Lesson 100: How to Follow Jesus Christ Until You See Him Face to Face
This is Lesson 100.
It is the final lesson in this discipleship path.
But it is not the final lesson Jesus Christ will teach you.
No Christian completes discipleship by finishing:
a course;
a book;
a church class;
or one hundred lessons.
Discipleship continues as long as earthly life continues.
At the beginning of the Christian walk, Jesus says:
“Follow me.”
After years of growth, correction, service, suffering, and spiritual battle, He still says:
“Follow me.”
Near the end of earthly life, He still says:
“Follow me.”
The course may end.
Following Jesus must continue until faith becomes sight and you see Him face to face.
The First Call Remains the Final Call
When Jesus called His first disciples, He did not merely invite them to study information about Him.
He called them to follow Him.
After Peter had failed publicly, denied Jesus, wept bitterly, and later stood before the risen Lord, Jesus again said:
“Follow me.”
— John 21:19, KJV
Peter had already followed Christ for years.
He had heard the teaching.
He had seen miracles.
He had preached.
He had failed.
He had been restored.
Yet Jesus’ call remained:
“Follow me.”
The deepest instruction in discipleship is not complicated.
It is continuing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
You Are Following a Person
Christian discipleship is more than following:
principles;
rules;
a moral system;
a church tradition;
or a spiritual routine.
These things may serve important purposes.
But the disciple follows a Person.
Jesus Christ is:
the Son of God;
the Saviour;
the Lord;
the Shepherd;
the Teacher;
and the One to whom the whole life belongs.
The disciplines of Christianity must never replace Christ Himself.
Read Scripture to know, believe, and obey Him.
Pray in fellowship with God through Him.
Serve because you belong to Him.
Resist sin because He is worthy.
Endure because He remains faithful.
Completing Lessons Does Not Mean You Have Arrived
Paul wrote:
“Not as though I had already attained,
either were already perfect:
but I follow after,
if that I may apprehend
that for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 3:12, KJV
Paul had experienced extraordinary spiritual growth.
He still said:
“Not as though I had already attained.”
Maturity recognizes how much grace has accomplished without pretending that growth is complete.
The proud person says:
“I already know this.”
The disciple asks:
“How must this truth become more fully visible in me?”
Do Not Turn Knowledge Into a Substitute for Obedience
After one hundred lessons, a reader may possess more biblical vocabulary and understanding.
Knowledge is valuable.
But knowledge can become dangerous when it produces the feeling that hearing truth is the same as living truth.
Ask:
“Am I following Jesus more faithfully?”
Not only:
“Have I read every lesson?”
The Word was not given merely to fill the mind.
It was given to bring the whole life beneath the lordship of Christ.
Continue Walking as You Began
Paul writes:
“As ye have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk ye in him:
Rooted and built up in him,
and stablished in the faith,
as ye have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
— Colossians 2:6–7, KJV
You received Christ through faith.
Continue walking by faith.
You began through grace.
Continue through grace.
You began by depending upon Jesus Christ.
Do not attempt to finish by depending upon yourself.
Growth should make dependence deeper, not unnecessary.
Do Not Outgrow the Gospel
Mature believers still need to remember:
Christ died for sins;
He was buried;
He rose again;
forgiveness is found in Him;
and eternal life is His gift.
The gospel is not merely the doorway through which you entered Christianity.
It remains the ground beneath your feet.
When you succeed, the gospel protects you from pride.
When you fail, the gospel protects you from despair.
When you suffer, the gospel reminds you that Christ has already secured the final victory.
Do Not Outgrow Repentance
A mature believer still needs to repent.
Spiritual growth does not mean becoming unable to admit wrong.
It means becoming quicker to recognize and turn from wrong.
Continue asking:
“Lord, where am I resisting You?”
“Where have I become careless?”
“Whom have I harmed?”
“What must I bring into the light?”
A disciple does not become too experienced to confess sin.
