IN THE WALT DISNEY MOVIE, “ALICE IN WONDERLAND,” ALICE FINDS HERSELF AT A FORK IN THE ROAD. AS SHE CONTEMPLATED HER DECISION, SHE NOTICES A CHESHIRE CAT UP IN THE TREE.
UNDECIDED ON WHICH ROAD TO TAKE, ALICE THEN ASKS THE CHESHIRE CAT, “WHICH ROAD DO I TAKE?” THE CAT RESPONDS, “WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?” ALICE ANSWERS, “I DON’T KNOW.” THEN CHESHIRE CALMLY STATES, “THEN, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHICH WAY YOU GO.”
UNDECIDED. UNCOMITTED. UNCERTAIN. DISORIENTED. IT IS NOT JUST ALICE IN WONDERLAND, BUT THE ATTRIBUTES OF A WHOLE WORLD OF PEOPLE WHEN IT COMES TO FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST.
LIKE ALICE, WE ARE AT A FORK IN THE ROAD…FOLLOW JESUS OR KEEP HIM AT A DISTANCE AND GO ABOUT OUR BUSINESS. MATTHEW 7:13-14, WARNS US:“YOU CAN ENTER GOD’S KINGDOM ONLY THROUGH THE NARROW GATE. THE HIGHWAY TO HELL IS BROAD, AND ITS GATE IS WIDE FOR THE MANY WHO CHOOSE THAT WAY. BUT THE GATEWAY TO LIFE IS VERY NARROW AND THE ROAD IS DIFFICULT, AND ONLY A FEW EVER FIND IT.” FOLLOWING JESUS MUST BE A PRIORITY.
OUR ALLEGIANCE TO ANYTHING OF THIS WORLD MUST NOT SURPASS OUR ALLEGIANCE, LOVE, DEVOTION, SERVICE, WORSHIP OR OBEDIENCE TO THAT OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
IT TAKES SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE TO PUT ALL THE ASPECTS OF OUR SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL LIFE INTO THEIR PROPER ORDER OF PRIORITIES. THE THREE PEOPLE IN OUR SCRIPTURE TODAY DIDN’T QUITE DO THAT AND JESUS USES THEM AS AN EXAMPLE TO HELP US.
OUR FIRST PERSON, IN VERSE 57, TELLS JESUS THAT HE WILL FOLLOW “WHEREVER YOU GO.” JESUS REPLIES “FOXES HAVE HOLES AND BIRDS OF THE AIR HAVE NESTS, BUT THE SON OF MAN HAS NO PLACE TO LAY HIS HEAD.”
JESUS IS STATING THAT FOLLOWING HIM REQUIRES RADICAL COMMITMENT. THE COST OF FOLLOWING DOES NOT PROMISE FAME, FORTUNE, WEALTH OR MATERIAL SECURITY. DISCIPLESHIP IS DEMANDING AND WILL REQUIRE TENACITY TO STAND FIRM WHEN FACING ANY FORM OF PERSECUTION, HOSTILITY AND REJECTION.
JESUS SHOWS US THAT WE MUST BE PREPARED TO ENDURE THIS KIND OF TREATMENT FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE SUCH AS OUR FAMILY, AT WORK, IN THE MEDIA, AND EVEN AT CHURCH. WILL YOU FOLLOW JESUS WHEREVER HE GOES?
THEN THERE WAS THE SECOND MAN IN VERSE 60 WHO JESUS PERSONALLY ASKED TO FOLLOW HIM. THE MAN HESITATED BECAUSE HE WANTED TO FIRST GO HOME AND BURY HIS FATHER.
THE UNIQUE THING HERE IS THAT HIS FATHER IS NOT EVEN DEAD. JESUS IS NOT EVEN REFERRING TO DEATH, BUT ACTUALLY DRAWING ATTENTION TO HESITENCY WITH NO EXPIRATION DATE! JESUS WAS CONFRONTING HIS “NOT NOW – MAYBE LATER” ATTITUDE…HE WAS ASKING JESUS FOR AN INDEFINITE DELAY.
HE WASN’T READY TO COMMIT HIMSELF TO JESUS “JUST YET.” JESUS SENSED HIS RELUCTANCE BECAUSE THE MAN WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL HIS FATHER DIED SO HE COULD GET HIS INHERITANCE FIRST BEFORE COMMITTING TO WHAT JESUS WANTED HIM TO DO.
YES, GOD GRANTS US COMMON SENSE, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRITTO HELP US TO KNOW WHEN TO PROCEDE OR TO RESCHEDULE EVENTS AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS SO THAT WE HAVE A PROPER BALANCE OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMMITMENTS TO GOD AND OUR PERSONAL INTERESTS, WORK AND FAMILY MATTERS.
