Going To The Concert Is Not The Same As Being In The Band

"We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets[!]" Luke 13:26

I admit it. At every concert I've ever been to, from Skillet to Phil Keaggy to Pillar to Brooke Fraser (just recently! photos forthcoming!), I've always imagined myself playing in the band. I mean, doesn't everybody do that? Don't get me wrong. I have as much or more fun at concerts as anyone - jumping around, dancing (or whatever it is that I do) and singing. I mean, one of my most satisfying neckaches ever came from headbanging at a Skillet concert. But...to play in the band...that would be AWESOME! That would just be so different, and it's nothing like merely being one of the crowd.

On a very small scale, I know this to be true. Twice a week I experience the profound blessing of playing and singing with our church band. The privilege of actually playing the music, singing my guts out to God and hearing His people lift their voices in praise...that's a whole 'nother level of experience.

And so I come to my point.


Like the folks in Luke 13 that Jesus is describing, there will be many (ARE many) who believe that because they are fans of Jesus, it also means that they are followers. People spend time in God's presence, listen to good preaching, give in the offering and get up early for Easter sunrise service and think that's enough, that is, that all of that is somehow salvific. And it's just not so. Salvation is found in repentance - in faith alone, in Christ alone. All else is secondary.

I can air guitar and jump around in the crowd and sing every lyric, but that doesn't mean the lead singer will recognize me after the concert.
This is one reason why preaching should be clear, why preaching should faithfully and accurately communicate the Gospel in its entirety. If anyone misunderstands the difference between "fan" and true "follower", I don't want it to be because my preaching was less than the full Gospel.