Followers, Not Admirers
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Being Kind, Being Nice
In my time spent living in New York City and Los Angeles, I noticed some fairly pronounced differences between people living in each city. I was struck by how much more kind and nice people in those cities are than I’d thought growing up here in Ohio.
In my first week living in New York City, I noticed something unexpected when I was taking the subway somewhere. If you’ve never been on a subway, they are underground, and there are often two stories of stairs going down to the level of the trains.
I would be filing down these stairs, going underground to get onto the trains, and oftentimes there would be someone pushing a stroller up to the top of the stairs going down to the subway. The first time I saw it, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.
Keep in mind that most of the strollers you see in New York are big, all-terrain affairs. If I remember correctly, they are the size of, say, a go-cart. Maybe not that big. They are made for all the human traffic, and street crossings, and jostling that comes with walking in the big city.
When there was someone ahead of me pushing a stroller with a little child in it, without fail, someone would step forward, pick the stroller up, and help the person pushing it to get the stroller and the child down all those stairs into the subway. This happened every time.
People in New York are far more kind than I expected. People in Los Angeles, on the other hand, are much nicer. I was very impressed when I moved there by how carefully people listened to me. How empathetic they are. How much they seemed to care.
Whenever I told someone in Los Angeles about something that was bothering me, I was struck by how closely they listened. How they nodded their heads while I spoke. And how – nearly without fail – they would say “that must make you feel blank blank blank” in reaction.
These are two excellent qualities, being kind and being nice. “Kind” is defined as being “affectionate, loving.” “Nice” is defined as “pleasant; agreeable.” Both qualities we should strive to have all the time.
I don’t think I need to point out that “love” is mentioned many, many times in the Gospels. But so is being nice. 2 Timothy 2:24–26 reads “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.
Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
What this says to me is to “patiently endure evil,” and be gentle in all disagreements, because only that way do you have a chance to convince them of the truth, and to repent of their false ways. That means we have to be “kind,” “not quarrelsome,” “not resentful,” “gentle.”
Both kindness and niceness are qualities I was surprised to find in both the big cities I’ve lived in for any real length of time. However, I was also surprised by how little I found them in combination with each other. Let me give you an example: suppose your car had a flat tire.
New Yorkers are exceptionally kind, but they aren’t always very nice. If you found yourself with a flat tire in New York, for example, this is what might happen. “Whoa: you got a flat there! You can cause an accident like that! Give me your jack.” And they would help fix your tire.
People in Los Angeles, on the other hand, are very nice but not always kind. If you found yourself with a flat tire in LA, this is what might happen. “Oh, hey there my man. Looks like you got yourself a flat. I hope you don’t have somewhere to be. Well, have a great day.”
I realize I’m making gross generalizations here. And I’m not trying to knock either of these cities – both places, by the way, I deeply and sincerely appreciated living. But to make a point, let’s continue to talk through this thought experiment.
How would the New Yorker and the Angelino report the incident when they got home that night? The New Yorker might go home and report “I fixed some idiot’s flat for him today.” The Angelino might say “I saw some guy with a flat today – uh, that’s just the worst, isn’t it?”
While we’d all rather exhibit the qualities of both kindness and being nice, if you had to choose one over the other… Personally, I would choose kindness. At least with kindness you get real help.
When someone is nice to you but not kind, that's sort of just appreciating your bad situation, while doing nothing to help you with it. “Whoa, that’s a tough situation buddy. I wish you all the best with it.” And doing nothing to really help.
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God’s Word, God’s Work
When Jesus began His ministry, what was He looking for? Was He seeking crowds of people to nod their heads vehemently? To murmur “yes, let it be so” every now and again? Was Jesus looking for people to come and hear Him speak so that they could tell their friends about it?
No, of course not. Jesus called disciples. It is not adherents of a teaching, but followers of a life that Jesus tells us He wants. Jesus tells us time and again that He wants us to do as He does. Jesus uses the expression “follower.” He never asks for adherents. Or even worshippers.
Jesus understood that being a “disciple” was in innermost and deepest harmony with what he said about himself. Jesus teaches us in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The way first! Then the truth, and then the life. We talk about that passage from John 14:6 often together. But to really bring the point home today, let’s look at it closer, and in context. In John 14:6, Jesus is answering Thomas from John 14:5, which reads:
“Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” What’s going on here?
