Fan or Follower? - CC

Message Notes (Download Here)

Fan or Follower?

Part 1 in series Not a Fan.

How do I determine if I’m a fan or a follower of Jesus?

1.             Do I grade myself by ___________________?

2.             Do I measure myself by _________________?

3.             Do I evaluate myself by ______________?

4.             Do I appraise myself with _____________?

Three essential DTR questions Jesus could ask me:

1.             Why are you here?

From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

John 6:66

2.             Are you all in?

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Luke 9:23

3.             Have you made it your own?

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.”

Luke 14:26

Deeper Dive Notes (Download Here)

Fan or Follower?

Part 1 in series Not a Fan.

How do I determine if I’m a fan or a follower of Jesus?

From Pastor Jorge’s sermon: Followers are different and frankly rare.  A follower is someone who imitates the one they are following.  They want to be just like the object of their admiration and they will do whatever it takes to be just like the one they follow.  Followers allow their values, their hopes, their dreams and their aspirations to be radically shaped, changed and transformed by the one they follow.  There is a huge difference between being a fan and a follower.

1.             Do I grade myself by comparison?

Here’s how this applies to our relationship with God.  We compare ourselves to one another.   If we find someone who is doing better than us, we feel bad.  If we find someone who is doing worse than us, we feel superior.  It has been said that comparison isn’t of the devil. Comparison is the devil!

When I grade “How good I am,” do I compare myself to others around me? Pastor, Husband/Wife, friend in prison, etc.? 

2.             Do I measure myself by performance?

 Now here me, I’m with James in the Bible when he says that “faith without works is useless” but basing one’s relationship with Jesus based on jumping through spiritual hoops is dangerous.

Do I try to grade how good I am by the things I do and that I am involved with? Am I studying my bible enough, am I serving ________ enough, am I showing up every Sunday? Am I trying to earn my way in?

3.             Do I evaluate myself by history?

 Heritage is a good thing.  They are our roots.  They remind us of who we are.  But heritage can also blind us.  When “we’ve always done it that way” gets in the way,  we’ve got a problem  when it comes to our relationship with God. Am I looking at how good I have been, things I used to do? Am I keeping up “CREDITS” for what I have done in the past as a payment?

4.             Do I appraise myself with Jesus?

Imagine with me that you sat down at a table with Jesus and had a long, face-to-face conversation with Him about your relationship.  What if you had a “come to Jesus meeting” with Jesus about your relationship?  What would he say?   What standard am I comparing myself with? Do I compare myself to Jesus or a lower standard? Am I following where He guides me despite the world?

Three essential DTR questions Jesus could ask me:

            DTR: Define the Relationship

1.             Why are you here?

From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

John 6:66

Thoughts and questions for discussion: Why do I keep coming back every week? Am I drawn to the show or for friends? Or am I coming to learn about Jesus and how to have a closer relationship with Him?

2.             Are you all in?

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
Luke 9:23

Thoughts and questions for discussion:  In poker there is a term “ALL IN”  which refers to putting all your money on a single bet. Its saying that you are so sure of the win that you will wager everything you have against the odds. So what is it going to cost you to FOLLOW  Jesus? Are you willing to wager your family, career, friends, LIFE on what Jesus has promised?

3.             Have you made it your own?

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.”

Luke 14:26

Thoughts and questions for discussion: As one body we are all different parts that make up a whole. (1 Corinthians 12) God has given each of us Spiritual Gifts and a drive for specific areas, what area has He given you to work at? How has he equipped you so that you are the one to handle a certain ministry?