NOT A FAN BIBLE STUDY

NOT A FAN

Becoming A Completely Committed Follower of Jesus: Bible Study Lesson 1

This is the first of a series of bible studies based on author Kyle Idleman’s book “not a fan.” In his book the author challenges the reader to consider whether or not we are truly committed to following Jesus or if we are as the title implies, just an enthusiastic “admirer” of Jesus.

Following Jesus Is Never Without Cost

Matt 19:16-23 (companion scriptures: Mark 10:17, Luke 18:18 )

16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. KJV

The young man in the scriptures here presents a most important question to Jesus; essentially asking Jesus “What do I do to be saved?”  In the gospel of Mark we are told that this young man came running demonstrating a sense of urgency and fell on his knees before Christ humbly pleading for Jesus’ response.  He calls him by the title “teacher” so then acknowledging his need for enlightenment from the master teacher. The young ruler demonstrates his respect, reverence and even his belief that Jesus is worthy of his admiration and even worship and that he has within his person the capacity to answer this most important question concerning his eternal destination.  After some questioning by Jesus regarding the young man’s religious practices the young man affirms his stellar performance yet confesses that despite his best efforts at following religious rules he still feels a lacking in his life. Jesus responses to him by telling him if he would indeed by “perfect” being translated as “complete in every part” he would need to sell all he possessed and give it to the poor and follow him. Perhaps the young man was looking for an easy entry into discipleship.

QUESTIONS: What did Jesus mean by the remark “Why calleth me good?, none is good but one, that is God?” Was the young man attempting to gain salvation though his works and was Jesus somehow endorsing a salvation by works? Read Rom. 3:28.

EXPLAIN THIS STATEMENT: Jesus didn’t bring up the law to show the young man “how” to be saved, but rather that he needed to “be” saved.  

The Human Lacking Remains

Mark 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Though, like the young man, we may do many righteous things, our righteous expressions cannot be defined by one or two “good” actions or a particular area of sacrifice and commitment. For example, merely paying your tithes without sharing Christ readily with others shows and incompleteness. Faithful church attendance without any responsibility to expand the gospel of Christ shows incompleteness. There was a calling upon this young man’s life that was yet unanswered. This left him, despite his religious practices, with a sense of lacking and incompleteness. During Jesus’ questioning of him, he declares his love for God and his neighbor yet is not willing to sacrifice mere things to express his love of either.

QUESTIONS: Do you think that the young man sincerely wanted an answer? Why? What was Jesus offering this young man? Why were other disciples willing to take Jesus up on his offer but not this young man? Why did Jesus ask him to sell all his possessions when He never asked anyone else to do so?

Despite that fact that he had “great possessions,” the young man must have been experiencing some sense if incompleteness and emptiness all of which had driven him to seek out Christ only to walk away from his answer back into the state of discontent from which he had come. Jesus had offered the young man discipleship. An office that would have landed him squarely in the service of God and would have translated his temporary earthly possessions into eternal treasures in heaven.  It is good to have all the things that money can by unless it causes us to lose all the things money cannot buy! Without Christ the young man would simply die and become one of the richest men in the graveyard.

QUESTION: Do Christians turn down God’s employment opportunities to work in his kingdom today? If so, why?

Fan or Follower?

“Fans often confuse their admiration for devotion, knowledge of Jesus for intimacy with Jesus, and assume their good intentions make up for their apathetic faith.” Idleman pg.27

Author Kyle Idle says: “I think Jesus has a lot of fans these days.” He goes on to define a fan as an “enthusiastic admirer” and explains how “Fans sit safely in the stands cheering, but they know nothing of the sacrifice and pain on the field. Fans of Jesus know all about him, but they don’t know him.” He further states: “The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested I 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.”

QUESTION: If you could speak with this young man, what advice would you give him? What examples in your own life would you use to show that you are a follower and not just a fan?