I remember when I was a lot younger and I used to watch Michael Jordan play basketball. I would stay up all night watching the Chicago Bulls play and every time they won, I jumped up and down screaming from the top of my lungs. When the games were on the line, I found myself biting my finger nails. I was a huge Chicago Bulls fan! I bought Chicago Bulls hats, shirts, jackets, cups, basketball cards and so on... Suddenly, in 1998 Michael Jordan decided to retire for the 2nd time. For the next several years, Chicago Bulls suffered a losing streak; consequently, they were not winning my heart. I came to realize that I was just a fan and not a follower. Today, we will learn about three fans in the Book of Luke on Chapter 9. As you know, Jesus was aware of their thoughts and saw their heart condition. The First Fan In verse 57, one fan went to Jesus and said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Now, this man had heard and seen all the miraculous works that Jesus had done. Jesus was the talk of the town. He raised the dead, healed the sick, and fed at least five-thousand people. Jesus was the Headline News. Then in verse 58, Jesus replied to the man, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” When Jesus did His ministries, there were no guarantees that he’d have a place to stay. He usually stayed with friends or the supporters of the ministry. So the man, who is described in Matthew 8:19 to be the teacher of the law, walked away. For whatever the reason was, maybe it was because it’s out of his comfort zone. Or maybe all he wanted was the benefit of all the miracles that Jesus had performed. This man was a bandwagon fan because the material obstacles kept him from following Jesus. He would only follow when things were good. The Second Fan In verses 59-60, Jesus said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Jesus invited the man to follow Him; however, the man’s top priority was his possessions. He had to wait for his father to pass so that he could receive his inheritance. The Third Fan In verses 61-62, still another man said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” The third fan wanted to go back home to his family. Maybe he wanted to discuss it with them first before following Christ. Maybe when he goes back home, his family will talked him out of it. These three fans postponed their walk with Christ. There are always reasons not to follow Jesus when you have a divided heart. The first fan is out of his comfort zone and he was seeking the benefits of Christianity, the second fan had his priority out of whack by putting money first, and the third fan was a doubter. The Heart Conditions of the Big Crowd of Fans When Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, the crowds shouted,
As you can see, Jesus drew big crowds because of all the miracles he performed. But just a few days later, the same people who were praising Jesus shouted “Crucify Him!” Friends, where are you today? Are you a fan or are you a follower? Do you go to church just to feel good about yourself? Are you just a fan because you’re proud of your religion, the size and the beauty of your church, or are you just there for the entertainment of what your preacher had preached? Or are you a Christ Follower and do the will of God? Do you follow Christ when times are only good or would you still follow Him when times are tough? Are you a fan because you want something from God, but when you get what you want, do you go back to your old ways and no longer follow Him? Are you a fan or are you a follower? I understand that these questions are tough to ask and it hurts to answer. But Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:5, to Examine and Test Ourselves to see whether we are in the faith.
As you have seen, Peter and his brother Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus. Matthew who was sitting on the booth got up, walked out of his government job, and then followed Jesus. Jesus knows our thoughts and He knows our motives. There’s nothing that’s hidden from God because He knows the very depth and details of our heart and He sees our heart condition… Are we just a fan or are we actually a follower?
2 Comments
Fabio cid Cedeno
10/21/2015 06:47:35 am
I really like this, it's one of the hardest self assessment a person has done throughout history, are we mear followers of what feels good, do we dare go against the "flow", would we stand up and say "I AM A CHRISTIAN " after seeing others shot and killed for saying yes, would we, I follow Jesus if it meant dying. Man you've stirred that inner self debate, discussion, even argument with my own self, ofcourse the answer should undoubtedly be YES, I hope n pray that when that time come, I will be strong, brave and fearless to say "YES"
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Edgar
10/21/2015 06:32:55 pm
Amen brother! We want to be in a point to give everything to Jesus and even if it costs us our-lives.
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