Luke 9:57 - 62
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[g] 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.”
Questions:
ReplyDelete1. Why is Jesus actively discouraging followers?
2. Couldn't Jesus have waited a few days for the guy to bury his father?
3. The guy couldn't even say goodbye to his family? What is going on here?
https://hartmangroupdevotions.blogspot.com/2015/03/matthew-818-22-18-when-jesus-saw-crowd.html?zx=a958c0e61082ba32 says:
ReplyDeleteWhat keeps us from following Jesus wholeheartedly?
We want security: home, job, marriage, family.
We want personal pleasure and comfort: an easy life, no conflict, to get along with everyone (compromise).
We want earthly rewards: prosperity, popularity, friendships, leisure time.
Some follow only with 'conditions'. Jesus, however, wants complete loyalty with no conditions. Total dedication, not halfhearted commitment. We can't pick and choose among Jesus' ideas and follow him selectively. Jesus did not appoint us to be editors who select the portions of Jesus' teaching which we "think" are irrelevant.
This man said in Luke 9:57-62, he first wanted to bury his father. It's likely the father was not yet dead and the man wanted to wait until he died.
Our priorities do not place Jesus at the top.
Some have one foot in heaven and one foot in this life. They cannot let go of the things of this earth.
They say, "Let me take care of important family matters first."
"Let me take care of my financial situation first."
"Show me a miracle"
"Heal me."
We must be willing t.
o abandon everything else that has given us security and not allow anything to distract us from the calling He has made in our lives
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“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. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."
Those who are following Jesus simply for what they can get won't stick around when the going gets tough. When God's way conflicts with our way, we will feel betrayed by the shallow, me-first faith we have bought into. If we have not counted the cost of being His child, we will turn away at the threat of sacrifice and find something else to gratify our selfish desires (cf. Mark 4:5, 16-17). In Jesus’ earthly ministry, there came a time when the free food stopped and public opinion turned ugly. The cheering crowds became jeering crowds. And Jesus knew ahead of time that would happen.
We cannot earn salvation by lifestyle change or any other good deed (Ephesians 2:8-9). But when we choose to follow Christ, we are releasing control of our lives. When Jesus is in control, pure living results (1 John 3:4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17). In Jesus’ parable of the sower, it was only the soil that allowed the seed to put down roots and bear fruit that was called “good.” If we are going to be disciples of Christ, we must first count the cost of following Him.
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My two cents:
I believe that Jesus is speaking to the hearts of these two people who say they want to follow Him. Jesus wants us to follow Him, but He makes it clear that we cannot have strings attached to anything else but Him. When we say to Jesus that we are ready to follow us, and if we have strings attached to other things that will make us unable to follow Him, Jesus will point them out. It's a mercy that He does so. Then, we can clearly make a choice.
By the way, once again there is a salvation message here. But this is more of a general principle. This same scenario happens throughout our Christian lives. Are we ready to go, or do we have some strings to cut? Because we can't go until we let go.
Once we cut our string and let go, many times God commands us to take care of our families. On the outside, things may not look differently. But on the inside, we are walking with God instead of walking our own path.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary says:
ReplyDeleteSomeone said to Him - Matthew says this "someone" is a scribe (see grammateus) who addresses Jesus as Teacher (seemingly offering to be a pupil of Jesus! - see Mt 8:19), which is surprising in that the scribes were generally hostile to Jesus.
This scribe had good intentions, but good intentions will never follow Jesus to the Cross. The road to heaven is paved with a whole-hearted commitment to follow Jesus and contrasts radically with "The road to hell which is paved with good intentions."
Stein - The three sayings (Lk 9:57-62) remind Luke’s Christian readers of the stringent nature of discipleship. They are absolute in nature, for Jesus demands unqualified commitment, far beyond what a rabbi might require of his disciples. The first saying shows that Jesus seeks no flippant, frivolous decision to follow him. Following Jesus means becoming a stranger and exile on earth (Heb 11:13). Those who volunteer to be disciples must first count the cost.
Oswald Chambers on Luke 9:57 - The “Go” of Renunciation - Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement, “for He knew what was in man” (John 2:25). We would have said, “I can’t imagine why He lost the opportunity of winning that man! Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!” Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God. Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of “what was in man.” If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of its death.