Do Not Outgrow Teachable Humility
The longer a person follows Christ, the easier it may become to rely upon past experience.
He may begin assuming:
“I understand this already.”
“I cannot be corrected by someone younger.”
“My years of service prove that my judgment is right.”
But Jesus remains the Master.
Every disciple remains a learner.
Receive truth regardless of whether it arrives through:
Scripture;
a sermon;
a spouse;
a younger believer;
a consequence;
or a needed correction.
Test everything biblically.
Remain teachable.
Follow Jesus Through Every Season
The outward form of faithfulness changes through life.
A young believer may be learning foundational obedience.
A parent may carry heavy family responsibilities.
A worker may serve Christ through ordinary employment.
A caregiver may have limited time and strength.
An older believer may serve more through prayer, wisdom, encouragement, and testimony.
The season changes.
The call does not:
“Follow me.”
Follow Him in Ordinary Days
Most discipleship occurs on days that do not appear important.
There may be:
no dramatic decision;
no public ministry;
no spiritual excitement;
and no visible crisis.
There is simply another day in which to:
tell the truth;
control the tongue;
perform honest work;
care for people;
resist temptation;
pray;
and obey Scripture.
A faithful life is built largely through ordinary obedience.
Do not wait for a dramatic moment before becoming serious with Christ.
Follow Him When You Feel Strong
Strength presents its own dangers.
When things are going well, a believer may become:
self-confident;
prayerless;
careless;
or impressed with his progress.
Success can make dependence seem unnecessary.
When you feel strong, remember:
the strength came from God;
the ability came from God;
the opportunity came from God;
and you remain dependent upon grace.
Follow Him When You Feel Weak
Weakness does not cancel discipleship.
You may feel:
tired;
discouraged;
emotionally low;
physically limited;
or spiritually dry.
Do the next faithful thing.
Pray simply.
Read a smaller portion of Scripture carefully.
Ask for help.
Rest when needed.
Refuse the lie that weakness makes obedience meaningless.
Jesus does not despise the disciple who continues while weak.
Follow Him When Prayers Are Answered
Answered prayer should produce:
thanksgiving;
humility;
and renewed devotion.
Do not receive the answer and forget the One who gave it.
The gift should direct the heart toward God, not away from Him.
Use answered prayer as another reason to trust and follow Christ.
Follow Him When Answers Seem Delayed
Some prayers remain unanswered in the form requested.
The disciple continues trusting God without pretending he understands everything.
Do not make one desired outcome the condition of continued faith.
Jesus Christ is worthy even when the path is unclear.
Follow Him through the unanswered question.
Follow Him Through Suffering
Suffering can make the disciple ask:
“Why has this happened?”
Some questions may remain unresolved during earthly life.
Following Jesus does not require calling evil good or pain easy.
It means refusing to abandon Christ because the road passes through suffering.
The crucified and risen Lord understands suffering.
He remains worthy of trust.
Follow Him Through Joy
Joyful seasons are also part of discipleship.
Receive:
friendship;
marriage;
family;
food;
rest;
achievement;
and wholesome pleasure
with gratitude.
Do not assume seriousness requires constant sadness.
Enjoy God’s gifts without turning them into gods.
Let joy become worship.
Follow Him Through Success
Success may bring:
influence;
money;
recognition;
or increased responsibility.
Do not allow the blessing to become a rival master.
Ask:
“How can this serve Christ?”
“What danger does this create in my heart?”
“Who may be helped through this opportunity?”
Success must remain beneath surrender.
Follow Him Through Disappointment
People may fail you.
A church may disappoint you.
A respected leader may fall.
A ministry may not produce the results you expected.
Do not make another person’s failure your reason for leaving the sinless Lord.
Address wrongdoing honestly.
Seek safe and faithful fellowship.
Continue following Jesus Christ.
Follow Jesus, Not Human Leaders Independently
God uses:
pastors;
teachers;
parents;
and mature believers.
Follow their example only as it agrees with Christ and Scripture.
