Fans or Followers?

I have been a fan of Nottingham forest for many years now. In the past, the glory days, I saw them (under the management of Brian Clough) win two European cups and a league championship. I bought the team strip and wore it proudly, sang the team songs on the terraces and for many years I was a committed fan. However, I never put on the team jersey and played for them. (That could have been fun though!)

It is one thing to be a fan of Jesus it is another to be a follower. It is not a bad thing that we are a fan of Jesus. To appreciate his example, his profound teaching and to marvel at the signs and wonders that he performed. No bad thing to be special fan of Jesus especially as he secured salvation for those who live in a covenant relationship with him.

Yet Jesus did not call fans but apprentices or followers. At the end of Matthew’s gospel he effectively says “now you have experienced this good news you pick up the baton and you go to represent me faithfully to those you come across”. This means (for followers) to be apprenticed to a place where we love as he loved, do as he did and be as he was. Fans of course can settle for being appreciative but that won’t change a world in chaos will it?
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