Rod Mattoon - This man's promise is a good one. His attitude is great! Following Christ begins with this kind of desire. The sentiment of every one of us should be, "Lord, I will follow you wherever you go." It should also characterize our conduct. Unfortunately, this man was charmed, but not changed.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteIn our text, Jesus makes some radical demands on His followers. Interestingly, just two verses later He laments that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few (Lu 10:2). If Jesus had hired a marketing consultant, he would have said, “Lord, if you want more workers, you’re going to have to be a bit more realistic. You just lost three good volunteers because you demanded all or nothing!”
But Jesus didn’t lower the standard. Following Christ is like taking a class on the pass/fail system. There is no curve. You either make it or you don’t. He requires that you devote everything that you are and have to Him or nothing at all. It is important to realize that these verses are not just directed to those who are considering “full-time” Christian service. They are addressed to everyone who would consider being a follower of Christ or disciple (the terms are synonymous). The Lord draws a line in the sand: The only way to follow Jesus is totally.
MacArthur writes that "as He does with all men (John 2:23-25), Jesus saw beneath the outer veneer of enthusiasm to his heart and refused to embrace his eager offer. The Lord knew that the scribe, having seen the crowds and the miracles and having heard Jesus’ incomparable teaching, wanted to be associated with the one in the center of all the action, who had an unequalled potential future of elevation. Jesus shattered the man’s ambitious expectations with His surprising response (in this verse)."
The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head - The one who seeks to become rich in worldly terms will not follow the way of Jesus. What a slam this is to the religious hucksters on television who preach a Gospel of "Name it, Claim it" and "Jesus wants you to be rich."
John Phillips - In Matthew's account of this incident, the volunteer was a scribe, an educated man of the upper middle class. As a group, the scribes were hostile to Jesus because He totally rejected their false traditions (Matt. 8:19). Evidently, this man was prepared to give up a great deal to be enrolled as a disciple of Jesus. The Lord, however, saw the weak spot in this man's soul. Privation, not promotion, was all that Jesus offered. He was on His way to crucifixion, not coronation.
For "the Son of man" (see on 5:24), things are entirely different, however. In his wandering from place to place he, for whom there was no room in the inn, has no place on which he can figure to spend the night. As the story develops, Judea rejects him (John 5:18), Galilee casts him out (John 6:66), Gadara begs him to leave its district (Matt. 8:34), Samaria refuses him lodging (Luke 9:53), earth will not have him (Matt. 27:23), and finally even heaven forsakes him (Matt. 27:46). Therefore let the scribe figure the cost before he builds the tower. Let him consider that permanent discipleship implies struggle and warfare. Whether this scribe ever became a steadfast follower is not recorded. After all, that is not nearly as important as is the lesson itself.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteSteven Cole - I pondered this verse as I was sitting in front of my fireplace in my comfortable home, sipping some hot coffee! Does Jesus mean that to follow Him, we must sell our homes, deny ourselves all comforts in life, and become itinerant jungle missionaries? If so, very few would qualify. Even many missionaries have comfortable homes to live in. I think that Jesus was pointing out what He had already said in Lu 9:23, that to follow Him requires a life of self-denial, not of self-indulgence. As J. C. Ryle explains,
He would have no man enlisted on false pretences. He would have it distinctly understood that there is a battle to be fought, and a race to be run,—a work to be done, and many hard things to be endured,—if we propose to follow Him. Salvation He is ready to bestow, without money and without price. Grace by the way, and glory in the end, shall be given to every sinner who comes to Him. But He would not have us ignorant that we shall have deadly enemies,—the world, the flesh, and the devil, and that many will hate us, slander us, and persecute us, if we become His disciples. He does not wish to discourage us, but He does wish us to know the truth (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels [Baker], 3:339).
Most recruiters tell the people they are trying to convince to sign up with them, all the good, and positive reasons why they should do so. The Lord, however, doesn't do this. Instead, He tells the man the negative aspects of following Him. Why would He do this? Jesus is trying to get this man to count the cost in following Him. He was saying, "You must give up everything for the Son of Man, but you must not give up the Son of Man for anything." He is not telling the man "No, you can't follow me." He wants the man to have a clear picture of what he is facing. The Lord does not need a big baby on his hands or a troublemaker.