No human leader owns your conscience.
No church, ministry, teacher, or denomination may take the place of Jesus Christ.
A faithful leader directs people toward Christ.
A controlling leader makes loyalty to himself the test of faithfulness.
Keep Jesus as Lord.
Do Not Follow an Imagined Jesus
You must follow the Jesus revealed in Scripture.
Not merely a Jesus shaped by:
culture;
politics;
personal preference;
emotion;
or imagination.
The biblical Jesus is:
full of grace and truth;
holy and compassionate;
meek and authoritative;
merciful and just.
You do not have authority to remove the parts of His teaching that correct you.
Continue learning the whole Christ revealed in the whole counsel of God.
His Sheep Hear and Follow
Jesus said:
“My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them,
and they follow me:”
— John 10:27, KJV
The sheep know the Shepherd through His truth.
This verse does not teach believers to treat every internal thought as Christ’s voice.
Jesus’ voice is known reliably through Scripture.
The Holy Ghost leads consistently with the Word He inspired.
Do not follow impressions that contradict biblical truth.
Follow Through Obedience
Following Jesus is not merely thinking warmly about Him.
It requires action.
When He commands:
forgive;
speak truth;
flee sin;
love;
serve;
give;
or repent,
the disciple responds.
Obedience does not purchase salvation.
It demonstrates that the disciple recognizes who the Lord is.
Follow Daily
Jesus called disciples to take up the cross:
“daily.”
Yesterday’s surrender does not automatically govern today’s choice.
Each day contains new:
temptations;
duties;
opportunities;
and decisions.
Daily following may begin with a simple prayer:
“Lord Jesus, this day belongs to You. Help me follow You in it.”
Return After Failure
Peter’s story demonstrates that serious failure need not become the final chapter.
After restoring Peter, Jesus did not tell him to live forever beneath the identity of:
the man who denied Christ.
Jesus called him again:
“Follow me.”
When you fail:
do not hide;
do not excuse;
do not despair;
and do not remain down.
Confess.
Receive mercy.
Correct what must change.
Follow again.
Restoration Does Not Make Failure Harmless
Peter’s restoration does not teach that denial was unimportant.
His failure brought:
grief;
humbling;
and painful self-knowledge.
Grace does not say sin does not matter.
Grace refuses to let repented sin have the final word.
Learn from failure without making failure your identity.
Stop Comparing Your Path
After Jesus spoke to Peter about his future, Peter looked at John and asked:
“Lord, and what shall this man do?”
— John 21:21, KJV
Jesus answered:
“If I will that he tarry till I come,
what is that to thee?
follow thou me.”
— John 21:22, KJV
Comparison distracts disciples from personal obedience.
Another believer may have:
different gifts;
different health;
different opportunities;
different trials;
or a different pace of growth.
Christ’s answer remains:
“What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”
Do Not Compare Visible Results
One person may serve publicly.
Another may remain almost unknown.
One may see immediate fruit.
Another may sow for years with little visible response.
Faithfulness is not measured merely through:
numbers;
attention;
or recognition.
Follow Jesus in the work He actually gives you.
Let Him evaluate the result.
Do Not Retire From Following Christ
A believer may retire from employment.
He may step away from a leadership position.
Health may end a former ministry activity.
But no Christian retires from discipleship.
As long as life remains, there is some way to:
trust;
pray;
love;
encourage;
worship;
and obey.
The form of service changes.
Belonging to Christ does not.
Let Changing Capacity Produce Different Faithfulness
A person who once traveled may now pray from home.
A teacher who can no longer lead publicly may mentor one person.
Someone with serious illness may display faith through patient dependence and gracious testimony.
Do not measure present faithfulness only by former capacity.
Ask:
“What does following Jesus look like with the strength and opportunity I have today?”
Follow Him in the Hidden Life
Public faithfulness can be performed.
Private character reveals what rules the heart.
Follow Jesus in:
thoughts;
internet use;
money;
sexual conduct;
speech at home;
and choices no one else sees.
