FOLLOW ING M EANS LEAVING- LUKE 9:57-62
Delivered: March 13, 2016 | Steve Husch
Background:JesusishavingtremendouspopularitywiththepeoplebecauseofHispowerand
authorityoverdemonsanddiseases(Luke9:1).Everyoneis“astonished”and“amazed”atwhatHeis
doing.The12arehavingsuccessaswell,andinchapter10Jesusislaunchingamissioninvolvingmany
othersbesidethe12.InspiteofHispopularity,Jesushasrecentlybeguntofeelrejection,startingwith
theSamaritans(v.51-53).ThisrejectionwilleventuallycometoaheadinJerusalem,Hisdestination.
I.
The “W H EREVER” disciple:
A. AccordingtoMatthew’saccountthismanwasateacheroftheLaw(ascribe).
B. MatthewtellsusheapproachesJesusbycallingHim“teacher”-want’stobeastudent.
C. He“volunteers”tofollowJesus,butlookattheprecedingchapters.(Jesusisenjoying
popularityandhisdisciplesarehavingsuccess).Heiseager to learnfromsuch
anamazing teacher.Hewantsto soak –upallhecanfromRabbiJesus!
D. Besides,whatbetter candidatecouldJesushopeforthananotherteacher?
E. Thismanisfocusedonwherehewouldbewillingto go(assumingofcoursethat
Jesuswouldprovidehiseveryneed…likeHehadjustdonewithfeedingthe5,000).
F. ButJesus’focusisonwhatapersoniswilling to leave behind in order to go.
G. Sowhenthismanrefersto“following”Jesus,helikensitto“accompanying”Jesus.
H. He’s“along for the ride”…butdoesn’trealizetheroadisabouttogetbumpy.
I.
Jesusisalreadybeginningtoexperiencerejection(theSamaritan’srejectedHimand
deniedHimlodgingandaplacetosleep–vs.53)anditwillonlybecomeworse.
J. Assessm ent of the 1 st m an - Follow ing m eans leaving…
A G O O D REPU TATIO N .
II.
The “W H EN EVER” disciple
A. ThismanispersonallyinvitedbyJesustofollow(thesameterminologyasthe12).
B. Hemostlikelyjust watchedJesustellthe1stmanthattherewillbenocomfortin
followingHim.Thismanactslikehewantstofollow,butneedstopost-poneit.Why?
1
Thisdelay,atfirstglance,seemstobenotonlyreasonable,butitishonorable.
2
3
Clarify-Thismansfather was not dead.Ifsohewouldn’tbetherewithJesus.
Hewould,asason,beexpectedtohonorhisfatherbyburial&mourning(30days).
4
Afterthishewouldthenreceivehisinheritance.Neededtobetheretogetit.
C. Heassumesbecauseofhisobligationtohisfamily(andto himself),hecanwait
formoreconvenient“timing”inhislife….whichisatsomepointdowntheroad.
D. HetrulybelievesthatitisreasonableandthatJesus can and will waitforhim.
E. Jesustellshimtoleave to otherswhatanyoftheothers could do(Burythedead).
F. Hisfocusshouldbeongood news(thekingdom),notbadnews–deathofloved-one.
G. Assessm ent of the 2 nd m an - Follow ing m eans leaving…
CO N VEN IEN T CIRCU M STAN CES .
III.
The “H O W EVER” disciple:
A. Hemightbeconsideredthe“but first”disciple.
B. HetoohadprobablywitnessedhowJesushadhandledtheprevioustwo,andisreadyto
go.Hedoesn’tneedtheinheritancefromhishousehold…justtheir blessing.
C. Hisrequestseemsreasonable,butdrawsa harshresponsefromJesus.
D. Afewpoints to consider:aboutthisman:
1.Notice-Jesushadnotaskedhimtofollow.NeitherdidheaskJesusifhecouldfollow.
2.Heassumesthathecanfollow,buthasoneterm(whichJesusdenies).
4.MaybeJesusknewthathewouldbegoingbacktoafamilythatwouldnever
understandthis.