Counting the cost involves three key areas.
A. Counting the Cost with Self
Are you willing to give up your plans to do the will of God? Are you willing to follow the Lord wherever He leads? If you have not made up your mind, you will struggle in your dedication. You will be inconsistent and unstable because you have not nailed down the identity of your master. You can only serve one. Who will it be?
B. Counting the Cost with Society
Society can make your path most difficult if you choose to follow Christ. To some folks, we are like garbage and they treat us like garbage. Unfortunately, some of these people claim to be Christians.
1 Corinthians 4:13—when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
Our job is to be faithful, no matter what society does to us.
1 Corinthians 15:58—Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
C. Counting the Cost of Security and Sacrifices
Serving the Lord may involve giving up or doing without things that seem to be precious or give us a sense of security. It may involve financial sacrifice as you give up lucrative careers or material possessions to do what the Lord leads you to do. The lack of a large income can make you feel insecure and somewhat scared. Your sacrifice may also involve what you give to the Lord's work to further the cause of Christ.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteLuke 9:59 And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."
So the description in Luke 9:57-62 which Jesus is giving for a disciple and specifically the cost of being His disciple is not some new teaching but is the "norm" for those who would follow Jesus. Matthew left his lucrative tax collecting trade. Peter and Andrew left their nets, their source of income as fishermen. And James and John left their father to follow Jesus.
Phillips observes that "family considerations can be a hindrance to discipleship (Lk 9:59-60)....The Jews in that hot climate buried their dead within a day. But that was not the end of it; the mourning period dragged on for ten days. By that time, all sense of urgency as to discipleship might well have evaporated. Then would come the reading of the will and all of the involvement in the distribution of the property, arrangements for the widow, maybe, and all of the other activities. All of them were legitimate concerns—but not for a disciple. The Lord was not against treating one's parents with honor; He was against its becoming an excuse."
Stein comments "Only in the case of a temporary Nazirite vow (Nu 6:6–7) or if one were the high priest (Lev 21:10–11) could one be absolved from this duty. The seriousness of this responsibility is seen in Tobit’s first two deathbed requests of his son, “My son, when I die, bury me, and do not neglect your mother” (Tobit 4:3RSV), and in one of the son’s greatest fears in dying—that his parents would have no one to bury them (Tobit 6:14RSV; cf. Ge 50:5). Jesus demands an allegiance transcending even this greatest of filial obligations. Some interpreters have sought to relieve the hardness of this saying by assuming that the father was not yet dead and that the son was saying, “Wait until my father dies, and then I will follow you.” There is, however, no hint of this in the text."
Mattoon - He wanted to serve the Lord on "his" time table, not God's. Serving the Lord at the present time was not convenient for him. Does this sound familiar? Christians make the same type of excuse today when they say, "I will serve the Lord later in my life at a more convenient time. I have too much to do right now." Let me ask, "Does this describe you? Do you find yourself "putting off what God wants you to do today?" If you are a Christian, then live your life for Christ now. Don't let procrastination, serenade you into spiritual slumber and slothfulness. Satan's lullaby will leave you drowsy, defeated, drained, discouraged, and depressed. His temptation to do nothing can cause you to become apathetic and indifferent. Don't waste your life, beloved!
Life Application Study Bible - Luke does not say whether the father is already dead or terminally ill. It seems likely that if the father were dead, the son would have been fulfilling the burial duties. Jesus was saying that true discipleship requires instant action. Jesus did not teach people to forsake responsibilities to family, but he often gave commands to people in light of their real motives (Ed: Not a "gut check" but a "motive check!"). Perhaps this man wanted to delay following Christ and was using his father as an excuse. Following Jesus has a cost, and each of us must be ready to serve, even when it requires sacrifice.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteSteven Cole - The second man thought that following Jesus was important, but not more important than family obligations. When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” he replied, “Permit me first to go and bury my father” (Lu 9:59). Commentators differ over whether the man’s father had just died, whether he was near death, or whether he had a few years to go. I am inclined toward either of the last two views, since if his father had just died, he probably wouldn’t be tagging along after Jesus at that moment. G. Campbell Morgan refers to a traveler in the Middle East who was trying to enlist a young Arab man as his guide. The man replied that he could not go because he had to bury his father. When the traveler expressed his sympathy, he learned that the young man’s father had not died, but that this was an expression meaning that he had to stay with his father as long as he was alive (The Gospel According to Luke [Revell], p. 133). So probably the man Jesus was calling was saying, “After my father is gone, I will follow You.”
