Welcome to the Way: Becoming an Apprentice of Jesus

Choosing to be baptized isn’t just a religious ceremony; it is a public declaration of allegiance, and It is part of the process of you fully responding to the good news that Jesus is King, officially arranging your life around the true King, stepping into new life with Him, and joining His "upside-down" Kingdom revolution. 

1. The Good News: Jesus is King

Before we follow, we must know who we are following. The Gospel is the announcement that Jesus—who is God and was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-14)—humbly entered our world to reclaim it and make all things right. He didn't come to be a distant ruler, but a servant King.

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

    by taking the very nature of a servant,

    being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

    he humbled himself

    by becoming obedient to death—

        even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-8)!

Jesus did not arrive with a military escort or a political manifesto. He arrived as a carpenter’s son from Nazareth, a "nowhere" town, yet he spoke with an authority that shook the foundations of the world.

Jesus’ very first message was a wake-up call to the world:

"The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15)!

The Kingdom of God is the "domain" where God’s will is done here on earth. Jesus taught that this Kingdom isn't a physical territory you can find on a map; it is a spiritual reality where love, justice, and mercy are the supreme laws.

The Kingdom Jesus proclaimed in his first sermon (Matt 5-7) reverses the values of the world:

• The humble are lifted up, not the proud
• The last are first, not the powerful
• The servant is greatest, not the one in control
• The merciful receive mercy, not the ruthless
• The pure in heart see God, not the self-promoting
• Enemies are loved, not crushed

In this Kingdom:

• Power is expressed through sacrifice
• Greatness is defined by service
• Freedom is found in surrender
• Life comes through death to self

And the repentance that he announced isn't just feeling "sorry." In the original Greek language, it means a complete change of mind and course of direction. It is a total "re-think" of how you view power, money, sex, and success.

To live in Jesus’ Kingdom is to live a different kind of life in the same world:

• You trust God fully instead of being ruled by anxiety
• You pursue righteousness instead of image
• You forgive instead of retaliate
• You give generously instead of hoarding
• You seek God’s will above your own

It is a daily decision to to rearrange your life around Him by daily declaring your allegiance to Him as Lord and Savior and walking in His kingdom way of life. It is saying: “Jesus is King, and I will align my life with His way.”

2. The Call: From Fan to Apprentice

It’s possible to admire Jesus without actually following Him.

A fan of Jesus appreciates who He is, enjoys His teaching, and may even feel inspired by Him, but keeps Jesus at a safe distance. A fan picks and chooses what they like, without allowing Jesus to truly lead or change their life.

An apprentice (follower) of Jesus, however, responds to His call:

“Follow me…” (Matthew 4:19)

A follower doesn’t just admire Jesus, they surrender to Him. They trust Him as Lord, rearrange their life around Him, and commit to becoming like Him. The difference comes down to allegiance and obedience:

• A fan says, “I like Jesus.”
• A follower says, “I belong to Jesus.”
• A fan fits Jesus into their life.
• A follower builds their life around Jesus.

Jesus never called people to be fans. He called them to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23).

The invitation is clear: Not just to admire Jesus…but to apprentice under Him and live a transformed life in His Kingdom, as his disciple.

In the ancient world, becoming an apprentice wasn’t just classroom learning; it was life-on-life formation. An apprentice (or disciple=learner or student) didn’t simply gain information; they patterned their entire life after their teacher. They observed, practiced, failed, adjusted, and gradually took on the mindset, character, and habits of their master.

Apprenticeship always involved three movements:

• Being with the teacher (relationship)
• Becoming like the teacher (transformation)
• Doing what the teacher does (mission)

This is what being an apprentice of Jesus looks like today: 

• To be with Jesus: Taking on His "yoke" or teaching (Matt 11:28-30) and living in constant communion with Him.This is not about religion; it’s about relationship.
• We do this by:
• Spending time in Scripture
• Praying and talking with Him
• Practicing silence and awareness of His presence 

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you.” (John 15:4)

• To become like Jesus: Allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our character that we may be like Jesus. This is a lifelong process of inner transformation.
• The Holy Spirit works in us to shape our character:
• Growing in love, humility, patience, and integrity
• Letting go of old patterns and sinful habits
• Learning to see people and the world the way Jesus does

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:2)

• To do what Jesus would do: Living our lives (at home, at work or school, in our neighborhoods) exactly as He would if He were in our place. Apprentices don’t just learn, they act.
• As followers of Jesus, we begin to:
• Love and serve others sacrificially
• Forgive and extend grace
• Share the good news of the Kingdom
• Make disciples of others
• We become participants in His mission—bringing God’s kingdom into everyday life.

