Fanatic Or Fair Weather Fan Series

Fanatic or Fair Weather Fan

Calvary Presbyterian Church 1/27/2012 Psalm 90:1-12 John 6:22-42

We are in week 4 of our Insanity For Christ series. We have looked at Who Is God--Why Jesus, Who Am I-- Why Am I Here, What’s The Cost, and today we look at Fanatic or Fair Weather Fan. Sometimes when you go to a sporting event, you see the people who are fanatics for their team. They may have their faces and chest painted with no shirts on and the temperature is 40 degrees. They may have large banners that they have constructed at home.

They may wear fancy hats or by sitting together as they spell out certain words. The score may be 45 to 10 with 2 minutes left and it’s freezing cold Then the camera points to two people shivering together with a blanket high in the stands at the stadium and everybody else around them is gone. Everybody knows the game is lost, but not these two. They are there to the very end. Who knows the home team may score one more time and the final score will be 45 to 17.

But at the games you also have fair weather fans. As long as the team is winning, they are yelling and screaming in support. But once the team gets behind it’s another story. They start calling players on the team losers. They begin booing their own team. They demand certain players be taken out of the game.

They complain about coming to the game in the first place. “If I had of known it was going to be like this, I would have stayed home.” If it starts to rain or gets too cold, they head for the exit sign. If the team is down by two scores with 5 minutes to go, they head for the parking lot to make sure they get out of the area before the traffic gets bad. They really think the game is all about them and them having a good time while at the game.

We encouraged you to dress in some way today show that you are a fanatic for Christ. I chose my outfit with this big cross and my wreath, because the first thing I want people to notice is that I have something to do with Jesus Christ. I want them to see I don’t mind them thinking I’m insane or crazy for Christ. I don’t mind the laughs and put downs. I want them to know what team I am on. I want them to know I’m, more than just affair weather fan of Jesus, I’m a fanatic for Christ.

When I was high school on the football team, during my sophomore year, we lost the first four games of our season. Each time I came home from a game my cousins would irritate me with the same question. “Did we win, or did you all lose.” That’s what makes for a fair weather fan. As long as you make me look good, then I am with you. But if I have to pay a price because of you, I’m out of here.

I have a plan for how I can boost attendance at our church each Sunday that I preach. Suppose at the end of my message, I invited people to come down for prayer, and at the end of my prayer for you, no matter what the prayer I gave you a $100.

Would more people come down for prayers? Once the word got out, would more people come to church on my Sundays? Do you think it will be because of my great preaching is getting even better? What if I said that’s it, no more $100 bills after service, would the attendance drop back off? My fair weather fans, would leave as soon as they were no longer getting what they wanted.

Jesus had the problem of fair weather fans. His crowds were getting larger and larger as Jesus preached. They saw some of the miracles that Jesus was doing, and they wanted to see more. Then came a day in which Jesus had been preaching for quite a while. It was getting late in the day and people didn’t have any food. The stores were closing. The disciples suggested to Jesus that he end the meeting and send the people home. Jesus suggested that the disciples give the people something to eat. They let Jesus know that buying that much food was out of the question. There were over 5,000 men besides the women and children present. Not only did they not have that kind of money, the logistics were a nightmare to get that much food out there in the wildereness.

Jesus told them to check and see what was available. Andrew said, “there’s a little boy here with five small barley loaves and two fish, but that’s not going to go very far.” Jesus said, “have the people sit down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Jesus then took the food, looked up toward heaven, gave thanks and broke the loaves. Each of the disciples had a basket. Jesus filled their baskets and sent them out among the people. Instantly when bread was removed, it multiplied itself again.