The Bible teaches that we should care for our elderly parents. The fifth commandment enjoins us to honor our father and mother. Paul states that if we do not take care of our own families, we are worse than unbelievers and have denied the faith (1Ti 5:8). Certainly, Jesus was not negating the Ten Commandments. He came to fulfill the Law, not to abolish it (Mt 5:17). But, if our commitment to family is greater than our commitment to Jesus Christ and His kingdom, we’ve got it wrong. Jesus’ reply, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead,” means, “Let those who are spiritually dead tend to such matters.” Then He adds, “But as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”
In our day there has been a resurgence of emphasis on the family in evangelical circles. Much of this emphasis is a needed corrective to the neglect of family relationships that often characterized Christian homes in the past. For example, missionaries in the past often would ship their young children off to missionary schools, where they were away from their parents during their formative years. Even Hudson Taylor sent his children back to England for their education, rather than keeping them with him and his wife in China. They viewed it as the cost of discipleship. I think that this practice is a gross misapplication of Christ’s words. If God calls me to the mission field and also gives me children, I believe He is calling me to have them with me on the field. If that is not possible, my first responsibility is to care for my children until they are old enough to be separated from me without causing them serious problems.
But, having said that, it is possible to be sinfully selfish about the family, where we wrongfully exalt the family over God’s kingdom purposes. I have heard of Christian families who do not get involved in serving the Lord because it would interfere with their family time. Some even stay away from church because they need a family day together. This teaches the children that family is more important than God and His work in this world. Some parents prohibit their children from involvement with missions because they fear that they could get killed in another country.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteAllow the dead to bury their own dead - In context of the call to follow Jesus, He states that the spiritually dead (Eph 2:1) are those who should bury the physically dead. This helps understand Jesus' hard saying in Luke 14:26 (cf Lk 12:53, Lk 18:29-30). As noted above Luke adds "go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God" which is added "to help his readers understand that Jesus’ uncompromising command is uttered in light of the supreme good of proclaiming the good news." (Stein)
“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.
MacArthur Study Bible note - A similar statement in Mt 10:37 is the key to understanding this difficult command. The “hatred” called for here is actually a lesser love. Jesus was calling His disciples to cultivate such a devotion to Him that their attachment to everything else—including their own lives—would seem like hatred by comparison. See Lk 16:13; Ge 29:30, 31 for similar usages of the word “hate.”
NET Note - There are several options for the meaning of Jesus' reply Leave the dead to bury their own dead: (1) Recent research suggests that burial customs in the vicinity of Jerusalem from about 20 b.c. to a.d. 70 involved a reinterment of the bones a year after the initial burial, once the flesh had rotted away. At that point the son would have placed his father's bones in a special box known as an ossuary to be set into the wall of the tomb. Thus Jesus could well be rebuking the man for wanting to wait around for as much as a year before making a commitment to follow him. In 1st century Jewish culture, to have followed Jesus rather than burying one's father would have seriously dishonored one's father (cf. Tobit 4:3-4RSV). (2) The remark is an idiom (possibly a proverbial saying) that means, “The matter in question is not the real issue,” in which case Jesus was making a wordplay on the wording of the man's (literal) request (see L&N 33.137). (3) This remark could be a figurative reference to various kinds of people, meaning, “Let the spiritually dead bury the dead.” (4) It could also be literal and designed to shock the hearer by the surprise of the contrast. Whichever option is preferred, it is clear that the most important priority is to preach the gospel (proclaim the kingdom of God).