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6)

Being an apprentice of Jesus is not about perfection; it’s about direction. It means:

• Learning to follow Jesus in your real, everyday life
• Taking small, intentional steps of obedience
• Growing over time into the person God created you to be

You don’t have to figure it all out at once. Jesus simply invites you to walk with Him, to learn from Him, and to become the kind of person who lives like He would if He were in your place.

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,

as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

3. The Response: Trust, Confession, and Repentance

Entering the Kingdom requires a "U-turn" of the heart. We acknowledge that our way of running life hasn't worked, and we place our full trust in Jesus as Lord (the boss) and Savior (the healer and redeemer of our sinful ways).

• Believe — Believe Jesus is who He says He is and trust Him with your life
• Confess — Publicly aligning our words with our heart’s trust; acknowledge Him as Lord

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

• Repent — A change of mind that leads to a change of direction; turning from sin toward a new way of life
• Be Baptized — Be immersed into Christ

[Peter said,] “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:36-38).

Baptism is not just a symbol; it is a decisive moment of surrender and new beginning:

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life”

(Romans 6:1-4).

“... having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God,

who raised him from the dead (Colossians 2:12)

When you are immersed, you are:

• United with Jesus in His death and resurrection
• Forgiven: Washing away the past.
• Gifted: Receiving the Holy Spirit, who indwells you to produce "fruit" (love, joy, peace - Galatians 5:22-23).
• Welcomed into the community of God’s people
• Commissioned: Becoming an ambassador of the Kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:20).

From that moment on, you begin living a new kind of life—an eternal, abundant life under the rule of King Jesus.

“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come…” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Other Modes of Baptism: We recognize that many people in our church family come from rich and meaningful Christian traditions where baptism may have been practiced differently, such as sprinkling as an infant or adult. We want to be clear—we are in no way questioning your love for Jesus, your faith, or your allegiance to Him. We celebrate the work God has already done in your life. At the same time, as a church, we seek to follow what we understand to be the New Testament pattern—the ancient practice of baptism by immersion, as seen in the life of Jesus, His disciples, and the early church. Because of this conviction, we practice and teach immersion as the biblical expression of baptism. You are absolutely welcome to be part of our church family, to grow, worship, and serve alongside us. However, for those serving in leadership roles within our ministries, we ask that individuals have been baptized by immersion as part of aligning with our shared understanding and practice as a church.

4. The Journey Begins

Baptism is not the finish line; it is the starting blocks. As a baptized apprentice, you are now part of God’s mission to bring "heaven to earth." You are tasked with expanding the reality of God's Kingdom by making more disciples and reflecting the King’s love to a world that deeply needs it. You are also called to carry out his greatest commandments: 

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31). 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

Following Jesus is a lifelong journey of transformation. As His disciples, we continue to:

• Walk daily with Him
• Grow in love, character, and obedience
• Bear the fruit of the Spirit in our lives
• Participate in His mission in the world

We don’t just believe in Jesus—we join Him in bringing His kingdom reality to everyday life on earth.

5. Your Next Step

If you are ready to trust Jesus, declare Him as Lord, be baptized into his death, burial and resurrection and begin this journey, this is your invitation. 

And this invitation to step into a new life, a life of purpose, transformation, and participation in the Kingdom of God, is one that will impact every area of your life. 

Contact Rondel or the church office to discuss your decision to trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior and to arrange a time when you can be immersed into your own death, burial, and resurrections to new life. 

• Rondel - 217.737.3216 or rondel@heyworthcc.com
• Church office - 309.473.2771