Luke 9:57-62 “As they were walking along the road … ‘I will follow You’ … Jesus replied, ‘ … the Son of Man has no place to lay His head’… to another man, ‘follow me’ … ‘Let the dead bury their own dead’ … still another said, ‘I will follow You Lord’ … ‘no one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’”
This took place after the feeding of the five thousand, after spectacular healings, after the commissioning of His disciples, and after His transfiguration. Jesus spoke to three “wanna be” followers and gave them fair warning, even though He knew exactly what was in their hearts.
The Bible does not tell us what each person decided to do. It is assumed that each turned and left, never to return. Maybe they stayed. Maybe they followed from afar. Maybe they left and came back later.
Principle: God’s call is based on His knowledge of our motivation and what hinders us from following His Son.
These are not universal requirements for discipleship. However, each requirement is from God who knows all about us.
Follower #1. There is a cost: Jesus may ask you to give up your vocation, company, power position, current lifestyle, comfort, assets, investments, heritage plans, and/or reserves. Or He may not.Life is too short to keep on collecting stuff.
Follower #2. There is a paradigm shift. Jesus may ask you to surrender your current way of dealing with employees, your strategic plans for growth and expansion, your methods and practices of doing business and communicating. This shift may call for a new mission or values statement, or financial policies that include charitable giving. Or He may not. Life is too short to be politically correct on everything.
Follower #3. There is no turning back. Jesus may ask you to leave your comfort zone and do something extraordinary and unexpected, which will make you uneasy. Furthermore, He wants you to do this without giving it a second thought – no regrets. He may ask you to go to Zimbabwe or stand up in front of a television camera and tell the audience how much you love Jesus, or clearly proclaim to your staff how to have eternal life or tell the guy next door how Jesus has changed your life. Or He may not. Life is too short to only be safe. Leave your comfort zone and do it now.
Only one life, will soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.
Discussion:
1. Describe how these men felt about Jesus’ in-their-face approach.
2. Did they say – “I’m in” or did they drift off? Why?