The goal is not a Christian appearance.
It is a life truly lived before Christ.
Let Your Closest Relationships Test Your Following
People nearest to you often experience your character more clearly than a public audience.
Ask:
“Does my family experience the fruit of my discipleship?”
“Am I patient?”
“Do I listen?”
“Do I apologize?”
“Do I serve?”
Public ministry cannot compensate for private harshness.
Follow Jesus at home.
Continue in His Word
Jesus said:
“If ye continue in my word,
then are ye my disciples indeed.”
— John 8:31, KJV
The final lesson cannot replace Scripture.
Continue reading the Bible.
Study it carefully.
Believe it when it comforts.
Receive it when it corrects.
Do not move beyond the Word into supposedly deeper teaching that contradicts it.
True disciples continue in Christ’s Word.
Continue in Prayer
Prayer keeps the disciple dependent.
Do not reduce prayer to:
emergency requests;
public language;
or a religious duty completed quickly.
Speak honestly with God.
Worship.
Confess.
Give thanks.
Intercede.
Ask.
Submit.
When words are few, come anyway.
Continue in the Holy Ghost
The Christian life cannot be sustained through willpower alone.
Walk in the Spirit.
Yield to His conviction.
Receive His strength.
Bear His fruit.
Do not claim spiritual guidance that contradicts Scripture.
The Holy Ghost glorifies Jesus Christ and forms Christlike character in believers.
Continue in Faithful Fellowship
Do not attempt lifelong discipleship in unnecessary isolation.
You need believers who can:
encourage;
teach;
warn;
pray;
and correct.
Choose fellowship carefully.
No church is perfect.
Do not remain in an abusive or unfaithful situation merely to preserve appearance.
Seek a biblical local church in which Christ, truth, holiness, love, accountability, and the gospel are honored.
Continue Serving
Jesus said:
“If any man serve me,
let him follow me;
and where I am,
there shall also my servant be:
if any man serve me,
him will my Father honour.”
— John 12:26, KJV
Service and following belong together.
Do not seek a place of honor above the place where Jesus leads.
Serve in:
visible;
hidden;
large;
or small
responsibilities.
The greatest privilege of service is not recognition.
It is being with Christ.
Help Other People Follow Jesus
Disciples make disciples.
You do not need to know everything before helping someone else.
Share what Scripture teaches.
Model repentance.
Pray with people.
Encourage a new believer.
Teach children.
Warn lovingly.
Point people toward Christ rather than creating dependence upon yourself.
A mature disciple does not merely ask:
“How am I growing?”
He also asks:
“Whom am I helping follow Jesus?”
Do Not Make Disciples of Yourself
People should not become copies of:
your personality;
preferences;
politics;
or secondary convictions.
Teach them to:
read Scripture;
know Christ;
walk in the Spirit;
and obey God.
A faithful disciple-maker becomes less central as the other person becomes more firmly rooted in Jesus Christ.
Love Christ Whom You Have Not Seen
Peter writes:
“Whom having not seen, ye love;
in whom, though now ye see him not,
yet believing, ye rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Receiving the end of your faith,
even the salvation of your souls.”
— 1 Peter 1:8–9, KJV
We do not presently see Jesus with physical eyes.
Yet believers:
love Him;
trust Him;
obey Him;
and rejoice in Him.
Faith does not mean pretending we see what we do not see.
It means trusting the truthful testimony God has given concerning His Son.
Do Not Claim That Every Vision Is Jesus
Some people claim dreams, visions, or appearances of Christ.
Such claims must never be given authority above Scripture.
Emotional or visual experiences may arise from many causes.
No experience permits anyone to change the gospel, add commands to Scripture, or demand unquestioned loyalty.
The final promise of seeing Christ face to face does not authorize careless claims of private revelation now.
We See Partially Now
Paul writes:
“For now we see through a glass, darkly;
but then face to face:
now I know in part;
but then shall I know
even as also I am known.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:12, KJV
Our present understanding is real but incomplete.
