Following Jesus Instead Of…

Pastor Calvin Cook
June 19, 2026

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” — John 8:12

Here is the scene I would like us to consider today.

According to John 8, Jesus had returned to the Temple early in the morning. He sat among the people and began teaching them. Yet once again, the religious leaders tried to distract from the purpose of God. That purpose was, and still is, to draw people to the truth found in Him. Sadly, distractions continue to pull people away from the main thing even today.

On this occasion, the distraction was a woman caught in adultery. She had already been judged and condemned by people who were sinful themselves. As I read John 8, it seems Jesus was less interested in what she had done and more concerned with who she was—a sinner in need of forgiveness, redemption, and the hope that can only be found in Him.

Jesus turned the situation back on her accusers. One by one, the stones they held to punish her began to fall to the ground. As they considered their own sinfulness, they dropped their rocks and walked away, leaving the woman alone with Jesus.

Then Jesus spoke words that changed her life and can change ours if we are willing to hear them:

“Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)

Many people have asked why I chose the title Following Jesus From the Edges for these devotionals. The answer is simple. Years ago, the title was Seeking Jesus From the Edges, but my thinking changed.

The truth is that we are all standing on the edge of something. There are many edges in life. Whether cautiously or carelessly, we navigate our way through each day hoping to arrive safely at the end of the journey. For me, that safety is found in drawing closer to God daily—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Some days I do well. Other days I step off the edge. Yet in those moments, Jesus is already there to catch me. He never says, “What a careless, sinful fool you are.” Instead, He speaks the same words He has spoken throughout history, the same words He spoke to the woman caught in adultery:

“Go now and leave your life of sin.”

But how?

By keeping our hearts, minds, and souls focused on Jesus. By devoting ourselves to Scripture, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer, just as the early church did in Acts 2:42.

When we live this way, following Jesus becomes more than something we do from the edges. It becomes a fully committed walk with God. He is no longer our emergency rescue plan; He becomes our way of life—a way of life that leads to eternity.

This is why John 8:12 is so important. Jesus is the Light of the World. Following Him is more than saying “yes” with our lips. It is living out that “yes” every day. It means that regardless of the darkness around us, we do not become part of it because we walk in His light and possess the light of life.

Today I want everyone to know—my family, my friends, my neighbors, strangers, and even my enemies—that I choose to follow Jesus.

I do not want that choice to be reflected only in my words. I want it to be seen in the way I live my life.

What about you?