are you a groupie?

Groupie - A person (women) who regularly follows a celebrity in the hopes of meeting them or getting to know them. A fan, or an admirer.

Luke 8:1-3 says, "After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means (finances)."

If you recall, women have faithfully followed the Lord, sticking by him, even in those isolated moments when his own disciples didn't. Some of these women were at the foot of that cross looking upon his anguish, pain and suffering and some showing up at the tomb with spices only to be told he has risen!  What love, what an attachment they had to Christ!

What about you and I? Can that be said of us? Is there anything different about these women in comparison to us? The bible tells us that some of these women were delivered from evil spirits, strongholds in their lives that they couldn't break free from. Others had illnesses and diseases that no doctor around could cure, while other women experienced deliverances of other sorts. What is clear is that they all were women with serious needs that were beyond the bounds of human help. 

When you have experienced true freedom from emotional, physical and mental bondage, you know that you are free indeed! Now you are able to live out your life to the fullest without anything holding you down. You can be all that you were created to be.

We also learn from scripture, that there were those who only followed Christ for the miracles and the food (John 6:26; 6:2). Yes, there were 'Groupies' back in the bible times. You could say that Jesus was pretty popular then, for some he was infamous, while for others he was a celebrity. There were people who were intrigued by the wondrous, out of this world, acts of power that blew them away. While others, stuck around for the refreshments afterwards. You see, everybody ain't warming a church bench for all the right reasons. 

There are parts of the religious society (Christendom) that have a 'What have you done for me lately' mentality. This is self seeking and void of anything substantial. If certain individuals feel that they will get something personally out of following a certain thing or person, they will pull out all stops to do so. This sounds like a 'Groupie' mentality to me.

The women in the above passage were sincere in their act of following the Lord. They had such a personal encounter with him that solidified their faith and definitely proved to them that he was who he said he was and that he truly came from God. There was no doubt in their minds! These women were found wherever Jesus was, as often as they could be around him, and the words he spoke. They ministered to his needs, they supported his ministry work from their own pockets, and they wept for him at the foot of that cross, as their hearts remembered all that he had done for them, and all that he had given them. No groupies here!

May we seek to follow Christ with all sincerity of heart, giving him the best that we've got, while in these last and closing days!

Don't Be A Groupie!