Maybe you grew up hearing about Jesus, or maybe you are just beginning to explore faith. Either way, one question tends to rise to the surface: what does it mean to follow Jesus, not just in theory, but on an ordinary Tuesday at work, in traffic, or at the kitchen table?
Jesus’ invitation is simple and life changing: “Follow me.” He said it to fishermen, tax collectors and ordinary people, and He still says it today. Following Him isn’t about being perfect. It’s about direction, turning toward Him day after day.
This post comes from a message in our Illusion series, which looked at popular ideas about Christianity that don’t match what Jesus actually said. One of those ideas is that life with Jesus is easy. Jesus described something more honest and far better: a daily cross.
If you only have a minute:
- Following Jesus is daily. Jesus said to take up your cross “daily,” so it is a lifestyle, not a one-time event.
- It’s your cross, not His. Jesus already carried the cross that saves the world. Your daily cross is to never be ashamed of Him or His words.
- The opposite of ashamed is unabashed. Following Jesus means being openly and gladly His, in public and in private.
- Life with Jesus isn’t easy, but it is easier. His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30).
What does it mean to follow Jesus? Start with Luke 9:23
Many people wonder if faith is just beliefs, rituals, or showing up to church once in a while. Jesus described something deeper, a daily walk with Him:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
The key word is daily. Accepting Jesus is the beautiful starting point, but following Him means letting that decision shape how you think, speak and live every day. You can read the whole passage on Bible Gateway.
What a cross meant in Jesus’ day
For the people listening to Jesus, a man carrying a cross was a familiar and terrible sight. A condemned person carried the crossbeam through the streets to his own execution. Once the cross was on his shoulders, there was only one outcome and no turning back.
The message put it this way: for us, it would be like seeing someone drag an electric chair through the center of town. Stark. Graphic, even. And Jesus says, if you want to follow Me, take up your cross.
Deny yourself, every day
Jesus’ cross led to His actual physical death. We can’t die physically every day, so Jesus is leading us to die to ourselves daily. The apostle Paul described it like this:
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
This is a daily choice. Romans 12:1 calls it offering yourself “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” and says this is “your true and proper worship.”
Your daily cross: never be ashamed of Jesus
Notice the pronoun in Luke 9:23. Jesus doesn’t say, “take up my cross.” He says, “take up their cross.” Jesus is not asking you to save the world. That was His cross. So the question every follower of Jesus has to answer is, “What is my cross to bear?”
Jesus answers that question a few verses later:
“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26)
In this message, our daily cross was described this way: to never be ashamed of the person of Jesus or His commands, in every situation.
What being ashamed of Jesus looks like
Being ashamed of someone means you don’t want to be seen together in public, you don’t want to talk about them, and you avoid them when you can. Some people are ashamed of Jesus out of fear, some out of social pressure, and some out of intellectual or cultural pride.
But think about who He is. Jesus, revealed in the full glory of His sacrificial love. Jesus, revealed in the full power of His resurrection. Jesus, honored in His ascension to heaven and still loving and praying for His people. Who could be ashamed of Him?
The unabashed life
The opposite of ashamed is unabashed. Picture a kid who makes an error on the ball field while a parent in the stands mutters, “Whose kid is that?” Now picture the same kid hitting two home runs, and that parent is on their feet shouting, “That’s my kid!”
When Jesus hangs on the cross, the world asks, “Whose Savior is that?” When He rises from the dead, we get to say, “That’s my Savior!” Bearing your cross is a radical call to personal allegiance to Jesus. And because Jesus is God, it is a call to worship.
What this means for you
The ashamed life or the unabashed life is a choice you get to make today. Tomorrow morning, ask the question from this message: “What is my cross to bear?” Then look for one moment in your day where you can be unabashed about Jesus instead of quietly hiding Him.
Is following Jesus supposed to be easy?
