Raving Fans

Raving Fans
John R. Petrilli

It’s that time once again. The fall calendar ushers in another year of sports. Whether it’s scholastic, collegiate, or professional, we’ll spend the next nine or so months hearing about or watching sports. Fans come in all shapes and sizes. They can range from the casual fan all the way up to the total fanatic who eats sleeps and drinks his sport and his team. Absurd as sports fanaticism may appear, it actually carries some lessons for those of us who wish to impact our world for the Lord. Are you a raving fan of Jesus? Let’s see.

RAVING FANS CAN’T KEEP WHAT THEY’VE DISCOVERED TO THEMSELVES.

“The priests called Peter and John back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John spoke right back, ‘As for us, there’s no question – we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.’ ” Acts 4:18-20, Message

Peter and his buddies had invested three years into following Jesus. That looked like a wasted investment until Jesus surprised everybody by rising from the dead and ascending back into Heaven. Now the disciples had all they could do to contain their excitement and enthusiasm. Like raving sports fans, they just couldn’t help but tell everybody about their wonderful discovery. Their evangelistic zeal landed them in court where the religious leaders tried to initiate damage control. They charged Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus. But upon their release they go right back to doing what came naturally … telling others about Jesus. Raving fans talk up their team whenever and wherever they can. They’re not ashamed of who they represent. They totally identify with their team. They’re willing to endure any ridicule that comes their way because they love their team and would rather die than be disloyal. And most importantly, they can’t stop talking about their favorite team and its players. Are you a raving fan of Jesus, or a tongue-tied Christian?

RAVING FANS ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECRUIT OTHERS TO JOIN THE RANKS OF LOYAL FOLLOWERS.

“King Agrippa said, ‘Keep this up much longer and you’ll make a Christian out of me!’ Paul, still in chains, said, ‘That’s what I’m praying for, whether now or later, and not only you but everyone listening today to become a Christian like me.’ ” Acts 26:28-29, Message

Recruiting can be a really tough job. Whether it’s securing a prospective college student, a military inductee, or an athlete, it’s not easy to convince someone to sign on the dotted line. Many others often compete with the recruiter for the attention and commitment of the one being recruited. Former students, players, and soldiers often make the best recruiters. Why? Because they speak from firsthand experience. Such was Paul. Here we find him doing some heavy duty prison time for simply sharing the gospel. When he finally gets to make his appeal for release, he spots an opportunity to witness to a top-ranking government official. This in itself is quite amazing, as such a move could have seriously jeopardized his acquittal. But long before this Paul decided that he’d always opt to magnify Jesus Christ, whether it resulted in blessing or hardship. He did this because he, like Peter and John, was a raving fan of Jesus. With raving fans, it’s never enough to simply root for their team, wear the team hat and jersey, and watch all the games. They’re just not happy until they’ve persuaded others to join them. Now THAT’S a true fan, a raving fan. Are you a raving fan of Jesus who recruits others, or just an armchair quarterback content to sit on the sidelines?

RAVING FANS ARE THE BEST ADVERTISEMENT FOR THEIR TEAM.

“Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ Himself wrote it – not with ink, but with God’s living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives – and we publish it.” 2 Cor. 3:2, Message

Each year companies spend billions of dollars on advertising. While research shows that these sizeable investments do generate a good deal of business, there’s really no better advertisement than a satisfied customer. Paul wrote to a struggling church that questioned his motives, credentials, and intentions. But when answering their trumped-up charges, he cleverly asked them to take a long, hard look at themselves. They had come to Christ under Paul’s ministry. They, themselves, were proof positive that Paul was doing God’s work in God’s way for God’s glory. Like John MacArthur points out, the best evangelistic method is a believer who faithfully lives out the Christian life. We don’t have to look very far to discover the best advertisement for Jesus. It’s US! As we live lives characterized by truth and love, people searching for something better will be drawn to us. Raving fans can be easily identified by their colorful clothing that plainly bears their team’s insignia right out there in the open where everyone can see it. Entire fan clubs are formed to encourage members to do everything they can as individuals to increase the visibility of their team. Are you a raving fan of Jesus that publicly represents our Lord, or one who is content with keeping all the blessings of knowing Him to yourself?