Mattoon - A later Jewish precedent says that if there were enough people in attendance, a student of the Torah or the first five books of the Bible, should not stop his studying to bury the dead. Jesus placed commitment to God even above these precedents. Even family loyalty was not to take priority over the demands of obedience to the command to go and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God. see Luke 14:26 Jesus is not saying that we should hate or neglect our family. He is saying that our love for Christ should be so great, that our love for our family would look like hatred in comparison. The Lord is to be first in our lives. Our love for our family should not weaken our love for Jesus Christ. If Christ is first in your life, understand that many times that decision will be tested, especially by family members. Many Christians have had to make a choice of whether to follow the Lord or the wishes of their family. Jesus' direct challenge here forces all Christians to evaluate their priorities. The pressing of the Lord with this man indicates not only a peek at our priorities, it also stresses the matter of urgency in serving God. The Lord urged this man to deal with his distractions and just "preach!"
The harshness of this proverb to the scribe probably is due to the fact that he was manifestly using his aged father as an excuse for not giving Christ active service.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteBarclay has some interesting comments - Jesus' words to the second man sound harsh, but they need not be so. In all probability the man's father was not dead, and not even nearly dead. His saying most likely meant, 'I will follow you after my father has died.' The story is told of a very brilliant young Arab who was offered a scholarship to Oxford or Cambridge. His answer was, 'I will take it after I have buried my father.' At the time his father was not much more than forty years of age. The point Jesus was making is that in everything there is a crucial moment; if that moment is missed the thing most likely will never be done at all. The man in the story had stirrings in his heart to get out of his spiritually dead surroundings; if he missed that moment he would never get out. Psychologists tell us that every time we have a fine feeling, and do not act on it, the less likely we are to act on it at all. The emotion becomes a substitute for the action. Take one example—sometimes we feel that we would like to write a letter, perhaps of sympathy, perhaps of thanks, perhaps of congratulations. If we put it off until tomorrow, it will in all likelihood never be written. Jesus urges us to act at once when our hearts are stirred.
A T Robertson - This was a clear case. Jesus will help any man called to preach to see his duty. Certainly Jesus does not advocate renunciation of family duties on the part of preachers.
What does it mean to proclaim the kingdom of God? Clearly this is synonymous with the proclamation of the Gospel (Lk 9:6), for it is only through the believing of the Gospel that one gains entrance into the Kingdom of God (cf Jn 3:3-5). It is proclaiming the King of that Kingdom and His "royal decree" that He has come to set the captives free. To proclaim the kingdom of God is to proclaim the good news of the King, Christ Jesus.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteAnother also said I will follow You - More good intentions like the first aspirant
Phillips observes that "formal considerations can be a hindrance to discipleship (Lk 9:61-62). It was not just a matter of saying good-bye—even the stern prophet Elijah permitted that (1 Kings 19:19-21). Elijah read Elisha's heart just as Jesus read this man's heart. Elisha had no willingness to dillydally and delay. He was following the plow when the great master, Elijah, called him. Within the day, he had made a fire of his plow and a holocaust of his oxen and was hard on the heels of his new lord. The man here in Luke's story might well have been secretly hoping that his family would talk him out of all of his notions of being a disciple. He was already looking back even while volunteering to go forward. Nobody can plow a straight furrow when he keeps looking back.The fatal flaw in the last two men leaps out at us. Both of them said, "Me first!" Any man who wants to start his discipleship with such words simply does not qualify. Come the first hard test, and he'd be off, heading for the family or the farm."
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteSteven Cole - This man was not totally committed because the Lord was not really first in his heart. He wanted to serve God on his own terms and his own time-table.
The third man volunteers to follow Jesus, but with the stipulation that he first be allowed to go home and say good-bye to everyone. He thought that following Jesus was important, but not important enough to let go of the old relationships and ways. The Lord could tell that the man’s heart was divided. Like Lot’s wife, he just couldn’t quite cut the ties with the old life. He wanted to keep the door open so that if things didn’t work out, he could always go back. He wasn’t willing to make a clean break with the old contacts and way of life.
Jesus replies, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lu 9:62). In other words, His followers must be totally focused on His purpose. They can’t keep one foot in the world just in case things don’t work out in the Kingdom. Their hearts cannot be divided between living for the old way of life and living for Jesus Christ.
