Jesus never wanted or asked for a fan base of people who would cheer Him on when things were going well for them, as a matter of fact He said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Those words make an important distinction between being merely a fan of Jesus and being a follower of Jesus. A fan may admire Jesus, believe He is a good teacher, enjoy hearing about His love, and even attend church regularly. A fan may celebrate what Jesus can do for them, but a true follower asks, “Lord, what can I do for You?” Being a Christian is more than liking Jesus or having a head knowledge by knowing about Him, but a true follower of Jesus is one who is dedicated to Him and has surrendered their lives to Him.
A fan follows Jesus when it is convenient. A follower follows Him even when the road is difficult. A fan wants the blessings but not the sacrifice or the cost of following Him.
A follower understands that Jesus never promised that following Him would always be easy. When Jesus said, “deny yourself,” He was calling us to lay aside our own desires when they conflict with His will. To “take up your cross daily” means choosing obedience each day, even when it costs us something. Following Jesus is not a onetime decision we make and then forget about, but a daily commitment to live for Him.
The cross is a powerful reminder that Jesus gave everything for us. He didn’t simply say He loved us, but He demonstrated His love by giving His life. In return, He calls us to give Him our lives. That doesn’t mean we earn salvation by our works. It means that when we truly understand what Christ has done for us, our heart's desire becomes to live differently. We begin to ask ourselves questions like, “Does my life point people toward Jesus? Do my choices honor Him? Am I willing to follow Him when nobody is watching? Do I want God's will in all of my life's situations, over my own?"
There will be times when following Jesus means saying no to ourselves. It may mean forgiving someone when we would rather hold a grudge, standing for what is right when others disagree, giving up something that is pulling our hearts away from God, or trusting Him when we cannot understand what He is doing. A fan may walk away when the cost becomes too high. A true follower says, “Jesus, wherever You lead me, I will go.”
So today sweet friend, don’t just ask yourself, “Do I love Jesus?” Ask yourself, “Am I following Jesus?” There is a difference. Fans admire from a distance; followers surrender and walk beside Him. Fans may know about Jesus, root for Him on the sidelines when He is allowing them to win and is working on their behalf. Followers however, desire to jump in and help in the work that He is doing; no matter if things are going their way or not. Fans follow when it is easy; followers remain faithful when it is hard.
Jesus is not looking for a crowd of people who will simply admire Him. He never asked for or wanted fans; but followers. He is calling people who will deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and be willing to follow Him. The question is not whether we believe in our head that Jesus was real and did what He said He would do, but by believing in your heart which God looks at according to 1 Samuel 16:7, "... The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” This verse tells us and reveals a person's true deep, inward trust in God's only Son Jesus, which if real, leads to a commitment to pick up their cross daily and be willing to follow Him.
The cross is a powerful reminder that Jesus gave everything for us. He didn’t simply say He loved us, but He demonstrated His love by giving His life. In return, He calls us to give Him our lives. That doesn’t mean we earn salvation by our works. It means that when we truly understand what Christ has done for us, our heart's desire becomes to live differently. We begin to ask ourselves questions like, “Does my life point people toward Jesus? Do my choices honor Him? Am I willing to follow Him when nobody is watching? Do I want God's will in all of my life's situations, over my own?"
There will be times when following Jesus means saying no to ourselves. It may mean forgiving someone when we would rather hold a grudge, standing for what is right when others disagree, giving up something that is pulling our hearts away from God, or trusting Him when we cannot understand what He is doing. A fan may walk away when the cost becomes too high. A true follower says, “Jesus, wherever You lead me, I will go.”
So today sweet friend, don’t just ask yourself, “Do I love Jesus?” Ask yourself, “Am I following Jesus?” There is a difference. Fans admire from a distance; followers surrender and walk beside Him. Fans may know about Jesus, root for Him on the sidelines when He is allowing them to win and is working on their behalf. Followers however, desire to jump in and help in the work that He is doing; no matter if things are going their way or not. Fans follow when it is easy; followers remain faithful when it is hard.
Jesus is not looking for a crowd of people who will simply admire Him. He never asked for or wanted fans; but followers. He is calling people who will deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and be willing to follow Him. The question is not whether we believe in our head that Jesus was real and did what He said He would do, but by believing in your heart which God looks at according to 1 Samuel 16:7, "... The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” This verse tells us and reveals a person's true deep, inward trust in God's only Son Jesus, which if real, leads to a commitment to pick up their cross daily and be willing to follow Him.
God looks beyond outward appearances and values the intentions, purity, and sincerity of the heart. Cultivating a heart aligned with His will, filled with love, grace, and humility, which is central to spiritual life and obedience to Him.
The question for us all is whether we have truly surrendered our lives to Christ. Are you simply a fan of Jesus, or are you a faithful follower?
Hold Fast,
-Bren
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