One illusion this series took on is the idea that life with Jesus is easy. That isn’t true. You are going to go through hard things, seasons of pain and loss. But here is the reality: life with Jesus is easier.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
A yoke is the wooden frame that joins two animals so they can pull a load. In the message, a heavy backpack made the point: the cross Jesus asks you to carry is lighter than the load you are already carrying without Him.
Choose your hard
Every life has hard things in it. Following Jesus means choosing which hard you will carry: Sabbath rest or exhaustion. Forgiveness or bitterness. Health or sickness. Unabashed or ashamed. Comfort or the cross.
In real life, that can look like this: stand when others sit. Speak when others won’t. Give when others hoard. Love while others hate. Be light in the darkness.
When following gets hard
Let’s be honest. There will be seasons of doubt, failure, dryness or suffering. You might mess up, feel distant or face opposition. When you fall, get back up. Jesus isn’t shocked by your struggles, and He is committed to finishing what He started in you:
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
What following Jesus looks like day to day
So what does it mean to follow Jesus on a normal day? It doesn’t require dramatic gestures. Most of the time it happens in ordinary moments:
- Loving God wholeheartedly. Spending time with Him in prayer, worship and Scripture because you want to know Him more.
- Loving others well. Showing kindness, patience, forgiveness and generosity, even to people who are hard to love.
- Serving quietly. Using your time, gifts and resources to help others without needing recognition.
- Sharing His love naturally. Talking about what Jesus has done in your life, in both words and actions.
Start your morning talking to Him, even if it’s just, “Good morning, Lord, help me today.” Choose kindness in traffic, at work or with family. Forgive someone who hurt you instead of holding on to bitterness. Pray for a coworker or neighbor instead of complaining about them. For help with this, read how to apply the Bible to your life or see what it looks like to be one of God’s peculiar people.
Jesus doesn’t promise a trouble-free life, but He promises a full one: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). And He promises His presence: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
How to start following Jesus
God loves you more than you can imagine. He created you to live in a close relationship with Him, but sin, the wrong things we’ve done, separates us from God. Jesus lived a perfect life, died on a cross to pay for our sins, and rose again three days later, defeating sin and death. Because of Jesus, we can be forgiven and restored to a relationship with God.
Following Jesus begins with a simple step of faith: believing that Jesus is your Savior and trusting Him to lead you. At illuminate church, we describe the journey after that first step as a pathway: Meet God, Discover who you are in Christ, Become more like Him, and Lead others to do the same. Great next steps are coming to a service, attending Life Step 1, and getting water baptized, an outward expression of your decision to follow Jesus. You can also pray through who you are with this identity in Christ prayer.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to follow You, not just with words, but with my whole life. Teach me what that looks like in my everyday moments. Give me courage to be unabashed about You, grace when I fail, and a deeper love for You each day. Help me love others the way You love me. Thank You for walking with me every step. I’m Yours. Amen.
Wherever you are today, there is a next step. If you want to know more about who Jesus is, start here. If you need someone to pray with you, reach out to our prayer and care team. And if you live near Kissimmee, Florida, we would love to see you on a Sunday.
Frequently Asked Questions: What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Jesus defined it in Luke 9:23: deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him. It is a daily decision to let Jesus lead your life, not a one-time event.
What does “take up your cross daily” mean?
Jesus’ cross led to His physical death, but He asks us to die to ourselves every day (Galatians 2:20). In this message, our daily cross was described as never being ashamed of Jesus or His words (Luke 9:26).
Is following Jesus supposed to be easy?
No. You will still face hard seasons. But Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). Life with Jesus isn’t easy, but it is easier than carrying life without Him.
Is accepting Jesus the same as following Him?
Accepting Jesus is the starting point. Following Him means letting that decision shape how you think, speak and live every day.
How do I start following Jesus?
It begins with a simple step of faith: believing that Jesus is your Savior and trusting Him to lead you. From there, come to a service, attend Life Step 1, and get water baptized. Our team would love to answer your questions and pray with you.
