Keeping Your Head Straight
Following Jesus: A Guide to Discipleship in the New Year
Jesus provides a clear blueprint for what it means to be His disciple. Through His words in Mark 1:17, we can understand three essential qualities that characterize true discipleship.
What Does It Mean to Know Jesus Personally?
The first characteristic of discipleship is having a personal relationship with Jesus. When Jesus called His disciples, He simply said “Follow me.” This wasn’t just a physical following, but rather an invitation to:
- Turn away from sin and self
- Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior
- Align your life with His will and ways
- Enter into a genuine saving relationship
This relationship begins through repentance and belief in the Gospel. No amount of religious activity can substitute for truly knowing Jesus personally.
How Does Spiritual Growth Work in the Christian Life?
The second quality of discipleship is continuous spiritual growth. When we follow Jesus, He promises “I will make you become…” This transformation process is:
- Supernatural – powered by Jesus working in us
- Continual – an ongoing process until we reach heaven
- Progressive – happening gradually over time
Four Key Steps for Spiritual Growth:
- Depend on the Holy Spirit daily
- Read Scripture regularly
- Spend dedicated time in prayer
- Gather faithfully with other believers
What Does It Mean to Live Missionally?
The third characteristic is going with Jesus missionally as “fishers of men.” This involves:
- Being intentional about evangelism
- Engaging in discipleship
- Helping others find and follow Jesus
- Living with gospel purpose
True disciples don’t just receive salvation – they participate in Jesus’ mission of reaching others.
Life Application
As you enter this new year, consider these practical challenges:
- Set a specific goal for sharing the gospel (weekly, monthly, etc.)
- Commit to being part of or leading a discipleship group
- Pray for and work toward leading at least one person to faith in Christ this year
Ask yourself:
- Do I truly know Jesus personally, or am I just going through religious motions?
- What specific steps am I taking to grow spiritually?
- How can I be more intentional about living on mission for Christ?
- What’s holding me back from fully embracing these aspects of discipleship?
Remember: When we get our priorities straight in following Jesus, everything else in life falls into proper alignment.