If anyone would come after me,
he must . . . follow me.
—Mark 8:34c
Are you going to church on Sundays? Singing the songs? Praying the prayers? Giving the gifts?
Is that what Jesus meant when he said if you would be his disciple you must follow him?
There’s more to it than that. A lot more. Following him isn’t a half-hearted engagement; it’s a full-blown commitment.
It means no turning back when things get tough (Jn 6:66).
It means hustling back when you catch yourself wandering off the trail.
It means keeping him in view: you can’t follow him if you can’t see him. So when you fall behind, you make it your primary business to catch up.
Step one: Deny yourself. Step two: Take up your cross. Step three: Follow him.
That’s the price of discipleship.
Becoming a follower of Jesus
splits your life into Before and After.