Eyes Wide Open: 41-Day Lenten Devotional Sample

Are You a Fan or a Follower of Christ?

"Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah." - Acts 5:42

As followers of Christ, we believe that Jesus is who he claims to be, right?

Nearly a millennium and a half prior to Jesus' birth, God began giving his people very specific information about the coming Messiah. The Bible contains countless Messianic predictions like Genesis 3:15, which revealed that the Christ would crush the head of Satan and redeem creation from the curse of sin. Jesus fulfilled every prophecy. The word "gospel" literally means "good news.” Jesus' sacrifice and victory over Satan really is the good news of the gospel!

According to research conducted by Barna, a growing number of Christians do not see sharing this "good news" as a personal responsibility. In fact, only two out of three believers feel that they have a personal duty to share their faith. 

So, then are we merely fans of Christ and his teachings or are we truly followers of him? Jesus' life, death, and resurrection were so incredible that His followers could not stop sharing of all he had done. If we have a correct view of the gospel, we, too, should struggle to contain our excitement!

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice on the cross. Please help me to not just be a fan of your teachings, but to be a follower of you, committed to sharing the good news of your triumph over Satan with others so that they, too, can experience new life free from the curse of sin. Amen.

- Written by Tommy Lee