A Costly Calling?
Luke 9:23-26, 57-62, 14:25-32
January 20, 2019
If you were to ask my sister’s - - they would have quickly told you I was cheap. I did my best not to spend money as I was growing up. Not that I had much, but I will admit I got away with not contributing much to group presents. Usually, I had to kick in $2. But then again, it was back in the 70's.
I’d like to think today, I’m not as cheap as I used to be, now, I’m more thrifty and frugal. I look for bargains, good deals and I use coupons. I think that’s wise.
Also, and I would hope most of us would be this was, I try to calculate the cost of whatever I am going to purchase or what I’m going to do. When you buy a home, you calculate the payment and determine if you can afford it.
When looking for books for Joshua and Zachary, we search lots of websites for the best prices. When making decisions about careers, hopefully Joshua and Zachary, are looking for the best opportunities.
We should be doing this for all of our major decisions. Yet, on the other hand, we should be doing this on a daily basis. We should be determining if what we wear is honoring to God. Is my conduct becoming of a Christ follower, are my words and actions glorifying God. What would God say about what I’m posting on social media . . . snapchat, instagram, facebook, tinder, and whatever else we’re using. Is God pleased with what we’re doing?
We’re in our 4th week of the year and we’re looking at the fact that God has called us into ministry. We all have a purpose and a plan set out by God. It’s a matter of us to discover God’s call, then to accept that call and follow wherever God is leading us.
None of us are an accident! We were created by the Master Architect, God, for a purpose. Some people will balk at God’s plan, others test the waters and say no, while some will jump in and follow God.
Serving God is not for a select few, but for every believer in Jesus. If you believe that, then the question is “What is my mission? What is God calling me to do?”
Yet, the path, the journey as we follow Jesus is not always easy. Sometimes we’re called to do things we never imagined we could. Sometimes we’re called to move to a different part of the world, let alone, a different part of the state.
Next week, I’m going to share a scripture that was very real for me as I believed God was calling me to follow Him, not only as a follower, but ultimately to go into ministry. Who I am today is very different from who I was way back then. So, next week, that will be some of what I talk about.
For now, I want us to look at a passage in Luke 9. It’s really pretty harsh sounding. If we don’t understand what Jesus is getting at, then it can sound like He’s being mean or rude to those who are approaching Him.
Let’s look at this passage from Luke 9:57-62 —
57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 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.”
59 To another He said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:57-62
So, this sounds pretty in your face by Jesus. Some guys want to follow Him, and He’s laying the law down. What’s up with this? Wouldn’t you think Jesus would be a little more accommodating? More welcoming?
I really believe we tend to get easily distracted. Think about how many times you walk into a room and forget what you needed. Have a conversation get interrupted and you can’t remember what you were just talking about. Have something you want to add to a conversation, and before they get to you, we forget our great thought! Am I the only one this ever happens to?
I also believe satan uses distraction as a way to move us further from following Jesus. Normally, I would never ask you to get out your cell phones during worship, but for the next few seconds if you have a cell phone take it out, hold it.
Keeping holding it - - - did you know that statistics indicate –
- The average person checks their cellphone 110 times a day. In a 12 hour day, that’s 9 times per hour.
- 55% of cell phone users text while driving.
- 84% of cell phone users don’t believe they could go a day without their phone.
- 50% of teens admit to being addicted to their cell phones.
- Now - - I want to give you a test . . . Since you’ve been holding your phones - did any of you check your phone? Can we agree, we live in a distracted culture?
From the passage, Jesus identifies and calls out 3 ways we’re distracted when it comes to following Him in mission.
As they are walking on the road, a man walks up to Jesus and tells Him –
57 “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 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.”
This man sounds sincere. He’s been struck by something Jesus said, but Jesus comes back with what sounds pretty negative and defeating.
I believe Jesus is warning this guy, and us as well, that following Him is not going to be as easy and carefree as we think. Oh, it can be a blast, but there’s hardships associated with being a follower and a worker. Jesus wanted this man to know that he’s not going to stay in 5 star hotels because Jesus is the Son of God. He’s not going to eat great meals everyday, wear the best clothes and so on.
Jesus wanted the man to know, Jesus is an alien in this world. A sojourner, kind of like a nomad. Following Jesus would be like following an Old Testament prophet. They were always on the go. They never stayed in one area too long. They had a message to share. Unlike a teacher, who would stay in one area for a long time.
To follow Jesus means you are most likely going to be taken out of your comfort zone. You might be forsaken by others, rejected, mocked.
