Theme: Commitment to Follow Christ
Text: Luke 9: 57-62
Introduction
A. In Israel, particularly in Jerusalem, there is what they call a “Wailing Wall.” People will go to this place to pray. One day, a journalist was assigned to the Jerusalem Bureau of his newspaper. He got an apartment overlooking the Wailing Wall. After several weeks he realized that whenever he looked at the wall he saw an old Jewish man praying vigorously. He wondered whether there was a publishable story about the sight. So he went down one morning to the wall, introduced himself to the old man and said: "I see that you come every day to the wall. What are you praying for?"
The old man replied: "I come here to pray for world peace, for the brotherhood of men, and for the eradication of illness and disease from the earth."
The journalist was impressed of the old man’s sincerity and persistence. He continued to ask: "You mean you have been coming to the wall to pray every day for these things?" How long have you been coming to the wall to pray for these things?" The old man nodded and said: "Maybe twenty or twenty-five years."
The amazed journalist finally asked: "How does it feel to come and pray every day for over 20 years for these things?" The old man replied. "It feels like I’m talking to a wall."
We’re sure that praying at that wall got old, but at least, HE WAS COMMITTED TO DOING IT!
B. In our previous message we learned that God is calling us to stand up and make a commitment to Him. In relation to that, Paul told us that to commit our life to God is our reasonable service. Committing our whole life to God is our logical and sensible response to His great love and mercy.
C. Now, let’s continue our message on the subject of commitment, and I’d like us to know and understand the kind of commitment Jesus required from us when He called us to follow Him. Let’s open our Bibles to Luke 9: 57-62.
Brief background:
At this point of time, the popularity of Jesus had spread throughout Palestine. Consequently, many were attracted to follow Him because He had performed great miracles. He had enabled the blind to see, the lame to walk, and cast out demons. Many had seen how He multiplied the 5 loaves and 2 fishes into enough food to feed the 5000 men. Perhaps, many people who had experienced these things had thought, “If Jesus can do all these things then surely, if I follow Him, He can meet all my needs. I won’t miss this great chance.”
Actually, the three persons in our passage were enough to represent them all. They did come and express their desire to follow Jesus. But amazingly, Jesus did not welcome them. In fact He turned them away. Why? Did our Lord not desire to have as more followers as possible? No, but He wanted something more important than that: He wanted commitment from those who would serve Him.
Today the Lord Jesus still requires that same kind of commitment from those who would serve Him. Let us look carefully at the 3 IMPORTANT POINTS IN COMMITTING OUR LIVES TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST.
I. WILLING TO SACRFICE FOR JESUS
In verse 57 the first man said to Jesus: “I will follow you wherever you go.” It’s quite a bold statement. But did he mean exactly what he says? Had he any idea where this Jesus may be headed and what may be involved in his journey? Did he think of the consequences of following the teacher? Perhaps, he was just thinking about the glory of being a follower of this miracle-working teacher?
So, in His reply, Jesus told the first man that to follow Him “WHEREVER He’s going” will not be an easy road. Jesus did not want him to think of the glory of being His follower, but to know and realize that there is a price to pay for following Him. Jesus is reminding this man that He is not one of the “high-flying” Rabbis of Israel who jet from village to village, staying in the best hotels, and collecting nice offerings from the crowds that come to hear them. No sir. The Ministry of Jesus is a true “FAITH” ministry!
Now, look at the reply of Jesus to the first man’s request: “Foxes have holes, and birds have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head”. The Lord is saying here that even the very poor creatures have a relatively comfortable life compared to His life. He was asking the man now, “If you really want to follow Me, are you willing to live and sacrifice the way I live?” There is no such as cozy discipleship, my friend.
When Jesus stepped out of His throne in glory to come to the earth and live and die for us, He left behind all that He had. He exchanged wealth for poverty – out of a glorious heavenly palace into a rude cattle shed. He exchanged ruler-ship for servant-hood. So when calling people to follow Him, He did not offer them earthly security. Actually, when He came to earth, He has no earthly security. All he had was loaned accommodation by those who loved Him. He borrowed a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. He was even buried in a borrowed tomb!
Now, I don’t say that those who follow Him have “no security.” There is perfect security in following the Savior –but it’s not earthly security. It’s not the security of material possessions, or money, or homes. Instead it’s the security of God’s faithfulness, and of the life beyond this one we have that no one and nothing can take away.
To some, sacrifice may come by way of persecutions. I read in the internet about the repressions experienced by our fellow Christians in Muslim countries today. Many of them were tortured and horribly killed. Even children are not safe. They need our prayers. But you see, these people are not afraid about death. They know death might be the price for their commitment to follow the Savior. One person was asked why he risked his life for Jesus. Without second thought he said: because I know no other option than serving my Lord and King. I’m so blessed with their commitment.