5.TheblessingofhisfamilyseemstotrumpthecallofJesus.
E. Theexpression“looking back”doesnotmeanareturntotheworldorhisfamily,
butthereluctancetobreakwiththeminthefirstplace.Hisheartwouldalwaysbeat
home.ThisreluctanceiswhatJesusdealswith.
F. Jesussaysyoucannotfollowmebylookingbackwards.
G. Assessm ent of the 3 rd m an - Follow ing m eans leaving…
A DIVIDED LO YALTY .
IV.
O bservations:
A. Eachofthese3men’scommitmenttoChristwasnullified or minimizedbysome
previous allegiancealreadyexistingintheirlife.
B. Eachwantedtofollow…on termsthatallowedthemtokeeptheircurrent priority.
C. What’smore-everyexcusefornotfollowingChristwhole-heartedlyisrelatedinsome
waytoanexistinghigher level of commitment giventothehomeorfamily!
D. Everyexcuseseemslegitimateandevennobleatfirstglance…especiallyinthe
cultureoftheday,untilJesusEXPO SEStherealreasonbehindtheinabilitytofollow.
E. NoticethatJesusdoesn’t modifyHisconditionforanyonethatwouldfollow,
regardlessofwhethertheyvolunteeredorwerespecificallycalledtofollow.
F. The “Takeaw ays”:
1. Follow ing m eans LEAVIN G W H AT W E TREASU RE M O ST a. Jesusknowsthatfollowingandleavingare inseparable.Whatdoesitmean?
1) Leavingdoesn’tmeanweabandonmentorneglect.
2) Example-M arriage…needto leaveparentsbeforeyoucancleave to
wife.Doesn’tmeanwedisownourparents…butnowasecondarypriority.
3) Meanswecan’tgiveprimaryattentiontotwothingsatthesametime.
b. Jesusisalwaysfarmoreconcernedaboutwhatwearewillingtoleavethan
whatweareexpectingtogain.Weneedlesstodistractus(Simplify).
2. Follow ing m eans N O “DISCLAIM ERS” (evenreasonableones).
a. Thereisnoplacefor“som ewhere”,“sometime”or“somehow ”disciples.
b. Weneverdictatetheconditionsbywhichwewillfollow.
c. Ifwetrytodictatethetermswe are not “following” as Jesus would
defineit…wearemerely“observing”Jesus(oftenwithadmiration).
3. Follow ing m eans N O “SU PPLEM EN TS ” a. ThefirstmanviewedJesusasasupplementtohis1stpriority-hisresume.
(Following Jesus was a means to an end).
b. ThenextmansawJesusasasupplementtohis1stpriority-hisresponsibility.
(Following now would be irresponsible).
c. ThelastmansawJesusasasupplementtohis1stpriority-hisrelatives.
(Following would be better with a blessing to go with it).
G. Consolation:ThoughitseemslikeJesusisdiscouraging“followers”Heisreally
sparingthemfromafrustrating situationtheyaren’tpreparedorequippedfor.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Notice Luke 10:1.Jesussendingout70otherstopreachaheadofHim.
THE3DON’TFIT.
ThetextneversaysthatJesussaidNO.
AftertalkingwithJesustheyknowTHEYARENOTREADY.
Theyalsoknownowthattheywouldhavebeeninamiserablesituation.
H. Jesuswillcontinue to challengeanything/onechallengingtheKingdom.
1. Hewelcomesanyonetofollowthatisequippedtofollow.
2. WhenHehasspecialplans(aswithsendingthe70)hedesiresthoseHeusestobe
fitforthetask.
3. Heisactuallydealingmercifullywiththese3men…andwithusaswell.
I. FOLLOWING MEANS LEAVING. We have just looked at three
scenarios that challenged the call to LEAVE and FOLLOW.
J. What is the priority in your life that trumps Jesus?
K. Are you ready to leave it in order to follow Him?
1. There are those that “ACCOMPANY” Jesus.
2. There are those that are “STUDENTS” of Jesus.
3. There are those that “FOLLOW” Jesus…
and FOLLOWING MEANS LEAVING !