A couple of weeks ago, I read a blog (I don't remember who wrote it) about being a fan of Jesus. I used it as a jumping off point and discussed in my sermon why being a fan was not enough.
To start off the sermon I had the sound man playing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game." I entered the sanctuary dressed in my Columbus Blue Jackets jersey (NHL), my Ohio State scarlet and gray hair, waving a checkered flag and a giant foam hand from the Peoria Chiefs baseball team. I got the congregation involved singing the song and then doing a couple of cheers, like "I've got spirit, yes I do...."
We then looked at the dictionary definition of the word fan and follower:
Fan - 1: an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or performing art) usually as a spectator 2: an ardent admirer or enthusiast (as of a celebrity or a pursuit)
Follower - 1a: one in the service of another b; one that follows the opinions or teaching of another c: one that imitates another 2: one that chases
Jesus has enough fans, what he needs are more followers. We are called to be followers, we are supposed to serve Christ and others. We are to follow his teachings and live our lives to bring honor to him and his Father, God. So you can see why my sermon focused on the fact that being a fan of Jesus is not enough, we must be followers.
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." Matthew 16:24-25
No comments:
Post a Comment