Fan or Follower of Jesus?

 

Are you a fan or a follower of Jesus Christ.

 

“One of the symptoms [of a fan] is that you think you are a follower,”   “Jesus doesn’t want fans, He wants completely committed followers.”

 

A fan knows about Jesus. A follower knows Him.

 

some of the differences between a fan and a follower:

• A fan is a enthusiastic, jumping on the bandwagon and cheering when things are great. A follower doesn’t waver. She sticks close, even when the outcome doesn’t look favorable.
• A fan knows about someone. A follower knows someone.
• A fan loves the fun, but a follower is willing to work.

For a lot of people, it’s easy to jump on the “Jesus bandwagon” — to go to church and participate in events, to say the right things around the right people and act the part when others are looking, but when the rubber meets the road and life gets hard or popular opinion turns against us, do we stick with Him?

 

a fan is close enough to be associated with Jesus, but not close enough that it requires something of me.

“Fans don’t mind Jesus making some minor change in their lives but Jesus wants to turn our lives upside down,”

“Fans don’t mind him doing a little touch up work, but Jesus wants a complete renovation.”

Diagnosing Fandom -

1. Have you made a decision for Jesus or have you committed to Jesus? Many have made a decision to believe in Jesus without making a commitment to follow Jesus. The gospel allows for no such distinction.
2. Do you just know about Jesus, or do you really know Him? Fans have a tendency to confuse their knowledge for intimacy. They don’t recognize the difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Jesus.
3. Is Jesus one of many or is He your one and only? Jesus makes it clear that he will not share your affection. Following Him requires your whole heart.
4. Are you more focused on the outside than the inside? Instead of following Jesus they (fans) are following religious rules and rituals. They have confused the targets. (To paraphrase another quote in the book, fans tend to be raised up in Church instead of being raised up in Christ.)
5. Are you a self-empowered fan or a Spirit-filled follower? Fans try to play the role of the Holy Spirit, but trying to be God has a tendency to wear you out.