We know God truly through His revelation.
We do not know everything exhaustively.
This should produce humility.
Many questions will remain until:
“then.”
Seeing Christ Will Complete the Work
John writes:
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God,
and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be:
but we know that, when he shall appear,
we shall be like him;
for we shall see him as he is.”
— 1 John 3:2, KJV
Growth is progressive now.
Complete conformity awaits Christ’s appearing.
The believer should neither claim present perfection nor surrender to discouragement.
God has promised a final transformation.
Hope Produces Present Purity
John continues:
“And every man that hath this hope in him
purifieth himself,
even as he is pure.”
— 1 John 3:3, KJV
The hope of seeing Jesus does not make present conduct unimportant.
It makes holiness more urgent.
Ask:
“What am I preserving that does not belong in a life preparing to see Christ?”
Bring it into the light.
Jesus Desires His People to Be With Him
Jesus prayed:
“Father, I will that they also,
whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory…”
— John 17:24, KJV
The Christian’s final hope is not merely:
escaping judgment;
ending suffering;
or entering a beautiful place.
It is being with Jesus Christ and beholding His glory.
Heaven without Christ would not be the Christian hope.
Christ Himself is the treasure.
He Will Receive His People Unto Himself
Jesus said:
“I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again,
and receive you unto myself;
that where I am,
there ye may be also.”
— John 14:2–3, KJV
Notice the purpose:
“that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Jesus does not merely prepare a location.
He receives His people:
“unto myself.”
The disciple follows because the path ends with the Lord.
His Servants Shall See His Face
Revelation gives the final promise:
“And there shall be no more curse:
but the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it;
and his servants shall serve him:
And they shall see his face;
and his name shall be in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there;
and they need no candle,
neither light of the sun;
for the Lord God giveth them light:
and they shall reign for ever and ever.”
— Revelation 22:3–5, KJV
The curse will be gone.
God’s servants will still serve Him.
They will see His face.
The discipleship begun with:
“Follow me”
reaches its promised end in the presence of God and the Lamb.
Seeing His Face Is Not the End of Loving Service
Revelation says:
“his servants shall serve him.”
Eternity is not empty inactivity.
Service will no longer be weakened by:
sin;
weariness;
confusion;
selfish ambition;
or death.
The believer’s present service prepares his heart for joyful service in God’s presence.
Follow Until the Last Earthly Step
You do not know whether your final earthly step will come through:
old age;
illness;
sudden death;
or the return of Jesus Christ.
You do not need to know.
The calling is the same:
follow today.
Then follow tomorrow if God gives it.
Continue until there are no more earthly steps to take.
Follow Until Faith Becomes Sight
Today, you follow by faith.
You pray to the One you cannot see.
You obey the One the world rejects.
You trust promises not yet fully realized.
One day faith will give way to sight.
The Jesus believed, loved, obeyed, and followed will stand before you.
Until then:
continue.
A Lifelong Pattern for Following Jesus
1. Keep Jesus Christ Central
Do not let Christian activity, knowledge, ministry, or another person replace Him.
2. Continue in His Word
Remain teachable beneath Scripture throughout life.
3. Walk in Daily Dependence
Pray, yield to the Holy Ghost, and refuse confidence in self.
4. Obey the Present Step
Do not wait for complete understanding before doing what Christ has made clear.
5. Return Quickly After Failure
Receive mercy, correct the path, and continue following.
6. Refuse Comparison
Follow Christ within your own stewardship and season.
7. Remain in Faithful Fellowship
Receive encouragement, correction, prayer, and support from Christ’s body.
8. Serve and Help Others Follow
Use your life to point people toward Jesus rather than yourself.
9. Adapt Without Abandoning
Allow methods and capacity to change while loyalty to Christ remains.
10. Keep Looking Toward His Face
Let the promised presence of Christ govern present holiness, courage, and hope.
