What Does Jesus Ask of His Followers?

Jesus invites us to follow Him.

But following Jesus eventually raises a very practical question:

What does He actually ask us to do?

Christianity is not simply agreeing with certain beliefs about Jesus.

It is not merely attending church.

It is not simply identifying ourselves as Christians. The difference between Christian identity alone and a life genuinely shaped by Christ is explored more fully in Two Kinds of Christians .

Jesus calls us into a way of life.

He teaches us how to relate to God.

How to treat people.

How to respond to enemies.

How to handle money.

How to think about purity.

How to forgive.

How to serve.

How to pray.

How to respond to suffering.

How to use our lives for God's purposes.

And throughout His teaching, one truth becomes increasingly clear:

Jesus does not simply want a small religious part of our lives.

He calls us to give Him the whole of our lives.

Jesus Begins with Grace, Not Performance

Before discussing what Jesus asks of us, we need to remember something essential.

We do not obey Jesus in order to make God love us.

We do not become accepted by God because we perform well enough.

We do not earn salvation through obedience.

The gospel comes first. To explore more deeply why Jesus gave His life, what His death accomplished, and why the Cross stands at the center of Christian faith, see What Is God Doing on a Cross? .

Jesus gave His life for sinners.

He rose from the dead.

Forgiveness and reconciliation with God are offered through Him.

We receive salvation by grace through faith.

Then obedience grows from that relationship.

Notice the order.

Love.

Then obedience.

Christian obedience is not an attempt to purchase God's love.

It is the response of someone who has already encountered His grace.

We follow Jesus because we trust Him.

We obey because we love Him.

Jesus Calls Us to Love God Completely

Someone once asked Jesus which commandment was greatest.

Jesus answered by pointing to the command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Mark 12:29–30.

That is an enormous claim upon our lives.

Jesus does not ask for occasional religious attention.

He asks for wholehearted devotion.

Our heart.

Our thoughts.

Our desires.

Our strength.

Our priorities.

Our worship.

Our loyalty.

The Christian life begins by recognizing that God is not simply part of our lives.

He is Lord over our lives.

That means we begin asking:

Does this decision honor God?

Does this relationship honor God?

Does this use of my time honor God?

Does this habit honor God?

Does this ambition honor God?

Does this attitude honor God?

Love for God gradually becomes the organizing center of life.

Jesus Calls Us to Love Our Neighbor

Jesus connected love for God with another command:

We cannot claim to love God while treating people as though they do not matter.

Jesus repeatedly moved toward people others avoided.

The sick.

The poor.

The grieving.

The socially rejected.

The morally broken.

Children.

Foreigners.

People with bad reputations.

People society had pushed aside.

Following Jesus changes the way we see people.

They are no longer interruptions.

Competitors.

Problems.

Categories.

Or obstacles.

They are people made in the image of God.

So discipleship asks:

Who is my neighbor?

And then:

How can I love that person faithfully?

Jesus Calls Us to Love One Another

Jesus gave His disciples a particular command concerning their relationships with one another.

But He added something deeper.

They were to love one another as He had loved them.

That raises the standard dramatically.

Jesus loved patiently.

He served.

He forgave.

He told the truth.

He remained faithful.

He washed His disciples' feet.

He gave His life.

Christian love therefore involves more than friendliness.

It involves sacrifice.

Jesus said this love would become one of the identifying marks of His disciples.

John 13:35.

The world should be able to see something of Christ through the way Christians treat one another.

Jesus Calls Us to Love Our Enemies

Perhaps one of Jesus' most challenging teachings is this:

Most people understand loving family.

Friends.

People who treat us well.

But Jesus extends love beyond those boundaries.

He calls us to pray for people who mistreat us.

To refuse revenge.

To bless rather than curse.

To overcome hostility with grace.

This does not mean pretending evil is good.

It does not mean remaining in dangerous situations.

It does not eliminate justice or appropriate boundaries.

But it does mean that hatred does not become the governing force of the disciple's heart.

Jesus Himself demonstrated this while suffering.

The cross reveals a Savior who responded to human hostility with sacrificial love.

