From Spectators to Disciples: The Call to Follow

It’s easy to be captivated by the rituals and beauty of Sunday worship, to enjoy the music, the liturgy, and the sense of community. Yet, there’s a real danger in letting our faith become a spectator sport—much like watching weightlifting videos from the comfort of the couch without ever picking up a dumbbell. The call of Jesus is not simply to admire or ascribe value to him, but to follow him. Over and over, Jesus says, “Follow me,” inviting us into a way of life that is active, transformative, and often uncomfortable.

Worship, in its truest sense, is not the end goal. It’s a means of reorienting our hearts and lives toward the one we claim to follow. If we only gather to sing and listen, but our lives remain unchanged from Monday to Saturday, we’ve missed the point. True worship is not about being entertained or inspired for an hour; it’s about being reminded of our role in God’s ongoing story and being equipped to live it out.

The analogy of the “theater of worship” challenges us to see ourselves not as the audience, but as the performers, with God as our sole audience. The musicians and preachers are merely prompters, reminding us of our lines and our part in the great drama of redemption. This shift in perspective calls us to take our faith seriously, to move from passive consumption to active participation.

Following Jesus means more than knowing the right doctrines or attending church regularly. It means practicing forgiveness, loving our enemies, standing with the marginalized, and letting go of our own preferences for the sake of others. It’s about letting the teachings of Jesus shape our daily decisions, our relationships, and our priorities. The invitation is clear: Jesus never said, “Worship me.” He said, “Follow me.” The question is whether we will answer that call, allowing his life to grow in us and through us, changing everything about the way we live.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith Is Not a Spectator Sport Just as watching others lift weights does nothing for our own strength, merely observing or admiring Jesus without following him leaves our lives unchanged. Faith requires active participation, not passive appreciation. The call is to move from the sidelines into the arena of real discipleship, where transformation happens through practice, not just observation. [01:12]
• 2. Worship Is a Means, Not the End Worship is about ascribing value, but if it stops there, it becomes hollow. True worship is meant to reorient us, reminding us of who we are and whose we are, so that we can live differently the rest of the week. The goal is not just to declare Jesus worthy, but to let that declaration shape our actions and attitudes every day. [05:53]
• 3. God Is the Audience, We Are the Performers The “theater of worship” analogy flips our usual perspective: God is not a passive observer or a distant prompter, but the audience of one. We are the ones on stage, called to live out our faith before God, with worship leaders and preachers serving as prompters to guide us. This understanding calls us to take our role seriously, living intentionally and authentically before God. [08:19]
• 4. Following Jesus Means Real-Life Transformation The difference between being religious and being a Christ-follower is seen in how we live: forgiving those who hurt us, loving our enemies, standing with the oppressed, and letting go of our own preferences. It’s not enough to know about Jesus or to participate in religious activities; following Jesus means letting his teachings disrupt and reshape our daily lives. [12:21]
• 5. The Call to Follow Is Personal and Costly Jesus’ repeated invitation, “Follow me,” is not a call to comfort or mere admiration, but to a life that may lead us where we do not want to go. It asks us to risk, to serve, to love beyond our comfort zones, and to let Christ’s life grow in us. The question is not whether we worship Jesus, but whether we will follow him wherever he leads.
  
  ** [15:13]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:20] - Instagram and the Spectator Mentality
• [01:12] - The Disconnect Between Belief and Practice
• [02:11] - What Jesus Never Said
• [02:48] - The Repeated Call: “Follow Me”
• [04:04] - Worship vs. Following
• [05:14] - What We Worship
• [06:15] - Worship as Relationship
• [07:05] - The Theater of Worship Analogy
• [08:19] - God as the Audience
• [09:23] - Denying Ourselves and Taking Up the Cross
• [10:09] - The Cookbook Analogy
• [11:13] - Religion vs. Transformation
• [12:21] - What Following Jesus Looks Like
• [14:54] - The Final Challenge: Will You Follow?
• [15:52] - Living Out the Ways of Jesus

Bible Reading

Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV) — > Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Luke 5:27-28 (ESV) — > After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

James 1:22 (ESV) — > But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Observation Questions

1. In Matthew 16:24-25, what does Jesus say is required of anyone who wants to follow him?
2. According to the sermon, what is the difference between being a spectator in worship and being an active participant? [08:19]
3. What examples did the sermon give of people who “know about” faith but don’t actually live it out? [10:09]
4. In Luke 5:27-28, how did Levi (Matthew) respond to Jesus’ invitation to “Follow me”?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus never said, “Worship me,” but instead repeatedly said, “Follow me”? What does this reveal about what he wants from his disciples? [02:11]
2. The sermon uses the analogy of the “theater of worship.” What does it mean for God to be the audience and us to be the performers? How does this change the way we think about Sunday worship? [08:19]
3. What are some dangers of letting faith become a “spectator sport” as described in the sermon? How might this show up in someone’s life? [01:12]
4. According to James 1:22, what is the risk of only hearing the word and not doing it? How does this connect to the main point of the sermon?

Application Questions

1. The sermon compared watching weightlifting videos to attending church without living out faith. Is there an area of your spiritual life where you feel like a spectator rather than a participant? What is one step you could take to move from watching to doing? [01:12]
2. Think about your typical week. In what ways does your Sunday worship shape (or not shape) your actions and attitudes from Monday to Saturday? What is one specific change you could make this week to let worship reorient your daily life? [05:53]
3. The “theater of worship” analogy suggests that we are the performers and God is the audience. How would your approach to worship or church change if you truly believed God was watching you, not just the musicians or preacher? [08:19]
4. The sermon listed practical ways to follow Jesus: forgiving someone, loving an enemy, standing with the marginalized, letting go of personal preferences. Which of these is most challenging for you right now? What is one concrete action you could take this week to practice it? [12:21]
5. Jesus’ call to “Follow me” is described as personal and costly. Is there something you sense Jesus is asking you to do that feels risky or uncomfortable? What would it look like to say yes? [15:13]
6. The sermon ended with a challenge: “Stop gathering around the name of Jesus while ignoring the ways of Jesus.” Are there any ways you’ve been tempted to admire Jesus without actually following him? What would it look like to change that? [15:52]
7. Think of one person in your life who might be considered “marginalized” or “the least.” What is one way you could serve, listen to, or stand with them this week? [16:13]