LUKE 9:57-62 THREE POTENTIAL FOLLOWERS

THREE POTENTIAL FOLLOWERS

Luke 9:57-62

(Matthew 8:18-22)

Luke 9:57 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.

Susan: Ruth made a similar promise to Naomi (Ruth 1:16) which she kept faithfully.

Susie: Elisha stuck like glue to Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-6).

Susan: Verses 57 and 61 are the only two instances of a person initiating the desire to follow Jesus rather than Jesus issuing a call to them.

Susie: This man may have sincerely desired to sit under Jesus’s teaching but had not truly counted the cost (Luke 14:27-30). Jesus gave him a glimpse of the reality of following Him.

Luke 9:58 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.

Susan: Jesus actually told potential follower number one that He was a man without home. If he were to be His disciple, he would have to be willing to make this same sacrifice.

Susie: As Jesus had already told the Twelve, to be His disciple one must “deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Walking with Jesus would not be a life of ease by any stretch of the imagination, nor is it today. I grew up singing, “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go,” but I had no idea what that really meant until I was over thirty.

Susan: Remember, He led Daniel into a lions’ den (Daniel 6:16) and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:23-26). Some who followed Jesus, beginning with Stephen, were martyred (Acts 7:59). Hebrews chapter 11 contains a hall of fame, a literal hall of faith, giving a nutshell history of faithful servants of God. However, the list ends with these words:

Hebrews 11:36-38 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Susie: Luke leaves us with the impression that this man walked away, choosing not to follow Christ.

Luke 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

Susie: Jesus actually initiated the conversation with the second potential follower. This man indicated he was willing to follow but needed to tend to his obligation to bury his father first. Some commentators state that his father may have still been living at the time. It could be years until the man was freed up to follow. Others believe what the man was really saying was, “Let me collect my inheritance before I go on the road with You.” Even if the man’s father were already dead, it would take time to attend to burial customs.

Susan: If he were saying he needed to wait on his inheritance, he was indicating that he wanted to be able to bring his own provisions. This may have indicated a lack of faith in the Lord’s ability to provide for him as he was accustomed to having things.

Luke 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Susie: Obviously, those who are physically dead cannot bury someone. Jesus was indicating that there were others whom He had not called who could take care of burials. He wanted this man to prioritize preaching the Good News over even his family obligations. And the man certainly did not need to wait on an inheritance when the Creator of the universe would provide for his needs.

Luke 9:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

Susie: Next is a third potential follower who says, “I will follow You, but . . .”

Susan: No “but” will stand up against the call to follow Jesus. It is a privilege and honor even amid the trials to follow Him.

Susan: This man wanted to take time to say good-bye to family and friends which sounds sweet and considerate, but the demands of the Kingdom of God override earthly loyalties. Jesus does teach that we are to take care of our families, but His claim on our lives supersedes even those obligations.

Susan: There is no relationship more important, valuable, or to be treasured than that of our intimate relationship with Jesus.

Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Susie: If a farmer looks over his shoulder while plowing, his rows will be crooked rather than in a straight line. We are to focus our attention totally on the Lord Jesus and surrender all we have and all we are to His will for us.

Ponder this and Apply it: Many Christians in America seem to think that confessing their faith and attending church on Sunday morning is adequate. However, to Jesus, discipleship involved action. James wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). How are you doing at being a “doer”? Can you sing the old hymn with an honest heart—“All to Jesus, I surrender, All to Him I freely give”? We are to remember that “For in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). We are to BE His disciples, His children, HIS.