FIrst, Thomas, always the practical, inquisitive, hands-on disciple, says “how can we follow you when we don’t know where we are going?” Does Jesus stop and explain the plan? Does he say, “well, first we’re going to preach here, then here, with a quick stop to talk here, and…”
Instead, Jesus ignores the question of where – and how and why, for that matter – entirely. What Jesus effectively says back to Thomas is “where are we going? Watch me, and do as I do, and you will know where you are going. You will understand truth. And you will gain life.”
Jesus continues in John 14:7 “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’”
“Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?
The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” Again, that passage in its entirety is John 14:5-10. Most people read this last part, Philip saying “show us the Father and that will suffice,” as the main point.
And it is an important, strong verse to understand one of the more explicit explanations Jesus gives for who He really is: the Son of God. But today it’s what Jesus says afterwards that interests me. First, he tells Philip “I am in the Father, and the Father in me.”
Then Jesus goes on. First Jesus tells Philip “the words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” Notice what Jesus is saying there.
First, “the WORDS I say to you I do not speak on my own authority.” This is important. Jesus is telling us that He speaks on authority from God. That is, Jesus says he has been sent here on God’s behalf, to teach us with Words. That’s important.
But to me, even more important is what Jesus says next. Jesus tells Philip “I speak words not from myself, but from God,” and then says “Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his WORK.” Why use the word “rather” there?
“The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” The word “rather” there is very odd. It sets the first statement apart from the second one, doesn’t it?
“The WORDS I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his WORK.” Jesus seems to be saying “the WORDS, the instruction I offer, come from God. But I offer an example of God living here on Earth, doing God’s WORK.”
Are there other sources of God’s WORD? Absolutely. All of the Bible, for example. But there is only one example of how to live God’s WORK. Jesus is teaching us something very subtle here. God has many different messengers for his WORD: Abraham, Moses, all the prophets.
But only by coming here, to this world, living among us in this life, could God show us directly how to live out his WORK. You see, with Jesus there is less room for interpretation. When we try to do as He did, we don’t need to try and understand where we’re going. We just follow.
There is no reason to try and perfectly understand all the WORD before following in the WORK, because the example of Jesus shows us immediate, non-negotiable actions to take to follow in the way, understand truth, and gain life.
For this reason, Jesus could never be satisfied with adherents who accepted his teaching. Especially with those who in their lives ignored it or let things take their usual course. His whole life on earth, from beginning to end, was destined solely to have followers, not admirers.
Jesus came into the world with the purpose of saving it, not instructing it. At the same time – as is implied in his saving work. He came to be the path, the way – to leave footprints for the person who would join him, who would become a follower.
This is why Jesus was born, and lived, and died in lowliness. It is absolutely impossible for anyone to sneak away from the path with excuse and evasion on the basis that it, after all, possessed earthly and worldly advantages that he did not have. No. Anyone can follow.
In that sense, to admire Christ is the false invention of a later age. It is joining Christianity as though it were some sort of civic organization. It is coming to church and confusing that with the real work outside these walls.
Admirers, you see, keep themselves personally detached. They fail to see that what is admired involves a call placed upon them. They fail to see that it is impossible to stand back and admire a way of life. And thus they fail to be – or at least, strive to be – what they admire.
Followers, on the other hand, are – or at least, strive to be – what they admire. They follow, even when they may not know where the path will take them. They want to encounter God’s word every day, and live in prayer, because they want to live out God’s work in their lives.
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Nicodemus: The Great Admirer
I mean, think about how being an “admirer” of Jesus could go horribly wrong. First, who can doubt that Judas was an admirer of Jesus! And we know that Jesus at the beginning of his work had many admirers. Judas was precisely such an admirer and thus later became a traitor.
It is not hard to imagine that those who only admire the truth will, when danger appears, become traitors. The admirer is infatuated with the false security of greatness. But if there is any inconvenience or trouble, he pulls back.
Admiring the truth, instead of following it, is kind of like the difference between love and lust. Lust, in the flash of an eye, can be changed into hate, jealousy, rage, and revenge. Love is different. Because in love, there is partnership. You truly share a piece of yourself with an other.
