A Study In Luke - Day 34

DAY 34 - LUKE 9:44-62
 
Jesus Again Predicts His Death
43 While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” 45 But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
The Greatest in the Kingdom

46 Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf[i] welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

Using the Name of Jesus
49 John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”

50 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”
Opposition from Samaritans

51 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrivall. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus
57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”

The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

I want to focus on the cost of following Jesus today. While the other sections are important, what matters to us is the commitment we have to being a disciple of Jesus and what that means in our lives. These texts, from verses 57-62, clarify to us that following Jesus is not the easiest thing to do, and in fact, it is difficult. Jesus has already made the case that we need to pick up our own crosses and carry them, but here is making sure we know that even sleeping will be difficult.
 
I have always thought these words of Jesus seem to be pretty harsh for those who want to follow him. However, it is good for those who are on the fence about following Jesus to know the truth about what they are getting themselves into. It is no picnic, nor is it ever going to be an easy thing to do.

To follow Jesus, we are asked for everything we have. All our attention, hope, grace, and forgiveness is given to God, and then it flows back to those around us. But following Jesus has never been easy, it has always been the call of a lifetime. It is important that we understand this, and not give only what we have left over to God. We are not called to give our after-work, on-vacation, too-tired, too-angry, or too-frustrated lives to God. But we are asked to give God the first fruits of who we are. We are to give him everything.
Are you ready to give it all to Jesus? Maybe you already have but it is time to re-up the subscription we have to the kingdom of God.

Wherever you are on this journey, know you are prayed for, and you are not doing this all alone!

Blessings!