Luke 9:57-62
57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 59He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." 62Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
When was the last time you dropped everything for something or someone else? Something bigger than you? A selfless act or deed for someone else?
Lynn Jost wrote: During his reign, King Frederick William III of Prussia found himself in trouble. Wars had been costly, and in trying to build the nation, he was seriously short of finances. He couldn’t disappoint his people, and to capitulate to the enemy was unthinkable. After careful reflection, he decided to ask the women of Prussia to bring their jewelry of gold and silver to be melted down for their country. For each ornament received, he determined to exchange a decoration of bronze or iron as a symbol of his gratitude. Each decoration would be inscribed, "I gave gold for iron, 18l3." The response was overwhelming. Even more important, these women prized their gifts from the king more highly than their former jewelry. The reason, of course, is clear. The decorations were proof that they had sacrificed for their king. Indeed, it became unfashionable to wear jewelry, and thus was established the Order of the Iron Cross. Members wore no ornaments except a cross of iron for all to see. When Christians come to their King, they too exchange the flourishes of their former life for a cross.
Today we’re going to talk about two different types of people: those who put Jesus as their top priority and those who don’t. We’re also going to talk about the cost of following Jesus. It’s actually quite simple.
Prayer
Points:
v. 57: As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
1. The person that has Jesus as their top priority
a. The term “follow” is used three different times in today’s text
b. The first time refers to the person who will follow Jesus anywhere no matter what (without thinking of the PRICE or consequence of following Him)
c. This person’s desire to follow Jesus is “open-ended” meaning that he’ll go wherever Jesus goes, no matter what
d. This eager disciple had good intentions, but did not know the price of following Jesus; talk is easy, daily denial and focused commitment are very hard
v. 58: Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
2. Following Jesus isn’t always easy
a. Jesus is giving the eager disciple a reality check
b. You will face opposition (note 4)
c. As Christ followers, we promise to go out and make disciples (note 1)
d. You must deny yourself and pick up your cross and follow Jesus unconditionally (Lk 9:23)
1. God has called us to give up everything (note 2)
e. You must not look back (note 5)
v. 59-61: He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
3. The person that doesn’t have Jesus as a top priority
a. Jesus tells the man that the dead will bury their own dead
1. Jesus’ call of followship is superseded every earthy call
2. You can’t hold onto “old life”
i. The self-centered life of the fall (Gen 3) is replaced by Kingdom-centered, Spirit-filled service to others
ii. Jesus’ followers are to mimic Jesus’ actions
iii. Jesus must be your top priority (note 3)
v. 62: Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
4. Don’t look back!
a. The Kingdom is ultimate
i. It must take priority over every aspect of self and culture
ii. Followship with God in Christ is the only worthy goal
b. In ancient times, plowing with an animal held two dangers of not staying focused on the ground ahead:
i. One could hit a rock or root and damage the plow
ii. One could plow a crooked row and cause loss of crop
c. Taking your eyes off the plow will make you lose focus (note 6)
i. Focus on God equals focus on discipleship
ii. Focus on what lay ahead instead of the past
b. Discipleship takes dedication and a willingness to follow God’s call
i. Discipleship is a full-time (note 7) job, not a “when you’ve got time” job
ii. Go then, and make disciples of all nations
Closing
Our responsibility as Christ followers is to MAKE Christ followers. We must stand firmly on the Word of God, without looking back or concerning ourselves with what others may perceive. As Christians we believe that the Bible (hold the Bible up in the air) is the inerrant Word of God, written by man, inspired by God! No other book or writing is worthy of this—just the Bible. We must, church, treat the Bible and all its contents—God’s words—as the authority in our lives.
Closing Prayer
