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The NFL audience is enormous.

• Sports in general dominate television viewing. According to Nielsen[1], sports accounts for over 90% of most watched telecasts; and the NFL accounts for 80% of that. The remaining 10% is college football, World Cup matches, college basketball, Olympics, and the Kentucky Derby.
• The only things that rival sports are State of the Union addresses, Election results, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Oscars.
• NFL expands its audience with events on numerous days: Sunday early & late afternoon games, then again Sunday night. Monday night games, and recently Thursday night games. Once the college football season is complete, NFL regular season games expand to Saturdays.
• Additionally, NFL is hosting games in London, Germany, Mexico, and next year Brazil.
• Sport talk shows add to the hours and seasons that NFL receives attention.
• And now the growth of many states legalizing sports betting will continue aiding revenue to line the pockets of media executives, broadcast analysts, team owners, football coaches and players.  
• The 2023-24 season is at an all-time high with a per-game average of 17.2 million viewers. That’s up 7% year-over-year. Sunday Night Football has an average viewership of 22-million.
  • As today’s reference[2]: only shows like Survivor, American Idol rival NFL.
  • Apollo 11 Moon landing received 125 million; Super Bowls receive 80-100 million viewers; MASH farewell 105 million…
• This year also has received a significant spike in female viewership due to another icon: Taylor Swift. Swift has been attending games due to her romantic interest in NFL star Travis Kelce with the KC Chiefs. Her presence not only has increased viewership, but drawn the interest of advertisers by the billions.[3]

Merging the NFL with Taylor Swift is massively astronomic fandom.

But such fandom is fleeting.

• Coaches have a breaking point: Saban, Belichick.
• An athlete’s compensation can be voided due to contractual clauses, or they can be cut from behavioral issues, or worse – incidental injuries that plague performance or conclude their career.
• Likewise, Taylor Swift’s best songs are her breakup ballads; lyrics inspired lover separation.[4] In other words, the Taylor-Travis tryst isn’t likely to last; though we certainly wish her the best.

Bringing all this to the Scriptures… Jesus had lots of fans but only a few were true followers. Fans demand personal attention. They expect the personality to provide high performance, give handouts, and make promises of future rewards. But fans will turn when expectations and boundaries are placed upon them.

Jesus did not ask for fans but followers. It’s not enough to be a convert, a Christian is a committed disciple under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Let’s explore where Jesus looks for followers today.

EXAMINE        Matthew 4:12-25

¹² Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. ¹³  And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴  so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ¹⁵  “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— ¹⁶  the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” ¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

After Jesus is baptized; after He spiritually prepares with prayer and fasting; after an intense temptation experience; and after John the Baptizer is arrested – Jesus begins a public ministry.

We need to recognize many things happened in Jesus’ life that cultivated His spiritual focus and human readiness. While Jesus had a supernatural knowledge for when He would experience temptation and begin a public ministry, we are unaware of exactly when we will be confronted with challenges. So, like Jesus, we must spend time preparing – which involves meaningful time in God’s word, having a vital prayer relationship with the Spirit, and cultivating spiritual friendships. We see Jesus model this not just to begin His ministry but throughout His life.

We know Jesus spent some time Nazareth as he began ministry in his home synagogue (Lk 4:16, ff). However, it appears the religious leaders weren’t interested to learn biblical truth from the construction worker, nor the people ready to receive Jesus’ insights (Mt 13:53-58).

So, Jesus’ home ministry base was Capernaum. This also fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy (9:1-2) that a land of darkness is now seeing a great light. And notice that Jesus’ message of repentance was seen as light and hope (Mt 4:17). The reason is because Jesus’ command to repent also includes a promise to redeem. He is the only one who can forgive the wrong and remove the hurt from sin’s choices.

Jesus’ command to repent also includes a promise to redeem.

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Similarly, we might be tempted to think when someone confronts us or points out our wrongdoing is not helpful, but these can be a gift from God.
Prov 15:31 “The ear that listens to reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself.”
Prov 27:16 “Wounds from a friend can be trusted”

Jesus preaches to crowds and He speaks to individuals. The following verses describe 3 environments Jesus calls disciples, which we can apply today too.  

Jesus calls disciples at work.

^{Mt 4:18} While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

The first disciples called by Jesus are recorded brothers: Peter & Andrew and James & John. Both sets of brothers were fishermen; and the latter two were in the fishing business with their father.

Jesus revealed His ministry would be for ordinary people (cf Ac 4:13).
Jesus’ disciples were not an elite team w/ extraordinary talents. Nor were they religious giants or theological academics. They simply trusted Jesus was who He said He was and that He would do what He promised. They were willing to admit their flaws and grow through failures.

Jesus’ disciples were not an elite team w/ extraordinary talents. Nor were they religious giants or theological academics. They simply trusted Jesus was who He said He was and that He would do what He promised. They were willing to admit their flaws and grow through failures.

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Jesus even contextualized His message to them “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

They probably didn’t understand all Jesus was saying but they were ready to begin following Jesus.

Hearing Jesus’ call, “immediately, they left [ἀφίημι = abandon or desertion (cf Matt 26:56 for fleeing disciples at the crucifixion)] their nets, their boat, their livelihood, and comfortability of life as they always knew it to follow Jesus.

It’s interesting that religion says: “Do these things,” but Jesus simply says, “Follow me.” Jesus reminds us that faith in God requires relationship – a relationship that keeps attentive to God’s voice, action to God’s commands, and affection with God’s presence. The disciples realized that following Jesus meant being near the presence of God and they didn’t want to be anywhere else.