Following Him eventually confronts us with a difficult question:

Can I entrust justice to God and refuse to let hatred control me?

Jesus Calls Us to Obey His Teaching

Jesus did not separate faith from obedience.

Near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, He compared people who hear His words and put them into practice with someone building a house on rock.

Matthew 7:24–27.

The storm eventually came.

The difference was the foundation.

Both people heard.

Only one obeyed.

That distinction matters.

It is possible to hear sermons.

Read Christian books.

Attend Bible studies.

Know theological language.

Memorize Scripture.

And still resist what Jesus says.

Discipleship moves us from:

“I know what Jesus teaches.”

to:

“I am learning to live what Jesus teaches.”

Knowledge matters.

But knowledge becomes discipleship through obedience.

Jesus Calls Us to Repent

One of Jesus' earliest messages was:

Repentance is central to following Jesus.

Repentance means more than feeling bad.

It involves turning.

We recognize that a path is wrong.

We agree with God about it.

We turn from that direction.

And we turn toward Him.

Repentance is not only something that happens at the beginning of the Christian life.

It becomes part of the ongoing life of discipleship.

As God shows us pride, selfishness, greed, bitterness, dishonesty, lust, unforgiveness, or unbelief, we do not hide from Him.

We turn toward Him.

“Jesus, You are right. I want Your way rather than mine.”

Jesus Calls Us to Holiness

Jesus welcomes sinners.

But He does not leave us unchanged.

Grace forgives us.

And grace begins transforming us.

Jesus repeatedly called people away from sin and toward a life shaped by God's holiness. To explore more deeply how holy awe, reverence, obedience, and intimacy with God belong together, continue with The Awe of God study.

That means discipleship touches areas we sometimes prefer to keep private.

Our thoughts.

Our speech.

Our sexuality.

Our entertainment.

Our habits.

Our motives.

Our honesty.

Our relationships.

Our use of power.

Our treatment of people.

Our secret lives.

Holiness does not mean becoming self-righteous.

In fact, genuine holiness should make us more humble because we become increasingly aware of how deeply we need God's grace.

The goal is not:

“Look how good I have become.”

The goal is:

“Jesus, make my life increasingly reflect You.”

Jesus Calls Us to Forgive

Jesus spoke often about forgiveness.

He taught His disciples to pray:

Forgiveness can be extremely difficult.

Some wounds are deep.

Some betrayals have lasting consequences.

Forgiveness does not mean pretending nothing happened.

It does not mean calling evil good.

It does not automatically restore trust.

It does not always eliminate consequences.

And reconciliation may require repentance and rebuilding.

But forgiveness means we surrender our personal claim to revenge.

We place justice in God's hands.

Why?

Because forgiven people become forgiving people.

We remember how much grace we ourselves have received.

Jesus told a story about a servant who was forgiven an enormous debt but then refused mercy to someone who owed him far less.

Matthew 18:21–35.

People who understand grace should become people who extend grace.

Jesus Calls Us to Humility

The disciples sometimes argued about who among them was greatest.

Jesus repeatedly challenged their ideas about greatness.

The world often defines greatness through status, recognition, influence, power, wealth, and position.

Jesus defines greatness differently.

He points toward humility and service.

Jesus Himself is our example.

He washed His disciples' feet.

John 13.

The One they called Lord performed the work of a servant.

Then He told them to follow His example.

Humility asks:

Who can I serve?

rather than:

Who will notice me?

Jesus Calls Us to Serve

Jesus said that He Himself did not come to be served but to serve.

Mark 10:45.

Following Jesus therefore leads us toward other people.

Service may happen publicly.

But most service is ordinary.

Listening to someone who is hurting.

Helping a neighbor.

Visiting someone who is sick.

Encouraging someone who is discouraged.

Preparing a meal.

Giving generously.

Praying with someone.

Serving in a church.

Caring for someone who cannot repay us.

Using our skills to help others.

Making time when it would be easier to stay busy with ourselves.

Service turns Christian love into action.

Jesus Calls Us to Care for the Vulnerable

Jesus consistently demonstrated concern for people who were overlooked.