When Jesus talks of putting one’s hand to the plow and turning back, He is not referring to someone who starts out in so-called “full time Christian service” but then leaves the ministry for “secular” work. He isn’t referring to how a person earns a living, but rather to a basic focus in life. The disciple must fix his eyes on Jesus Christ and His cause. He must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mt 6:33). Whether he earns his living digging ditches or preaching the gospel, his consuming purpose in life is to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known.
2. Following Jesus is not just an important thing—it’s the most important thing in life.
It’s not just a slice of life, something that rounds out your life and makes it a bit nicer. It’s the center, the hub of your life. Everything else revolves around Jesus and His kingdom purpose. My career must be subservient to the will of God and His kingdom purpose. My family life must be centered on following Jesus Christ and serving Him. My spare time is not my own, to do with as I please. It must be yielded to Jesus Christ and His purpose. This is not to say that every spare minute must be spent in serving the Lord. He made us so that we require rest and recreation. We need not feel guilty about taking appropriate time off for leisure activities. But the reason for the time off is so that we will be refreshed to serve the Lord better.
I think that Christians need to do some careful thinking about the subject of retirement. While there’s nothing wrong with the concept of retirement, per se, Christians should view it much differently than the world does. We should view it as an opportunity to be freed up from our jobs so that we can be devoted to the Lord’s work. To dream of getting your Winnebago and parking it in Yellowstone every summer and Yuma every winter is not a godly focus, unless your purpose is to reach out to those in Yellowstone and Yuma! For the life of me, I can’t figure out why many pastors and missionaries retire from the Lord’s service at 65!
Commitment to Christ cannot be based on an emotional, idealistic decision.
The first man was probably caught up with the euphoria of the moment. Crowds were following Jesus. Hundreds were being healed. Jesus’ disciples were a part of this exciting movement. The man wanted in on the action. So he gushes, “I will follow You wherever You go.”
But Jesus realized that the man had not thought it through carefully. He had not considered the cost. He hadn’t thought of the hardship, the rejection, and the persecution that would inevitably follow. He had an idealized, glamorous view of what it meant to follow Jesus. But it wouldn’t carry him through the tough times.
Profession is easy. Practice over the long haul is the test.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteCommitment to Christ cannot be a casual, whenever-you-find-the-time matter.
What could be more noble and biblical than burying one’s father? But Jesus won’t allow this would-be follower to postpone his commitment until it’s convenient, even for this noble purpose!
Commitment to Christ cannot be a phase in life that you put behind you someday.
To leave your options open so that you can go back to the old life if things don’t work out as a Christian is to reject following Jesus. Jesus later mentions Lot’s wife as a sober example to everyone who would follow Him when He says, “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life shall preserve it” (Lu 17:32-33). While the Christian life is a process of daily yielding more and more to the Lord, it can never be approached from the mentality, “I’ll try it and see if it works. Otherwise, I’ll go back to the old ways or try some other way.” If Jesus is the Lord, then the only way is to go forward with Him. Turning back is not even an option.
Conclusion - Since the only way to follow Jesus is totally, each one of us must soberly ask ourselves the question, “Am I following Jesus totally?” Am I holding back something for myself? Am I keeping one foot in the world just in case? Am I hanging on to some secret sins, just so I won’t miss out on what the world has to offer? Am I trying to serve Christ and mammon? Am I saying, “I’ll follow You, Lord, but …?” Everything after that “but” needs to go!
Someone observed that we think giving our all to the Lord is like taking a $1,000 bill and laying it on the table. “Here’s my life, Lord. I’m giving it all.” But the reality for most of us is that He sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $1,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid’s troubles instead of saying, “Get lost.” Go to a committee meeting. Give a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home.
Usually giving our life to Christ isn’t glorious. It’s done in all those little acts of denying self for Jesus’ sake, 25 cents at a time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it’s harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul (Fred Craddock, in Leadership [Fall, 1984], p. 47).
That kind of daily commitment in small increments begins with a total entrusting of your life and eternal destiny to Jesus Christ. He gave Himself on the cross so that you would not have to face God’s wrath on account of your sins. Jesus calls you to turn from your selfishness and sin and to follow Him. If you say, “I’ll follow Jesus, but …” you must erase the “but.” The only way to follow Jesus is totally.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteLuke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
The cost is clear and the cost is high. Practically, it is difficult to plow a straight row if one is looking behind rather than forward! This reminds me of Paul's spiritual walk with Jesus when he wrote "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Php 3:13-14-note). Jesus made it clear that “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." (Mt 6:24-note).
