I will follow Thee, but….
Luke 9:61 “And another also said, Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go and bid them farewell which are at home at my house.”
How many times has this happened to us? The Lord has spoken to us through His Word, a Message, or our devotions….and we say, “yes, that’s what I need to do. Thank you, Lord, for showing me this.”
We mean to see to this thing, but first we have to do this, or that, or something….and before you know it; the Word has been laid aside or buried.
There is always something else first. Something that must be done before we can follow the Lord, into the next experience.
The story line here is interesting, because Jesus is calling men to discipleship.
(discipleship means to come under the discipline of someone or some philosophy. It means to follow it and be molded by it. Of course for us Christians, this someone is Christ Jesus. We come and follow Him; letting Him mold us.)
Luke 9:57-58 “And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”
Jesus is setting forth very clearly that if they followed Him, there would be hardship. Was He worth it?
He also set forth that discipleship means full surrender to Him.
There can be no conditions: not even going home to say goodbye.
He must be first. Any consideration that places Him in second place, is wrong.
Luke 9:59-60 “And He said to another, Follow Me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”
It was not a funeral, this young man was asking to see to; but as a son, he was asking to be excused from following Jesus until his father was dead, and buried.
To a Jew, this would be a hard saying. Honor Me…you have called Me Lord…above your father.
Which is more important?
That you go and do what others can do for your father?
Or that, by the preaching of My kingdom, true life would be given to the people you would preach to?
“But go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” If you read into the next chapter:
Luke 10:1 “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come.”
Jesus was about to expand His ministry into every city in Judea and Galilee. He wanted disciples that would preach the kingdom of God to them….to prepare them for His Word to these people and places…when He would come there.
He called this man to be part of this work…would he?
Luke 9:61-62 “And another also said, I will follow Thee; but let me first go and bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Again, any condition or reservation to obey Jesus’ call to follow Him…or which places Jesus second in our lives, is wrong.
And must be dealt with, before we can go on with Him.
(We think, “Before I answer You, Lord, I must study more, or I must be more spiritual.”
“No”, Jesus says, “Just follow Me, and I will tell you what to do, and give you the grace to do.”
Sometimes our reservation is: “If You will let me do this, or have this; I will do what You require.”
“No conditions; just follow Me”, is what He says.)
This “looking back” isn’t the wave of goodbye; but the longing look to be back where we were.
If you read further into the next chapter, it tells, when the seventy which followed Jesus into the work, returned:
Luke 10:17 “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy name.”
Pretty exciting….
But Jesus points them to the real value of following Him:
Luke 10:20 “Notwithstanding, in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
How practical our God is!
We get caught up into so many “things”. But He cuts right through them, and gives us the meaning of true life.
He cautions all who will come after Him that there will be difficulties. he never sugar-coats anything.
1 Peter 4:13-14 “But rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on there part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.”
He calls those who will come, to tell of His Word and kingdom.
(1 Thessalonians 2:12) “That ye would walk worth of God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory.” “Preach the Word; be instant in season, out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2)
He tells all who would “look back”, that He will not take second place.
Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”
2 Timothy 1:7-8 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.”
The Lord has everything we need to walk the way He will lead us. He is still calling disciples to follow Him.
Will we follow Him?
Will we follow Him, now?
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 