I am a sucker for any TV series that has anything to do with solving crime, adventure, behavior analysis or has political overtones. Some of my favorite shows through the years have been “24,” “Law & Order” and “Criminal Minds.” These shows get your mind and heart racing. Shows such as these also have allowed me to get a unique perspective on human nature. They tend to show the consequences of how sinful the human heart is and how if left unchecked terrible things can happen. This past winter, a new show really caught my attention: “The Following.”
“The Following” centers on a serial killer and a group of people he has convinced to act as acolytes and continue killing for him while he is locked up in prison. It is amazing the dynamic tension that has been created between the killer and his following. These followers are completely loyal to John Carroll and will die for him if the occasion presents itself. As the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) tries to pinpoint the next move of these followers, they try to get inside the head of the killer who is in a Maximum Security Prison. One of the FBI agents is brought out of retirement to shed light on this killer because he was the one who captured him eight years prior. They think if they can understand the mind of this killer, they might be able to predict the next move of his followers. As I watched this show, I could not help but think about how this contrasts with how the world views the church and Christians.
The world has developed a view of Christ based on the behavior of His followers. The world assumes that if the followers of Christ act in a particular way, Jesus must be the same way. I can see how the world might think that way. If the world only hears what we as followers are against, the world never knows what we are for as Christians. The world has developed a skewed few of the One we follow. We as followers do a poor job carrying out the mission that was left for us to undertake. In order to be good followers, we must get a clear picture of the message and mission that must be carried out and not waver from that mission. We must be willing to give ourselves fully to the mission of the One we follow without any regard for our own need and well-being.
In “The Following,” acolytes will do whatever it takes to make sure the mission is fulfilled. No obstacle is too big for them to overcome to accomplish their mission.
The other concept that really struck me is they wanted to make sure the one they follow knew their devotion and how much they believed in the mission. In one episode, a follower wanted make sure Joe knew he did everything he could do to make things work. He wanted Joe to know he did his best. When he felt he had completed his mission, although he failed, he killed himself rather than live with the knowledge that he had failed the one he followed. It seems as if the acolytes the killer has found to follow him almost have had their souls invaded and are so drawn to him that they cannot help but be obedient to him. How would the world look if every believer followed Christ with such reckless abandon?
When we hear the call to follow Christ, it is more than just a physical or mental decision to follow Him. In
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Jesus later restored Peter by asking him a series of questions to check Peter’s motives. Earlier in the Book of John, Peter vowed to give his life to follow Christ, but later denied Him. Peter was quick to commit the flesh to something it was not capable of doing. After Peter and been broken and came to the end of himself, he realized that apart from Christ he could do nothing. After the Holy Spirit was given and Peter was restored, Jesus gave a command that He also gives us today. In
Apart from the Holy Spirit, we cannot truly follow Christ. We must inwardly be broken and surrender daily to the Spirit in order to fully follow Christ. We must allow ourselves to be invaded by the Holy Spirit. If you have not yet surrendered to Christ, let 2013 be the year of invasion. May Christ invade all that you endeavor in the coming year. Let the invasion begin and follow the One and true Savior Jesus Christ.