I believe that one of the most difficult truths for us to accept is the fact that we are not yet ready to follow the Lord Jesus into certain Situations, Places or Circumstances. Ah yes, in our hearts we really do believe that we are ready to confront any or everything in the spirit-world; but in reality our faith or lack thereof, if allowed to proceed, would hinder the move of God or do damage to the cause of Christ. And the continuing Ministry of Christ and His Church in this present world is much too important to overlook this inadequacy of our faith, or this inconsistency in our insistence. Not-Yet-Ready-Disciples!
One of the places in Scripture where this truth is spelled out in clear and unmistakable terms is in the Gospel of Luke 9:57-62. Here Jesus spells out what It actually means to ‘take up one cross daily in following Jesus.’ I believe this passage is relating the fact that the One who has set His face like a firm stone to go to Jerusalem has no bargains to offer. Let’s read verses 57-58. In other words Jesus says to the first volunteer, “I am totally dependent on the hospitality of others; are you willing to be?” Let’s read verses 59-60. To the second prospective disciple Jesus says, “Loyalty to Me takes precedence over a primary parental obligation.” Let’s read verses 61-62. In His words to the third volunteer Jesus says, “I expect more from you than Elijah asked of Elisha.”
In all three responses, Jesus is indicating His claim to priority over the best of human relationships not the worst. Jesus never said to choose Him over the devil but to choose Him over the family. And that is one of the primary places that we are not yet ready to follow the Lord Jesus. Listen again to the words of Christ in Matthew 10:37-38.
Often-times in the earthly arena, people are admitted entrance into certain places, situations or circumstances based solely upon who they are and the importance or influence they possess. But not so in the kingdom and economy of God. None of us are so important that our mere presence will admit us into certain situations with Jesus. It is not by our might, nor by our power, but by the Spirit of God and the faith of Jesus Christ. And we must look past our feelings and positions of power and prestige to the glory of God when Jesus says ‘No’ to us going certain places with Him. For there are certain places spiritually into which we are not yet ready to go. And if we were allowed to go, we would cause damage. We must recognize the fact that as the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows at what level we are spiritually and what we are capable of receiving, processing and handling. And so for our own good and his glory, sometimes Jesus says ‘No.’ ‘He suffered no man to follow Him.’
For instance, not everyone has the gift of discerning spirits and casting out demons. And if you were permitted entrance into that situation, what you would see and experience would scare you half to death and cause your feet to sprout wings! Or, if your faith is weak in God’s ability to heal without human hands or helps, your unbelief would hinder the operation of the Spirit in that regard. So, to spare us the pain and embarrassment of rebuke and faith-failure, the Lord does not allow us to enter that situation. ‘He suffered no man to follow Him.’
Our Target Text is a case in point. For we read in Verse 37 that : “And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and the John the brother of James.”
I. And so that leads me to submit to us in the First Place that In Some Cases JESUS WILL STOP US - “And He suffered no man to follow Him…”
And that is significant, especially when we consider the history of Jesus in allowing all manner of folk to follow Him into various places and situations. For a few moments, let’s retrace the steps of the Savior beginning at chapter 4. Beginning at verse 1 to verse 34, it is significant to note that Jesus allowed the multitude to follow him by the sea-side. ALL PEOPLE NEED TO BE TAUGHT THE WORD OF GOD. Parable of the Sower is Important. People need a concept of what the Kingdom of God is like - verses 26-32.
But note that in verse 35 Jesus did not allow the multitude to follow Him to the other side of the sea; look at what verse 36 says. ALL CANNOT GO THRU A SORM! Perhaps that’s explain part-time church members!
Look at 5:1-20; ALL CANNOT HANDLE BEING CONFRONTED WITH DEMONS!
So up till this point, all 12 twelve disciples were allowed to accompany Jesus, but at 5:37 Jesus draws the line - read.
II. WHEN IT COMES TO THE MIRACLE OF RESURRECTION, ONLY FAITH CAN FOLLOW JESUS.
Unbelief and Doubters are allowed to be in the crowd when Jesus Heals the Sick- for signs and miracles are for the unbelievers. In 1 Corinthians 14:22, Paul reminds us that ‘tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.’ Likewise the language of signs and miracles are for unbelievers to validate the claims of the for-real. For the truth of the matter is that most folk will not believe except they see the miraculous. So to accommodate the fickleness of our faith, God does ‘Sign His Name.’ But genuine and authentic faith needs no miracle to convince it of the for-realness of Christ. All faith need is just His Word: just say the word, Lord! All are not yet at that level where we require just His Word; thus we are barred entrance into certain places that require Word-Only Faith!
Now the revealing part about this is the fact that all 12 disciples heard the Word of the Sower with its Interpretation. And since faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, then one could conclude that all 12 had Word-Faith. They all heard how the kingdom of God starts out insignificantly but in the end shall prevail. They all had witnessed the sovereign authority of Jesus over the weather elements. They had seen His sovereign authority over
demons. And had even witnessed His ability to heal, not by touching others, but by someone just touching the fringes of His garment. All 12 had witnessed all this and more, and yet when it came time to raise the dead, 9 were not-yet-ready; for in truth, they did not possess Word-Faith. Theirs was Sight and Sense Faith. And so “He suffered no man to follow Him.”
And most of us are at that level of Sense and Sign Faith. We require Jesus’ Word-Plus. Like Gideon, we give the Lord our fleeces of ‘ifs’; if you are with me cause this fleece to be wet or cause it to be dry. We cling to this Jesus/And Strategy… my doctor, my medicine, my money, my health, might, intelligence. We require His Word Plus Signs to Satisfy our Senses. But we need to move to that level of Abraham where he Leaned on the Lord’s Word Only. He believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
And its because we have yet to attain to that level of Word-Faith Only that our Dead Dreams, Passions, Hope and Persons dead in trespasses and sins have not been Raised. So the Master has to Stop Us from following Him to that Level of Life because we aren’t ready.
Furthermore, that word “suffered” suggests that Jesus had to prevent, forbid, turn someone around, make them stand still and go no further.
Someone asked to follow, but Jesus said ‘No.” Someone wanted to go, but Jesus said ‘No.” The Raising of the Dead Is not for the Curious and somewhat Committed. And that leads me to suggest to us that The Miracle of Resurrection is for the Eyes of Faith Alone - Verse 37 says, “He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.” and verse 40b says, “But when He has put them all out…”
I submit to us that Peter, James and John has Word-Faith. Not suggesting that it was perfect or complete, but they did have faith like a grain of mustard seed. That kind of faith can reach beyond the Period of Death to the Comma of Life-After-Death. That kind of faith can deal with the Laughter of Scorn cause it realizes the Lord has the Last Laugh. That kind of faith realizes God can snatch Victory from the Jaws of Defeat. That kind of faith say “Yes” to the Thursday of Crucifixion because its looking forward to the Sunday of Resurrection. Word-Faith Can Follow Jesus to the Place of Resurrection! This is the Only Kind of Faith that Can Follow Jesus!
