“Lord, I will follow thee” (Luke 9:57). Once as Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, three men voiced their feelings as to a wish to follow him. Jesus did not decline their offer, but he stated facts which may have caused them to reflect on their statement. Sadly enough today, these same simple facts exist as disguises behind which many hide from the true work of a disciple.
To one certain man Jesus says, “Foxes have holes, birds . . . nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). No excuse, just a plain fact: Jesus, after his mission on earth began, had no earthly home to call his own, yet truly the whole of earth was his! He was here to teach and save the people, not to have a home to come to at the close of his day. An earthly home cannot be the most important thing to one who will follow after Jesus. His thoughts are to be centered on preaching the Word.
To another who wanted to be his disciple, but needed time to first go and bury his father, Jesus said, “Let the dead bury the dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:61). Even family matters must be placed second after the choice is made to follow after God. Jesus said go, preach the kingdom of God, don’t wait on a family member to die and be buried! Personal affairs cannot be an excuse for the action taken when a choice is made to serve the Lord.
Another said he too would follow the Lord, “but let me go bid them farewell which are at home at my house” (Luke 9:61). Jesus had this to say, “No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Family must not be used as an excuse. Given time to look back into the ways of the world will not make a Christian more Christian! About face and keep on marching once the choice is made to go!
Impulsive candidates usually do not count the cost. Jesus did not reject them; he just pointed clearly to the trials to be expected by those who wished to follow him. If they did turn away, they could only blame themselves. Again, Jesus makes room for choices to be made. A disciple of Christ must fit the pattern, the one blueprinted and signed by God then stamped in approval by the Master Builder, Christ, his Son! Jesus accepts only those bearing this signature.
Was Jesus asking for those three men to get their priorities in line? Of course he was! Their first obligation would be to live for Christ and be obedient to him. Go preach the word! It can be done. The first twelve disciples performed as servants wherever they were needed, going about from place to place preaching the good news, willing to follow Jesus daily regardless of other personal affairs. The servant is to be willing to give first place to the wishes of the Master for no other reason than it is a reasonable duty to please that Master! The attitude of servanthood and the hardships encountered should not frighten the prospective disciple of Christ. It is an incentive to do great things.
“And Ruth said, entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people will be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 2:16). Now Ruth was willing to go and to follow after Naomi and her God, not fearing for herself and certainly having her priorities straight. Whatever Naomi would do, Ruth would do also. Even to the choice of God!
“And he said to them all, if any will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). To save one’s own life seems to be the paramount thought here, but to do this one must follow after the Christ daily taking up his own cross. This was what Jesus was saying to those three men. Take up your cross and follow after me and I will give you life. This can still be heard today. Jesus offers nothing short of life everlasting if we follow him and do his will. We could live and gain many possessions and have great advantages (excuses for living in this world), yet on that last day have nothing—a big fat zero—zilch, if we in turn have not followed after Christ.
“For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away” (Luke 9:25). It will be too late to cry on the last day, “Lord withersoever thou goest, I will go!”
