Today is the second Sunday in our Not a Fan Series.  The theme for the day and the theme for the week is "The Open Invitation."  In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, "If ANYONE would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23 NIV

Each day this week, we'll be looking at the truth that ANYONE includes EVERYONE!  Jesus wasn't making a vague rhetorical statement when He said, "If ANYONE...."  He was inviting every person to follow Him.  He was also telling us the extent of the cost required--self-denial and a daily cross.  Jesus wasn't like the modern PR people of today who always try to sugar coat any commitment to make it sound easier than it is.  Jesus laid it on the line at the front end of the commitment.  He even made the statement conditional:  IF...  If means you may or you may not decide to do this, but if you do THEN... Then what?  Then you must deny yourself, pick up your cross EVERY DAY, and follow me. 

Jesus wants us to make sure we know what we're getting ourselves into when we commit ourselves to following Him.  We'll take more specific looks at what it is we're getting into throughout this week and throughout the remainder of this series, but for today, suffice it to say that Dietrich Bonhoeffer was right so many years ago when he wrote these words, "When Jesus calls a man, He bids him come and die."  That death will certainly be a personal death--a death to ourselves, to our selfish motives, to our desire to always be first in our lives, and in some circumstances the death may be physical as well.  The key is Jesus doesn't spring the level of commitment He expects of us on us as a surprise.  It's in the first line of the "contract," so to speak.  The real question is whether we want to accept Jesus' open invitation to follow Him, when we know that saying, "Yes," to following Jesus is saying, "No" to our selfish ambitions and being second for the rest of our lives?  The way we answer that question determines whether we're fans or followers, and ultimately determines the course of this life and eternity for each of us!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for inviting us to follow You, by following Jesus!  Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may be empowered to live out the commitment necessary to walk after Him moment by moment.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.