Jesus and Spiritual Disciplines

In the coming weeks, Student Ministries will be making a change in the topic of teaching, transitioning from the Gospel of John to a more topical study on spiritual disciplines. In the first few chapters of John we have seen the Apostle describe Jesus’ authority as Creator, as the incarnate Savior, as the perfect Lamb of God, and as a great Teacher, explaining to the Pharisee Nicodemus that He is the only way to salvation from sin.

Our study of this book of the Bible is crucial because knowing Jesus and making Him known is the only true motivation for pursuing the spiritual disciplines of meditating on Scripture, prayer, fasting, worship, etc. God’s Word puts us in a state of utter awe in the presence of Jesus, with the weight of condemnation for sin as well as the amazing salvation Jesus offers compelling us to revel in our Savior.

This scriptural understanding of Jesus shapes the way in which we should pursue further knowledge of God. And Jesus is also our greatest example: “If your picture of a disciplined Christian is one of a grim, tight-lipped, joyless half-robot, then you’ve missed the point. Jesus was the most disciplined Man who ever lived and yet the most joyful and passionately alive. He is our Example of discipline. Let us follow Him to joy through the Spiritual Disciplines” (Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life).

Looking forward to learning with you,
-Pastor Josh