A man once asked Josh White, “Who are you going to vote for next year?” It was a loaded question, designed to figure out which team he was on. But here’s the question that really matters: Who is the greatest influence in your life? Politicians come and go. Celebrities come and go. Sports heroes come and go. But Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega — the King of kings and Lord of lords. That’s the real question behind every other question.
This fall, we’re working through a series called The Four Chairs, based on a book by Dan Sper. Each chair represents a stage in a believer’s growth. Last time we looked at Chair 1 — the chair of death, where Jesus seeks and saves those who are lost. Today we’re in Chair 2 — the chair of following — and here’s the surprising thing: there’s a lot more to it than just saying “I believe in Jesus.”
Deny Yourself and Follow
Chair 2 begins the moment someone leaves Chair 1 and says, “I believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” But Jesus immediately issues a challenge to those who make that decision. Listen to His words in Mark 8:34–35:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it.”
— Mark 8:34–35
There is an aspect of denying yourself when you’re in Chair 2. This is not my life anymore. I am now bought and redeemed by my Savior. I’m following Him — my life is now His. In Mark 10:21, Jesus looks at the Rich Young Ruler and says, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” There are a lot of things in this world that are competing for the space that should be reserved for following Jesus.
Walking As He Walked
When a new believer is in Chair 2, they need to learn how to walk as Christ walked. Think about a little baby. They can be placed in one spot and they’re content — until they start crawling and walking. Believers are the same way. There’s a point where they need to start walking.
“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and all of them are right and true and upright; those who walk in them are right and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.”
— Psalm 19:7–9
As a follower of Christ, we should mimic the walk of Christ — living in a way that is distinguished from the world. That’s the second need of a new believer.
Learning to Feed Yourself
Third, a new believer in Chair 2 needs to learn how to feed themselves. When Josh was in college, he could make noodles, sauce, chicken, pop tarts, and eggs — that was about it. But eventually, you have to be able to feed yourself. It’s a necessity.
The same is true spiritually. We need to feed ourselves God’s Word so that we are prepared and equipped to move into Chair 3. You don’t have to wait until Sunday to read your Bible. You can read it all week long. That’s how you grow — by developing a habit of personal feeding on Scripture.
Speaking with Grace
A fourth need is learning to speak graciously. Gracious, uplifting words stand out in a world that is full of negativity. When a child of God speaks graciously to others, they will be drawn to that difference. We are the conduit through which God extends His grace to other people — and usually the first way we do that is through the words we speak.
Growing Toward Maturity
Finally, Chair 2 is about growing toward maturity. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as is even also in Christ.” Paul had studied the life of Christ so well that he was mimicking his life after Him. The goal is not to stay in Chair 2 forever — it’s to progress. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way:
“Solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
— Hebrews 5:14
Maturity and bearing fruit is the goal that God has for us. Chair 2 is a wonderful chair — all of us have gone through it. But it’s about laying the foundation for something greater.
The Danger of Sitting Too Long
Here’s a warning: there’s danger in staying in Chair 2 too long. When someone does nothing but sit and learn about God, they might begin to think they have arrived. They know a lot, but they never put it into practice. That’s a dangerous place. Chair 3 is where believers move from learning to doing — where they are equipped to serve and minister. And Chair 4 is where they reproduce that ministry in others.
But the process starts with Chair 2. And Chair 2 is where you learn the things of God. You learn to walk. You learn to feed yourself. You learn to speak graciously. You learn what it means to be a Christian in this world — and you keep growing.
So What?
If you’re in Chair 2, that’s a great place to be. You believe in Jesus, and now He’s calling you to follow Him. But don’t stop there. God has more for you. He wants you to walk as Christ walked. He wants you to feed yourself on His Word throughout the week. He wants you to speak His grace to everyone around you. And He wants you to keep growing until you’re ready to step into the ministry He’s prepared for you.
Can you look back and see how God was patient with you in your early days of faith? Can you remember the joy of discovering these truths for the first time? That’s the work of Chair 2. Now keep going.
Scripture References
- Mark 8:34–35 — Deny yourself and follow Jesus
- Mark 10:21 — The Rich Young Ruler and the cost of following
- Psalm 19:7–9 — Walking in the rules of the Lord
- 1 Corinthians 11:1 — Imitate Paul as he imitates Christ
- Hebrews 5:14 — Maturity comes through practice