What Is a Disciple? Following Jesus with Everything

There’s a phrase that gets tossed around a lot in the sports world: being a fan.

Fans admire their teams. They wear their jerseys. They cheer from the stands. They celebrate the victories and feel the frustration of losses. But at the end of the day, fans go home and return to their normal lives.

Players, on the other hand, live inside the game.

They practice when no one is watching. They shape their schedules, their habits, and their priorities around the team. Their lives are oriented around the mission of the team - to win.

That difference (between admiration and participation) reminds me of something Jesus calls us to consider when it comes to faith.

Because it’s possible for us to become admirers of Jesus without actually becoming His disciples.

We appreciate His teaching. We respect His example. We believe the truths of the gospel. But the deeper invitation of Jesus goes well beyond admiration. It moves toward transformation.

As we continue our series “Go Make Disciples: Living the Great Commission,” it’s important to pause and ask a foundational question: What exactly is a disciple?

Before we can make disciples, we need to understand what it truly means to be one.

The Invitation to Follow

When Jesus called people to Himself, He did not begin with abstract theology or complicated doctrine. He began with a simple but life-altering invitation.

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’” - Luke 9:23–24 (ESV)

Those words are striking because they cut through many of our assumptions about faith.

Jesus doesn’t describe discipleship as occasional interest or passive belief. He describes it as a life of following. To “come after” Him means walking in His direction, aligning our lives with His path, and allowing His priorities to shape our own.

That call immediately raises a challenge: “deny himself.”

In a culture that constantly tells us to pursue our desires and protect our independence, Jesus invites us to surrender the center of our lives. Discipleship means learning to place Christ above our preferences, ambitions, and comforts.

Then He adds another phrase that would have been impossible for His first listeners to misunderstand: “take up his cross daily.”

In the Roman world in the first century, the cross was a symbol of execution and surrender. To take up one’s cross meant embracing a life where obedience to God mattered more than personal comfort or approval.

And yet, Jesus follows this difficult call with a promise. In losing our lives for His sake, we actually discover the life we were created for.

Discipleship may begin with surrender, but it ultimately leads to freedom.

Abiding in the Words of Jesus

Following Jesus defines the beginning of discipleship, but the core of being a disciple involves continuing to follow Him daily.

At one point in the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks to people who had begun to believe in Him and offers this explanation of what true discipleship looks like:

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” - John 8:31–32 (ESV)

The word “abide” is important. It means to remain, to dwell, to continue. Discipleship is not a momentary decision. It is an ongoing relationship.

To abide in Jesus’ word means we allow His teaching to shape our thinking, our attitudes, and our actions. It means Scripture is not simply something we read occasionally but something we live with daily.

Over time, His words begin to reshape the way we see the world. Our priorities shift. Our understanding deepens. Our hearts begin to align more closely with His.

And Jesus says something awesome happens when we live this way. Truth brings freedom.

Not the kind of freedom our culture often talks about (the freedom to do whatever we want) but the deeper freedom of becoming who we were created to be. As we abide in His word, the truth of Christ begins to untangle the lies we’ve believed about ourselves, about others, and about God.

Discipleship is not restrictive. It is liberating.

The Cost of Following Jesus

Even as Jesus extends this invitation, He is also honest about the cost of discipleship.

In Luke 14, He speaks plainly to the crowds who were drawn to Him:

“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple… For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost… So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”- Luke 14:27–28, 33 (ESV)

These words can feel uncomfortable, especially in a world that often prefers a version of faith that is easy and convenient.

But Jesus does not hide the cost. He invites people to count it.

Following Him may involve sacrifice. It may involve choosing faithfulness over popularity, integrity over advantage, or obedience over comfort. At times it may even mean walking a path that others do not understand.

And yet Jesus speaks this truth not to discourage His followers, but to prepare them. A faith that has considered the cost is far more resilient than a faith built on shallow expectations.

When we understand the depth of the call, we also begin to see the beauty of it.

Because the One who calls us to follow is the same One who gave His life for us.

Becoming Like Our Teacher

Ultimately, the goal of discipleship is not simply learning information about Jesus.

It is becoming like Him.

Jesus makes this clear when He says:

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” - Luke 6:40 (ESV)

In ancient Jewish culture, disciples did not merely listen to their teacher’s lectures. They followed their teacher closely, observing how he lived, how he spoke, how he treated people, and how he responded to challenges.

Over time, the disciple’s life began to resemble the teacher’s.

That is the vision Jesus gives us.

As we walk with Him (through Scripture, prayer, community, and obedience) our character gradually changes. Our patience grows. Our compassion deepens. Our priorities shift.

We begin to reflect the heart of Christ in ordinary places: in our homes, our workplaces, our conversations, and our relationships.

This transformation does not happen overnight, but it does happen as we continue to follow Him.

So let me ask you…

As I ask myself these same questions:

• Am I truly following Jesus, or am I mostly admiring Him from a distance?

• What does it look like for me to take up my cross in everyday life?

• Where might God be inviting me to surrender something more fully to Him?

• Am I spending time abiding in the words of Jesus?

• In what ways is my life becoming more like Christ?

A Closing Word for Fellow Pilgrims

Discipleship is not a title we wear. It is a life we live.

To be a disciple of Jesus means we follow Him, not occasionally, not halfway, but with our whole lives. It means allowing His voice to guide our decisions, His example to shape our character, and His mission to direct our steps.

That calling may sound demanding, but it is also deeply rewarding.

Because the One who calls us to follow is the One who walks with us. He does not send us ahead alone. He leads us, teaches us, forgives us when we stumble, and patiently forms us into people who look more and more like Him.

And as we follow Him faithfully, we discover that discipleship is not simply about giving things up.

It is about gaining a life shaped by the presence of Christ Himself.

Until the journey is complete,

Jonathan Pilgrim

P.S. This week, consider spending a few minutes each day reading a passage from one of the Gospels. Pay attention not only to what Jesus teaches but also to how He treats people and how He responds to the world around Him. Then ask a simple question: How can I follow Jesus more closely today?