Week 8: Following Jesus Daily — What Does Obedience Look Like?

1 Opening

This Week's Question

What does it actually look like to follow Jesus every day?

We've covered a lot of ground over these eight weeks. You've explored who Jesus is, what He did, who you are in Him, the gift of the Spirit, and the importance of community. Now comes the question that ties it all together: What do I do with all of this?

The answer isn't complicated, but it is costly. Jesus didn't say, "Admire me." He said, "Follow me." Following means movement. It means your life starts to look different — not because you're performing for God, but because you're responding to His love.

2 Scripture

KJV NET

²⁴Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ²⁶And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ²⁷And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. ²⁸And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: ²⁹For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

¹⁹Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: ²⁰For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. ²¹Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. ²²But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ²³For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. ²⁵But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. ²⁶If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. ²⁷Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? ¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ¹⁸Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¹⁹Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ²⁵Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? ²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

¹If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ²Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. ³For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. ⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: ⁶For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: ⁷In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. ⁸But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. ⁹Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; ¹⁰And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: ¹¹Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. ¹²Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. ¹⁴And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. ¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

3 Explanation

The Two Foundations

Jesus ended His most famous sermon with a parable about two builders. One built on rock; the other on sand. The difference? "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock" (Matthew 7:24).

Hearing isn't enough. Knowing isn't enough. Jesus says the foundation that holds is hearing + doing.

Key Verses to Sit With

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? If a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?"

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."

What Following Looks Like

Following Jesus isn't about grand gestures or dramatic moments (though those come). It's about ordinary faithfulness in the everyday:

Reading Scripture — not to check a box, but to hear His voice (Psalm 119:105)
Praying — not religious formulas, but honest conversation with your Father (Matthew 6:6)
Loving people — especially the ones who are hard to love (John 13:34–35)
Serving — using what you have for others, not just yourself (Galatians 5:13)
Forgiving — because you've been forgiven an unpayable debt (Colossians 3:13)
Speaking truth — with grace, not as a weapon (Ephesians 4:15)
Repenting — turning back to God quickly when you stumble, because grace is always there (1 John 1:9)

Notice: none of these require a seminary degree. None require perfection. They require willingness — a heart that says, "Jesus, I want to follow You today. Help me."

A word from Pastor Claudette: You will fail at this. I need you to hear that up front, because the enemy will use your first failure to convince you the whole thing was a sham. It wasn't. Obedience isn't perfection — it's direction. It's getting back up, turning back to Jesus, and taking the next step. Every saint who ever lived was just a sinner who kept getting back up. You can too.

4 Application

Making It Personal

Which area of daily obedience feels most natural to you? Which feels hardest?
What is one specific, practical thing you can do this week to follow Jesus more closely?
What does repentance look like in your life — not as shame, but as turning back to grace?

Reflection Questions

What is the difference between the wise builder and the foolish builder? (Matthew 7)

What does James mean by "faith without deeds is dead"? Is he contradicting Paul?

Which instruction from Colossians 3 challenges you most right now?

Looking back over all eight weeks — what is one thing that has changed in you?

Log in to record your answers.

5a Prayer

Lord Jesus, I don't want to just know about You. I want to follow You. I want my life to look different because You're in it. I know I'll stumble. I know I'll fail. But I also know that Your grace is bigger than my worst day. Give me the courage to obey, the humility to repent, and the faith to keep going. I'm Yours. Lead me. Amen.

5b Closing

Looking Back Over Eight Weeks

You've come a long way. Take a moment to reflect on the whole journey — from "Who is Jesus?" to "How do I follow Him daily?"

What Has Changed in You?

Think about where you were eight weeks ago. What's different now — in your understanding, your heart, your daily life?

What Are You Still Wrestling With?

Honest wrestling is a sign of faith, not the absence of it. What questions remain?

What's Your Next Step?

Not ten steps. Just one. What is the next faithful thing God is asking of 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."

He started this work in you. He'll finish it. Your job is to show up, stay close, and keep walking.

Grace upon grace,
Claudette

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