Ask anyone who has ever started following Jesus, and they’ll tell you it can be both exhilarating and terrifying to step out at the prompting of the Spirit—away from something safe and comfortable—to follow hard after Christ. We treat faith like a destination. A line we crossed at an altar or whispered in a prayer long ago. But take a look at Jesus’ life. He never really asked people to sign a card with a dotted line or a questionnaire about beliefs. All Jesus said was, “Follow me.”
Come and Follow Me
Simple, right? Following Jesus is simple. Except that one word. Following.
Discipleship. Ugh. Let’s be honest, that word comes with some serious baggage. To some, it’s relatable but conjures up images of an intense college class. To others, it’s terrifying and implies a high-pressure check-up where we’re constantly “falling short” of holy enough.
Brother (or Sister), let’s ditch that Bible college mentality for something more grounded in experience, a more meaningful connection, an unfiltered version. I want to welcome you to the Come and See phase of the faith journey. The sweet, messy, relationship-driven beginning of following Jesus for the long haul.
Discipleship Is a Journey, Not a Program
Let’s face it, we live in a program-driven world. We want 10 quick steps to “Level Up Your Faith” or a 30-Day challenge that promises spiritual awesomeness if we just stick it out. Programs are comfortable and easy. They come with a start date and an end date.
But Jesus didn’t invite those fishermen hanging out on the shore of the Sea of Galilee to a six-week Bible study. He invited them into his everyday life. To walk with him along dusty roads, eat with him at his table, and watch how he loved the broken, the stubborn, and the downright dirty.
When we shift our perspective on discipleship from a one-time decision to follow Jesus to a lifelong journey of following him… something incredible happens. The pressure is off. You don’t have to have it all together today. You don’t have to be “fixed” before you can follow Jesus. Journey implies progression, not perfection. It means that if you’re starting today, you’re not where you’ll be in a year… and that, friend, is the point.
If you’re sitting there thinking, “Come see? I’ve been coming a long time…I should be further along than I am.” Stop right there. Take a deep breath. You’re not behind. You’re on a journey. And all journeys begin with taking that first step.
Come and See
As John is telling the story of Jesus’ life, there is a beautiful moment when two disciples of John the Baptist actually start following Jesus. When Jesus notices they tag along, he turns to them and asks, “What do you want?” They ask him where he is staying, and Jesus says simply, “Come, and you will see.”
No map. No study. Just come and see.
This concept of coming and seeing is powerful because it grounds our faith in relationship over religion. Jesus didn’t ask his disciples to change their lives until after they’d seen how He lived his. They saw how He reacted when he was tired. They watched him pray. They saw how he interacted with people that society had written off.
When we come and see, we make room in our lives to watch how Jesus lived. Yes, this happens through the stories of the Gospel, but it also happens when we look around for Jesus at work in our own lives and the lives of those around us. Coming and seeing means we become students of his character. When we prioritize the relationship, the “rules” of our faith become less a list to keep and more a natural byproduct of loving someone so well.
Come And Walk
It is super easy to be a spectator in the life of Jesus. You can read about his goodness. Listen to podcasts about his life. Sing songs about his never-ending grace and never actually allow him to change you. But an invite is a two-way street. To follow means to walk behind Jesus into the places where he’s already at work.
Following means action. It means that if Jesus is moving toward the widow, orphans, and the oppressed, we follow in step behind him. If he spends time away from the crowds to be with the Father, we seek out that same solitude. If Jesus offers forgiveness that costs him everything, we begin to look at the areas in our own hearts that need forgiveness.
This isn’t legalism. It’s the natural by-product of spending time in his presence. Think of your closest friend. The more time you spend with that person, the more you start to mimic their facial expressions, pick up their slang, and even see the world as they do. Following Jesus works the same way. As we observe his character, we cannot help but allow it to transform us.
Stumbling Doesn’t Mean You Quit Following
If you have never been involved in a healthy church community before, can I let you in on a secret? As soon as we open up about walking with Jesus, others will want to follow along, too. You’ll meet disciples who love to sit and deep dive into the Word. Some will love trying to live out the Great Commandments via home groups and service projects. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that…if it doesn’t become performance-based.
I know one of the hardest parts of getting involved in a community that studies the Bible is the fear of everyone “figuring out” we don’t have it all together. “What if they find out how I really feel about __?” “What if they know about the thoughts, I can’t even tell my best friend?” “If they really knew me, they wouldn’t think I was a good disciple.”
News flash. The 12 disciples spent a lot of time arguing among themselves about who was the greatest. They doubted. They didn’t have faith. At Jesus’ worst moment, they pretty much all abandoned him. And yet, Jesus never took His invitation back.
Following Jesus isn’t about keeping up appearances. You will never wake up to find yourself on the outside because following Jesus is not a performance-based program. When you stumble (and trust me, we all will), you don’t get sent back to the start to follow the line. You simply get back up and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Where to Begin?
Alright, so now that we’ve destroyed all your preconceived notions of discipleship, how do you actually get started?
Let me tell you how. With an invitation. Not Jesus inviting you (that’s already happened), but you inviting Jesus into the nitty-gritty places of your life.
Far too often, we try to contain our “spiritual journey” to a box labeled “Church” or “Quiet time.” But Jesus wants to lead you at your job, in the drive-thru of your favorite burger place, in how you manage your finances, and how you deal with that one annoying family member.
Following Jesus means giving Jesus the “leading roles” in the parts of your life that you’ve been white-knuckling the reins. It’s terrifying. But it’s also the most freeing decision you’ll ever make. When we allow him to lead, the burden of the outcome doesn’t rest on our shoulders anymore.
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