Tag: Discipleship
These videos below reference the Tag: Discipleship.
God's grace requires our ongoing response
"Grace" is a common word in modern Christian vernacular, but had a preexisting meaning in Greco-Roman society before Jesus and Paul. In this short teaching video, I discuss how it would have been understood in the first century and what it means for disciples of Jesus today. Dr. David deSilva's "Patronage and Reciprocity": https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/ashland_theological_journal/31-1_032.pdf A… Read More »
Discipleship 101: You'll look foolish and you'll be hated
In this third video about basic discipleship, I talk about what we ought to expect as a true disciple of Jesus as we obey him and imitate him in this world.
Discipleship 101: Nobody notices you, and that’s a good thing
In this second video about basic discipleship, I discuss an "easier said than done" aspect of following Jesus. We are prone to seeking the praise of man more than praise from God. How we live when no one is looking matters deeply to God.
Discipleship 101: Bench the bar
No, this video isn't about weight training. But my weight training story definitely applies to being a disciple of Jesus. How do we grow and mature as followers of Christ? It's not mysterious, and has so much to do with how we relate to the people around us every day and what we're looking forward… Read More »
The apostles of Jesus were Jewish
The initial group of followers of Jesus that came to be known as his "apostles" were all Jewish. Did they later become Christians? How does "religion" work in the first century? Why does all of this matter to me if Jesus loves me, died for me, and I'll be with him forever? If we want… Read More »
Why doesn't God do something about evil and suffering in the world?
History paints a vivid picture of the persistence of evil, injustice, and unrighteousness among the sons of men. Is that going to go on forever? Why hasn't God stepped in to end evil and suffering? The Bible makes it clear that God does have an appointed end in mind and will certainly bring it to… Read More »
Fight sin with a clear vision of the future
In Romans 13, the Apostle Paul exhorts the disciples in Rome to "cast off the works of darkness" and to live "as in the daytime", because "the night is far gone" and "the day is at hand". Paul understands that what motivates discipleship - right belief and right living in light of that belief -… Read More »
This is the hardest thing about being a disciple of Jesus
Following Jesus is costly. In Luke 14, Jesus says that if we don't count the cost from the beginning, we won't be able to be his disciple. This message is rarely heard in Western Christianity because we've lost the hope and expectation that first century Jews had for the future.
Self-denial, perseverance, and the return of Jesus
In Luke 9:23-26, Jesus says that his disciples must embrace the difficulty and suffering that comes their way as the result of their obedience. A clear vision of the judgment seat and the age to come is the necessary component that Biblical authors give us as the means of perseverance in discipleship.