The High Cost of Following Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Opening Comments and Scripture:
Opening Comments and Scripture:
Please make your way to the Gospel of Luke 9:57-62 in your copy of God’s word this morning. If you are using one of our church Bibles located in the seat rack near you that can be found on page number 815. This is the Word of the Lord let’s read it together.
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Prayer:
Prayer:
"Father in Heaven,
We come before you today having read your Word in Luke 9:57-62. Help us to hear your voice and respond to your call. Give us ears to hear and hearts to obey. May your Spirit convict us of any area where we are holding back from fully following you. Prepare our hearts to receive the message that will be preached today, and may it be a catalyst for us to count the cost and follow you without looking back.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen."
Introduction:
Introduction:
Last week in our time together, we kicked off the section of Luke that records Jesus journey to Jerusalem that will ultimately result in his death, burial and resurrection. The setting of the passage we have just read is not revealed to us by Luke, he just says it took place “along the road.” Matthew however in his account of the Gospel places two of Jesus three conversations here in Luke near the city of Capernaum as Jesus was getting ready to cross over the sea of Galilee and into the region of Gadera (Matthew 8:18-22). The third conversation in vs. 61-62 is only recorded in Lukes Gospel. We need to remember that Luke is not necessarily writing to his original audience regarding Christ in chronological order but in thematic order. So it is likely that he has placed this event here because it has to do with his training of the twelve.
Everywhere that Jesus went, he attracted a large crowd of people. He didn't just attract a large crowd but he travelled with a large crowd as well. But, not every one in those crowds were committed followers of Jesus. Those who followed Jesus were on a spectrum that ranged from curious spectators all the way to those who had repented of their sins and affirmed Jesus as Lord and Messiah. In the middle of those ends were the rest, we’ll call them the uncommitted masses. They were more than curious onlookers but they weren’t quite devoted followers either. These three men seem to have ben a part of that uncommitted middle.
Two of these three men approached Jesus to say that they would follow him and the other was called by Jesus himself to follow.
Whenever Jesus called someone to follow him he always used the same word in the same way. He would call them to follow him, not in a momentary following but in the sense of a continuing lifelong commitment.
The call to follow Jesus is not a singular emotional event but a way of life.
This is very different than what we have seen in modern Christianity where too much emphasis has been placed on an emotional and impulsive decision that is induced by self fulfilling emotions and not a genuine devotion to Christ. Jesus never tried to move people to make and emotional decision in a moment of crisis. When Jesus called someone to follow him and receive the forgiveness and grace that only He can offer, he never did so by making them feel guilty or afraid or by hyping up their emotions. NO! Instead he called them to make a carefully thought out lifetime commitment to Himself as Lord!
Now, I understand that may fly in the face of what you've heard all of your life but it is exactly what we see in the Word of God!
In fact, when superficial would be disciples came to Jesus he often put barricades up in front of following him, as he does here. In doing so, Jesus exposed their lack of genuine faith and insincere commitment to being his disciple.
From Jesus interactions with these three individuals, we learn that following Jesus comes at a high cost. Too high for these three men because they weren't genuine believers.
We see here that in order to be a follower of Jesus he demands :
Unreserved sacrifice. (v.57-58)
Undivided devotion. (v.59-60)
Unwavering commitment. (v.61-62)
1.) Jesus demands unreserved sacrifice. (v.57-58)
1.) Jesus demands unreserved sacrifice. (v.57-58)
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Luke does not give us any details about who this man is, but Matthew 8:19 tells us this man was a scribe.
Scribes were experts in both the Torah (Mosaic law) and the Mishna (rabbinic oral teachings).Their job was two fold: they were in charge of both copying and interpreting and their interpretations of these two things were considered authoritative to the Jewish populace. They were part of the religious structure of judaism and, like the Pharisees, very hostile to the ministry of Jesus.
