<b><i>What It Takes to Follow Jesus</i></b>

 

Text:	Luke 9:51-62
Lectionary:	Pentecost + 5
Theme:	Discipleship
Date:	June 27, 2010 AM

 

 

Three Stages of Ol Suit.

Introduction: This glimpse into the life of Jesus focuses on the issue of discipleship . . . of what it takes to be a genuine Christ-follower.

          In the first half of our text we observe Jesus as He is the victim of religious prejudice. The Samaritans and the Jews despised one another. Their religious customs were fairly close seeing that the religion of the Samaritans was based on Jewish Scripture and custom. But the differences between them were of a nature as made them confirmed enemies.

          In the opening verses of our text, Jesus is doing what few Jews of the first century would have done – He was traveling through Samaria on His way to Jerusalem. Most Jews would have willingly traveled many miles to go around – and not through – the land of the Samaritans. But Jesus loved them and showed them the love of God in every way possible.

          But as Jesus searches for a place to spend the night in Samaria, as happened at His birth in Bethlehem, He finds no room in the inn. He is rejected because He was on His way to worship in Jerusalem. Samaritans worshiped in Samaria on Mount Gerizim, Jews worshiped in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. If Jesus wouldn’t worship they way they wanted, they wouldn’t make room for Him.

          (It’s sad how many today care more about forms of worship than in having the presence of Jesus in their worship.)

          The disciples of Jesus reacted angrily. Once, long centuries before, the prophet Elijah had called down fire from heaven which destroyed some evil Samaritans. James and John now beg permission to do it again but Jesus tells them “No!”, says that they are not acting in accordance with His attitudes, and simply moves on to the next receptive community.

          But while they were walking along the road, Jesus encounters three people who have an interest in being a disciple. Unfortunately, they each have some excuse why they cannot follow Him right now.

          Mark this down somewhere: When it comes to obeying God, to delay is to deny. Respond with a hearty “yes!” when Christ is calling.

I. Three RESPONSES To THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIp

A. “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” – vs. 57

1. The emphasis here is on the destination. The implication here is that this would-be disciple was expecting Jesus to provide housing and whatever else might be needed.

2. Jesus does not reject the man but merely points out that while the animals of the earth have shelter, He – though he was Israel’s Messiah – had no place on this earth to call His own.

3. If the would-be disciple would follow Jesus, He must be willing to accept the hardships and sacrifices it would require. (How about us?)  

B. “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” – vs. 59

1. Now, here is a religious duty. To bury one’s father was not merely a family responsibility but a sacred task, as well.

2. Some commentators point out that the man’s father is not said to be dead, thus he may merely be very ill or dying. This would mean an indefinite amount of time would pass before the man would truly follow Jesus.

3. Others point out that, under the indigenous system, a person was not considered buried until decay had resulted in their bones being cleaned of all tissue. This process could take up to a year. Then the bones of the dead were gathered up and buried in small ossuaries within the “white-washed sepulchers” that dotted the landscape. This was another long delay between the call to follow Christ and the promised future obedience.

4. Jesus replies that the (spiritually) dead should go and bury the (physically) dead . . . but those who would be His disciples must go (now!) and preach the Good News of the Kingdom!

C. “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” – vs. 61

1. Here is a family obligation that a man wishes to fulfill. Think! What he proposes is not extreme or unusual. Wouldn’t we all want to go back and tell our families that we were going to be off and traipsing around the country with Jesus? We wouldn’t want them to worry, would we?

2. Jesus replies that double-mindedness disqualifies us. We cannot be vacillate or waver between being His disciple and anything else. He demands our total allegiance and obedience. 

II. Conclusion

A. What point was Jesus making here? Why would He insist on such complete obedience and loyalty?

1. Simply this: Jesus is God wrapped in the garment of human flesh. He never acted contrary to his divine identity. And God is not bargained with; God is to be obeyed. Period.

2. Did you notice that in each case (above), the respondent begins their statement by calling Jesus “Lord”? Their lips were saying one thing but their heart was visible in what they did. This is the point Jesus made in Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

3. It is not enough to parrot the language of Christ, to be able to recite His words, or give lip-service to His teachings. Only those whose lives give evidence of submission to His Father’s will and obedience to His Word are qualified to “enter the kingdom.”

B. The Peril of Living an Excuse

1. We each have some excuse in mind when we don’t live up to our commitment to follow Jesus fully and faithfully. What keeps us from being faithful to God? or faithful to his Church?

2. Like those folk in our text we often use our families, our desire for material things, or even religious duties become an excuse for not doing what we know we ought to do.

3. Every now and then some people will ask, “Pastor, what about those who are slipping in their duties to God and His Church?” The answer is simple: those who have heard and responded to the call of Christ will be faithful. They will do what is right because Christ calls them to do it. They will do the things that belong to the life of a disciple . . . because they are disciples! 

Do you have what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? 

Back when Billy Graham first began his crusade ministry, a notorious gangster named Mickey Cohen attended one of the meetings in Beverly Hills.  The meeting was being led by the young evangelist himself.(1) 

Very few people had heard of Billy Graham at this point.  Mickey Cohen was much better known.  Mickey was attracted to what he heard at the meeting.  Afterwards, Billy and some of the others talked to him about salvation, but he made no commitment at that time. 

A while later a Christian friend read Revelation 3:20 to him – “Behold, I stand at the door….”  The friend then asked Mickey if he wanted this salvation.  He said, “Yes, I do.”  The news of his conversion made quite a sensation, and the ministry of Billy Graham became known across the nation. 

There was only one small problem – nothing in Mickey Cohen’s life changed.  When his friend confronted him about it, Mickey complained: “You didn’t tell me I would have to give up my work!”  [Mafia]  “You didn’t tell me I would have to give up my [criminal] friends!”

Mickey had heard that so-and-so was a Christian athlete, and so-and-so was a Christian actress, so he thought he could be a Christian gangster.

 Do YOU have what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? What difference is your relationship with Jesus Christ making in your life? . . . or in the world?

(1) Holwick’s Illustrations