As believers I’m sure we have all had times in our lives where we were “hot” and “cold” in our relationship with God. I know I have. Maybe you go to a camp or retreat and you leave filled with a new passion for God. Or maybe you went to a worship concert and you left feeling overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. Or maybe its simply a powerful church message that brings you conviction and a new view on your life. You leave these events with new eyes, new ears, a new heart, new desires. You have a fire burning in your soul that cannot be extinguished. You feel on top of the world, powerful, and strong like you can conquer anything. If you’ve felt those things then you know there is nothing that can measure up. God’s love and presence is amazing like that. It’s His magnificent presence that brings you all of those feelings, because it’s true! With God you can conquer anything, and you can have a new life! All things are made new when you surrender your heart and life to Jesus. But, how long to those feelings last? for a life-time? For some yes, but for many, no. Though I’m not proud to say, I’ve fallen into that no category a few times in my life. Why is it that you think those feelings don’t stick around forever? Because in order for those things to prosper in our lives, we have to put in work. We have to sacrifice. The sad thing is, that many people do not have the desire to work hard and sacrifice when it comes to their relationship with God. For them the cost is too great. The things and time and relationships they would have to give up is just too much for them. In these instances, we need to remember the sacrifice that God made, just to have a connection to us. The price He paid for our freedom. God gave his one and only son to be tortured and shamed. His innocent son, to die on the cross for every single one of our sins. That we would no longer have to pay the price of sin in this world. We are set free by His blood, and when Jesus rose again 3 days after his death, He became alive in us, and all of His power, all of His love and strength was made available to us. We are given this freely as long as we surrender our lives, throw out our old self and follow Him. “Then Jesus replied, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” -Matthew 16: 24 (ESV)
The song I chose this week is about that hot and cold relationship that I mentioned. It’s a few years old, but has remained one of the deepest and poetic songs I have ever heard. The song is called “Cucify Him” by Shane and Shane. The very first time I heard this song, it wrecked me. It stripped me down before the Lord and made me realize all that I had been doing wrong in my walk with God. All the times I thought I was being the perfect “christian” were shattered to pieces when this song reminded me what it really means to follow the Lord. Within the first two lines of this song, I was swallowing that uncomfortable “lump in my throat”. It says, “I sing Hosanna when I want it all. Then I crucify the Son of God. Cause He isn’t who I always thought. Not what I want, but what I needed. I sing How great and mighty is the King. Just as long as He considers me, high above every other thing. Even His glory.” Ouch. That hurts doesn’t it? Haven’t we all done this before? Just like I said, we leave those amazing events singing “Hosanna! Great and Mighty is our God!” We want all that He has to offer no matter what the Cost. But as time goes by, once we come off of that high, we are standing right in the crowd of Pharisees shouting at Pilate and King Herod to “Crucify Him!” We praise His name when all is good, when we feel considered, when we feel like He’s given us just what we’ve asked for, and answered all of our prayers. We want to run and tell everyone what He has done for us, what He can do for them. But in the times where He seems distant, when we feel He doesn’t hear us, when we feel that maybe everything we’ve been told about Jesus ins’t true because He’s not giving us what we want, we turn our back on him. We deny Him, and turn Him over to the guards just as Judas did. It hurts to hear, trust me I know. But it’s the truth right? Our sinful desire is to be considered above all else like this song says, even His glory. We think Gods not what we want, because to follow Him requires something from us, but when that time comes around again that we face an impossible situation, where do we turn? God suddenly becomes the one you need. This in between, up and down relationship is NOT what pleases God.
The Chorus of this song says “Broken like a record spinning round and round. Like a hurricane I pour out water then I disappear. Reappearing when I fear enough or need a touch from you. I sing Hosanna once again. Then I say Crucify Him!” In Revelation 3:15-16 Jesus says “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Jesus requires from you a HOT commitment to Him at all times. Not only when we need something, not only when we are facing great fear, not only when we are thankful that He answered us the way we wanted. But all the time! Even when we are being tested, even when it hurts, even when His answer is no, or not right now. He gave it ALL for us, and asks us to simply give our ALL to Him, ALL of the time.