His teaching challenges us to notice the hungry.

The poor.

The sick.

The stranger.

The prisoner.

The suffering.

The vulnerable.

In Matthew 25, Jesus describes acts of compassion toward those in need as having profound spiritual significance.

Following Jesus therefore means developing eyes that notice suffering.

Who is hurting?

Who is alone?

Who has been forgotten?

Who needs compassion?

We cannot solve every problem.

But we can become people who refuse to walk past suffering without caring.

Jesus Calls Us to Use Our Words Differently

Jesus taught that our words reveal something about our hearts.

Matthew 12:34.

That means discipleship changes the way we speak.

Truthfully.

Graciously.

Carefully.

Our words can encourage.

Or destroy.

Heal.

Or wound.

Build trust.

Or destroy reputations.

We can use words to gossip.

Manipulate.

Condemn.

Boast.

Lie.

Or humiliate.

Jesus teaches us to become people whose words increasingly reflect truth and grace.

Before speaking, a disciple can learn to ask:

Is it true?

Is it necessary?

Is it loving?

Is it helpful?

Does it honor Christ?

Jesus Calls Us to Integrity

Jesus repeatedly challenged hypocrisy.

He strongly confronted people who appeared righteous publicly while their hearts were far from God.

Matthew 23.

Following Jesus means becoming the same person privately that we appear to be publicly.

Integrity asks:

Who am I when nobody is watching?

Who am I when there is no applause?

What do I do when compromise would be easy?

Do my private habits agree with my public faith?

Jesus is not interested in religious appearance without inward transformation.

He wants truth in the deepest parts of our lives.

Jesus Calls Us to Sexual Faithfulness

Jesus' teaching about sexual morality is demanding because He takes the issue deeper than outward behavior.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses not only adultery but the desires of the heart.

Matthew 5:27–30.

Christian sexual ethics begin with recognizing that our bodies and desires also belong under God's authority.

Jesus does not treat sexuality as insignificant.

Nor does He treat people who have failed sexually as beyond redemption.

Grace and truth meet in Him.

Following Jesus means learning to honor God's design for sexuality while bringing our failures, temptations, wounds, and desires honestly before Him.

Holiness grows not through shame but through grace, truth, accountability, and the transforming work of God.

Jesus Calls Us to Handle Money Differently

Jesus talked about money surprisingly often.

Why?

Because money easily reveals what we trust and what we value.

Money is useful.

But it is a terrible master.

Possessions can quietly become our source of security.

Identity.

Status.

Comfort.

Control.

Jesus calls His followers to hold possessions with open hands.

That includes generosity.

Contentment.

Stewardship.

Concern for those in need.

And trust in God.

The question becomes less:

“How much can I accumulate?”

and more:

“How can I faithfully use what God has entrusted to me?”

Jesus Calls Us Not to Be Ruled by Worry

Jesus understands human anxiety.

He spoke directly about worries concerning food, clothing, and tomorrow.

Matthew 6:25–34.

He did not deny that these concerns are real.

Instead, He redirected His followers toward the Father's care.

Jesus pointed to birds.

Flowers.

Creation.

And reminded His disciples that their Father knows what they need.

This does not mean Christians never feel anxiety.

It means anxiety does not have to become our master.

We learn to bring tomorrow back under the care of God.

“I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds me today.”

Jesus Calls Us to Pray

Jesus assumed His followers would pray.

In Matthew 6, He repeatedly says:

“When you pray...”

not:

“If you pray...”

Prayer is part of ordinary discipleship.

Jesus taught His followers to pray for God's name to be honored.

God's kingdom to come.

God's will to be done.

Daily provision.

Forgiveness.

Protection from temptation and evil.

Prayer moves our attention from ourselves toward God and His purposes.

It teaches dependence.

I need God.

Jesus Calls Us to Trust Him

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly asks His followers to trust Him.

Sometimes the circumstances made trust difficult.

Storms.

Scarcity.

Opposition.

Loss.

Confusion.

Fear.

The disciples often struggled.

So do we.