If the Great Commission is to expand with a wider emphasis then it will be a direct result of ministering in the everyday marketplace of society. The church, as the people, is the missionary every day. Your school and your skills, your career and your context are opportunities to share the gospel. God’s fingerprints and formation of every detail in your life have prepared you to accomplish His purposes. Your job is the place where God is calling you to see people as He sees them to make disciples.

à Witness here. Who are 3 people at work that you could begin praying and intentionally having conversations to evaluate their spiritual openness? Write these names down, pray for them, and begin listening in your conversations for an opportunity to speak about growing in a faith relationship with Jesus Christ.

• Fishermen are patient as they wait and they persevere to catch fish. We must be patient & persevering in our evangelistic & discipling relationships.

God’s fingerprints and formation of every detail in your life have prepared you to accomplish His purposes.

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à Witness there. Who travels internationally for their job? You may consider praying for an open door within your company to relocate to an international city and partner with IMB to reach unreached people groups around the world.

à Witness there while here. Who sees internationals living among them (neighborhood, job, etc.)? You can have a global impact for faith without having to ever leave the country.

à Work well. Most of all, do your job to the glory of God (1Cor 10:31; Col 3:17). Do not attempt to promote your faith while performing poorly on your job; how you work reflects God who does all things with creative excellence. à à Most Christians may be tempted to think they have to leave their jobs to have an impact for God. While that may be true in some cases, many others should not leave their job but stay to have a Christian influence in that domain of society that otherwise would not.

Jesus calls disciples at worship.

²³ And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Jesus ministered in Galilee, a mixed ethnic place that most of the Jews considered spiritually unclean and useless (cf. Mt 4:15-16 “Galilee of the Gentiles” Also John 1:46; 7:52 for Galilean contempt). Yet, this is precisely the place where Jesus prioritized His ministry and among the few places of worship – the synagogue.

• Teaching: would have included Jesus expositing the OT Scriptures, and likely speaking many references to His Messianic fulfillment of prophecies.^[5] Jesus’ teaching was unlike any other authority (Matt 7:29).
  
• Preaching: would have included public proclamation of the gospel (literally “good news”) of the kingdom.
  
• Healing: would have included acts of mercy upon every type of disease and affliction. Jesus’ actions would have included both supernatural miracles as well as ordinary ministry to bring healing and hope. 

à Ironically, the American church is a mission field.

• Church is a mission field because of a counterfeit gospel with false Christ’s; 80+% Americans believe in God and believe they’re going to heaven and most of these would classify themselves as “Christians” yet they neglect faithfulness in church and much more neglect truly following Jesus.
  • William Booth, Salvation Army founder said “The chief danger of the 20th century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.”
  • Church is a mission field because of children’s ministry with percentage to reach favoring under 18/13; moral & spiritual foundation set around age 9 (Barna).
    • SPBC must constantly ask how does what we do today impact the next 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 years. I believe this is a rallying call to invest in children’s ministry.
    • Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 19:14)

• Church is a mission field because of a community of resources within church to draw people from all economic status’, families with disabilities, older generations that feel isolated in a world that has left them lonely and wandering if anyone still cares. As a church, we need to mobilize beyond the Sunday gathering as thermostats impacting the world around us.
   

Jesus calls disciples in the world.

²⁴ So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. ²⁵ And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

A third environment Jesus called people to follow Him is throughout the world.

Jesus’ fame spread throughout Syria because of His speaking the gospel and serving the needs of people. Great crowds followed from Galilee and Decapolis, Jerusalem and Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
Imperfect tense of verses indicates Jesus’ repetition and frequency of travel.

Josephus estimated Galilee population of 3million (ISBE). Decapolis was 10 cities that were accountable to the Roman empire yet independent in establishing their local structures of governance. These cities were filled with temples, theatres, public buildings, and were sprawling cities for their day.

The crowds surrounding Jesus were often the unattractive, the unlovely and unwanted; they were outcast to most of society. When Jesus looks at the world He does so with unconditional love.

• Jesus saw crowds… multitudes… PEOPLE!
• Jesus’ saw people because He saw the precipice of eternity. There is no earthly way to explain hell. No person living in this world has any actual idea of its horror.
  We may mock or moan about hell on earth, but the reality is we will never have a true picture of the terrible place as hell.

Our commitment to follow Jesus becomes God’s compass. He wants the whole world to hear the good N-E-W-S.

We will never have a nightmare such that overwhelms a child that will match the torment of hell.

No person will ever experience the utter depression, despair, and hopelessness that identifies as hell.

Our national news will never report a murder scene splashed with blood and human sufferings that will mirror the madness and malice of hell.

Yet, Jesus understood the horror of hell, which is why He calls us to see the harvest.

The harvest is plentiful but workers are few, so pray for the Lord to send workers into the harvest.

• Pray and partner with us for international missions.

APPLY/THINK

• Jesus says, “Follow Me.” It starts with relationship not religious motions.
  Let’s go… today friend.

• What “nets” do you need to let down and boats to leave behind to follow Jesus? Christian, let’s move from fickle fandom to being a faithful follower of Jesus. What’s your first step, and then next stride to spring forward.

• Some of you need the healing words, the helping touch, and restoring grace of Jesus.
  Come.
  Let’s pray dear one.

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[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2023/01/12/the-audience-disparity-of-nfl-games-and-everything-else-widens/?sh=605fc6c5113a

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_watched_television_broadcasts_in_the_United_States

[3] https://mediaradar.com/blog/taylor-swifts-nfl-appearances-could-drive-billions/

[4] https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/ex-factor-taylor-swifts-best-songs-about-former-boyfriends-19644/

[5] cf Matthew 21:42; 22:29; Mark 14:49; Luke 4:17-22; 24:27, 32, 45; John 5:39.