What does it mean to actually follow Jesus?
Briefly here, I will lay out what Sharpening Ministries looks for when trying to see if someone is a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. There could be many more verses we look at, but these three verses seem to summarize what it means to be someone who follows Jesus and obey’s his commandments.
If you’re wondering about how to grow your relationship with God, reading, meditating on, and putting these verses into action would be a great start.
First, Sharpening Ministries is looking for someone who has a heart that loves God and loves others.
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
- Matthew 22:37-40
Do you love God will all your heart, soul, and mind? Do you want to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind? Jesus says it clearly, this is the first and greatest commandment.
The second greatest commandment though, is like the first. Do you love your neighbor as yourself?
Jesus tells us that this is the heart of someone who truly follows God and that’s why it’s part of what we look for in believers we want to train and equip.
Second, Sharpening Ministries is looking for someone who has a vision to reach the world and accomplish the Great Commission.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus’s final words to His disciples were these: go make disciples of all nations. It’s a command that extends beyond his original 12 disciples and remains true for Christ followers today. The instructions could not be more clear: make disciples, baptize them, and teach them everything. But Jesus doesn’t leave us out to dry, he tell us that he’ll be with us always as we’re doing the work.
We must ask the question, “Who is responsible for the great commission?” Until we respond with an emphatic, “Me!” we’re never going to accomplish the task Jesus gave us. This is why we look for people who have, or want to have, a vision of making disciples and reaching the world.
Finally, Sharpening Ministries looks for people who are, or have a desire to be, a Skilled Master Builder.
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
- 1 Corinthians 3:10
Let’s ask a simple question. Are you a laborer? Do you labor for the cause of Christ? Do you work to build God’s Kingdom among your sphere of influence? According to Paul here in 1 Corinthians 3, we are either laying a foundation or building on top of someone else’s foundation. Is that something you do, or want to do?
You are always making disciples, but what kind of disciples are you making? Disciples of the world? Or disciples of Jesus Christ? It’s worth every ounce of energy we have to work hard to become a skilled master builder and be men and women who build the Kingdom of God.
Sharpening Ministries looks for men and women who have this desire and are willing to sacrifice the time necessary to develop into someone who builds the Kingdom.
