Jesus consistently demonstrated to his followers how he wanted them to live. He set an example of service for them to follow telling them, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Motivated by his or her love for Jesus, a disciple wants nothing more than to please the Master and, therefore takes great pleasure in serving Jesus.

Twenty-plus years of Jesus’ life are summed up in a single verse: “And Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and with man.” Spiritual growth is not optional; followers of Jesus are expected to grow. A disciple understands the growth path and takes next steps to intentionally grow.

Jesus made it a priority to spend time with Father God. Before he chose his first followers, he spent time alone with the Father. After supernaturally catering a meal for thousands, Jesus went up into the hills to be alone with the Father. He took a break from battling demons and healing the sick to spend time with his Father. The most important thing a follower of God does every day in writing a new chapter in his or her faith story is to spend time with the Author.

It was no small thing to follow Jesus. To become a follower of a first-century Jewish rabbi was a total commitment. It meant leaving home, family, friends and job to pursue a singularly focused goal: to become as much like the master as possible. Christ challenges us to constantly write new chapters in our faith story. This commitment, this discipleship, is the sole focus of Jesus’ followers as they adopt the thoughts, attitudes and actions of their master. Christ expects nothing less of us.

When is the last time you gave to the poor? Was it easy? Why did you do it? How is your prayer life? Just praying for meals? When was the last time you fasted?

Do you even know what that means? What about forgiving those who have sinned against you? That's an easy one right? In Matthew 6, Jesus tells his followers the way they should be giving, praying, fasting and forgiving. AND, he doesn't simply say say, "If you do these things, here is how you should do them." That would be too easy. No, he says, "When you do these things, do them this way." No way out of this one. Its time for us to step up our game and put God back in the center.

You may have heard someone say “Just because I can’t order doesn’t mean I can’t look at the menu!” Jesus was familiar with this attitude and he addressed it nearly two thousand years ago. He made it clear that objectifying women was a sin and unacceptable for God’s people. Fast forward to 21st century America, a country that prides itself on objectifying women. How do we live in response to Jesus’ command for us to think, act and live with moral purity?

All of us have a tendency to look for joy and security in our possessions. Yet this focus on the impermanent continually disappoints and leads to worry. Jesus says that concern for things dominates the thoughts of unbelievers. Jesus-followers need to center our perspective on God and his faithfulness. It’s all too easy for us to use people and enjoy things, while Jesus asks us to enjoy people and use things.

Jesus challenges his followers to go beyond their actions and to examine their attitudes. When we mistreat others it hurts our relationship with God, but so do our negative attitudes toward others. Few people will ever commit a murder. But we all get angry. Jesus challenges us to see others as people made in his image. When we do that, we change how we treat God’s children.

The Bible isn’t à la carte; we don’t get to pick the commands we follow and which we get to ignore. Jesus attacked the spiritual elites of his day for the façade of faith they erected to impress others. They looked faithful on the outside, but he knew they were phonies on the inside. He calls his followers to a higher standard.

It was never God’s intention that His creation be plunged into darkness. But sin cast humans into a shadow land. Since the fall, God has been at work restoring humankind to Himself, illuminating the path from dark to light. His promise was, and remains, that we are destined to live in fellowship with Him and each other.