We don’t hear how the person responds but it’s implied that this was a game stopper for him. If we were to be brutally honest, most of us wouldn’t mind serving Jesus, as long as it doesn’t take us out of our comfort zones.
Think about all the things Jesus had his disciples do. He sent them out for weeks at a time with no cash, extra clothes or a plan B. Ultimately, Jesus would model this “comfortless” life by dying on the cross through excruciating pain.
Think about all of the undesireables they came into contact with? Wouldn’t that make some us a little uneasy? So, Jesus cautions us . . . before you’re jumping in, consider that this might get a little or even a lot messy!
Next, Jesus talks about our commitments. To a 2nd person, Jesus said —
59 “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Now, that sounds super harsh. Who wouldn’t tell someone to go and bury your parent, then when you’re ready, come and find me, and we’ll put you to work.
But, think about it, if his father had died, he would have been busy with family preparing for the funeral. But it’s believed that this man’s father was fully alive, and only after his father would die, would he then come and follow Jesus. It might be years away when this would happen.
Jesus wants this man to understand the urgency to the mission that He’s called us to. It’s not something we pick up when our schedule finally has some breathing room but instead becomes our first priority.
Now, it sounds harsh, but there is nothing more that could be done for a person who has died. Their fate, their eternity is sealed. We can’t pray that person into heaven. It’s all up to their faith in Christ. But . . . what is really urgent is the offer of life to those who are living.
It’s a tough call for many of us. Yet, when we think about it, Jesus is right, it’s pretty in your face, but “let the dead bury the dead.” It’s one of those statements that just doesn’t seem right, yet, it’s a statement that Jesus is making which helps us realize what is important.
I do not believe Jesus would have told someone who’s parent has just died, to walk away and not fulfill the obligations of burial and grieving. He never condemned those who were grieving loved ones.
The woman who was burying her son, the people grieving for Lazarus . . . nobody is condemned for sadness and grief. Jesus doesn’t condemn you for grieving or doing what is needed for your family. He is reminding us how easy it is to make excuses and become distracted.
We fall into many of the same traps. We tell Jesus “yes, but first I need to … OR Lord, I’ll serve but first let me get through this busy season. I’ll give but first let me get this promotion. I’ll spend time reading my Bible in the morning but first let me push the snooze button a few times. Jesus tells us that His mission must come first.
Yet, Jesus gives this man some positive steps . . . it’s what He calls us to do as well . . . in a sense Jesus commissions the man to go and make disciples. He tells him to GO and PROCLAIM the Kingdom of God! That’s the daily call for us. If we can’t physically follow Jesus, then at the minimum . . . GO and PROCLAIM CHRIST . . . that alone can change the world.
Now, we come to the final person —
61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9:57-62
Again, it sounds like tough love. It’s harsh. Is Jesus really telling this guy, ‘hey dude, you can’t go back and say good bye to your family?
Actually, that theme is present in the Bible. Lot’s wife looked back longing for Sodom; the Israelites longed for Egypt, complaining against God and Moses in the desert; and how many of us cling to this life and look back, instead of moving forward in our relationship with Christ? How many of us hold onto the good old days, and miss out on the good new days?
Can you imagine meeting Jesus, and saying, “OK, I’m outta here!” And never say good bye to your family? That seems disrespectful and rude. Not even a text.
Notice that this man uses a word we’re going to hear about in a bit.
BUT! I want to . . . BUT
This guy is trying to make a deal with Jesus. I’ll go with you, BUT. Think about how many times we use the word BUT to stop us from doing something potentially significant.
I would love to help . . . BUT!
I love you . . . BUT!
I’m all in . . . BUT!
I’ll follow you . . . BUT!
Jesus tells this guy you can’t look backwards and go forwards. Well, we can try, but you’ll never go in a straight line. Have you ever driven a car, and looked at something on the side of the road, and without realizing the car is now moving in that direction? We can’t do it. That’s the point!
To look back while plowing was asking for trouble, there would be major mistakes in the field. You had to be focused on what was ahead of you, not on what was behind. In the same way, Jesus demands our attention to what lies ahead.
It’s what Paul said to the church in Philippi. And notice the first word he uses in this statement to the church. In Philippians 3:13-14, he wrote —
13 But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 3:13-14
Paul is actually using the word BUT in a positive sense. Instead of giving up, I’m going to do this! There are a lot of things which compete for our time serving God. The goal is to move forward, to learn from the past, then leave it behind and strain forward so that others would know the power of God’s love and grace.
As we prepare to end, I want you to watch this video, it’s a play on 1 word, but I think you’ll quickly get it pretty quickly.
VIDEO!
Would you pray with me?