Beloved, we need a trash basket into which we can place the past successes, sufferings, and sins that pull at our heart.
Let me ask, "Are there things or people in your past that are causing you to keep glancing over your shoulder?" Realize that we are in a race for Christ, and like a runner that looks back in his race and loses his pace, our stride and pace for Christ are broken, too. In fact, we can trip and fall. Keep your eyes on the Lord and beware of the backward look.
Let that be our spiritual epitaph. Let me ask, "Are you climbing for Christ or are you a spiritual deadbeat?" We are not going to reach people for Christ with an attitude of apathy or when we are distracted with the lures of this world.(Rod Mattoon)
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDeleteJ C Ryle - Luke 9:57-62 THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS - The passage of Scripture we have just read is a very remarkable one. It contains three short sayings of peculiar solemnity, addressed by our Lord Jesus Christ to three different people. We know nothing of the names of those people. We know nothing of the effect which our Lord's words produced upon them. But we need not doubt that each was addressed in the way which his character required, and we may be sure that the passage is specially intended to promote self-inquiry.
1. The first of these sayings was addressed to one who offered to be a disciple unconditionally, and of his own accord. "Lord," said this man, "I will follow you wherever you go" — That offer sounded well. It was a step in advance of many. Thousands of people heard our Lord's sermons who never thought of saying what this man said. Yet he who made this offer was evidently speaking without thought. He had never considered what belonged to discipleship. He had never counted the cost. And hence he needed the grave reply which his offer called forth — "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has not where to lay his head." He must weigh well what he was taking in hand. He must not suppose that Christ's service was all pleasure and smooth sailing. Was he prepared for this? Was he ready to "endure hardness?" (2 Tim. 2:3.) If not, he had better withdraw his application to be a disciple.
Let us learn from our Lord's words on this occasion, that He would have all who profess and call themselves Christians reminded that they must carry the cross. They must lay their account to be despised, and afflicted, and tried, like their Master. He would have no man enlisted on false pretenses. He would have it distinctly understood that there is a battle to be fought, and a race to be run — a work to be done, and many hard things to be endured — if we propose to follow Him. Salvation He is ready to bestow, without money and without price. Grace by the way, and glory in the end, shall be given to every sinner who comes to Him. But He would not have us ignorant that we shall have deadly enemies — the world, the flesh, and the devil, and that many will hate us, slander us, and persecute us, if we become His disciples. He does not wish to discourage us, but He does wish us to know the truth.
2. The second of our Lord's sayings is addressed to one whom Jesus invited to follow Him. The answer He received was a very remarkable one. "Lord," said the man, "allow me first to go and bury my father." The thing he requested was in itself harmless. But the time at which the request was made was unseasonable. Affairs of far greater importance than even a father's funeral demanded the man's immediate attention. There would always be plenty of people ready and fit to take charge of a funeral. But there was at that moment a pressing need of laborers to do Christ's work in the world. And hence the man's request drew from our Lord the solemn reply — "Let the dead bury their dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
Let us learn, from this saying, to beware of allowing family and social duties to interfere with our duty to Christ. Funerals, and marriages, and visits of courtesy, and the like, unquestionably are not in themselves sinful. But when they are allowed to absorb a believer's time, and keep him back from any plain religious duty, they become a snare to his soul. . . Their Master's work waits for them, and their Master's work must have the chief place in their hearts. They are God's priests in the world, and, like the priests of old, their mourning must be kept carefully within bounds, (Lev. 21:1.) "Weeping," says an old divine, "must not hinder working," and mourning must not be allowed to run into excess.
