Discipleship

Spirituality

/ David R Maas / Leave a comment

Overused today, the English term ‘spiritual’ is virtually meaningless. To some, it is synonymous with religion. To be religious is to be spiritual. To others, it refers to things that are not of this physical universe, things and beings that are supernatural, otherworldly, noncorporeal, invisible, and timeless.

In popular preaching, one who is “spiritual” can peer into the “spirit realm” where, supposedly, physicality, visibility, and time do not exist. It is not just an alternate reality, but a higher realm of which our physical existence is but a pale imitation.

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God’s Power & Wisdom

/ David R Maas / Leave a comment

Jesus performed miracles, exorcised demons, and taught with great authority. For a time, he attracted great crowds. Nevertheless, his contemporaries failed to recognize who he was despite his miracles and preaching. In the end, only the Roman centurion at Golgotha recognized him as the “son of God” when he breathed his last.

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Harden not your Hearts

/ David R Maas / 1 Comment

After expounding on the “household of God” and demonstrating the superiority of the Son over Moses, the “servant of God,” the study continues with a lesson drawn from the story of Israel. During its sojourn in the wilderness, the Israelites complained bitterly against Moses for leading them to a place lacking sufficient water.

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Discipleship & Suffering

/ David R Maas / Leave a comment

For disciples, retaliation and violence are NOT appropriate reactions when persecution does occur. Rather than respond in kind, they must meet threats with humility, mercy, and love. This is what it means to “deny yourself” and “take up his cross.” And while praying for one’s “enemies” is contrary to the “wisdom of this age,” it epitomizes the paradigm of Christ crucified.

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Jesus or Caesar?

/ David R Maas / Leave a comment

When offered by Satan, Jesus refused the political power of Rome. So, why do we continue to seek what he rejected? When I became a disciple of Jesus, I was taught NOT to “be unequally yoked” with the world. Yes, conditions around the globe were tragic, but what did we expect from a world order under Satan’s boot? What humanity needed was the good news of God’s kingdom, not another corrupt political ideology.

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