So, for a scribe to be declaring his allegiance to Jesus by announcing “I will follow you wherever you go” was a big deal. This man it seems was ready to attach himself to Jesus as his rabbi and wanted to attach himself to the group of students who followed Jesus everywhere he went.
You would think Jesus would see this man as quite the catch. After all, a former scribe who is now a devoted follower of Jesus would have garnered quite the stir when Jesus rolled into town. If it were today, he would be printed on the revival flyers in an effort to attract a big audience. “Come here former scribe now follower of Jesus.”
Here is the issue, Jesus knew that this man’s desire to follow Jesus wasn't based in in genuine repentance and faith but in a desire to be associated with Jesus in order to elevate himself.
This man seems to have thought that the more Jesus popularity grew, the more his status would increase also. Knowing this mans real motivation Jesus responds:
58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
This man thought following Jesus would bring him relative ease, notoriety and self-fulfillment. But, Jesus points out the exact opposite.
Even the common foxes that lived in the land, had holes in which to sleep and even the birds had nests in which to sleep, but Jesus had nowhere to lay his head.
This was a barrier for this man. This scribe wanted self importance but Jesus called him instead to self denial. This man wanted increase but Jesus called him to sacrifice.
Jesus was using his relative homelessness as an illustration to show this man that as a follower of Jesus we must walk by choosing the spiritual over the carnal. To live with eternity in mind and not this temporal world. To lay up heavenly treasures instead of earthly ones.
Genuine disciples realize this world is not our home, so we must not live like it is.
If you have come to Jesus because you think it is going to make you rich and famous and because you think life will be easy, then you have come to Jesus for the wrong reasons.
The life of a follower of Christ is not one of ease.
If being a follower of Christ does not bring you some level of discomfort, then something is wrong.
There is a genuine discomfort to loving difficult people as Christ did.
There is a genuine discomfort to giving of yourself until it hurts.
There is a discomfort to putting yourself out for the cause of Christ and his church.
There is a discomfort to living a life that is out of step with modern culture.
There is a discomfort to being unliked because you stand for Jesus.
Being a follower of Christ demands unreserved sacrifice of everything for the sake of Jesus. If your so called faith experience has not resulted in a willingness to sacrifice everything for Jesus because he is all that matters, then perhaps what you have isn't genuine discipleship but mere emotionalism.
Jesus demands unreserved sacrifice from those who would follow him!
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
2.) Jesus demands undivided devotion. (v.59-60)
2.) Jesus demands undivided devotion. (v.59-60)
The second interaction between Jesus and a would be follower is a little different than the first. The first conversation was someone pleading to follow Jesus, the second was Jesus challenging someone to follow him.
Luke 9:59 (ESV)
To another he said, “Follow me.”…
Notice though, this man, like the other was only willing to follow Jesus if it could be on his own terms.
Luke 9:59 (ESV)
… But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Now, I’ll admit, this seems like a completely reasonable ask of this would be disciple.
“Bury my father” could mean a few different things- It could be that this mans father had just died and the duty of preparing his body has fallen to the son. In jewish society anyone who came into contact with the body was ceremonially unclean for seven days folowing there contact. However, it is highly unlikely that this is the case. Jews had a limited time to bury the body of the deceased (24 hours) so if this man’s father had just died, he likely would not have been there with Jesus along the road.
The second meaning is far more probable. The phrase is a colloquialism that means that his father was elderly and near death and he wanted to take care of his father until his death, bury him with dignity and then dispose of his father's estate according to his wishes. If this is the case, this disciple was asking for an indefinite delay in his obedience to following Jesus in order to receive an inheritance.
Jesus response to this man seems really harsh, but its not. Taking care of his father was just an excuse for his lack of devotion. This man demonstrated that he was not willing to leave everyone and everything behind in order to follow Jesus with his life.
60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Jesus was in no way saying that his followers can’t attend funerals, he was using a play on words, a double entendre. He was essentially saying let those who are spiritually dead be the ones to bury their own dead.
