Tuesday, December 27, 2011

FAN OR FOLLOWER??


While on facebook last night I came upon Amy's blog http://www.refereeofthree.blogspot.com/  entitled Fan Club (check it out).  She referenced a person who didn't have a problem with God.  It's His fan club he/she didn't like.  You can read Amy's response but it got me to thinking. (Some of you can see the various comments on facebook). 

Are we as Christians merely fans or followers of Jesus?  Now, I guess it depends upon how you define the word fan.  If it is defined as an "enthusiastic admirer" then that could become problematic.  So problematic that Kyle Idelman wrote a book entitled Not A Fan because he sees fans as those who merely want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires sacrifice.  A person can admire another person but never invest one's life into following that person.  There are fans who are like that.  They admire their teams.  They go to the games.  They cheer loudly.  They might even dress crazy and jump up and down and wave their arms.  But when the going gets tough, when the team begins to lose, when it's cold and rainy, when things go south, their support is "fair weather" at best!  I don't think that is what Jesus wants from us, just to be admirers, just to be a part of his "fan club" when all is going well.

Now if fan is defined as an enthusiastic "follower", that is a different story.  It is like the sign that is staked into the ground at the outskirts of the local high school football field.  It says, "No spectators beyond this point".  Exactly what Jesus is saying to us.  "I'm not looking for spectators.  I'm looking for followers - enthusiastic followers".  The difference is when we commit to follow Jesus, we move ourselves from the stands to the playing field.  And when we "play" for Jesus, we find that the playbook includes denying self, picking up the cross, and "following me".  It includes sacrifice and surrender, words we don't often like to hear. 

Like I told Amy, I don't want to get all caught up in semantics - fan or follower, because it depends upon one's definition of a fan.  I've known sports fan who have not missed a game for years, no matter what, to support their team.  And yes, I realize that going to the game and sitting on the sidelines and cheering wildly is not the same as putting on the uniform and "going to battle".  However, it would behoove us as Christians to share the same passion for Jesus as many "fans" have for their teams.  For in reality, when we have a passion for Jesus, we can be nothing less than enthusiastic followers of Him.  

Monday, December 12, 2011

Traveling to Bethlehem!



Since the first Sunday of Advent, we at the MUMC (and many others) have been traveling together on a spiritual journey that has been taking us from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  We have been reading Scripture in conjunction with the study entitled "The Journey" by Adam Hamilton from the Church of the Resurrection, that challenges us to take a fresh look at Joseph and Mary and the circumstances that they faced as they were chosen by God to be the earthly parents of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  As we have taken a closer look at the culture and the context of the day, I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the material.  It has been enlightening, challenging, convicting, and reassuring to say the least. I don't know about you, but this has probably been one of the best Advent studies and sermon series I've ever been a part of.  For those of you who have been on the same journey, I hope you can say the same.  Take a moment to ponder upon the following questions or thoughts:

  • How many people would be upset if we held an"historically correct" Christmas pageant?
  • Did you grow up in a town more like Nazareth or Sepphoris?  What difference did that make with regards to the way you relate to Mary and/or Joseph?
  • Did Mary really want to be Mary?
  • Did Joseph really want to be Joseph?
  • Do you think they had a choice?
  • Coincidence that the root meaning for Nazereth means branch?  That Mary would have drawn living water from the well in Nazareth and Jesus offered "living water"?  That Bethlehem means "house of bread" and Jesus was known as the bread of life? 
  • Can anything good come from Nazareth?  Bethlehem?
  • Dreams, dreams, dreams - ask Mary, ask Joseph!  What about your dreams?  Does God speak to you in dreams?
  • What do you think Jesus learned from Mary and Joseph while he was growing up in their home?
  • Do you really believe "Emmanuel", God is with us?  Especially when you find yourself on a most difficult journey?  Sometimes we can just get mad or blame God and forget that God really "is with us".
  • Contrast King Herod with Joseph - "Here I am God, notice me" as opposed to "Here I am Lord, use me". 
  • Mary needed Elizabeth just as much as Elizabeth needed Mary.  Think about that.
  • Can you imagine the stories that were shared when the pregnant Mary and Elizabeth sat down the first night after Mary arrived?
  • A huge difference between having joy and being happy!
  • No room in the "inn"?  Do a word study on "inn" and see what you find.
  • Do you suppose Mary wanted to take the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem knowing she was soon to give birth?  We all take unwanted journeys.  Let us not forget "Emmanuel"!!!!!
Keep moving forward.  We're in this thing together!