Luke 9:51-62

At this point in his writing, Luke’s gospel makes a major shift and now centers on Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem before He would be put to death (9:51-19:27). Luke writes, “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem…” (9:51). Christ’s focus would now be on completing His earthly mission to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus first passed through Samaria where the people did not receive Him so the disciples inquired whether they should “command fire to come down from heaven and consume them…” (9:52-54); however, Jesus rebuked them saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (9:55-56). Even though the Samaritans worshipped false gods and were deserving of God’s wrath, Jesus showed mercy by restraining His disciples and revealing that He had not come to bring condemnation upon sinners. In fact, the apostle John recorded Jesus’ words concerning His mission on earth, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).

Since the Samaritans rejected Jesus, He took His disciples and travelled to another village and on the road they encountered a man who said, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go” (9:57). Jesus responded saying, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (9:58). Jesus was declaring that those who follow Him must be ready to give up everything for the sake of the gospel. Neither Jesus nor His disciples had homes and probably possessed very few things. After speaking to this man Jesus called someone else to follow Him, but he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father” (9:59). Jesus quickly responded, “Let the [spiritually] dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God” (9:60). It is likely that this man’s father was close to death, as opposed to already dead, and Jesus was stating that preaching the gospel could not wait until this man’s father had died. Spreading the message of hope and salvation was an urgent matter. Another man had received Jesus’ call to follow Him but he said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house” (9:61). Again Jesus implies that that His message could not wait for this man to return home and say good-by to his family, so Jesus says, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit [usable] for the kingdom of God” (9:62). A plowman looking back showed divided interests because he could not plow straight lines while also looking behind him. In the same way, a man who was focused on proclaiming the gospel could not also be consumed with other things. All three of these men with whom Jesus spoke were ready to serve in the kingdom of God. The first man did not understand what it would take to serve. The second man was not ready because he did not see the message as urgent. The third man was not ready because he had other interests along with the kingdom. Following Jesus is not an easy calling because it requires giving up all things for the sake of serving others and obeying God.

Dear God, give me the passion to follow You no matter the cost.