Part 46. Following Jesus

Born in Sheffield aka Steel City it had to be Wednesday or United. I chose United, The Blades. A Unitedite. For many years l have been a supporter, spectator and follower of the club,  paying to watch them play home and away. I joined a community of supporters, sang songs on the terraces and made friends. Together we have been through times of despair, hope and joy and never been slow to express an opinion during a game. We regale stories of past seasons and of players past. We are unashamedly nostalgic yet filled with hope for the future. We listen to the statements of the directors and manager and interpret them as we see fit. We are focussed,  inward looking and never slow to denegrate The Owls. It's a religion!

You know where this is heading. Instead of football think church denomination or a specific branch of a denomination. You attend services, put money on a plate, sing, listen to a preacher and the reading of church notices, exchange pleasantries with fellow members of the congregation  then go home and await the next fixture, oops, service. You are a Christian, you have been saved  and you  support loyally your church. But do you support and follow the church or do you follow Jesus?  Is it as Bonhoeffer puts it cheap grace or costly grace?