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Luke 9:57-62
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he 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 goodbye to my family.”
Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
New International Version (NIV)
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When did God call you? Did you answer? What did you say? Again and again when Jesus invited someone to be his disciple he said, “Follow me.” Earlier in this chapter Jesus issued a discipleship invitation, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
So whom will we follow today? On Twitter and Instagram we are invited to follow others who write down their thoughts in a few lines. This mirrors being friends on Facebook. It is one way we keep up with each other. Honestly though, there is not much commitment in signing up to follow someone on social media. I never have to read anything they say or do anything they want me to do. Following Jesus requires a much higher commitment.
Luke tells us about three would-be followers of Jesus. In order they made a confused promise, had a convenient premise and conflicting priorities. The first specified that he wanted to go to a place with Jesus. Jesus told him he had no place called home. He was not headed to the Jerusalem Hyatt or the Bethany Hilton as Joel Gregory once preached. The second said he needed to bury his father first. High priority, but there was the waiting for the time when his father would die. He put an earthly priority over his heavenly one. The third wanted first to say goodbye to family the way that Elisha did when Elijah threw his mantle over him. Jesus disallowed this.
Following Jesus is our highest mandate and greatest opportunity today. If we are not careful we will find reasons to delay doing so. These three vignettes show us that Jesus will not “let us off the hook.” We deny ourselves and do not say as these did, “But first let me . . .” It can never be “me first,” if I am a follower of Jesus.
Further, the cross of Jesus is not a subtle silhouette in the background of our lives. To be crucified with Christ as Tozer said is to face one direction, never look back and to no longer have any plans of our own.
God called me in a retreat setting as a teen in Europe. I surrendered and came home singing the theme song, “Follow Jesus, I will follow Jesus. Anywhere he leads me I will follow. Across the river, down through the valley or if it be on the mountain high. I’ll go Lord, anywhere you want me. Take me. Here am I.” Forty-four years later I am still singing that song. When did God call you? Did you answer? What did you say?
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Pray with me:
Father, thank you for calling us to follow you. Let our kingdom go and our will be undone as your kingdom comes and your will is done. Let us be covered with the dust of our Rabbi as we follow closely behind Jesus today. Thank you that we are not alone as we follow you today. Today, let us hear your voice clearly and follow you more nearly and love you more dearly. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 5:3-4
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
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| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
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