Why Jesus didn’t invite admiration, but apprenticeship

There’s a question that has stayed with me for a long time.

A mate of mine — a tradie — once said:

“Andrew, I don’t need another idea. Just tell me what this looks like on Monday morning.”

He wasn’t dismissing faith. He just wanted to know whether it actually worked in real life.

And honestly, that question exposes something many of us feel but don’t always say out loud.

Because it’s possible to spend a lot of time around faith without actually learning how to follow Jesus.

We can talk about faith. Debate faith. Analyse faith. But not necessarily live it.

The Original Invitation of Jesus

When Jesus first called His disciples, He didn’t say:

Believe this statement.

Adopt this theology.

Attend this gathering.

He said:

“Come, follow me.”

In the first century, that wasn’t a metaphor. It was an apprenticeship.

A disciple followed a rabbi closely — travelling with him, observing him, learning not just what he taught but how he lived. Life was shaped through proximity.

It wasn’t about collecting information. It was about learning a way of life.

John 14:6 — Words Spoken to Followers

When Jesus said:

“I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6)

He wasn’t speaking to sceptics deciding whether to believe. He was speaking to His disciples — people who already trusted Him but felt uncertain about what came next.

Thomas asked the honest question we all ask at times:

“Lord, we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

Jesus didn’t hand them directions. He gave them Himself.

In effect, He was saying: “Stay with me.”

Not an Idea — A Person

Jesus didn’t say:

I will show you the way.

I will explain the truth.

I will point you to life.

He said:

I am the way.

I am the truth.

I am the life.

The “way” wasn’t a philosophy. It was a road walked together. The invitation was relational: walk with me, stay close, let your life be shaped by mine.

What Following Jesus Looks Like in Everyday Life

If Jesus is the way, apprenticeship becomes visible. It shows up in ordinary places:

  • How we speak to our spouse
  • How we treat people at work
  • How we respond under pressure
  • How we handle money
  • How we forgive
  • How we carry ourselves in public

Following Jesus is not abstract spirituality. It’s lived formation.

For the Thinkers (and the Doers)

This isn’t anti-thinking. Jesus is the truth. He invites us to love God with all our mind.

But knowledge alone isn’t the goal. The goal of understanding Jesus is becoming like Jesus.

“I Am the Life”

Jesus also says: “I am the life.”

Not better advice. Not self-improvement. Not a spiritual upgrade. Life itself.

And life with God is sustained by connection, not performance.

Apprenticeship Begins Small

Usually not dramatic change. More often, it begins with one small act of obedience:

  • A different response in a conversation
  • Patience instead of reaction
  • Forgiveness instead of resentment
  • Slowing down long enough to listen

Admirers or Apprentices?

Are we admirers of Jesus, or apprentices of Jesus?

An admirer listens. An apprentice follows.

An admirer fits Jesus into life. An apprentice builds life around Him.

Jesus never said, “Come admire me.” He said, “Come, follow me.”

Based on a message I shared, Village Church, Sunday 1st March 2026.