In other words, Jesus was saying let those who are not his disciples conduct the temporal affairs of this world, while you be about the eternal kingdom affairs of Christ.
Jesus was calling this man to leave the temporal, earthly matters to those who are of this world, while he went and preached the gospel no matter the cost.
You cant be devoted to Christ and still be attached to the affairs of this world. Christ demands undivided devotion to him above everyone and everything else in this world.
A genuine follower of Jesus has his priorities straight!
Genuine devotion to Christ has a sense of urgency to it. That’s why Jesus demanded this man follow him immediately. This man had only a partial devotion to Christ.
Had this man’s father actually have been dead, Jesus would have allowed him to bury him, he may have even raised him from the dead. But that wasn’t the case.
This man, had a greater devotion to the temporal things of this word than to Jesus.
A genuine follower of Jesus let’s go of this kingdom in order to serve a greater one.
Far too many people who call themselves christians because they prayed a prayer demonstrate the opposite by their devotion to this world. That’s why they will put anything and everything in front of following Jesus that they can.
I love Jesus but…
Little Jimmy needs a scholarship. His soul is far more important.
I want little Susie to have friends. Her soul is far more important.
I need a good job. Your soul is far more important.
I want to be happy. Your soul is far more important.
Christ demands of his followers:
Unreserved sacrifice
Undivided devotion.
3.) Jesus demands unwavering commitment. (v.61-62)
3.) Jesus demands unwavering commitment. (v.61-62)
Following Jesus discussion with the second man, yet another offers himself to Jesus to be a follower but once again on his own terms.
61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
Seems like a reasonable request, “Let me go home and tell my family by, first.” It won’t take too long, then i will follow you.
But, Jesus also knew this man’s heart. His words revealed that this mans ties to his family were stronger than they were too Jesus and he would struggle breaking free of them in order to follow Jesus. Jesus knew that had this man have gone home instead of immediately following his family would have kept him away.
Tis is why Jesus told him:
62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
This was a popular greek proverb from the eighth century B.C. that Jesus adapted here.
Describe a plow and why looking ahead was so important.
Friends, it is impossible to follow Christ with a wavering heart. This man was not fit because he was hoding on to the things of this world.
Jesus would later say in Luke 14:26
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Jesus isn't saying that in order to be a christian you have to hate your family, he’s saying that your commitment to him must supersede your commitment to anything else.
You cant’ have one foot in this world and one foot in Christ at the same time. When we come to Christ it is with a total commitment to be his and his alone.
You can’t serve Jesus on Sunday and live like a child of Hell the rest of the week. If Jesus is your Lord on Sunday he’ll be your Lord the rest of the week too.
You can’t be commited to Christ and live a life of unrepentant sin.
You cant say I love Jesus but I also love…
Friends Jesus is Lord of all or he isn’t your Lord at all!
4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
This man had a wavering commitment, he wanted to follow Jesus yes, but he wanted to stay attached to home too.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Friends the whole view of this passage isn’t service, it is salvation. It’s not fitness to serve in the kingdom but saving faith by which one enters the kingdom.
Responding to the call of Christ is more than emotion. It’s not an event of momentary acceptance. Its not superficial interest in Jesus. It’s not even a matter of saying “Jesus, I’ll follow you.”
It is a matter of coming to Christ in unreserved sacrifice of yourself. Lord, I’m nothing and you are everything. Nothing matters more than you. I’ve lived a life of giving in to my own sinful desires for no other reason than my own pleasure. I’ve worshipped myself as Lord and not you. I’m laying all of that at your feet. I will live in unreserved sacrifice for you and you alone. You are my one singular devotion. Nothing matters more than you. I will spend my life devoted to Jesus above all else. My life will be lived in unwavering commitment to you and you alone.
Faith in Christ is lived out over the course of a life of genuine, unwavering commitment. Not a moment of emotion, but a life lived. Not based on what you have done but based on Christ alone.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
If your life is not marked by devotion to Christ, you are not his follower.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.