The First Step Toward Following Jesus

Jesus left the world a legacy — a new way of life with God. In this series we will explore how that life begins and what it means to become a disciple of Jesus today.

Over the years many people have asked me a simple question:

“If someone wanted to begin following Jesus… where would they start?”

That question is the reason for this blog.

My hope here is simply to share some things I’ve learned along the way as a disciple of Jesus. Not as an expert, but as someone who has been learning the life Jesus taught for many years. If these reflections help make the journey clearer or more practical for someone else, then this space will have served its purpose.

But before we can talk about the journey itself, we need to ask a few honest questions about the beginning.

Questions like these:

• What does it actually mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
• Is that the same thing as being a Christian? Or a church member?
• Why would someone even want to become a disciple?
• How would I know if I’m ready for that kind of life?
• Are there things that might make discipleship difficult?
• And is discipleship really necessary, or is it optional?

You may have your own questions as well. And that’s perfectly normal.

In fact, asking honest questions is often the first step toward discovering something real.

One thing I have noticed over the years in many church settings is something a little surprising: we often invite people to many good things, but we rarely invite them to become disciples of Jesus.

We invite people to church.

Many of us have received that invitation at some point. And because it is such a familiar invitation, we usually have a ready response.

“Thanks, but not today.”
“I already have a church.”
“Maybe sometime.”

Others might invite us to a Bible study, a concert, or a special event. Again, we usually know how to respond to those invitations.

But an invitation to become a disciple is different.

Many people who now consider themselves followers of Jesus were never clearly invited to become His disciples. And even if someone asked us today how to begin that journey, many of us might not know exactly where to start.

Thankfully, the life of Jesus gives us a beautiful picture of how the journey actually begins.

The story appears in the first chapter of the Gospel of John.

A man called John the Baptist pointed two of his followers toward Jesus. Because they trusted John, their curiosity was stirred. They wanted to know more about this man he spoke so highly of.

So they decided to investigate for themselves.

Jesus noticed them following and asked a simple question:

“What are you seeking?”

They didn’t seem to know how to answer.

Instead they asked Him where He was staying.

And Jesus responded with a simple invitation:

“Come and see.”

That was the beginning.

Not a lecture.
Not a commitment ceremony.
Not a list of requirements.

Just an invitation to spend time with Him.

They spent the day together.

And that small moment became the starting point of a life-changing journey.

This story reminds us of something important.

The starting place for becoming a disciple of Jesus is not immediately committing to follow Him.

The starting place is getting to know Him.

Before anyone commits to learning from Jesus, it makes sense to spend some time discovering who He actually is.

Think about it this way.

How many of us would marry someone we had never met?

Of course not.

In the same way, it would make little sense to commit your life to someone you do not yet know.

So the first step in the journey of discipleship is surprisingly simple:

Get your eyes on Jesus.

Watch Him.
Listen to Him.
Pay attention to the way He treats people.
Notice what He cares about.

Does He inspire you?
Does He challenge you?
Does He draw something deeper out of you?

Or perhaps all three.

This is not primarily about going to church or joining an organization.

It is about encountering a person.

Jesus offers something remarkable: a relationship in which He teaches us how to live a new kind of life — a life shaped by truth, freedom, and love.

But before anyone decides whether to follow Him, they first need the opportunity to simply come and see.

So that is where we will begin.

A Simple Invitation

If you are curious about Jesus, here is a good place to begin.

Set aside a few quiet minutes this week and read a couple of chapters of the Gospel of John. As you read, simply notice what you see about Jesus.

Does anything about Him surprise you?
Does anything about Him draw your interest?

You do not need to decide anything yet.

Just come and see.

Next week we’ll explore a simple but important question:

What does it actually mean to be a disciple of Jesus?