FANS OR FOLLOWERS

Alan Pihringer

The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

John 6:60–71

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Transcript

Introduction

-Today I want to ask you a question: ARE YOU A FAN OR A FOLLOWER OF JESUS?

~What’s the distinction?

-The word fan comes from the word fanatic, and it is defined as:

~an enthusiastic devotee (as of a sport or a performing art) usually as a spectator;

~an ardent admirer or enthusiast (as of a celebrity or a pursuit)

-So, from this definition, I am a fan of Star Wars, NCIS, and the Green Bay Packers—I am an enthusiastic devotee, an admirer, albeit as a spectator----I am not in my favorite movies or TV shows, and I do not play for my favorite sports teams----I AM A FAN

-Fans come in droves, and often their commitment is tied to whether or not they personally get enjoyment and pleasure from what it is they are supposed to be a fan of.

-In the passage we are reading today, Jesus has a lot of fans because of what He can do for them, but when He no longer does for them what they want Him to do for them, they decide He is no longer worth their time. To give a bit of a background for the passage:

~Jesus had fed the 5000 and then made His way across the Sea of Galilee. The crowd caught up with Him in Capernaum, and He tells them that He knows they only came looking for Him to get more food.

~But He teaches them that what they need more than physical food is spiritual food, and He alone is the Bread of Life, the Bread that comes from Heaven.

-And the more He explains what that means and what that requires of them, the more they don’t like it. Most of the crowd, even those calling themselves “disciples,” were fans, not true followers of Jesus.

-And sadly, many churches today are filled with fans, not followers.

--Listen to a quote from Kyle Idleman in his book NOT A FAN:

~”I think Jesus has a lot of fans these days. Fans who cheer for Him when things are going well, but who walk away when it’s a difficult season. Fans who sit safely in the stands cheering, but they know nothing of the sacrifice and pain of the field. Fans of Jesus who know all about Him, but they don’t know Him.

~But Jesus was never interested in having fans. When He defines what kind of relationship He wants, “Enthusiastic Admirer” isn’t an option. My concern is that many of our churches in America have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums. And every week all the fans come to the stadium where they cheer for Jesus but have no interest in truly following Him.

~The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.”

-For people who claim to be Christian, the teachings of Christ, the demands of discipleship, and the commands of Scripture expose who is merely a fan and who is truly a follower (that is, who is a genuine disciple)

-So as we compare and contrast, I hope nobody leaves here today a fan, but everyone leaves here today a follower.

John 6:60–71 ESV

60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” 66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

I) Fans want pop psychology, Followers want words of life

-This crowd who called themselves disciples wanted Jesus to pull more tricks and fill their bellies and give them a pep talk about how good they were and how successful they could be.

-Instead, Jesus comes to them with the teaching that He is the Bread from Heaven (meaning He has a divine origin)--And He is the bread of life, (for everyone is spiritually dead, and dead people need life, and Jesus alone is able to offer that).

-And Jesus said that this bread from heaven that gives life is His flesh (referring to His sacrificial death), so if they were to have this life and were to follow God, they needed to eat the bread that is His flesh, and to drink His blood.

~And the crowd could not get beyond the physical to see the spiritual picture that Jesus portrayed for them—that they needed to believe on Him and commit themselves to Him in order to have this life—and without this life they would remain in their sins and remain dead.

-So in our passage, the crowd says: THIS IS A HARD SAYING----yes, it was hard to understand, but what they were really saying is that the parts they did understand were hard to accept.

-It was hard to accept Jesus’ deity as being equal with God; it was hard to accept Jesus’ exclusivity in giving life as opposed to earning it through personal effort; and it was hard to accept Jesus’ superiority in demanding a unique commitment and devotion to Him above all else.

-They said this was a hard saying because they knew that it meant a complete change of thought and life that they were used to and comfortable with—but when Jesus says that you must eat this flesh and drink this blood, it meant a born-again, life-changing experience that goes beyond mere fandom—it is an eternity-long, never-the-same commitment as a follower with a devotion to whatever Christ says, because as Peter points out in our passage: JESUS ALONE HAS THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE.

