Who are you a fan of? The word fan means, “Enthusiastic admirer.” With that definition in mind, obviously some of us are fans of certain sports teams, while others may be fans of actors/actresses, authors or musicians. We can be fans of pretty much anything we choose.
Most of us have probably heard of Jesus for about as long as we can remember. From the time we were young toddlers, our parents and/or grandparents probably took us to worship and taught us about Jesus and the sacrifice He made on our behalf. Many of us have probably done the same for our children and grandchildren. We have grown up hearing about Jesus and all the wonderful things He has done for us, thus turning us into big fans. The problem with this is that some of us are nothing more than fans of Jesus.
When reading through the Gospel accounts, it is evident some people followed Jesus simply because of the amazing miracles He had done (Jn. 6:2). Their motivation to follow Jesus was centered on the wrong things. They weren’t really followers of Jesus the Christ, they were only fans. Eventually, when things got tough, they turned away from their fandom (Jn. 6:60-66).
What about us today? Are we truly followers of Jesus or are we just fans? Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24). Fans never really take the field to follow after Jesus; they just stand on the sidelines and cheer. Jesus doesn’t want cheerleaders, He wants followers.
Friends, Jesus is inviting you to do more than just stand on the sidelines and cheer. He is inviting you to take the field and be a part of the game. Jesus is inviting you and me to take up our cross daily and follow after Him (Lk. 9:23).
Are you a follower of Jesus or just a fan? If being a Christian doesn’t interfere with your life on a daily basis, perhaps you are nothing more than just a fan. It’s past time to get out of the stands and follow Jesus. He needs more followers and less cheerleaders.
Now that’s Something to Think About!