Faith does not mean pretending uncertainty does not exist.

Faith means choosing whom we trust within uncertainty.

Will I trust Jesus when I cannot see what He is doing?

Sometimes that trust feels strong.

Sometimes it may be only enough to take the next step.

But discipleship keeps returning to Him.

Jesus Calls Us to Put His Kingdom First

Jesus announced the kingdom of God.

And He taught His followers to make God's kingdom their first priority.

Matthew 6:33.

That changes the way we think about life.

Our career matters.

Family matters.

Responsibilities matter.

Finances matter.

Health matters.

Plans matter.

But none of these becomes ultimate.

A disciple begins asking:

What is God doing, and how can my life participate in it?

That is a kingdom question.

Our work becomes a place to honor Christ.

Our home becomes a place of discipleship.

Our relationships become opportunities to demonstrate grace.

Our resources become tools for God's purposes.

Our lives become part of something larger than ourselves.

Jesus Calls Us to Count the Cost

Jesus never hid the cost of discipleship.

He told people to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.

Luke 9:23.

He warned people to count the cost.

Luke 14:28.

Following Jesus may cost something.

Approval.

Comfort.

Convenience.

Opportunities.

Relationships.

Reputation.

Possessions.

In some places, even freedom or life itself.

Jesus does not invite us into an easy life.

He invites us into a meaningful one.

Is Jesus worth following even when obedience costs me something?

The Christian answer is yes—not because discipleship is always easy, but because Christ is worthy.

Jesus Calls Us to Carry Our Cross

The cross has become a familiar Christian symbol.

But Jesus' first hearers did not view the cross decoratively.

They understood it as an instrument of execution.

His words were shocking.

He was describing surrender.

Self is no longer supreme.

My preferences are not ultimate.

My comfort is not ultimate.

My ambitions are not ultimate.

Jesus is Lord.

Taking up our cross means continually saying:

“Not my will above Yours.”

It is costly.

But it is also freeing.

We no longer have to build our lives around ourselves.

Jesus Calls Us to Remain Faithful

Jesus never promised that following Him would eliminate difficulty.

He warned His disciples about opposition.

Rejection.

Persecution.

Trials.

Yet He repeatedly called them to remain faithful.

Discipleship is not simply beginning well.

It is continuing.

When faith feels strong.

Keep following.

When questions arise.

Keep following.

When life hurts.

Keep following.

When prayers seem unanswered.

Keep following.

When temptation is strong.

Keep following.

When obedience costs something.

Keep following.

Faithfulness grows through thousands of ordinary decisions to remain with Christ.

Jesus Calls Us to Make Disciples

Before ascending to the Father, Jesus gave His followers a mission.

This means discipleship cannot end with us.

Someone told us about Jesus.

Someone taught us Scripture.

Someone encouraged our faith.

Someone prayed.

Someone served.

Someone helped us grow.

Eventually Jesus asks us to turn outward.

We do not need to know everything.

We do not need a ministry title.

We do not need to be professional teachers.

We can begin with what we know.

Share what Christ has done.

Read Scripture with someone.

Pray with someone.

Answer questions when we can.

Admit when we do not know.

Encourage someone.

Walk beside someone.

Disciples make disciples.

Jesus Calls Us to Be His Witnesses

The Christian mission includes telling others what God has done through Jesus.

Jesus told His disciples they would become His witnesses.

Acts 1:8.

A witness simply tells what he or she knows.

We can tell people who Jesus is.

What He has done.

Why the cross matters.

Why the resurrection matters.

How He has changed us.

Why we trust Him.

We do not control how people respond.

Our responsibility is faithfulness.

Sometimes witness happens through conversation.

Sometimes through hospitality.

Sometimes through serving.

Sometimes through patient friendship.

Sometimes through a direct explanation of the gospel.

Our lives and our words should increasingly point toward Christ.

Jesus Calls Us to Live Differently in the World

Jesus called His followers:

the salt of the earth

and

the light of the world.

Matthew 5:13–16.

Salt influences what it touches.

Light becomes visible.

Christian faith was never intended to remain hidden within a private religious compartment.

