Following Jesus, What Does it Mean?

What does it mean to follow Jesus? Of course, the general answer of accepting Jesus into your heart is a correct definition. We generally understand that. The phrase “I have decided to follow Jesus” can simply mean you’ve come to the point in your life that you’ve decided that you believe in Him, you want to go to Heaven or you want to live for the Lord. However, what does that ACTUALLY mean? We as humans have grand ideas and plans for our lives but do those plans align with following Jesus? Did you stop and ask Him if those plans allow you to follow Him? There is a  song that our church does during worship and it kept playing in my head. “I have decided...*dun dun*...to follow Jesus.” Just that line at first, over and over again. As I rolled these words over in my mind I thought, am I? Am I REALLY following Him?

 Luke 9:23 says; “23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Then the rest of the lyrics began to roll around in my head; “The world behind, the cross before and I won’t turn back”. As those words and lyrics played on in my mind, I imagined Simon/Peter laying down His fishing pole and walking away with Jesus. Ya know, in historical retrospect the timeline of the cross is technically behind us but back then when Jesus walked the earth, the cross was quite literally in front of both of their paths. Jesus knew the cross was coming but Peter didn’t. I’m sure Peter had a hunch he was part of something big but he didn’t know HOW big. 

Philippians 3:13-14 says; “13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended (or made it my own); but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Mind you, when Philippians was written the cross was in the rear view mirror just like it is in our historical perspective today. However, Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew (16:24), Mark (8:34) and Luke (9:23) in three different ways to "take up their cross and follow Him". This was BEFORE he died on the cross for our sins. With these different perspectives and timelines I've really thought about how the Cross is a constant. Behind us and before us. I mean, if we're carrying the cross today as Jesus asked the disciples to back then, then we know the tip top of that cross is literally before us at all time. AND what's cool to realize is that, Jesus went first! The best leaders will never ask you to do something they themselves will not do. 

Remember the disciples didn't know Jesus was going to die on the cross until He told them, but today we KNOW Jesus is to return! Now, as I walk with Jesus today, carrying my cross, KNOWING what’s to come, what will I be missing if I don’t lay MY fishing pole down? How hard will it be to carry my cross if I don't lay the other thing down? Think about what YOUR fishing pole is.. 

I don’t know about you but I want to be a part of what’s coming! I want to lay anything down that is preventing me from carrying the Cross and following Jesus! And I won’t turn back! 

Luke 9:62 says; “62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

I WANT to be FIT for the kingdom! 

So, following Jesus, what does it mean? Yes, to accept Him as Lord and Savior but it also means to CHOOSE to walk out history with Him! It’s not just a ticket to ride to Heaven. It’s a declaration and a commitment to the generations to come that you’ll help the Lord make history.

Ephesians 2:10 says; “10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Walk where? To make biblical history happen. I don't know if you've really thought about it but you will make history happen no matter the choices you make. Time doesn't stop for anyone here on earth. You have no control on whether or not you make history, but you can control what kind of history you make! Let's look at it this way; following Jesus = making history and not following Jesus = making history.

So, you might already know Jesus, you might already be filled with the Spirit but have you decided to make history with Jesus? Have you decided to FOLLOW Jesus?