WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FOLLOW JESUS?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FOLLOW JESUS? A lot of people believe in Jesus from a distance. They agree that He existed, respect His teachings, attend church, post a verse now and then, and call themselves Christians. Following Jesus goes much deeper than simply knowing who He is. Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” -Luke 9:23 KJV Following Jesus begins with denying yourself. That doesn’t mean hating yourself. It means Jesus is no longer an addition to your life. He becomes Lord over it. Your plans, desires, relationships, habits, money, time and future are placed under His authority. Jesus asked: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” -Luke 6:46 KJV You cannot follow Jesus while continually walking in the opposite direction. A follower listens to His words and obeys them. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” -John 14:15 KJV Obedience doesn’t purchase salvation. We are saved by grace through faith, not by our own works. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” -Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV However, the grace that saves us also changes us. Good works are not the price of salvation; they are the fruit that follows it. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” -Ephesians 2:10 KJV Following Jesus means turning away from sin instead of defending it. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” -Acts 2:38 KJV “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9 KJV A Christian may stumble, but he cannot become comfortable living against the One he claims to follow. When the Holy Spirit convicts us, we confess it, turn from it and keep moving toward Christ. Following Jesus means putting Him above everything else. “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” -Matthew 10:37 KJV Jesus wasn’t teaching us to neglect our families. He was establishing the order. Nobody comes before Christ. No relationship, career, possession, tradition or personal ambition has the right to take His place. When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, He said: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” -Matthew 4:19 KJV Following Jesus changes what we live for. We stop living only for comfort, entertainment, money and recognition. We begin caring about souls. We share the gospel because someone shared it with us. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” -Mark 16:15 KJV A follower of Jesus also remains in His Word. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” -john 8:31–32 KJV You cannot follow someone whose voice you never listen to. We learn the voice, character and will of Christ through Scripture. The Bible corrects us when our feelings, culture or personal opinions start leading us away. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” -Psalm 119:105 KJV Following Jesus means walking in love. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” -John 13:35 KJV Biblical love isn’t weakness, compromise or pretending sin doesn’t matter. Jesus spoke the truth plainly, yet He showed mercy to the broken, patience with the ignorant and compassion toward those who came to Him. His followers should carry that same balance of truth and grace. Following Jesus also means serving people. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” -Mark 10:45 KJV Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. He touched lepers, fed the hungry, received the rejected and stopped for people everyone else ignored. Following Him means we stop making life entirely about ourselves. “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” -John 13:15 KJV Following Jesus will cost you something. Sometimes it costs friendships, approval, opportunities, comfort or reputation. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” -2 Timothy 3:12 KJV Jesus never promised that following Him would make life easy. He promised that He would be with us. “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33 KJV There will be days when following Jesus feels heavy. There will be temptations, failures, questions and battles. The answer isn’t to walk away. The answer is to stay close to the Shepherd. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish…” -John 10:27–28 KJV Following Jesus means trusting Him even when you cannot see the entire road ahead. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” -2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV It means choosing His will over your own, His truth over the world’s opinion, holiness over temporary pleasure, forgiveness over bitterness and eternal things over everything this world can offer. Jesus didn’t call us to admire Him from a distance. He called us to follow Him. That means dying to the old life and walking in the new one. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” -2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV We won’t follow Him perfectly, but we should be following Him honestly. When we fall, we get back up. When we sin, we confess it. When we become distracted, we return to His Word. When the path gets hard, we remember who is leading us. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” -Hebrews 12:2 KJV Following Jesus is more than a label. It is a surrendered life, lived by faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit and pointed toward eternity. “And he saith unto them, Follow me…” -Matthew 4:19 KJV #MoreJoyMinistries