Matthew 8:18-22-And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side.
Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Look at Jesus’ response-Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.
What Jesus is saying, “If you follow me, I am not going to promise that it is going to be a easy road!”
Nowhere To Lay His Head-Jesus is not saying that he hadn’t been given hospitality from people, but He is saying that this world was not His home, that He had no permanent residence.
Luke 2:7-And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
John 7:1-After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.
Matthew 8:34-And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Luke 9:52-53-and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.
But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.
John 1:11-He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
It is told that there was a certain tribe in Africa that elected a new
king every seven years. The king would reign for seven years enjoying high honor
and every luxury known to the tribe. During those years, that king’s authority
is absolute even to the power of life and death over the members of the tribe.
The only catch was at the end of the seven years when a new king would be
chosen, the old king was killed. Every member of the tribe was aware of this
provision because the custom had long been practiced, yet there was never a
shortage of men wanting the job.
They were willing to forfeit their lives in order to enjoy seven years of luxury and power.
Some people are willing to give up a lot, just to enjoy comfort just for a little while.
But Jesus is implying, put up with a little discomfort for awhile to enjoy comfort for all of eternity.
Here are a couple of the cost that maybe asked of you when you follow Jesus!
Two willing followers, but are they limited in how much they will follow?
1-Your Home-Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head
God, may ask of you to give up your home to follow Him, would you?
“I don’t think God would do that!”
Let’s try this scenario-How about there are a group of people in another town, who need to hear the gospel, but no one has went to share with them (In the mean time, you have been praying for God to use you, of course you mean right were you are) But God wants you to go to that city, to that place to serve Him, so He can’t get you to go on your own, so He makes circumstances happen that you lose your job, and guess what, a job opportunity arises in that town, at that place where those people are, even maybe where they work.
Now, will you move to take the job, or will you try to find a job in your location?
How about another scenario, You are getting to age in your life, when you can’t stay by yourself, so you have to leave your home and either go into a nursing home or a assisted living facility.
Will you see this as a curse or will you see this as a opportunity to continue to follow the Lord?
There maybe someone who does not know Christ, and it takes you being there in that facility to reach them!
If we are going to follow Jesus, we have to a least willing to go where He leads us!
Because the truth is, He may ask us to give up something that is dear to us!
Jesus was fixing to get into a boat and go on to the other side, was this man really ready to leave all that had at home…Scribe was a person that not only knew the old testament but preserved it, by making copies, it was a important job, it was a job with prestige, was he willing to leave all that to follow Jesus, to leave everything he knew, everything he was accustom too!
People are willing to follow Jesus to a certain point, but not past that!
2-Your Family-Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead
Will you put following Jesus before your family, before your family needs, before your family wants!
Was this man just using his obligation to honor his father and mother, just as a excuse?
Jesus can and does sometime bring a division in a family.
But it’s the only kind of division that should be!!
He brings a division between those who are for Jesus and those who are against Jesus.
It is amazing how God will take a family who nearly every member of that family is non-believer, and puts a believer in the midst of them!!
How many stories do we hear about that someone has excepted Christ as their Savior and the whole family has turned their back on them!
I think about Joseph, He was trying to follow God, and his brothers weren’t, but because of his faithfulness, he was able to save his family, at least save them physically from dying!
