What Cost you to be Christ’s Disciple?
Luke 9:57-62
August 26, 2007
Sermon series: Following Christ
Introduction
In our first sermon in our series, Following Christ, we have learned of what does it means to live for Christ. We have been told that to live for Christ is to Place Christ above all others, Sacrifice our personal goal and desires for the sake of Christ and we must lay our possessions to Him.
In today’s text, Jesus Christ makes some radical demands on His followers. He put some tough standard to be one of His disciples. Jesus Christ doesn’t want to lower His standard. There is no curve. You neither make it or you don’t. Jesus Christ demands that you devoted everything to Him and for Him or nothing at all. Understand that these demands of Christ are not only directed to what some may call ‘full-time worker.’ This is address to everyone who desire to follow Christ. In these last verses of chapter 9 Jesus Christ did not only focus to the twelve disciples but to all who would consider being His follower.
The title of today’s message is: What Cost you to be Christ’s Disciple?
I. It Cost our personal “comfort zone.” (v.57-58)
A. Here’s a scribe who volunteers to be His disciple (v.57)
Verse 27 we read, “I will follow You wherever You go.”
1. The man was a scribe; a writer, that is, (professionally) scribe or secretary: - scribe, town-clerk. (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek dictionary.)
2. In the days before mechanical printing, copies of documents and records and sacred writing were handwritten by skilled secretaries called Scribes.
3. They were highly educated and people regard them as experts on the matters of the law. They have also the authority to teach as sanctioned by Jewish authorities.
4. So, here’s the scribe offer himself to be one of Jesus’ disciples. At first glance, this would seem to be a very good thing. After all, this is what all believers must do. All who are Christ’s are people who follow the Lamb wherever he goes (Rev. 14:4). They willingly follow him, whether through rain or through fire, whether into prison or into death, they follow him. They are resolutely determined to do so.
5. However, he had no idea what was involved in following Christ. He didn’t ask. He didn’t care. He was not concerned about what it meant to be a follower of Christ. He was only concerned about what he could gain by following him. The man had not thought carefully what Jesus would entail.
6.“The scribe was captivated by Jesus. But Christ knew that human nature is fickle and self-centered. He knew that it hungers for sensations: the crowd, the miracles, and the excitement” ( John MacArthur)
7. So Jesus Christ spelled out to him what cost him to be his disciple that following Him would mean giving up many of his personal comfort. And perhaps took for granted
8. What does it mean? Why Christ was so exacting? What kind of discipleship Jesus requires?
B. Jesus requires a self-denial and sacrifice. (v.58)
1. As I prepare this message I pondered this verse! Does this mean that to follow Jesus Christ is to deny ourselves all comforts in life? If so, few would qualify to be His disciple. As Jesus Christ had pointed out earlier in verses 23-24, following Him requires a life of denial and sacrifices. This is also what He stresses again to this Scribe.
2. I think Jesus Christ that not necessarily means that we don’t have to enjoy the comfort of our home and family. What He requires is our total commitment. And that it takes self-denial and sacrifice when called for. Many are committed but their commitments are self-commitments, not Christ-centered commitments
3. "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." In other words, did this man really understand that if he was willing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, he would be called to live like our Lord-moving from village to village, house to house, cave to cave, etc., without any hope of eventually having a place he could call home? For since the beginning our Lord’s life in Bethlehem, "there was no room...in the inn." (Luke 2:7.)
Jesus Himself was the prime example. He denied Himself completely. He sacrifice and gave all, both Himself and all He had.
Your attitude should be that of Jesus Christ. Read Philippians 2:5-8
4. Jesus told the man of the cost. Professing to follow Christ was not enough. The man was to deny himself completely, sacrificing and giving all he was and had to meet the needs of a lost and desperate world.
5. J.C. Ryle beautifully explains, ”He would 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 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 ignorance that we shall many 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 Gospel [Baker], 3:339)
6. Illustration: My first missionary journey
7 Jesus Christ wants us to know the reality of being His reality: warfare against the power of darkness, and that warfare are often difficult.
2 Timothy 3
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (v. 12).
d. Matthew 5
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake" (v. 11).
e. Hebrews 11
Many heroes of the faith "(of whom the world was not worthy)" were tortured and killed (v. 38).
8. There is a price to pay for being a Christian, but the scribe wasn’t willing to pay it; he just wanted to add excitement to his life.
II. It cost our personal priorities (v.58-59)
A. The man’s request
1. The second man thought that following Christ is not that important than family. For him his family is his priorities.
2. But who is this man? Luke account didn’t mention who he is. If we only had Luke’s account, we could not be certain about the fact that this man was already one of the Lord’s disciples; but Matthew makes that fact perfectly clear.