-Kyle Idleman put it this way:

“Most of us don’t mind Jesus making some minor change in our lives but Jesus wants to turn our lives upside down. Fans don’t mind Him doing a little touch-up work, but Jesus wants complete renovation. Fans come to Jesus thinking tune-up, but Jesus is thinking overhaul. Fans think a little makeup is fine, but Jesus is thinking makeover. Fans think a little decorating is required, but Jesus wants a complete remodel. Fans want Jesus to inspire them, but Jesus wants to interfere with their lives.”

-These fans wanted Jesus to give them some pop psychology about how special they were, and with a little polish and elbow grease, they can have their best life now. Instead Jesus offered the words they needed to hear that might sting at first but would lead to healing.

-If you come to Jesus and to church and want to hear about how good you are and how smart you are and how much people like you, then you are a fan. But if you want to hear Jesus’ words that lead to life no matter how uncomfortable it might be, knowing that in the end you will be closer to Him, that’s when you know you are a follower.

II) Fans desire autonomy, Followers recognize authority

-This crowd of people were offended that Jesus would dare tell them that they were not the captains of their own destiny. They relished in the thought that they could do enough to be good enough in the sight of God, and they could do it their own way. And Jesus saying that they would never be good enough, so they needed the Bread of Life and commit themselves wholly to Him, didn’t go over too well.

-They wanted autonomy—they wanted to make their own way to God through their own effort following their own rules.

-So Jesus challenges them about what they were going to do when He returns to His place of power? In v. 62:

Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

-It not only means the ascension of the resurrected Jesus from earth into heaven, but it is talking about His re-ascension onto the throne He has occupied for all of eternity.

-Jesus is asking them: You assert your autonomy now, but what will you do when I return to my place of authority, and all authority is given to Me in heaven and earth?

-Fans want to come to God on their own terms and believe about Him what they want to believe about Him, and see themselves as the ones that make the rules, and are offended at any hint otherwise----WHO ARE YOU PREACHER TO TELL ME I’M NOT A FOLLOWER: I COME TO CHURCH (SOMETIMES), I GIVE TO THE CHURCH (WHEN I WANT), AND I GENERALLY STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND DON’T DO ANY OF THE BIG SINS??!!

-OK, but those are your standards, not God’s. Is Jesus on the throne, or are you? Does Jesus make the decisions, or do you? Are you committed more to your comfortable life, or to Christ’s call on your life? Are you living independently of Christ, or dependently on Him? That’s the difference between a fan and a follower.

-Fans do their own thing, followers follow the commands and demands of the one in authority.

III) Fans grumble openly, Followers trust patiently

-We live in an age of people being easily offended. You can sneeze and someone will say that your sneeze offended them. Unfortunately, people who claim faith can also be some of the most offended people around who act as if you killed their cat when they don’t like what you say

-v. 61 talks about this crowd grumbling about Jesus and everything that He was saying. I can hear the little bickering conversations that they had going on with one another:

~ “I can’t believe Jesus would say something so offensive. Who does He think He is? Doesn’t He know all the good things that I do? To tell me I have to eat His flesh, He must be out of His mind. I just think we need to walk out and find us another teacher who will tickle our ears.”

-So, not only are they offended, they go to others to tell them how offended they are, and plant seeds of doubt and discouragement in the hearts of others. Jesus was not pandering to their desires, so they were going to get mad, throw a fit, and tell other people about it.

-That sure was the history of the Israelites—you see it in the Old Testament. God did this miracle of leading them out of Egypt, they walked across dry land in the middle of the Red Sea, and He provided manna for them to eat.

-And yet, none of it was good enough. They complained about no water that they could find on their own. They complained about no meat. They complained about what they were missing out on. They complained that it would be better to be dead in Egypt then alive with God. Complain, complain, complain. And God judged them on numerous occasions because of it.

-And here it continued. They complained about Jesus. They complained about His teaching. They complained that He didn’t give them any more bread. They complained that He placed expectations on them. They complained that He demanded their complete loyalty. Complain, complain, complain.

-Fans complain and grumble when things don’t go their way. If you are a constant complainer, you are a fan. If more negative comes out of your mouth about what the church or the preacher or Jesus is not doing for you than praise for what God is doing in your life, you’re a fan.

-But what do followers do—in the tough times, in the lean times, in the valleys as well as the mountain tops, they trust God will lead them in the right way.

