What Does It Really Look Like to Follow Jesus?

Most of us take the things we have been told or the environments we have been raised in as truth. The hard part about that is that we never seek truth for ourselves until we are older and everyone has had to un-learn things at some point in their lives. The longer we have thought something, the harder it is to let go, even if someone shows you undeniable evidence that you have been thinking or believing incorrectly. Part of being unable to accept truth is a hardened heart. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had hard hearts to the truth. He told them as plainly and bluntly as one could and they still did not hear Him. That same spirit of those religious leaders is still in the Church today.

My wife and I went on a date last night where we watched the movie “Thor”. I am an old comic book nerd so I was thrilled to get to watch it. There was a scene that struck up probably one of the best conversations my wife and I have ever had about God and His Church. In the scene, King Odin was standing before all of Asgard. He stood up before the somewhat joyous crowd and slammed his staff on the ground and it made a huge “BOOM” and there was complete silence so he could speak. That scene began to make me think about the presence of God. Oftentimes we think we have been in the presence of God, when in reality, if we were actually in His presence, wouldn’t you think there would be that awe and fear like that scene in Thor? We would count it an honor to be in the presence of a great athlete or political figure but we water down being in God’s presence as “a good time in the Spirit” or ” goose bumps”? Give me a break! We would make bigger preparations for the mayor of our town of 13,000 people than the King of All Glory. It is because of our lack of awe that I think we truly have not been in His presence. We see all throughout Scripture that people fall to the ground in fear when even an angel shows up on the scene to deliver a message on God’s behalf. I think that for the majority, our stirred emotions are mistaken for the presence of God all too often.

Have you ever been in the presence of a hero of yours? I got to spend the day with my hero, Willie George, the pastor of Church On The Move in Tulsa, OK. It was amazing to get to be in his presence because I have looked up to this man and admired him ever since I was a child. Sometimes as we were sitting 5 feet from him as he was teaching, I would get caught up thinking, “Wow, this is awesome! That is Willie George! That is Gospel Bill, the guy who started Oneighty, the guy who I watch weekly online and have been learning from for years! I am in the same room with him and he wants to know about MY church?” It was an amazing experience to be in his presence and honestly, it changed my life because of what was taught and how real everyone was. I couldn’t wait to tell everyone about my experience and what I learned! I still listen to the MP3′s of that day on my phone when I workout at least once per week! Now, as great as that was and as special as Willie George and his ministry is to me and my church, it doesn’t even hold a candle to the presence of God.

Being in the presence of God should change us, should inspire us, should leave us in awe and wonder. Sadly, as soon as a church service is over, we think about what we are going to go eat. When I left Willie George, I wasn’t thinking about what I was going to eat…I was thinking about my experience and everything that was said during that time together. You cannot tell me that you have been in the presence of the “Creator of All Things” and walk away thinking about eating fish and chicken! When Moses caught a glimpse of the back of God it messed him up! People couldn’t look at his face. When God’s Glory fell upon Solomon’s Temple when it was dedicated to the Lord, the priests could not minister, some had to leave! Time after time when the Angel of the Lord showed up people fell prostrate and probably hoped they weren’t going to die…they didn’t start acting like charasmatic, emotionalists. You may think that that is just Old Testament BUT look at Revelation were John, the disciple Jesus loved, was visited by Jesus on the isle of Patmos, he fell like a dead man and was afraid. Paul was blinded by his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus…these people didn’t start acting foolish, jerking around, running around the church or anything like what people classify as, “God’s Presence”.

I was raised in a charismatic church and have seen, experienced and even done some wild things. The more I get into the Word of God, I realize my error in those areas. Good people….I mean VERY good people are walking ignorant of the truth because they do not read the Word for themselves and everything they have accepted as truth is either based on experience or what someone else they respect has taught them. I believe that the Word of God is the ultimate truth and is my foundation for everything in life. That means everything gets judged by the light of the Word…not my experiences or even how I feel about something. There is power in obedience to the Word of God. Man, if we could just get that simple truth!!!!

What would it look like if we followed Jesus according to the Bible? I mean, if we really took our Christianity seriously and followed Him like He said to? Forget letting your experiences define what it means to follow Jesus, forget allowing even what you have been told and simply let the Word of God define what it means to follow Jesus…how differently would we do things? If we were really in awe of God, if we were really serious about what Jesus said in Mark 16 it would change the world.

The more I realize what it means to follow Jesus, the less concerned about things I used to think were so important in the church I become. Sometimes those things are so insignificant. Do we really think God wants us to get wrapped up in the color of the carpet, the government of the local church, the style of the music? Wow, we get so wrapped up in ourselves and we live good moral lives but we do very little to nothing for the Kingdom of God. It seems that we become more interested in our kingdom than the Kingdom of God.

When we are in awe of His presence, and who He is, it will change us. The change comes in how seriously we take what He says. How can we so easily disregard His Word and do what we want? Jesus said to, “count the cost” when it comes to following Him because there is a cost, there is no in between. Are we willing to sell-out to what He said in His Word? Are we really ready to sell-out to the mission of winning souls and making disciples? Are we willing to commit our lives to serve others? To operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit to DO the work of the ministry? I believe that if we really follow Jesus, we will make an impact for the Kingdom of God. It is a choice that you and I have been given. Are we going to live the rest of our lives for meaningless things and pursuits of personal happiness? OR are we going to choose to do the Will of our Father?

To follow Jesus…really follow Jesus…would be easily identifiable because it would look like the life He lived before us.

Mark 16:15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. ²⁰ Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

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