I don’t know about you but the last few weeks of Sunday morning teachings have been received as a bit of a punch in the gut. This idea of moving from admiring Jesus to the seemingly impossible task of following him – even to death. And then last week, we leaned into a truth that’s as challenging as it is liberating: the cross doesn’t invite our applause—it demands our participation. The way to bending our knee to such radical participation is only through the hard road of discipleship and taking those moments of life to act as catalysts toward our transformation.

Kierkegaard said, “The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. He always plays it safe.” That line hits hard because admiration actually feels spiritual. It feels like… something, which is better than nothing. This is at least one reason we can get stuck there I think. But admiration never costs us anything. As we said a few weeks back, it allows us to stay comfortably close to Jesus without being changed by Him. It keeps us inspired without ever becoming inconvenienced.

We all know Jesus isn’t looking for admirers. He’s not interested in being liked, quoted, or applauded. He calls followers. And following requires movement—real, daily steps that lead us away from comfort and toward transformation, which is what we chatted about this past Sunday. We said discipleship doesn’t usually look like big, dramatic leaps. It often looks like small, faithful steps: choosing patience with your kids when you’re running on empty, choosing truth in a room full of compromise, opting not to cut corners on taxes when “everyone else in the business does it this way,” and so on. I know you have a million little examples that offer choices for how to respond. We all do. These moments don’t seem like much at first, but over time, they shape us. They deepen us. They form Christlikeness in us. This is the long walk of discipleship.

Bonhoeffer, in The Cost of Discipleship, puts it even more bluntly: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” That’s strong language. But remember, this is not about punishment—it’s about transformation. It’s a death to self, to ego, to entitlement. It’s making room for new life—the kind of life that actually looks like Jesus. Again, not instant. Not this moment. But over time in this long walk of discipleship we’re on.

Discipleship is a grind because it’s a long obedience in the same direction. It all sounds a bit new age-y, perhaps, but really this is about a journey of “becoming.” And in a culture that chases instant gratification, that kind of daily faithfulness is both radical and rare. Boy, do I ever need to hear this word. Maybe you do, too.

So maybe the question we need to keep asking ourselves isn’t just, “Do I believe in Jesus?” but “Am I following Him—really?” Am I taking this long walk of discipleship that, I trust, will transform me from being an admirer to becoming a disciple? And if not, what small, intentional step can I take today that would start this journey?

Because the cross isn’t just a symbol to be revered—it’s a path to be walked. One step, one decision, one surrendered moment at a time.

Love you church fam!
Pastor Steve