Are You a Follower? Mark 1:14-20 Many would fancy themselves as followers of Jesus. But I wonder what it really takes to follow Jesus? The Savior consistently, when calling his disciples, used the words, Follow me, but I wonder how many who respond to the call to follow Jesus realize the full import and impact of their decision? I would submit to you today that I believe that many who would fancy themselves to be followers of Jesus are nothing more than simply admirers of Him. The fact that Jesus consistently asked people to follow is, I think, significant. Jesus never asked for admirers, adherents, or even for worshipers. True, he says that we must worship, but thats not what he asks of any of us. Jesus doesnt want people who will hold to a particular teaching, but rather people who will follow a pattern of life. So many people within the church will say that they are just doing their best to live like Jesus said to live. The problem is that Jesus didnt come to teach us how to live. He came to set an example for us to follow. [walk as Jesus walked] Those who would just seek to do what Jesus said are nothing more than admirers who look at him and say, Well, its a long way up there...how about I just aim high and see what I get? If anyone in this room today is a hunter, try hunting like that and see what youll get. What is the difference between a follower and an admirer, then? Well, according to Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, A follower is or strives to be what he admires. An admirer, however, keeps himself personally detached. He fails to see that what is admired involves a claim upon him, and thus he fails to be or strive to be what he admires. Simply put, a follower seeks to be like the one he follows. An admirer never gets close enough to allow the one he admires to make an impact on him--its a safe distance. One of my favorite authors, Chuck Swindoll, has this to say: I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to buy just a little of the Lord. Not enough to explode my soul and disturb my sleep. Not enough to take control of my life. I want just enough to equal a cup of warm milk. Just enough to ease some of the pain from my guilt. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to find a love that is pocket-sized. Not enough to make me love someone different from me. Not enough to change my heart. I can only stand just enough to take to church when I have time. Just enough to equal a snooze in the sunshine. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb, but not a new birth. I would like to purchase a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. If it doesnt work, I would like to get my money back. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please. I would like to hide some for a rainy day. Not enough for people to see a change in me. Not enough to impose any responsibility. Just enough to make folks think I am ok. Could I just get three dollars worth of God, please? Admirers know that getting too close requires that they see themselves in the light of the one they admire--most arent up to the challenge. Shoot, most followers arent up to that challenge, but the take the risk, knowing the rewards are great...and well-worth it. The reality is this: theres nothing to admire in Jesus...nothing at all, unless you want to admire poverty, misery, and being treated with contempt. Those things came because of who Jesus was and how he related to people...the people who needed him. So, having determined what it takes to be an admirer of Jesus, lets take a look at what it takes to be a follower: Lets look again at the text...[Mark 1:14-20] Be intentional--have purpose The first thing we see here is that Simon Peter and Andrew were busy fishing in the sea of Galilee when Jesus came to call. I think theres a lot of people out there who are stuck waiting around for Jesus to call them to follow him. Jesus never disregarded people who stood around, but he didnt call them to be his followers, either. Instead, Jesus walked along the shore of the sea of Galilee, and found himself three fishermen--people hardened by the elements and used to working hard. These were the people he called. I hesitate to speak for him, but I think its safe to say that Jesus loves to call people who are intentional about life...people who have purpose, regardless of what that is. Look at the disciples--even Matthew, who was a tax collector, was working at his trade when Jesus called him. None of us likes the tax man, but Matthew was worse because he made his living by swindling people. Yet, he had purpose--so Jesus called him. Please dont read into this that Im saying that it doesnt matter what you do, as long as you do something...thats not the case at all. But the reality is that Jesus looks for people who pursue their purpose. Sometimes in life we find ourselves back on the bench, waiting for God to put us back into the game. But the reality is that the worst thing we can do during that time is just sit there and wait. We must pursue a purpose--and God will provide the right slot to get you back in the game. Be willing to hear what the Savior is saying As Jesus was walking by the sea, he called out to four men, saying Follow me. And they followed him. It doesnt make much sense does it? Today, we ask for credentials and references--for reasons and rights--and with good reason. There are a lot of quacks out there! But Im convinced that there was something different in the Saviors voice that made these four men--Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John--stop and pay attention. Could it be that they were waiting, listening? Could it be that they were looking? I think so. They were busy going about their purpose, but these four men were tuned in to the voice of God enough to know when he spoke--that this man Jesus was for real, and not just another political quack looking for his star in the sidewalk. These four men were willing to hear what the Savior was saying. I wonder how many times in a day we hear his voice and dont regard it because we arent willing to hear what he is saying. What Jesus has so say is always and ever counter to what our voice would say, unless we our heart is beating perfectly with His. And I would hazard a guess that few peoples hearts are perfectly beating with his--so wed better listen. Be willing to abandon your security Before we go any further, lets take an inventory of what exactly was going on here...this guy, whom they had never met comes along one day while they are at work and asks them to follow him. But following him means more than just taking the day off from work...it means quitting your job and leaving everything behind--James and John even had the nerve to leave their father sitting there in the boat with the hired men. Lets face it--theres something about having a job that feels good. Its good knowing youll be able to provide for your needs and the needs of your family. Its good knowing you wont have to wonder where the next dollar is coming from--believe me, I know. And in the Jewish culture, your job was your security--there wasnt really a government welfare system to fall back on. If you needed to survive, you conscripted yourself--you basically sold yourself into slavery to survive. Yet, these men were willing to abandon the thing that was their livelihood and security for the sake of following Jesus. [talk about church plant] This is really the point where the sheep get divided from the goats, so to speak. The admirers run away when the time comes to make some sacrifice--to abandon something near and dear. The followers--well, lets not deceive ourselves by saying its easy for them--but they take a deep breath and say, Here goes nothing! and dive in...OK, sometimes they tiptoe gingerly into the water, but the point is that they go. And thats what Jesus wants. In the parable of the two sons in Matthew 21:28-31, Jesus tells the story of a father who asks his two sons to go out in the vineyard to work. One of them refuses, then changes his mind and goes anyway, and the other says he will go and then doesnt. Jesus indicates that the one who did what his father wanted was the one who actually went. He may have gone hesitantly, but at least he went. The real difference between a follower and an admirer: The admirer talks a good show. He praises Jesus in words. He sings songs beautifully in church. He even gives in the offering. He tells others how Jesus is supreme above all, and how he desires to do what he says. But when the time comes to reconstruct his life to fit Christs ideals, the admirer is nowhere to be found. He refuses to give up anything or disassociate himself from anything. He will not be like Jesus--he will not allow his life to look like Jesus. He looks like himself--and only himself. His own poor pathetic, ragged, sitting-before-the-bread-of-life-yet-still-starving self. The follower, on the other hand, tries with everything in him to be the one he admires. He makes sacrifices, he pays whatever price is necessary--it is his greatest passion, his greatest drive--to be like Jesus. The sad thing is that, because of his life, it will become evident who the admirers are--and they will become his greatest opposition. Consider your life and the lives of those around you. Which are you?
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 03:58:08 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015