I am currently reading a book called “Not a Fan” by Kyle Idleman. If you haven’t read it, you should. Click here to purchase it on amazon. It’s about the difference between being a follower of Jesus and a Fan of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t want fans, He wants true followers that are willing to live according to his word and to obey Him in everything they do and say. My goal in life right now is to do just that, to obey the Lord, even when it hurts, even when it requires sacrifice. It’s not easy, trust me. But It is worth it, to see the Lord move in my life in so many incredible ways, and to feel the constant connection to the Holy Spirit is the best choice I have ever made. The second verse of this song reminds me of some of the points this book talks about. It says, “It’s packaged differently than Pharisees. Wrapped in sing-a-longs and Christianese. Empty Hallelujahs to the King, when my heart is loving idols. A man of sorrows acquainted with grief. He had no form; He had no majesty. How could He have the audacity to ask me to give Him my tomorrow?” In the book I mentioned, Kyle talks about how so many people would call themselves a follower of Jesus because they go to church regularly, they know all the books of the bible, and they can quote scripture, they know all the right things to say (Chrisianese). And it’s true, like these lyrics say, “it’s wrapped in sing-a-longs and christianese.” You can be packaged beautifully as a christian, someone who’s known for all they do in the church, but are they fans or followers? Are you someone who comes to church on Sundays, raises your hands and praises the Lord during worship, takes notes and follows along during the sermon, maybe even serves in a ministry. But then the rest of the week loving other idols? Your partying with your friends, watching , reading, or listening to things that are not pleasing to the Lord, talking bad and gossiping about those around you, never once picking up your bible or praying? If that’s you then you most likely fall into the “fan” of God category. Like I said before, God wants us to honor and obey Him ALL of the time, not just on sunday mornings. Deuteronomy 13:4 says “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him.” Following the Lord is not an easy task. It is one that requires much from us, He will call us to step out in faith, even in fear to go where He sends us. And we will have to make choices that seem impossible. But if we hold fast to God and all His word promises, He will help us to keep our word to Him, to obey Him completely and to become true followers. We will take up our cross daily and carry it, just as He did. We will take off and get rid of our old self, all the bad habits, and unjust things or people we associated with and we will never put them back on! “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life has gone; a new life has begun” 2 Corinthians 5:12 (NLT)
If you are a person living as a fan of Jesus right now, but you want to be a follower, you can do it. You are not alone, and the Lord your God will see you through. He is a God that forgives! He will never hold your past against you if you confess it to Him and repent. Like that verse says, You are made new! Completely new! God loves you just as you are, and He sees you no matter where you are right now. You see, He loves fans and followers the same. It’s what He wants from us that makes them different. It’s when we become a follower that we are truly saved. That’s when we are given an intimate, direct connection to the Holy Spirit. There is nothing that can satisfy you the way the spirit can, and no greater gift that can be given than Gods love and forgiveness. This song ends differently than most, just fading out repeating these words. “Forgiveness. Forgiveness and Love.” God offers His forgiveness and love to every single person on this earth, no matter who you are or what you do, even if you’re the person this song describes. If you’re reading this and you feel the punch in your gut when you hear these words, it’s not too late. Repent from your old ways and turn to the Cross. Jesus is there waiting with open arms.
Thank you Jesus that you are a father that loves us all the same. That you offer your forgiveness to all that confess and repent. Your love is a gift that cannot be replaced. Thank you Jesus that you died on the cross for our sins, and that you rose again 3 days later becoming real and alive in our hearts. You gave your life for us Father. Help us to give ours for you. Use your children Lord to show your love and forgiveness to all around us. I pray that if anyone is reading this and they have slipped into becoming a fan and not a follower that you would come in to their hearts and remind them what it means to follow you. Give them strength to turn from their ways and receive the brand new life that you offer them. For those that do sacrifice daily, and give it all to follow you, give them strength and perseverance. Lift them up and protect them from this worlds many temptations. Remind them that you have been tested with all these same temptations and you overcame satan and his lies, and in you we can do the same. Jesus thank you that even when the cost of following you seems too high, that we can be assured that it is not. Because if we have you Lord, we have everything. Without you we have nothing. Amen
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