There is a story of yet another admirer – Nicodemus. Who is Nicodemus? Nicodemus is a Pharisee, a scholar of the law. He is wealthy, and we know this because of how he later embalms Jesus after the crucifixion, in John 19:39.
(When Jesus is buried, Nicodemus brings about 73 pounds of myrrh and aloe — despite embalming being generally against Jewish custom. Pope Benedict XVI observes that, “The quantity of the balm is extraordinary and exceeds all normal proportions. This is a royal burial.”)
So, Nicodemus, this man who will come to admire Jesus to the point of assisting with his burial after the crucifixion, first comes to see Jesus at night. Jesus had gone to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. This is where Jesus first meets Nicodemus.
While in Jerusalem, Jesus chased the moneychangers from the temple and overturned their tables. When Jesus did this, His disciples remembered the words of Psalm 69: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”
After this happened at the Temple, we are told “many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing” (John 2:23–25). Nicodemus obviously heard about Jesus at the temple as well.
When Nicodemus visits Jesus he makes reference to these events: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him,” from John 3:2.
Jesus replies: “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Then follows a conversation with Nicodemus about the meaning of being “born again” or “born from above.” And it seems that Nicodemus and Jesus are talking past one another.
Does Nicodemus think Jesus literally means “enter a second time into his mother’s womb?” Many theologians claim that Nicodemus knew Jesus was not speaking of literal rebirth. Theologian Charles Ellicott writes that this debate follows a method of Rabbinic dialogue.
Jesus tells Nicodemus “we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?”
Note what Jesus says there. “We speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen.” He’s saying “we have seen how this way of life affects those who follow it. We have seen its power many, many times! It’s like people are reborn; they start their lives anew.”
But, remember that Nicodemus is a Pharisee. He’s more or less a legal judge and a tenured professor rolled into one. He’s comfortable. He’s respected. He’s wealthy. He sees these teachings of Jesus, and despite the risk to his reputation, Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus.
And yet, despite the effort on his part, Nicodemus was only an admirer. He never became a follower. It is as if he might have said to Jesus: “If we are able to reach a compromise, you and I, then I will accept your teaching in eternity. But here in this world, no, I cannot.”
Nicodemus might well have said “Could it not be enough if once in a while, at great risk to myself, I come to you during the night? Yes, I feel how humiliating this is for me and how disgraceful and insulting it is toward you that I don’t come during the day, but…”
See in what a web of untruth an admirer can entangle himself? “Could you not make an exception for me, Lord” Nicodemus might have asked. “Could you not make an exception for me?”
Admirers never make any true sacrifices. They always play it safe. Though in words, they are inexhaustible about how highly they prize Jesus, they renounce nothing, they refuse to mold their lives around Jesus. Thus they will not let their lives express what they supposedly admire.
Not so for followers. No, no. Followers aspire with all their strength to be what they admire. And then, remarkably enough, even though the follower is living amongst a “Christian people,” Followers might incur the same peril as he did when it was dangerous to openly confess Christ.
You see, because of the follower’s life, it might become evident who the admirers are. Because admirers might become agitated with a true follower. If what I am saying disturbs you, think about that. Pray about it. Because following Jesus should make you a bit uncomfortable.
One of my favorite books about faith is THE GREAT DIVORCE, by CS Lewis. In that book, Lewis has some adventures walking through Hell and Heaven, and encounters a real-life theologian named George MacDonald.
The book opens with a quote from George MacDonald I’d like to share now. “No, there is no escape. There is no heaven with a little of hell in it – no place to retain this or that of the devil in our hearts or our pockets. Out Satan must go, every hair and feather.”
As great an admirer Nicodemus was, he failed to take the final step. Nicodemus failed to fully commit to following the way of Jesus. He wanted to stop at understanding God’s WORD, but wasn’t willing to do God’s WORK.
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Don’t Handle SNAKES
If you can make disciples, you will build a church. Not the other way around. Going to church doesn’t make you a follower of Jesus. It’s an important step – for many people, the most important step. But it’s a first step. It’s a beginning.
We come to church to help understand God’s WORD, but we have to be willing to follow Jesus and do God’s WORK outside these walls. We have to ask God to channel His love through us. to recognize the godliness of another individual.