BUT, THE POINT STILL REMAINS....LOYALTY. WE MUST ASK OURSELVES WHAT OR WHO HAS OUR HEART AND OUR LOYALTY? WHAT EARTHLY THINGS ARE CAUSING US TO HESITATE IN RESPONDING TO GOD? MATTHEW 6:21, “FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.” IS JESUS YOUR TREASURE? BE LOYAL TO JESUS!
THE THIRD MAN IN VERSE 61STATES HE WANTS TO FIRST GO BACK HOME TO SAY GOOD-BYE. THAT SEEMS LIKE A LEGITIMATE CONCERN. HOWEVER, IT IS ACTUALLY A STRUGGLE OF PRIORITIES. JESUS IS SAYING THAT OUR GREATEST PRIORITY IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD WHICH REQUIRES RADICAL OBEDIENCE.
WE MUST GAURD AGAINST BEING DISTRACTED, RELUCTANT TO OBEY, AND LETTING THINGS TAKE PRIORITY OVER JESUS. THIS IS A VALUABLE LESSON: WE ARE NEVER JUSTIFIED PUTTING THINGS OFF TO A “BETTER TIME” THAT SUITS US. WE MUST AVOID STALLING, DELAYING AND COMING UP WITH ALL KINDS OF EXCUSES TO AVOID DOING WHAT WE KNOW TO DO.
JESUS IS CHALLENGING OUR TRUE MOTIVES. NOTHING SHOULD EVER DISTRACT US FROM SERVICE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. MAY WE NEVER BE UNWILLING AND RELUCTANT TO PUT GOD FIRST! WE MUST MAKE A CHOICE! GOD MUST BE OUR PRIORITY!!
JESUS NOW, WITH THREE WAIVERING POSSIBILITIES, VERY CLEARLY CONCLUDES IN VERSE 62, “NO ONE WHO PUTS HIS HAND TO THE PLOW AND LOOKS BACK IS FIT FOR SERVICE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” WE MUST STEP OUT IN FAITH AND SERVE GOD WITHOUT LOOKING BACK. WE LOOK FORWARD WITH UNWAVERING FAITH!
JESUS IS ASKING FOR TOTAL DEDICATION WITHOUT ANY HALF-HEARTED COMMITMENTS. HIS FOLLOWERS MUST ACCEPT THE CROSS ALONG WITH THE CROWN, JUDGMENT AS WELL AS MERCY WHILE COUNTING THE COST. HE EXPECTS HIS FOLLOWERS TO ABANDON EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HAS GIVEN THEM SECURITY.
DISCIPLESHIP IS NOT A PART-TIME HOBBY TO TINKER AROUND WITH. IT IS A SACRED DUTY OF GOD'S CALLING ON YOUR LIFE AND SHOULD BE PURSUED WITH THE UTMOST PASSION.
THE LESSON FROM JESUS IS FOR ALL OF US WHO STRUGGLE WITH HAVING A DIVIDED HEART, DISTRACTED MIND, AND SPLIT LOYALTY. JESUS IS CHALLENGING ANYONE THAT MAY BE RELUCTANT TO PART WITH THIS WORLD. REMEMBER: PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS STILL FULL DISOBEDIENCE. WE MUST SURRENDER AND BE RADICALLY OBEDIENT AND TOTALLY SOLD OUT TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
MAY IT BE OUR PRAYER THAT WE WILL CONTINUE WITH CULTIVATING AND DEVELOPING OUR LOVING, PERSONAL, AND INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER THROUGH WORSHIP, PRAYER, FASTING, SERVICE AND OBEDIENCE.
IF WE DO EVEN THIS MUCH, WE WILL FIND THAT THE WORLD WILL BECOME LESS AND LESS OF A DISTRACTION. THOSE THINGS THAT COMPETE FOR OUR LOYALTY WILL SOON SIFT DOWN TO THEIR PROPER ORDER OF IMPORTANCE IN OUR LIFE.
SO, WHAT EXCUSES ARE WE MAKING? LET US GET OUT OF THE EXCUSE-MAKING BUSINESS AND SENSE THE URGENCY TO STEP OUT IN FAITH TO SERVE GOD WHOLE-HEARTEDLY WITHOUT LOOKING BACK, COMPROMISING OR COUNTING THE COST. LET’S JUST DECIDE TO GET GOING, GET TO “BEING” AND GETTING TO “DOING”….TODAY. AMEN!