Our faith should affect how we work.

How we treat employees.

How we treat employers.

How we conduct business.

How we respond to conflict.

How we use money.

How we treat strangers.

How we care for family.

How we speak online.

How we respond when wronged.

How we handle power.

How we treat people who disagree with us.

People should be able to see evidence that Jesus is shaping our lives.

Jesus Calls Us to Live Without Hypocrisy

There is a danger in every religious life.

We can become more concerned with appearing faithful than actually being faithful.

Jesus strongly warned against practicing righteousness merely to be seen by others.

Matthew 6:1.

Prayer can become performance.

Giving can become performance.

Service can become performance.

Spiritual language can become performance.

Even humility can become performance.

Jesus calls us into a life lived before God.

Sometimes the most important acts of faithfulness will be known only to Him.

That is enough.

Jesus Calls Us to Depend on Him

After everything Jesus asks of His followers, we might begin thinking:

How can anyone live this way?

That is exactly the point at which we must return to John 15.

Christian discipleship is impossible in our own strength.

We need His grace.

His Word.

His Spirit.

His forgiveness.

His strength.

His presence.

Jesus does not hand us a list and then leave us alone to accomplish it.

He says:

Abide in Me.

Everything Jesus asks of us must be lived from our continuing relationship with Him.

What Does Jesus Ask of His Followers?

Many of Jesus' teachings can be summarized around a few central commitments:

That is not a checklist for earning salvation.

It is the shape of a life being transformed by grace.

The Question Is Not Only “What Must I Do?”

There is an important danger here.

We can read everything Jesus commands and immediately turn Christianity into another system of religious performance.

Do this.

Stop doing that.

Try harder.

Become better.

But Jesus continually brings us back to relationship.

The central question is not merely:

“What does Jesus want me to do?”

It is also:

“Who am I becoming as I walk with Jesus?”

The goal is not mechanical obedience.

The goal is a heart increasingly shaped by Christ.

Eventually love begins producing obedience.

Grace produces generosity.

Forgiveness produces forgiveness.

Humility produces service.

Trust produces surrender.

And the life of Jesus increasingly becomes visible in the life of His disciple.

A Question Worth Asking

Instead of only asking:

“Am I obeying all the rules?”

perhaps a better discipleship question is:

“Is Jesus increasingly becoming Lord over every part of my life?”

My relationships?

My money?

My words?

My desires?

My schedule?

My ambitions?

My private life?

My future?

My response to people who hurt me?

My response to people in need?

My willingness to serve?

My willingness to share Christ?

Discipleship is the gradual surrender of the whole person to Jesus.

Reflection

Take some time with these questions:

1. Which teaching of Jesus in this lesson is easiest for you to embrace?
2. Which one challenges you most?
3. Is there an area of your life where you acknowledge Jesus as Savior but resist Him as Lord?
4. Is there someone you need to forgive?
5. Is there someone God may be asking you to serve?
6. How does your use of money reflect what you value most?
7. Are worry or fear currently keeping you from trusting God?
8. Is there an area where you already know what Jesus asks but have delayed obeying Him?
9. Who in your life might God be calling you to encourage or disciple?
10. What would surrender to Jesus look like in one specific area of your life this week?

Take the Next Step

Do not try to respond to every challenge in this teaching at once.

Ask God one simple question:

“Jesus, what area of my life are You asking me to surrender more fully to You?”

Then listen carefully.

Perhaps it is forgiveness.

Maybe generosity.

Prayer.

Purity.

Service.

Trust.

A relationship.

Your schedule.

Your ambitions.

A conversation you need to have.

A habit you need to leave behind.

Someone you need to help.

Someone you need to tell about Jesus.

When God makes the next step clear, do not wait for the entire journey to make sense.

Take the next faithful step.

Then keep following.

Continue Week Six

Complete the Week Six Study Guide

You have finished the Week Six teaching. Now take time to reflect on the life Jesus calls His followers to live, examine the areas where He is asking for deeper trust and obedience, pray, and identify one faithful next step.

Begin the Week Six Study Guide →