"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father." (Matt.8:21)
3. This man could be one of His twelve. He was one of those like Matthew, Peter, James, and John to whom the Lord Jesus had come, to whom he had said, “Follow Me.” Being called, he was a believer. He was a true disciple. He was, in fact, one of those whom the Lord Jesus was about to send out as a gospel preacher. It seems that he was willing to go, and wanted to go; but he desired a deferment for a while, because he had another, more pressing, more important responsibility. Before he could go out preaching, he must first take care of his family’s needs. He said, “Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.”
4. Notes: G. Campbell Morgan refers to the traveler in the Middle East who was trying to enlist young Arab men 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, p.133)
5. So, he says, “ I can’t come now, I will follow you after my father is gone.”
6. Commentators differ in opinion whether the man’s father had just died, whether he was near death, or a few more years to go. I hold to the view that either the father was near death, or a few more years to go. Because if the father had just died, how could he be with Jesus at the time when his father was to be buried?
7. The truth is his excuse was a mere alibi for delay. The man shows a lack of commitment to Jesus Christ. The man had divided attention: that of his family and that of Jesus Christ.
8. However, it does not mean that we don’t have to take care for our family. The Bible is very clear that we should care for them. We are worse than the unbelievers if we don not care about our family ( 1Timothy 5:8)
9. But if our commitment to our family is higher than our commitment to Jesus, we’re wrong.
B. Jesus’ Replay (v.59)
1“Let the dead bury their dead.” It means “let those who are spiritually dead bury their dead.”
2. “the word ‘dead’ is used in two meaning let the (spiritually) dead bury their (physically) dead…-
3. The Lord was simply saying this: -- There are others who can and will take care of that matter. You have more important things to do. There are other people to bury your father. I have called you and sent you to preach the gospel.
4. In our day there’s a resurgence of emphasis on family. I have heard of a Christian family who refuses to involve in ministry thinking that this will interfere with their family getting together.
5. Some even stay away from church because they need a family quality time. Some also don’t want to send their children in mission field because they fear that they could get killed or kidnapped in other countries.
6. Illustration: My son was in danger.
7. The young man’s priorities were fouled up. He had stressed secular matters above spiritual ones.
8. Then, there are some who attempt to serve Christ with divided loyalties, like the man in our text, attempting to be part time preachers.
9. They are willing to be preachers. They are willing to serve Christ. But they put off their service to Christ, dividing their time and energy between Christ and other matters of concern and responsibility. They fail to understand that those who are called of God to preach the gospel must give themselves entirely to the work of the gospel ministry: to prayer, to study, and to preaching.
III. It cost our personal relationships (v.61-62)
A. Another man offered himself
1. The man offered himself to Jesus. He was willing to follow Jesus. Maybe something about the Lord touches his heart. Maybe he was moved by the miracles of Jesus.
2. But not important enough to let of old relationship and ways.
3. Note the words “but” and “first.”
4. The man had though through his decision and concluded that he was willing to follow Christ, but something else to be handed first: a family affair.
5. He has to go back to his family and ask for their counsel and advice concerning his decision. He felt, approval was needed.
6. There are a lot of people like that. They would come to Christ but they’re afraid of what their family might say or do.
7. This man’s conduct stands here as a warning to all to whom God has given the privilege of preaching the gospel.
8. He seems to have looked upon the work of the ministry as a sacrifice rather than a privilege.
B. Jesus’ Reply
1. “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fir for the kingdom of God.” (v.62)
2. In other words, His followers must be totally focused on His purpose.
3. You can’t keep your one foot in the world just in case something wrong will happen. Your life cannot be divide between living for the old way of life and living for Jesus Christ.
4. The man who wishes to serve the Lord must give his whole heart to the caused and be undivided in his allegiance and loyalty.
5. If he wishes to serve Christ and the world, he is not fir for the work of the kingdom of God.
6. When Jesus talk of “putting his hand to the plow and looking back”, He isn’t referring to how a person earn a living, but rather to a basic focus in life. The disciples must fix his eyes to Jesus Christ and His cause.
7. Brethren we cannot serve Christ with divided hearts. . Christ will not share his throne with anyone, not even with our dearest relatives. He requires our hearts. He must be first.
Conclusion
Following Jesus Christ is not just an important things – it’s the most important thing in life. Our family must be centered on following Jesus Christ and serving Him. Even in our secular work, He must be magnified and glorified. Even in our spare time, we should something as we please. It must be yielded to Jesus Christ and His purpose.
Personal relations, personal priorities, and personal comfort all stand in the way of following Christ. Even though Jesus said in John 6:37 that "him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out," He will not accept those who have no intention of making a true commitment.
So, each of us I think should ask, “Am I following Jesus totally? Am I having some reservations?
If you say, “I will follow Jesus, but…” No! Removed the “but”
