October 8th, 2025 Devotional

🌿 Living Water Vineyard — Wednesday Devotion

Two Crowds: Fans or Followers?

Matthew 7:13–14, Luke 14:25–27

⸻

🎸 Growing Up a Fan

Growing up in the late ’70s and ’80s, most of us were fans of somebody — a singer, an athlete, or an actor.

Who were you a fan of? Did you have the poster? Hang it on your wall?

I did. Actually, I had two.

One was Farrah Fawcett Majors, and the other was Elvis — young Elvis, with that confident grin and slicked-back hair.

You can probably guess why some guys had Farrah’s poster 😄 —

but for me, I wanted to look and sound like Elvis.

I watched all his movies, listened to every record, and practiced those songs over and over again.

I knew everything about him… but I didn’t actually know him.

And that’s where our devotion begins today — because there’s a big difference between being a fan and being a follower.

⸻

🕊️ Where We’ve Been

All week, we’ve been walking through Jesus’ words about Two Gates, Two Roads, Two Crowds, and Two Destinations.

On Monday, we looked at the gates — the wide and the narrow.

Tuesday, we talked about walking the narrow road — following Jesus even when it’s hard.

And today, we’re focusing on the two crowds — because Jesus makes it clear: not everyone who travels with Him truly follows Him.

⸻

👣 The Two Crowds

When Jesus taught, the crowds were massive. People came from miles away to hear Him speak and see His miracles.

But Jesus knew that not everyone was there for the same reason.

Some came because they wanted something from Him — healing, food, excitement.

Others came because they wanted Him.

There have always been two kinds of crowds:

•   Fans — who admire Jesus from a distance.

•   Followers — who surrender everything to walk with Him.

⸻

🏟️ When the Stadium Gets Quiet

Luke 14 gives us this scene:

“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them He said,

‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, even their own life — he cannot be My disciple.’”

— Luke 14:25–26

Can you imagine?

The crowd’s energy is high — people are leaning in, expecting another miracle — and suddenly, Jesus turns and says something that cuts through the noise.

He wasn’t trying to grow the crowd; He was testing the depth of it.

He wasn’t looking for admirers; He was looking for disciples.

He’s saying, “If you want to follow Me, I have to be your first love — not just your Sunday love.”

⸻

💦 This Sunday: Baptism and Bold Faith

This Sunday we’ll be celebrating baptisms at Living Water Vineyard — one of the most beautiful pictures of what it means to leave the old life behind and walk through the narrow gate into new life.

I’ve seen many people step into those baptism waters — some filled with joy, others trembling with courage — and I’ve seen how costly that decision can be.

One woman recently shared her story with me:

She was happily married, with two kids. Her teenage son came to youth group, got on fire for Jesus, and she couldn’t believe the change in him. He wasn’t sad anymore — he was full of life. One Sunday, he invited her to church.

She came — and that morning, she gave her life to Christ. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, full of joy, and she never missed a Sunday after that.

But her husband wasn’t happy. He told her one day that he wanted a divorce.

Through tears, she said,

“Have I not been a good wife? Have I not loved you and cared for our home? But if you’re asking me to give up Jesus… I can’t do that.”

That’s what following Jesus looks like. It’s not just raising a hand — it’s laying down your life.

It’s the narrow road. It’s the crowd that chooses Christ even when it costs everything.

⸻

❤️ The Difference Between Fans and Followers

Fans cheer for Jesus when things are going well.

Followers worship Him when things fall apart.

Fans watch from the hillside.

Followers walk with Him up the hill of Calvary.

Fans want blessings.

Followers want the Blesser.

Jesus isn’t impressed by crowds — He’s moved by commitment.

He’s not asking to be in first place in your life — He’s asking to be the only one on the track.

⸻

👑 The Reward of the Narrow Crowd

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven,

but only the one who does the will of My Father.” — Matthew 7:21

That’s the difference between the wide crowd and the narrow crowd.

The wide crowd says, “Lord, Lord.”

The narrow crowd says, “Yes, Lord.”

And this Sunday, as people step into the waters of baptism, we’ll be witnessing that “Yes, Lord” moment — the visible choice to belong to the narrow crowd that leads to life.

⸻

💭 Three Questions for Today

    1.    Am I following Jesus as a fan or as a follower?

    2.    What is one thing in my life I need to lay down to follow Him more closely?

    3.    Who in my life might be watching — waiting to see what real discipleship looks like?

⸻

🙏 Let’s Pray

Jesus,

Thank You for the call to follow You — not just from a distance, but up close, with our whole hearts.

Forgive us when we’ve been fans instead of followers.

Give us courage like that woman — to love You more than comfort, more than approval, more than anything else.

Thank You for every person being baptized this Sunday.

Let this be a week of fresh faith, bold obedience, and new beginnings.

In Your name we pray,

Amen.

⸻

🎵 Worship Song

🎶 “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” — Traditional Hymn

“Though none go with me, still I will follow,

No turning back, no turning back.

The cross before me, the world behind me —

No turning back, no turning back.”