A Final Discipleship Examination
Jesus Christ is presently calling me to follow Him in:
The area where I have confused knowledge with obedience is:
The failure from which I need to arise and continue is:
The comparison distracting me from my own obedience is:
The person or influence competing with Christ’s authority is:
The ordinary responsibility in which I must follow faithfully is:
The person I can help follow Jesus is:
The practice that will help me keep looking toward Christ is:
Discipleship Questions
- Why does completing a discipleship course not mean that a Christian has completed discipleship?
- What is the difference between following Jesus Christ and merely following Christian principles, traditions, leaders, or routines?
- What does Jesus’ command to Peter—“What is that to thee? follow thou me”—teach about comparison?
- How should the promise of seeing Jesus face to face affect present holiness, service, and endurance?
- What is the clearest present step through which Jesus Christ is calling you to follow Him now?
Closing Exhortation
Follow Jesus Christ.
Follow Him when the way is clear.
Follow Him when questions remain.
Follow Him in strength.
Follow Him in weakness.
Follow Him in public.
Follow Him in private.
Follow Him when people praise you.
Follow Him when people misunderstand you.
Follow Him through answered prayer.
Follow Him through delay.
Follow Him through joy.
Follow Him through suffering.
When you fail, return and follow.
When others turn away, follow.
When leaders disappoint you, follow Christ.
When the world offers another master, follow Christ.
Do not graduate from the gospel.
Do not outgrow repentance.
Do not become too mature to be corrected.
Continue in His Word.
Walk in the Spirit.
Remain in faithful fellowship.
Serve without seeking glory.
Help others follow.
Redeem the time.
Live ready.
Keep eternity in view.
And when earthly strength becomes small, continue with the faithfulness available to you.
Jesus Christ is worthy of the whole life.
He called you.
He saved you.
He teaches you.
He corrects you.
He strengthens you.
He intercedes for you.
He will complete His purpose.
And one day, His servants shall see His face.
Until that day, follow Him.
A Final Prayer of Lifelong Discipleship
Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the Son of God, the Saviour, the Shepherd, the Teacher, and the Lord.
Thank You for calling me to follow You.
Thank You for dying for sins, rising from the dead, giving eternal life, and promising to receive Your people unto Yourself.
Forgive me for every time I have reduced discipleship to knowledge, routine, appearance, or religious activity.
Do not let me finish these lessons and imagine that I have finished following You.
Keep me teachable.
Keep me in Your Word.
Fill me with the Holy Ghost and help me walk in His power.
Give me grace to obey the present step.
When I sin, lead me quickly into repentance.
When I fall, help me arise.
When I am weak, become my strength.
When I am confused, anchor me in what You have clearly revealed.
When people fail, keep them from becoming my foundation.
When another believer’s course looks different, remind me to follow You without comparison.
Protect me from false teachers, worldly love, secret sin, pride, fear, bitterness, and spiritual sleep.
Help me remain in faithful fellowship.
Teach me to serve in ordinary duties and hidden places.
Use my remaining time for what will honor You and possess eternal value.
Help me lead other people toward You without making them dependent upon me.
Keep my heart longing for Your appearing.
Purify me through the hope that one day I shall see You as You are.
Whether my earthly course is long or short, let me follow You faithfully through every season.
When the final earthly step comes, receive me unto Yourself.
Until faith becomes sight and I see You face to face, keep me following.
In Your holy name, amen.
Final Next Step
Do not treat Lesson 100 as graduation from discipleship.
Set aside time to answer one question honestly:
Where Is Jesus Christ Calling Me to Follow Him More Faithfully Today?
Then write one action beneath it:
My Next Step of Obedience Is
Take that step.
Afterward, continue returning to these lessons as needed.
Do not rush through them merely to remember information.
Use them to examine your life beneath Scripture.
Keep reading the Bible.
Keep praying.
Keep repenting.
Keep serving.
Keep helping others follow.
And continue one faithful day at a time until you see Jesus Christ face to face.
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