there for a… Read more

  • The power of the greatest commandments

    Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” — Matthew 22:37-40 Read more

  • The greatest examples we carry

    I have reached a place in the Gospel of John that causes me to walk slowly. It’s difficult for me when I think I’m in some sort of time crunch, or in a “check off” mode. But this is holy ground.  Read more

  • The difficulty of discipleship

    John 6 is at once one of my favorite chapters to chew on… and the most frustrating chapter to read. It is the deep call to discipleship and full participation in Christ. This is the place where Jesus drives a crowd AWAY. In our world, that’s utter foolishness. We are so thirsty for big crowds!… Read more

  • The community of the saints and sanctification

    “The sanctification of the church-community consists in its being separated by God from that which is unholy, from sin… For the community of saints this implies three things. First, its sanctification will manifest itself in a clear separation from the world. Its sanctification will, second, prove itself through conduct that is worthy of God’s realm… Read more

  • How to live with others

    So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matt. 7:12) Read more

  • The heart of the Great Commission

    Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And… Read more