-What does Peter say in v. 69:

we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.

-Peter says: All that we remaining disciples know is that we trust You with our lives, both here and in the hereafter. We have nowhere else to turn but to You.----That’s the mark of a follower.

IV) Fans function in the flesh, Followers strive in the Spirit

-Look at v. 63:

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

-When our spirit yields to the Holy Spirit and allows His leading and empowerment to guide our thoughts and actions and words, we are living in the Spirit.

-When we live and minister and talk and walk and think in our own power and with our own supposed wisdom and follow our own heart and go after our own desires, that is walking in the flesh.

-And there is a deep contrast between the two, and the lifestyles of fans as opposed to followers is clearly evident. Those who strive in the Spirit are led by the Spirit and bear fruit of the Spirit. Those who function in the flesh are worldly, fleshly, and produce no fruit.

-Paul said in Galatians 5:24-25

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

-Fans don’t want to follow the Spirit because it might lead them on a path that they are uncomfortable with. Functioning in the flesh is trying to maintain control over one’s life instead of following the control of the Spirit.

-As one person stated the contrast:

“When we view the Law as that which we must do to please God we have begun to walk in the flesh. When we set before us target behaviors for us to accomplish we are walking in the flesh….As we progress in this [life] in the flesh we learn to depend on our own work. Manipulation and coercion become the subtle tools of our trade. Our worldly thinking begins to define our values and success….

[W]alking by the Spirit means simply to live by God within me. It is the opposite of living in my own strength. It is a deep-seated conviction that I am completely dependent on the work of God.

Jesus expressed this Spirit walk when He taught us to "Abide in Him"….At least half of what it means to walk by the Spirit is to rest from my human striving. It is to accept by faith the righteousness imparted to me by the work of Christ. I am to forever cease from striving to be pleasing to God- I am pleasing in Jesus. I am to cease from doing ministry to meet my own needs and to gain my own value; God is to be my source and He values me. I am to stop the unrelenting pursuit of knowledge I try to possess; God is full of wisdom and that is good enough. I am to lay down my goals and objectives and live in Him.”

-Which of those descriptions is more descriptive of you? Fans function in the flesh, Followers strive in the Holy Spirit.

V) Fans talk big, Followers finish strong

-The crowd for a while has talked a big talk. OH YEAH, I’M FOLLOWING JESUS. JESUS IS THE MAN! JESUS MAY EVEN BE THE MESSIAH. SURE, I’LL FOLLOW HIM WHEREVER HE GOES.

-But then when Jesus laid it all out for them about what it meant to follow Him, they wanted no part of it. Sure, they talked a good game, but when uncomfortable demands were placed on them, they bolted. Look at v. 66:

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

-Jesus didn’t kowtow to the crowd and change His message—Jesus said:

This is who I am. This is what I’m going to do. This is to be your response. And the big talkers walked away.

-I have a lot of people ask me:

So and so no longer goes to church, no longer lives for Christ. They are living for the world. They are disobedient to God in all sorts of areas of their lives. Did they lose their salvation?

~My answer is that Christians can backslide, but those who have truly been born-again will always come back. Do you hear me: TRUE DISCIPLES WILL ALWAYS COME BACK.

~If someone “grew up in church” and/or “made a profession” but is now living for the world without conviction, my answer is they were never truly saved to begin with.

-They were a fan. They talked big, but when they could loose some of the restraint, they jumped at the opportunity. Sure, they may still speak Christianese, but it is empty talk.

-When the 12 apostles were asked if they were going to leave, Peter said: “Lord, to whom shall we go?” They weren’t going anywhere, but were going to follow Him to the end----at least, 11 of them would, and Jesus recognized that.

-Kyle Idleman said:

“Fans often confuse their admiration for devotion. They mistake their knowledge of Jesus for intimacy with Jesus. Fans assume their good intentions make up for their apathetic faith.”

-Fans may talk big and like to “show off” their Christianity, but followers will keep talking to a minimum and let their lives demonstrate to whom they belong, and will persevere to the end.

Conclusion

-Let me close with this final quote from Kyle Idleman:-Today I want to ask you a question: ARE YOU A FAN OR A FOLLOWER OF JESUS?