Key points
- 1
1Jesus promises life to the full, but experiencing it requires more than just believing — it demands intentional training in His ways.
“it's not just we give our life to Jesus and all of a sudden our eternity is taken care of and we're good there but we still have to endure this life and just kind of go through it. But in fact, this side of eternity, Jesus' offer is, come follow me, take up your cross and I will give you life and life abundantly”
- 2
2Paul uses the metaphor of athletic discipline to show that following Jesus involves training and disciplining yourself in the faith, not merely trying harder.
“a practice based on the lifestyle of Jesus that gives you access to the power of the holy spirit and in doing so, be transformed from the inside out”
A story from life
A conversation with the church's drummer about the paradiddle as the foundational drumming technique
A story from life
A conversation with violinist Sarah about learning to hold a bow and doing windshield-wiper exercises as fundamentals
- 3
3Paul explicitly calls followers of Jesus to train themselves for godliness, promising benefits both in this life and the life to come.
- 4
4Grace is not opposed to effort — it is opposed to earning. Practicing the ways of Jesus is not about earning salvation but about opening yourself up to the Spirit's transforming work.
“grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning”
- 5
5A balanced approach to practicing the ways of Jesus accounts for personality, season of life, biggest spiritual need, a willingness to work hard, and consistent repetition over time.
A story from life
Andy, a toffee shop manager and church member, shares on Instagram how a structured Bible journal transformed her engagement with Scripture after years of struggle
A story from life
A middle school all-nighter attendee tells Caleb that seeing him speak made the church feel approachable for an average-looking person
A story from life
A middle school girl who came weekly expressing anger toward others returned months later to report that prayer and opening up to community had softened her heart
- 6
6The spiritual disciplines — practices such as prayer, community, silence, fasting, and Scripture — are not the goal in themselves but the means by which we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit's transformation.
“The whole goal of the spiritual disciplines is not to just do them. It is to open yourself up to the power of the work and the work of the spirit in you”
“You have the same spirit that Jesus has. The spiritual disciplines are our part to play in our formation. The spirit of God does all the hard work”
A story from life
Worship pastor David Brun is cited as someone for whom daily gym attendance has become effortless through long habit — used to illustrate how disciplines become routine over time
A story from life
Caleb McMains describes restarting the Lectio Divina Journal, recommended by David Brun and Daniel Goulding, and finding it life-giving
A story from life
Caleb McMains describes the monotony of his own daily breakfast routine and family schedule as an entry point into the sermon's question
Application
Pastor Caleb's call to action is personal and unhurried. Rather than overwhelming yourself with a long list of spiritual practices, identify where you actually are right now — your personality, your season of life, your most pressing need — and choose one small, sustainable practice to begin. If you are new to faith, simply making worship a consistent weekly rhythm can be transformative. If you have followed Jesus for years but feel dry and depleted, introducing even five minutes of silence and solitude into your day may be the doorway you need. The Spirit does the heavy lifting; your job is to show up consistently and trust that small, repeated acts of faithfulness compound over time into the full, abundant life Jesus genuinely has on offer for you.
