‘Following Christ’
- Apr 17
- 6 min read
Romans 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
I have been so challenged by Dallas Willard’s comments, “The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples, students, apprentices, practitioners of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.”
Coming off the back of the Easter weekend, we must remember the resurrection can’t stay contained. It’s a way of life, of a love on the move, refusing to stay quiet, because Christ has broken the chains and can no longer be held by any enemy - especially death!
Today, our life in Him has a new basis for living. It will not be easy but it will be encouraging and challenging. But it will require 100 % of our life.
Matthew 16:24 -25: “Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
'Spent and worthless now, compared to this: Knowing you, Jesus! '
Thinking of these words, do we include the home, the job, the car, the holidays, the designer labels, all worthless compared to knowing Christ?
'Following Christ' is a radical thing; we are different and we can’t or shouldn’t hide our faith behind a facade of acceptability. The secret of a changed life is in the discovery that it's an exchanged life. Christ in you, or as Galatians 2:20 states, "I no longer live but Christ lives in me."
Jesus turned to His disciples and explained what following Him would mean. In Matthew 16: 24-25, He points out the level we would have to make. He could have picked on less sensitive areas but this is non-negotiable! He has to come first in everything!
There is a vast difference between sonship (being saved) and discipleship (following the Lord). Sadly, not all Christians are disciples. They should be, but some are not, they are not following the Lord as they should!
Let me reemphasise: to "take up the cross" is not a commitment of convenience, a ‘pick and choose’ sort of thing, it is abandoning my plans and resources for His plans and His resources. It’s a one-way road as Luke 9:62 states,"anyone who’s ploughing and looks back is not fit for service", and you’re not coming back this way either!
Way back in the 19th Century, A. B. Bruce once said, “From the time of their being chosen, indeed, the twelve entered on a regular apprenticeship… in the course of which they were to learn… what they should be, do, believe, and teach, as His witnesses and ambassadors to the world.”
Writers like Dallas Willard, Richard Foster, and John Ortberg, also refer to us becoming Jesus’ apprentices. This idea really appeals to me!
Eugene Peterson said, “Spiritual formation is not a program. It’s not a curriculum. It’s a relationship with Christ, an apprenticeship with Jesus.”
Dallas Willard also gives us a captivating image as Jesus’s apprentices. He refers to three areas of discipleship: obeying Christ's explicit commands; integrating faith into everyday life; and learning to act in the power of God.
Being a disciple, an apprentice, means spending as much time with Him as possible, to learn as much as possible, so we can become as much like Him as possible.
The greatest issue facing each one of us in ‘Following Christ’ today is whether we who identify as Christians will become disciples. The New Testament uses the word ‘disciple’ 269 times, compared with 3 mentions of the word Christian. The Bible is written for disciples, for you and I!
Interestingly, before the disciples believed in Him, Jesus believed in them. Notice the call, "If anyone would come". It’s a call to each of us to be intentional about orienting our life to Him and following Him in every way. But I wonder, how close are you in following Him? What does being a disciple of Jesus look like, live like, to you?
Today, Jesus believes in you, so He says ‘COME’.
Or in other words, "walk after me." It’s about becoming a disciple, an apprentice to a teacher, and effectively "getting in line" behind Him.
A preface in Renovare’s Life with God Bible reads: “Now, only in the rarest of cases do we find in Christian churches purposeful, continuously progressive, and all-inclusive spiritual growth through discipleship to Jesus. Through the ages we have seen many brilliant examples of what discipleship can be, but on the present scene what we generally face, and
what the world sees, especially in the West, is a Christian culture without discipleship to Jesus.” What a thought!
Mike Breen says, “The call of Jesus is not just to believe in him, but to apprentice ourselves to him; to learn to think, speak, act, and live like him. That’s what it means to be a disciple.”
In my studies on discipleship over the last few weeks, I’ve been taken by a phrase that has cropped up a few times: “Covered in the dust of the Rabbi”.
Actually, it was a first Century blessing, “May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.”
John Ortberg says, “The one thing needed is the decision to live so continually in Jesus’ presence as to be always covered with the dust of the rabbi.”
Interesting! Living and following Jesus so closely, by the help of the Holy Spirit, we walk the same road and become ‘covered in his dust.’
It’s thought to come from the Mishnah. This is a collection of Jewish rabbinic sayings. One would sit at the feet of the teacher learning.
Remember, Paul said he sat “at the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3). We also read in Luke 10:39 that Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet”. She was learning from Him.
Just think what it would mean becoming like Jesus. In Luke 6:40, Jesus says, “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”
How’s the training going?
1 John 2:6 reminds us that, “Whoever claims to abide in Him, must walk as Jesus walked.” Or in John 14:12, Jesus says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing.”
Jesus’ invitation was for His disciples to come and be with Him, not just for a Sunday worship service, say 90 minutes maximum (!), but a 24/7 following Him. Jesus lived with the disciples, they walked together, worked together, ate together. Jesus taught and equipped His disciples, and then sent them out in His name. This must mean moving beyond a Sunday admiration, to a 24/7 life led by the Holy Spirit in imitating Jesus' love, service, and lifestyle.
This is only possible today through the help and work of the Holy Spirit, and being obedient to the powerful life-changing word of God.
As we come to God today, and dare to begin a new journey with Him, may we lose the dust of our own life, the dust of the past, of rejection, of hurt and pain, and find ourselves getting so close to Him we’re covered in His dust for His glory.
Matthew 11:28–30 puts it this way: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Let us be still in His presence.
Pray
"Lord today I choose to humble myself under Your Lordship.
Right now, by Your grace I surrender everything to you: my life, my desires, ambitions and future. Reign in me as Lord.
In order to ‘Walk Worthy’ , give me the grace to love you above all and to follow you and your will for my life. I repent of any pride or personal idols and longings that have taken me away from having you in first place. My deepest desire is that you reign in me again!
In Jesus’ name. Amen"
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