Fan or Follower?

I heard a teacher on the radio years ago who spoke about the ‘add on Jesus’. What he meant by this was that many people were saying they had Jesus in their life but they weren’t acting like he was anything more than just another ‘thing’ that they had going on. In other words, you may be a sports fan, a fan of some movie star, you are a fan of Facebook, a fan of some singer, a fan of Jesus: you may go to church, go to work, go shopping, go to a movie or go out to eat. In all of these things, Jesus just becomes another ‘thing’ in your life. You say you are a Christian, you may go to church as long as there isn’t something better to do and the music is ‘your kind’ of music; the preaching is ‘your kind’ of preaching and the people are ‘your kind’ of people. You see, as long as Jesus ‘fits’ into your life, he’s welcome. You may even know some of the catchy verses in the Bible and once in a while if you need an answer to something you open the Bible and read it like you would a fortune cookie so you can find the magical answer that you need. You will even give him some credit for the things in your life that you don’t need or want the credit for; you may pray to him when there is a ‘need’ that you can’t handle. This is the ‘add’ on’ Jesus that many are ‘fans’ of today.

There is a difference between being a fan and being a follower of Jesus. You see, being a follower of Jesus means that Jesus becomes not just a part of your life along with everything else, but he ‘is’ your life. You don’t go to Jesus only when you need an answer or are at the end of your rope; you go to him every day for everything: it is all his, all in his control and you know it. Your prayers aren’t about ‘getting something’ they are about bringing everything in your life to him; about talking to the only one who is in control of all things; about thanking him for all things- good and bad. Going to church isn’t about doing something because it makes you feel good, or to meet your weekly obligation, it’s about obeying him and his word; it’s about being part of a ‘body’ and letting him place you in that body where you will function to bring glory to him. You will read the bible, his word, because you know this is where he has spoken and revealed his will for us; because you want to obey him; because it brings you more in line with him not because you want him to come in line with you. We follow him to bring him glory, to obey him, to love him, good or bad not only when it is convenient for us.

I hope you understand the difference between being a fan and a follower of Jesus; what it means to have him in control of your life. It just seems that in most lives this just isn’t the case. You see people who are going to church and living in sin, seemingly without seeing the conflict. People are justifying lifestyles and language that Jesus’ word specifically says are wrong, yet they won’t let go of these things because they have their own ‘belief’ about the things they think Jesus ‘really’ cares about even though he has already told them in his word what their belief should be. But, they don’t want ‘that’ Jesus they want their ‘add on’ Jesus that follows them and not the other way around. They seem inclined to follow that old sage W.C. Fields: when asked why he was reading the bible, he said, “Just trying to find a loophole.” Most of the time they wouldn’t say loophole, they would say ‘that Jesus never said anything about it’ or ‘a loving Jesus loves everyone’, forgetting that a loving Jesus can’t let wrong go unpunished, “but is patient, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance”, see 2 Peter 3:9, but you see, there is still that choice you must make to follow him or you will perish. Remember the excuse the Romans were using to justify living how they wanted even though it was contradictory to the message that Jesus and his followers were teaching: “What should we do then, should we go on sinning so that grace can abound?” Romans 6:1. You see, they liked the message of God’s grace and forgiveness so they started making up their own set of beliefs such as ‘if God’s grace is shown by his forgiveness then we shouldn’t worry about sinning or approving of those that do, because his grace will cover it’. But when they said this the apostle Paul had to correct them and say, “By no means! We are those who have died to sin, how can we live in it any longer?” Romans 6:2 NIV. If you need more evidence of what is meant by follower of Jesus, go back to Romans 1 and just read it starting at verse 18. People tried to justify everything from worshipping things and people; homosexuality (Gay and Lesbian), all the way to greed and envy! Paul ends the chapter by giving this conclusion in verse 32, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do those very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Fans. People were just living how they chose, approving of others that did the same, and justifying it all to themselves: but not to Jesus.  

So, what are you? A fan or a follower. If you have made Jesus just a part of your life that you choose when and where he can ‘fit’ in, then you are a fan. If you are somehow ‘justifying’ things that you are doing in your life or believing even though you know ‘the righteous decrees’, then you are a fan. We all need to be honest with ourselves and decide if we are living as a fan or follower of Jesus. Today is the day,

Are you a fan or a follower?