03
Oct '18
Discipleship Demands Self-Denial
03
Oct '18
by Mike Riley
Matthew 16:24, Then said Jesus unto his disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Thus, discipleship demands self-denial. That means putting God above emotions when we must choose between God and family. It means putting God before self when we really want to do something that God forbids. Self-denial means willingly obeying a command of God though we do not see why it should be necessary. In this sense, self-denial is human sacrifice. It is self-offered to God on the altar of unconditional obedience. Regarding this idea, Paul emphatically stated: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.” (Rom 12:1, NIV)
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20
Sep '18
God’s Vision of the Good Life
20
Sep '18
Tripp Prince | Wisdom Hunters 9/13/2018
You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions. Mark 7:8
I am increasingly convinced that one of the most important questions you can ask is this: what is your vision of the good life? What motivates the things you do? What captures your imagination? When you take the time to silence the busyness and distractions that swirl around you, what are the things you find yourself thinking about?
In Mark 7, we have conflicting visions of the good life. Different groups of people have different visions of what it truly means to be happy, fulfilled, and as religious people, to live a life that is pleasing to God. On the one hand, one group says the good life comes through obedience to the rules, customs, and norms of society and faith. Jesus, on the other hand, is calling people back to the original vision of the good life, life as it is truly meant to be lived. He reminds them that all these rules and customs were never really the focus, never meant to be an end in and of themselves. They were meant to lead you into the very life of God. As it says in Leviticus, “be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).
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15
Aug '18
Seeing Clearly
15
Aug '18
by Tripp Prince / Wisdom Hunters
While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” Matthew 17:5-7 (NRSV)
Peter, James, and John were the closest thing Jesus had to an ‘inner circle’. They walked with him in close and intimate ways, and as a result were invited into remarkable moments of spiritual clarity and insight. While they knew Jesus the carpenter from a small town with a remarkable knowledge of Scripture and power from God, they had not yet seen Jesus as he truly is, in his glory and wonder.
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