Jumping on the Bandwagon

by Jan 14, 2022Easy and Light

Jumping on the Bandwagon

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Mark 8:34 (NIV)

As you may have heard, the Superbowl is coming up and even non-football fans will soon be called upon to pick a side. They might jump on the bandwagon after hearing heart-wrenching stories about the team that clawed its way up from the depths of the league, or they might root for whichever team is favored to win.

The phrase “jumping on the bandwagon” was coined in earlier times when politicians would travel from town-to-town riding in brightly painted wagons to attract attention and garner votes. When lesser-known politicians noticed that a wagon was drawing a crowd, they would literally jump on the wagon to convince voters that they supported the popular candidate, without bothering to make a connection with voters. It’s a similar situation with fans of the Superbowl teams. Most of these new fans will turn away minutes after the game is over.

Fortunately, each team also has a loyal fan base. These are the fans that have grown up watching the team play year after year. These are committed fans who can rattle off plays and statistics from season’s past and name their all-time favorite players.

Father God, I believe that You sent your Son, Jesus Christ to show me how to live, to die so that my sins could be forgiven, and that You raised Him from the dead. I know that I have sinned and that regardless of my intentions, I am unable to please you in my own strength. Therefore, I am in need of a Savior. I accept your free gift of salvation. Please forgive my sins, cleanse my heart, and change me into the person you have created me to be.

Jesus warned the crowds He spoke to that He was not looking for people interested only in jumping on the bandwagon. He knew there were those who would watch Him heal the sick, make the lame walk and the deaf hear, but still not put their faith in Him. In the above verse from Mark, He tells the crowd: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” A few verses later, in Mark 8:38, He says, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes into his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

The type of followers He was seeking – and still is – are those that have the faith of a little child. Those willing to commit their lives to Him, no matter what happens. Remember, you are needed and valuable to God and you have a purpose on His team. He said that He came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Maybe you’ve been sitting on the bleachers for a while, but Jesus invites us all into the game with Him.

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