Everyone was made by God, in God’s own image. Genesis 1:27, “So God created mankind in his own image.” We’re all created in God’s image. We all have something Holy inside us. We are called to follow the example of Jesus, to recognize the fundamental sanctity of all people.
We must recognize the fundamental sanctity of ALL people. Not only people who attend church like we do. Not just people who agree with us politically, or who work respectably hard at what we think are respectable jobs. ALL people.
There is a reason I decided to stop today’s scripture reading with John 2:14-15, instead of continuing on to the more well-known passage in John 3:16. The end of today’s passage talks about snakes.
Today’s passage ends “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” This is a direct reference to a story from the book of Numbers, Numbers 21:6-9:
“Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.’
So Moses prayed for the people, and The Lord said, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.”
Do you see what God does there? Of course God could have just made the snakes go away. But instead, God has Moses create something that will heal bite victims if – and only if – they believe in the power of God to do so.
Consider this nifty acronym I made up for today. SNAKES, “Sanctity-Nullifying Activities that Kill Enthusiasm for Service.” Once again: SNAKES, “Sanctity-Nullifying Activities that Kill Enthusiasm for Service.”
SNAKES are bad. Let’s break down why. “Sanctity-Nullifying.” Sanctity, meaning “the state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly.” Nullifying, meaning “negating.” “Sanctity-Nullifying Activities” Stop doing things that reduce your ability to see the holiness in other people.
Incidentally, I’m giving a talk on the dangers of using social media May 17th, at the Coshocton Public Library. What? I’m not trying to equate social media with Sanctity-Nullifying Activities! I’m not saying that. But if other people were saying that, I wouldn’t disagree with them.
Why are Sanctity-Nullifying Activities bad? Because they Kill your Enthusiasm for Service. How can you follow the example of Jesus and be kind – and nice! – or forgive, or love, if you think there are groups of people who don’t deserve such grace?
Here I want to end with a very powerful passage from the Bible. It’s from the book of Just Kidding 3:17-19 “for then you shall be satisfied only to go to church on Sundays, never striving for anything outside that building. And you shall feel superior, and thus not follow Jesus.”
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Disciples Build a Church (not the other way around)
Have you ever heard the quote “be the change you want to see in the world?” It’s attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, and it’s good counsel. But Gandhi actually said something much, much deeper. Here’s the actual quote:
“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.
As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”
Gandhi reveals a profound spiritual truth that what we see in the world is no more and no less a reflection of what is unseen inside of ourselves. Gandhi is guiding us to do the inner work that we often shy away from; the inner change beyond simply wishing or visualizing.
Reading the original quote, one could understand how or why we might paraphrase what he said down to “be the change you want to see in the world.” And again, it’s good advice that I agree with very much. But doing so only gives us part of the story.
The real change comes when we go within and do the work of inner transformation. To examine ourselves openly, honestly, and vulnerably. And to work with God to purge away our tendencies towards selfishness, anger or insecurity.
We are a church built around disciples. Not the other way around. We don’t think of ourselves as disciples just because we go to church. We go to church to better understand God’s WORD, so that we can best follow Jesus and do God’s WORK.
You’ve maybe noticed that I’m involved in various ways in the community. Is that just for me? Not at all. It’s because I want to be out there seeing what areas of service are available, so that we can work together to make our community a better place.
If you want to help with the schools, ask me about Lifewise, or the County Ministerial Association, where I work with Superintendent Rinckes. Like High School sports? I can set you up to be a chaplain for the football, or basketball, or baseball teams.
Do you prefer to help comfort the sick? I’m a chaplain at the new Genesis Hospital – see me about volunteering and we can make some rounds together. Or we can work together to help ensure all our sick and shut-in members have some company once in a while.
Have you been involved with Scouting in the past? I’m working with the Muskingum Valley Scout Reservation to set up chaplain services there once a week this summer. I’d be happy to partner with someone to work with me on that.
We’re here to follow Jesus, and to take the step of changing our lives to do so. “Take the step.” You see? We aren’t here to simply try and understand, or sit back and admire. We’re here to do. To take action. Because in understanding the way, we arrive at the truth.
