If you took a moment to consider and reflect on this one question, how might you answer this:

 “What would you say most of your ‘religious’ training and upbringing has focused on, being taught to be: - a ‘good Christian’, - be a faithful church member, or - how to actually follow Jesus?” 

This is one of those ‘don’t be too quick to answer that’ questions; especially if you were prone to circle the last option there. 

In theory, we probably like to think of ourselves as ‘followers’ of Jesus; but I suspect the way that often plays out for so many people is we profess to believe in Him, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, having been raised from the dead after dying on a cross for the sins of the world, but then this is where all those lines or paths begin to blur. 

Here me out if you would please. 

How do we teach or instruct any new convert or believer to be a follower of Jesus? I mean, after all, I hope we can all agree that is what we’ve been called to do and be…’followers of Christ’, yes? 

What did Jesus invite those fishermen to do when He began preaching? “Follow Me”. 

What did Jesus tell the rich, young ruler he needed to do to receive eternal life? “Follow Me”. 

It was a statement or command Jesus repeated often during His three years of ministry. In fact we also read where He said “whoever does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt. 10:38) 

We should also be familiar with the ‘great commission’ given there at the close of Matthew 28 where Jesus was giving final words to His disciples instructing them to “Go and make disciples of all nations…” (19). Again, we hopefully would agree that they were not told to make ‘church members’ or ‘professing believers’. The church was commissioned to make ‘disciples’ which by its very definition strongly implies a ‘follower’. 

 So how does one do that? Well, Jesus laid down a very clear marker and a follow up promise: “Teach them to observe or do ALL things that I have commanded you”, and then the promise of “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (20) 

Now if we don’t get that first part down right, as in doing those things He commands us, why would we think that promise will be fulfilled by Him, to ‘always be with us’? 

Careful here…don’t get ahead of me. ;- ) 

We are not questioning whether God loves us; not at all. We should know God’s love for us is unconditional and nothing you do could ever change that fact. God so loved the whole world as we well know from John 3:16. 

 But His promises are very conditional and we fail to recognize this fact at times. How often do we come across that pesky little two-letter word, ‘if’, when we read through scriptures. ‘IF’ often signals a condition. We were examining yesterday, that passage from 2 Cor. 5:17 that begins with “IF…any man is in Christ, he is a new creation”. So if a person is not in Christ, then what might that imply? 

I know we are getting into an area that can create some unrest or concern for people, and sometimes, that is a good thing. We need to fully understand what it means to be a genuine follower of Jesus and what that looks like and how one does that. Because if you or I are not following Christ, then who do you think we are following? And saying you believe in Jesus does not equate to following Him. 

 Jesus said this in John 10- “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (27). You might also make note that those are the ones who were assured that no one could snatch them…from the Father’s hand (29). That is one of those ‘conditional promises’, not some blanket guarantee for every church member out there. If you are not following Him by doing what He says, you are not one of His sheep. I don’t know how else to say that. 

 We’ve discussed in the past that not everyone out there is a child of God. It sounds great to say, but there is no truth in that if we are looking to scripture for truth and guidance. One must indeed ‘receive Christ’ to ‘become…a child of God’ (John 1:12) but it is those who are ‘led by His Spirit that are the children of God’. (Rom. 8:14). Again…we see this emphasis of being led, or following. 

Friends…scripture has much to say warning us about being deceived. This was a problem in the OT and is even more of a problem in this NT era. Over and over we are warned about being deceived by Jesus and the NT writers. Deceived people do not know they are deceived. Many have been lulled into a false sense of security, being ‘sold another gospel and another Jesus’ (2 Cor. 11:2-4). Jeremiah addressed this in the 23 chapter of his book (vs 16-32). Jesus warned of this in Matt. 7:21-23 & 24:4-24 and Paul spoke of a great falling away from the faith where people would be promised ‘peace and safety’ before ‘sudden destruction’ would come upon them. (1 Thess. 5:1-4; 2 Thess. 2:3) 

What does ‘sudden destruction’ look like? Have you ever seen news footage of a raging river or tsunami or flood waters just sweep away homes and buildings and cars and such? What did Jesus describe the end times being like there in Matt. 24 where it would be as it was in the days of Noah and the floods came and took them all away? “So shall it be with the coming of the Son of Man”. (37). IF you are not ‘in the ark’ or ‘in Christ’, you are not in a good place. Those who are ‘in Christ’ are following…they are abiding and it will be quite evident by the fruit of obedience in their lives. (Heb. 5:9) Just don’t be looking for a literal flood of water though. (Rev. 12:15) 

I find there to be a fine line here of coming across like an ‘alarmist’ and wanting to sound a sobering trumpet of warning. I cannot underscore the seriousness of this aspect of exhorting us all to make sure we are actually following Jesus vs. just ‘calling Him, Lord’. Even Jesus asked those among Him: “Why do you call me Lord and not do the things I say?” (Luke 6:46) 

So how does one know if they are actually ‘following’ Him? Well, there are some pretty good markers to help define this and I mention them regularly. It has to do with the fruit being produced in our lives. If we are walking in the Spirit, we are not fulfilling the lust of the flesh nature. (Gal. 5:16). If we are abiding in Him, we are walking like Jesus walked and trust me, we can’t do this without Him abiding in us. (John 15:1-8). IF…we are following Him, we are not going to continue to sin. (1 John 3:6,9). Now…IF…IF…IF…we sin, yes…we have the promise of being able to run to Him and finding grace and mercy in that time of need. (1 John 2:1). But that is sort of like insurance…you find comfort in knowing it is there but you certainly hope you need not have to use it. 

Let me wrap up here today with this line of thought. IF Christ is truly abiding in us, and we in Him, I have to believe (which I do) that one will know it. How…can the Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead…dwell in us and we not be aware of it? Go read and mark Romans 8:11 right now if you would please. ;-) 

Did Jesus not promise to ‘be with us always…even till the end of the age’? (Matt. 28:20). Has it ever dawned on you of all the creative and imaginative illustrations we are taught to convince us that even when we ‘don’t feel it or sense it, God is still always right there with us’? (Footprints in the Sand’ ring a bell anyone?). Friends…IF you are abiding in Christ and His and His word is abiding in you…you need not have anyone convince you of this fact. You. Will. Know. It. 

 This is not about getting all ‘touchy and feely’ or having to be ‘charismatic’ either. Let’s close out with an exchange between God and Moses back in the book of Exodus. Please turn to chapter 33 and look over vs. 12-17. 

 Does that not resonate with your spirit? And we live under a better covenant today with better promises, according to Heb. 8:6. Even Moses knew the importance of abiding in God’s presence and being led by it. In His presence, there is ‘fullness of Joy’. (Ps. 16:11) Even Jesus prayed for our joy to be full…and His prayers get answered. ;-) (John 15:11). He also said that in Him, we would have peace…despite any tribulation we may encounter. (John 16:33). Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor. 3:17) 

You don’t need me or anyone else to convince you that you are following Christ and abiding in Him. IF…you are, you will know it. That…I can promise you. Those promises I listed here are not extended to ‘good church members or Christians’. They are conditional promises given to those who follow Jesus with all their heart. Just don’t be afraid to admit and even confess…that just maybe you have found yourself…’following from afar’.(Luke 22:54). You might look up that verse and consider what Peter might have to say about doing that…and where it led him.