Daily Bread 2011 - Luke 9
Daily Bread 2011 – Wednesday, March 16th, 2011 Luke 9
The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me. But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
What Does This Mean?
What is curious about this passage is the excuses these men have for not following Jesus seem to be valid. I mean if you are going to go some place, a natural question is where are we going to stay? In the second two objections, the men cite family obligations to bury their own dead, or even just to say goodbye to their family before they leave. Surely Jesus is pro-family isn’t he? After all, the 4th commandment, the first commandment after the three dealing with honoring God, is to Honor Thy Father and Mother? Surely Jesus isn’t advocating breaking the commandment?
As we know Luke’s gospel has a heavy emphasis on discipleship, what it means to follow Jesus. In the first case Jesus is asking the man to give up material security to follow Jesus. He does the same with the disciples, when he tells them not to bring a staff, or coat, or bread or money, but to trust those who will welcome them in. Secondly, we have the man who says I have go bury my father. Most likely the man’s father had not yet died, for if he did he would have been at home with him. So he is probably waiting for him to die. And finally, we have the man who wants to say goodbye to his family, a seemingly benign request. But since we know Jesus is “pro-family”, these seem to be excuses given to not follow Jesus no matter what the cost.
What Does This Mean For Us?
We today often have good reasons for why we can’t serve God today, or do what Jesus is calling us to do for we have this or that to do. Sometimes we can spend our whole lives figuring out why now isn’t the right time to follow Jesus. Jesus makes a promise in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all this will be added unto as well.”
Simply put, at the heart of discipleship, is trusting in God to provide for us in every way, both materially and relationally; as we follow His call on our lives wherever that will lead us. When I came out to California to go to seminary I virtually knew no one. I was leaving behind family and friends, and yet I know God was calling me into ministry. When I drove up to Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, one of the first persons I met became my best friend at seminary and we keep in touch to this day. From day one I knew God would provide and He has always done so when I have been willingly to seek Him first!
What is God calling you to do? What seemingly good things will you have to give up to follow the call?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the call you put on our lives to follow you even if that means making some difficult choices. We can be confident that you will provide for our every need as we seek first Your kingdom and Your Righteousness through Christ our Lord, Amen.
The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me. But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
What Does This Mean?
What is curious about this passage is the excuses these men have for not following Jesus seem to be valid. I mean if you are going to go some place, a natural question is where are we going to stay? In the second two objections, the men cite family obligations to bury their own dead, or even just to say goodbye to their family before they leave. Surely Jesus is pro-family isn’t he? After all, the 4th commandment, the first commandment after the three dealing with honoring God, is to Honor Thy Father and Mother? Surely Jesus isn’t advocating breaking the commandment?
As we know Luke’s gospel has a heavy emphasis on discipleship, what it means to follow Jesus. In the first case Jesus is asking the man to give up material security to follow Jesus. He does the same with the disciples, when he tells them not to bring a staff, or coat, or bread or money, but to trust those who will welcome them in. Secondly, we have the man who says I have go bury my father. Most likely the man’s father had not yet died, for if he did he would have been at home with him. So he is probably waiting for him to die. And finally, we have the man who wants to say goodbye to his family, a seemingly benign request. But since we know Jesus is “pro-family”, these seem to be excuses given to not follow Jesus no matter what the cost.
What Does This Mean For Us?
We today often have good reasons for why we can’t serve God today, or do what Jesus is calling us to do for we have this or that to do. Sometimes we can spend our whole lives figuring out why now isn’t the right time to follow Jesus. Jesus makes a promise in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all this will be added unto as well.”
Simply put, at the heart of discipleship, is trusting in God to provide for us in every way, both materially and relationally; as we follow His call on our lives wherever that will lead us. When I came out to California to go to seminary I virtually knew no one. I was leaving behind family and friends, and yet I know God was calling me into ministry. When I drove up to Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, one of the first persons I met became my best friend at seminary and we keep in touch to this day. From day one I knew God would provide and He has always done so when I have been willingly to seek Him first!
What is God calling you to do? What seemingly good things will you have to give up to follow the call?
Heavenly Father, thank you for the call you put on our lives to follow you even if that means making some difficult choices. We can be confident that you will provide for our every need as we seek first Your kingdom and Your Righteousness through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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