What it means to follow Christ

Many times, as a pastor, I have been asked what a person needs to do to follow Christ. I find it rather interesting that when I am asked that question, the person that is asking already knows. In fact, we all know how we can make a difference, what we need to do to bring about change in our world. 1 John 3:16 says, “We know love by this, that He (Jesus) laid down his life for us-and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters.” As you read along in 1 John you pretty much get the answer of what we are supposed to do and what we should be doing.

In the Celtic church there were three types of martyrdom. Red was the martyrdom of giving your physical body. Think Paul and Peter in Rome, James in Jerusalem, Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany. All gave their life for Christ. The next is White martyrdom. This type of martyrdom is the giving up of human relations. This is what monks, nuns and hermits do. They separate themselves from the world to dedicate their lives totally to God.

The last is Green martyrdom. This is would the adopting of practices that would bring about a focus of Christ in the world. John Wesley would call these practices Means of Grace. The Means of Grace are divided up into two parts.

The Acts of Mercy are feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, visiting the prisons, sheltering the homeless, welcoming the stranger, making peace, working for the common good.

The Acts of Piety are, public worship of God, Reading God’s word, Holy Communion, Family and Private Prayer, Searching and Study of Scripture, Fasting and Abstinence, and Christian Conferencing and Accountability.

Now, Green Martyrdom is not difficult, it is simply practices that lead us to a deeper relationship with Christ. Quite frankly, it is fairly intuitive. I mean, if you are going to follow Christ, then won’t you go to church, study scripture and all of that? If you truly want to make a difference, won’t you help where you can? Following Christ does not take a seminary degree, just a sincere heart.

The people who ask me what they must do are looking for an out most of the time. Deep down, we all know what it takes to follow Christ, it’s just that sometimes we don’t want to give up things or are afraid of the change that may come about. But you already know.

Christ calls each of us to a Green Martyrdom, to change our lives to follow him and bring about the Kingdom. To stop being goats and start becoming sheep. (Read Matthew 25:31-46 for that reference.)

Maybe, just maybe it’s time to start putting the rubber to the road and being Children of God. You already know what to do, now you just need to do it. Go and make disciples…

Just a thought.

Shalom my friends. See you in church.