Fan or Follower?

There is quite a difference between a FAN and a FOLLOWER. I've been thinking a great deal about this at this season in my life. Some time ago I preached a little message on the subject. It was all inspired by the book "Not a Fan". It challenged me to become more of a follower than a fan of Jesus. Here's what the author said...

I realize that many times I consider myself to be a follower (imitator) but I’m really just a fan (enthusiastic admirer). Jesus can’t be simply one of the choices…He must be THE choice. He IS the way, the truth AND THE life.

God sent Jesus to give His life so that He could have yours.

Is He your one of many or your one and only? Have you made a decision for Christ or are you committed to Christ? It’s about so much more than walking an aisle and praying a prayer. Fans do that. Jesus said you must deny yourself (turn from your selfish ways) take up your cross DAILY and follow Him.

And this is MY story…

Nine years ago my 20 year marriage ended. I was shocked, confused and did everything I could to isolate myself and insulate myself from the pain I was experiencing. I was so deeply wounded that I can honestly say I never even considered what other people might be thinking of me. I thought I must be broken and I needed to be fixed and when I was fixed, well everything would be normal again. I was wearing the jersey for Team Jesus, sporting the garments of my team. I knew all the cheers and I was cheering for everyone each and every week. I’d spend my nights inside the worship center at our old church building questioning the events, going over the statistics, the circumstances and the future. I needed some new plays because everything in the original playbook had been destroyed. It was in this darkest season of my personal life that the LIGHT of Jesus began to heal. I was hurting but I was not broken. I was being made new each and every day. His spirit was changing me on the inside and those changes would soon surface in my countenance, my actions and my messages. It was during the attack on family and finances that I saw clearly the difference in making a decision for Christ and committing to Christ. Repeating a little prayer would not change this. I needed to commit…to dedicate myself to imitating what this Jesus would do, how He would respond. He embraced me when life pushed me away. Today, I preach at one of the most amazing churches on the planet…healed and empowered by the grace of God…turning away from my selfish ways, taking up MY cross DAILY…and following Him. My name is Joe S. Jones, aka Cup of Joe and I’m not a fan.