Are You an Admirer or Follower
How many remember the guy with the multicolored hair showing up at all kinds of sporting events with a sign barring the verse-John 3: 16? How about Tim Tebow and the same verse charcoaled on his cheeks at his college football games? This verse is without a doubt one of the most popular and most quoted verses in scripture. I bet most of you can quote it. Let's stop for a moment and ask all who can to quote it,---- There, just about everyone did it word for word. Now, I have another verse I would like for all who can to quote. It's Luke 9: 23. I will stop again and ask all who can to do so. Go ahead.--- Uh, go on. Well, don't feel too bad if not many of you could quote that verse. It states, "If anyone wants to come with me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." Seems a little more familiar now doesn't it?
These two verses are two of the most important verses in the Bible. They each make powerful, life altering, statements. I believe the most important word in John 3:16 is the word believe. In Luke 9:23, it is the word follow. That is where we will go in the next few weeks centering on the word follow in this verse, but taking on each word in this verse as we go. But first, what does it mean to follow? We hear so many times people say they follow something - golf, the stock market, or their favorite team in sports. But what does it mean to follow? My oldest grandson, Paul, is big in following all sports. He can tell you the names of the players, their stats, how many games teams have won, and who's leading in every league. He knows just about all the players, well, let me put it more correctly, he knows about many of the players. He admires many of them, but he does not really know any of them.
Prior to Jesus making his statement in Luke 9: 23, He is with the disciples and He turns to them and ask,"who do the crowds say that I am"? Then he asked,"But you, who do you say that I am"? They answer, "God's Messiah". Jesus then warns then not to tell anyone because " the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priest, and scribes, be killed, and be raised on the third day." All this before verse 23. Every person born has to answer that same question at some point in their life. Who is Jesus and what am I going to do with Him? The answer to that question will reveal whether we are an admirer or a follower, whether we know about Him or know Him.
In the third chapter of John we find a most unusual character. Nicodemus, a very respected man in his religious community and a member of the Sanhedrin, has become intrigued with this man named Jesus. But Nicodemus is a religious teacher and committed follower of all the laws and teachings of God from the early historical writings. His culture of religion is, in fact, the subject of condemnation on many occasions by Jesus. Now, in this chapter we find Nicodemus sneaking out at night to get a better perspective of what this man, Jesus, was all about. Because of who he was, this was quite a chance he was taking. He wanted to see and hear Jesus, but he did not want anyone to know about it. He had too much at stake. If he liked this Jesus, he could seek him at night and no one would know. He could still keep his position and his reputation. But to jump out in public and really follow Jesus would cause too much interference with his life and cost him too much. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
That night Nicodemus made a decision about Jesus. He believed about Jesus but was not yet willing to get to know Jesus. Patrick Morley states-"90 % (of men) don't go much further than being saved, They are saved - but stuck inside the stadium but not in the game." This was Nicodemus. The next time we see him is in John 7 when the Pharisees were questioning Jesus and were ready to condemn him. On the spur of the moment, Nicodemus finds himself blurting out a defense for Jesus. As a result of his comment, he is put on the spot and questioned if he is a follower of Jesus. He has made a bold step, his relationship with Jesus is now out in the open. But, he is not yet a follower.
Our final time with Nicodemus is in chapter 19 after Jesus has been crucified. He could no longer hold back on his faith in Jesus. He could no longer hide his affection. Nicodemus takes a step that most admirers would never take. He provides 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes for the burial of Jesus. This was no small thing for these were very expensive items. It is said that it may have cost Nicodemus all he had. Something has taken place in the life of Nicodemus that brought him to this point in his relationship with Jesus. But is he ready for what Jesus has relayed in Luke 9: 23?