Sadly, many who called themselves Christians, or even followers of Jesus, have the same mentality with the first man here. They only like to know the comfort and the glory of being a follower of Jesus. When their following promises no gain, they drop out. And when something is asked from them –time, money, talent, and self-discipline, they back off. Friends, if you’re not willing to sacrifice for Jesus, you’re not fit for Him. He said: “If you want to be my disciple, take up your cross and follow Me.” One preacher says, “The cross is not only our symbol of salvation; it is also to be the pattern for our lives.”
II. AVAILABLE TO SERVE JESUS
In verse 59 we find our second man in the story. He was the only one of the three whom Jesus invited to follow Him. But he was busy doing something else and so was not available to do what the teacher bids him to do. He said: “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Now this sounds a very good and reasonable excuse. Perhaps he’s hoping to hear a considerate response from the Lord, but to his dismay, Jesus said: “Let the dead bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Was Jesus being cruel, unkind, and insensitive to the need of this man? Not at all! The Word of God shows us that Jesus is always most compassionate and concerned to those who were distressed. Let us be careful how we understand this situation.
One important thing to observe is that this man was with Jesus at this point in time and was not in his own home. This shows that his father was probably not dead yet. If his father had already died, he would not have been where Jesus was. He would have been at home, since it is always the Jewish custom/tradition to bury someone on the very same day that he died.
A recent research suggests that burial customs in the vicinity of Jerusalem from about 20 B.C. to A.D. 70 involved a re-interment 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. What this second prospective disciple was really saying was this, “Lord, please excuse me this time. Please wait until my father dies and is buried and reburied, and then after that, I will follow you. I cannot be available to you now, but maybe later on.” He wants Jesus to wait around for as much as a year before making a commitment to follow Him. The reply of Jesus was a stern rebuke of his indecisiveness.
How many times are we guilty of being unavailable to God and His work because we are doing something else? How many times we neglect our time with God because we have to hurry to accomplish other things? Friends, we must always maintain a healthy balance between the time we spend for our work, our career and family, and the time we spend for the Lord. Do not allow yourself to become so busy that you have no time left for the things of God. Murray says, “There were days that I had a lot of things to do that I had to first spend 3 hours praying.”
A Nashville newspaper carried a story of Mrs. Lilia Craig who hasn’t missed attending church in 1,040 Sundays (20 years) although she is in her eighties. There are many questions raised: Doesn’t it ever rain or snow in her town on Sunday? Doesn’t she ever have an unexpected company? Doesn’t she ever beg off to attend picnics, family reunions, or have head aches, colds, nervous spells, become angry at the minister, or had her feelings hurt by someone else and felt justified in staying home to hear a good sermon on radio or TV?
Commitment –that’s what she had. Friends, no one can claim to have commitment unless he makes himself available. Our commitment to God requires our availability to Him and His work.
III. SINGLE-MINDED TO FOLLOW JESUS
To the third man that comes to Him and makes a rather reasonable request to go back to his home first and say good-by to everyone there, Jesus used a very familiar illustration to drive out the truth that commitment to follow Him required single-mindedness, undivided attention, which this prospective disciple failed to exhibit.
In verse 62, Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.” If a farmer wants to plow a straight line he must concentrate fully on controlling the direction of the plow. He must keep his eyes looking in front and no where else, otherwise he will start to drift off course. Good plowing requires single-mindedness. In the same way, our commitment to the Lord requires us to be single-minded.
Well, the Lord knows that his heart was divided and his attention would seriously affect his commitment in Christ’s kingdom. He would have been thinking about what he would lose by his following the Master. The farewell he asked here to do was more than a simple good-by. Many ancient customs called for a prolonged good-by filled with festive parties. It is likely that this man had intended to have several farewell parties from both family and friends. This could take days or even weeks before it was finished.
Sadly, we are much like this man because we still have fears on what we lose by following Jesus. We are hesitant to leave our comfort zones so that out we go wherever God may lead us. We lack the faith to fully entrust God our whole life. We are afraid to take the risk of total commitment. But try to take a careful look at everything that we gain by following Jesus. We gain His presence, His peace and His power. Some did look back when God had called them forward. Lot’s wife, Judas Iscariot, and Demas looked back. No good thing is to be remembered about them. They were not worthy of the Kingdom of God.
Are you fit for God’s kingdom? Are you willing to sacrifice for the Lord? Can God count on your availability for Him and His work? It’s all up to you. He won’t force you. Neither would He accepts half-hearted commitments.