https://www.preceptaustin.org/luke-9-commentary continued:
ReplyDelete3. The third of our Lord's sayings in this passage was addressed to one who volunteered to follow Him, but marred the grace of His offer by interposing a request. "Lord," he said, "I will follow you; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house." The answer he received shows plainly that the man's heart was not yet thoroughly engaged in Christ's service, and that he was therefore unfit to be a disciple. "Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
We learn from this saying that it is impossible to serve Christ with a divided heart. If we are looking back to anything in this world we are not fit to be disciples. Jesus will not share His throne with anyone — no, not with our dearest relatives. He must have all our heart, or none. No doubt we are to honor father and mother, and love all around us. But when love to Christ and love to relatives come in collision, Christ must have the preference. We must be ready, like Abraham, if needs be, to come out from kindred and father's house for Christ's sake. We must be prepared in case of necessity, like Moses, to turn our backs even on those who have brought us up, if God calls us, and the path is plain.
Such decided conduct may entail sore trials on our affections. It may crush our hearts to go contrary to the opinions of those we love. But such conduct may sometimes be positively necessary to our salvation, and without it, when it becomes necessary, we are unfit for the kingdom of God. The good soldier will not allow his heart to be entangled too much with his home. His present duties — the watching, the marching, the fighting — must have the principal place in his thoughts. So must it be with all who would serve Christ. They must beware of softness spoiling their characters as Christians. They must endure hardness, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. (2 Tim. 2:3.)
Let us leave the whole passage with many searchings of heart. The times are undoubtedly much changed since our Lord spoke these words. Not many are called to make such real sacrifices for Christ's sake as when Christ was upon earth. But the heart of man never changes. The difficulties of salvation are still very great. The atmosphere of the world is still very unfavorable to spiritual religion. There is still need for thorough, unflinching, whole-hearted decision, if we would reach heaven. Let us aim at nothing less than this decision, Let us be willing to do anything, and suffer anything, and give up everything for Christ's sake. It may cost us something for a few years, but great will be the reward in eternity.
Questions and findings:
ReplyDeleteQuestions:
1. Why is Jesus actively discouraging followers?
2. Couldn't Jesus have waited a few days for the guy to bury his father?
3. The guy couldn't even say goodbye to his family? What is going on here?
Let's tackle all three questions at once. Jesus doesn't want casual followers, who are just going to leave once the going gets tough. It's a mercy to would be followers. There's a cost to following Jesus, and we must all consider it before joining up (it's kind of the opposite of army recruiting). There's nothing more sad than someone coming into the kingdom of God all excited and happy, and then burning out a few months later all disillusioned - except for someone who tries to come into the kingdom of God (i.e. hangs out in a church) and decides to not carry their cross, and deludes themselves that they are on the inside.
So, yeah count the cost. This has everything to do with the three excited would-be followers. They needed to be prepared to pay the cost of following Jesus. Jesus gave them personal examples of what kind of cost was required. We don't know for sure, but had Jesus relented to these specific people, it's very possible that they wouldn't come back.
We have to be careful to look at the principle of these stories and not get caught up in the details. There's almost a 100 percent chance that in normal circumstances, a new believer is not only going to be allowed to say goodbye and/or arrange for their parent's funeral, but that God will command them to do it. It's all a matter of who's name we are doing everything in. Jesus demands our full attention and that we abandon all other ambitions and relationships. But, when we do so, we almost always find that we tend to those same things and relations under God's direction and guidance, with much greater impact. But, I repeat myself, we need to first be ready to abandon everything to follow Christ (which sometimes includes our desire to escape certain situations and/or people).
Not that this is important, but we don't know the three men's situations. You can be sure that Jesus was saying exactly what the three men needed to hear. For example, in that culture, the man who wanted to say goodbye and the man who wanted to bury his father may have been saying that they wanted to wait until their healthy family have died out and join Jesus years later. Even if that wasn't the case, though, it doesn't make a difference here. They needed to put Jesus absolutely first - just like we do.
I think it worth noting, as one commentator said, that we can't assume these people all turned away after Jesus' response. Often a challenge like these is just what we need to set us thinking and truly ready us to serve wholeheartedly. Jesus' purpose is never to discourage discipleship, but to make sure we are ready for the long haul. Though His words set them back on their heels, who knows if these men may have been among the crowd that entered the church at Pentecost, if not before? The gospel writers included this interchange as instructive to all would-be followers. They understood what it meant to really follow. I am continually challenged by this section of scripture.
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