What would that look like for us to follow Jesus?

First, we must trust Him. You won’t get on a plane unless you trust the pilot, and you won’t follow Jesus unless you trust Him. Trust that He is your God and King, who died on a cross in your place to bear your sin to be your Savior. So that with your sin and guilt removed, you can go free, and you can draw near to God. Do you trust Him? That is the response that He calls you to make – trust Him as your Savior, King, and God that you might then follow Him.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(Matthew 16:24, ESV)

Second, we must deny ourselves. If He is our God and King, then we must give Him our allegiance and follow Him even when we don’t want to, even when we don’t feel like it. Because we are not in charge. He is. Because we are not the king. He is. And so we obey. If He is our Savior who died to pay for our sins, then we must deny ourselves when we want to sin. We must deny sinful desires. How could we continue to do those things that put Him on cross to die? We don’t follow our hearts; we follow Jesus no matter what He calls us to do, even suffer like Him. For we must deny ourselves and take up our cross, willing to suffer for Him as we follow Him.

Third, we must serve Him. We deny self that we might serve Him. Now, how do we do that today? Jesus tells us in Mathew 25. In the Parable of the Talents, the Master gives each servant some money. Two invest it and are praised. One buries it and is condemned. The point is clear: use what God has given you for Jesus. Use the money God has given you for Jesus. Use the time God has given you for Jesus. Use the talents God has given you for Jesus. In all things serve Him.

Follow Him by trusting in Him, denying yourself, and serving Him with all you have.