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To be one of Jesus' followers is to be an apprentice under Jesus.

Apprenticeship is a process either formal or informal, where the apprentice seeks to learn from and to model their lives after their master. In the case of Jesus, he calls his apprentices to learn a new way of being human.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites everyone to take on a new way of life. To take up the easy yoke and to do life with him at their side and carrying the bulk of the load of life. 

To apprentice under Jesus, is to organize your whole life around three basic goals:

1. Be with Jesus

2. Become like Jesus

3. Do what Jesus would do if he were you

By spending time with Jesus, he transforms us to become more like him. Our role is to carve out space in our lives to allow him to work and to reshape us. To heal our damaged souls and restore us to full life. Out of this restored life we are able to make choices in our lives and to live like he would if he had our lives.

Try the following practices this week to kick start your apprenticeship to Jesus:

1. Write out a "not-to-do" list. Take some time to pray and then to write down some things to stop doing or to do less in order to have some extra margin in your life. This could include times not to do certain things, for example: not going on your phone between certain hours of the day or limiting time on social media, etc.

2. Take some time this week, 5-15 minutes, just to be with Jesus. Start by reading Matthew 11:28-30 and/or John 15:1-11 and then ask him to speak to you and to share his heart for you. Talk with him and ask for help in being his apprentice.

Listen to the related sermon: The Easy Yoke