When we are sinned against – and especially when that sin is extra hurtful or harmful – we struggle to forgive. It feels like we’re just “letting them off the hook” for what they did. How will they ever learn their lesson if we don’t teach them? Shouldn’t they have to pay? What does it even mean to forgive someone, given that some things are impossible to forget?

Jesus never told us to express ourselves or simply add him to our already-self-determined lives. He told us to deny ourselves, to lose our lives for his sake. Far from encouraging the life of an ascetic, Jesus was urging us to give up something lesser in order to receive something far greater. Simple practices like fasting remind us of this larger truth.

In modern America, there's no such thing as Sabbath. There's no real rest – certainly no intentional rest in Christ. We just run from one thing to another. God gives us a better way. In his wisdom, we were given the rhythm of work and rest long before sin entered the world. And we're even told why we should rest and what we should do with our rest.

American Christians give on average about 2.5% of their income to charitable causes. They give even less of their time. This is problematic, given that Jesus said what we do with our resources reveals what we treasure. We can’t serve both God and money. But the good news is we can be transformed by the grace of Jesus so we give not only generously, but also cheerfully. It can become a true joy to invest in the things that are near and dear to the heart of God.

Jesus’ disciples often patterned their idea of greatness after their culture: get other people to serve you. Jesus flipped this on its head, reminding his followers that they were servants, just as he himself had come to serve others. Those who follow Jesus will imitate his pattern of looking after and meeting the needs of others. They will invest their own resources in sacrificially serving their families, churches, coworkers, and neighbors.

Worship – what is it? If we think of worship as little more than worship services and worship music, we're barely scratching the surface. Worship is looking to someone or something as our source of identity/self, safety, satisfaction, or salvation. Worship glorifies someone or something by giving it authority in your life. When directed at God, worship is giving back to him everything he is worthy of – which is inclusive of our whole lives.

Christians have a complicated relationship with obedience. Those who strive to obey Jesus in everything at all times are often labeled "legalists." Others acts as if obedience is completely optional, since salvation is by grace through faith. Many are neither legalists nor antinomians, but simply pick and choose which commands of Scripture to obey. Who's right? What are we supposed to obey? And how can we do that?

Praying isn't just "talking back to God." And it's not meant to be a rote, mechanical exercise, let alone a good luck charm. Prayer is a conversation where we learn to pour out our gratitude and praise to God, surrender our will to his, and trust him with our needs – no matter how big or small.

Students must hear the words of their teachers in order to learn. In the same way, you must hear the words of Jesus in order to be his apprentice. Knowing God’s Word and being shaped by God’s Word is an absolutely essential practice of following Jesus. This message explores four ways to read the Bible in order to have the well-rounded approach of a true apprentice.

Many Christians today don't realize that Jesus' discipleship model was based upon the rabbinic model of ancient Israel. This makes it very different than sitting in a modern classroom, learning a subject matter from your teacher. There was this element of learning information, but it was much more about becoming like your teacher and being recognized by your imitation of your teacher. Ultimately, it was about replicating the way of your teacher -- which, in the case of Jesus, means teaching his Gospel and life to others.