Tag Archives: Urgency

God’s People, part 214: But First…

Read Luke 9:61-62

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.”  (Genesis 19:26, NLT)

When we think of God’s people, we tend to think one of two things. We might think of the Israelites who were God’s “chosen people”, or we might think of specific characters in the Bible. Either way, we tend to idealize the people we are thinking about. For instance, we may think that God’s people are super faithful, holy, perform miracles and live wholly devout and righteous lives. Unfortunately, this idealism enables us to distance ourselves from being God’s people, because we feel that we fall short of those ideals. As such, I have decided to write a devotion series on specific characters in the Bible in order to show you how much these Biblical people are truly like us, and how much we are truly called to be God’s people.

KingJesusPart 214: But First…: One has to wonder if the man in today’s Scripture reading was actually paying attention to the first two that attempted to follow Jesus. To recap, the first man was someone who was caught up in what Jesus had been saying and doing. In an emotional response, he called out to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go” (Luke 9:57, NLT). To which Jesus responded, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head”  (Luke 9:58, NLT).

The second gentleman was some one Jesus had called to follow him; however, he was a dutiful son who did not want to leave his father; therefore, he said he would follow, but requested that Jesus allow him to wait until he buried his father. That request was denied, and Jesus certainly conveyed the urgency and the importance of his mission in doing so.

Now, we get to this third man and we have to wonder if he was simply not paying attention. That is one possibility or, the other is that it is possible that, while these three instance are back-to-back in Scripture, they didn’t happen at the same time. Either way, this man called out to Jesus and said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you. But first let me say good-bye to my family.” If I could insert a Jesus face-palm picture in here, I would. Clearly, if Jesus wouldn’t grant a person the opportunity to wait and bury his father, why would he grant that concession to this man? Then again, the man saying good-bye would take far less time than a man returning home to wait for his father to die. Maybe this man was not “face-palm” worthy after all.

Still Jesus answered as, by now, you probably would expect: “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.””  (Luke 9:62, NLT). Again, Jesus was making it clear what that his gospel mission was of the utmost importance. It could not, would not, take 2nd place to any other purpose. When Jesus call his disciples, he does not do it at their convenience? His calling does not come on their time or the way that would be most comfortable for them; rather, his call comes on his time and with urgency.

This, my friends, should challenge us all. In what ways have we been negligent in answering Christ’s call? When reading this passage, I cannot help but think of Lot’s wife in Genesis. When God’s angels told Lot and his family to leave Sodom, they also warned them not to look back at the city. Sadly, Lot’s wife could not avoid looking back and, as a result, she turned into a pillar of salt.

In what ways are we Lot’s wife? In what ways are we this man who wants to look back to his family before committing to follow Jesus? This man could have simply said yes without condition and I am sure he would have found a moment or two to say goodbye to his family; however, he put saying goodbye as a condition to his following Jesus. In what ways do we put conditions on our commitment?

Today, be challenged to remove all conditions to following Christ. Remember, Christ Jesus is Lord of all and one day, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”  (Philippians 2:10-11, NLT). Be committed to Christ and put him first in all that you say and do.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“The more we make our lives about us, then the more we waste our time. When we get older, we devote our lives to ourselves, and then we wasted it. If we want to devote our lives to something significant, something that matters, then we should devote our lives to the Lord Jesus.” – Trip Lee

PRAYER
“Great and glorious God, and Thou Lord Jesus, I pray you shed abroad your light in the darkness of my mind. Be found of me, Lord, so that in all things I may act only in accordance with Thy holy will. Amen” – Francis of Assisi

God’s People, part 213: Dutiful Son

Read Luke 9:59-60

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.””  (Luke 8:21, NLT)

When we think of God’s people, we tend to think one of two things. We might think of the Israelites who were God’s “chosen people”, or we might think of specific characters in the Bible. Either way, we tend to idealize the people we are thinking about. For instance, we may think that God’s people are super faithful, holy, perform miracles and live wholly devout and righteous lives. Unfortunately, this idealism enables us to distance ourselves from being God’s people, because we feel that we fall short of those ideals. As such, I have decided to write a devotion series on specific characters in the Bible in order to show you how much these Biblical people are truly like us, and how much we are truly called to be God’s people.

JesusLightOfTheWorldPart 213: Dutiful Son. This is one of those instances where Jesus does something that just seems inexplicable to us. Anyone who reads this and takes it seriously must be left scratching her or his head. What a callous and cold thing for Jesus to say. Jesus called to a man, asking him to become a follower, and the man expressed a desire to do so; however, his father had died and he wanted to bury him first before leaving his home behind to follow the Lord.

Jesus’ reply, at first look, is mind-boggling. “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60, NLT). For a devout Jew, this teaching is beyond harsh. It goes against the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”  (Exodus 20:12, NLT)

Culturally speaking, caring for and burying one’s father was the greatest honor a devout Jewish son could have. But before we get up into a tizzy over Jesus’ words, there is something to consider. It is not clear that this man’s father had died already. If he had, why would this man be with Jesus instead of with his father? It is more likely that this man’s father was still alive and, if that was the case, this man was actually saying, “I will Lord, someday. As soon as I can.” In other words, this man was saying that he would follow Jesus once he was done caring for and burying his father, whenever that time would occur.

That context makes a world of a difference when it comes to understanding Jesus’ response. It may still seem cold and callous, and it certainly still seems to fly in the face of fifth commandment; however, Jesus’ words also become a little less shocking and easier for us to digest in order that we might come to an understanding of what Jesus was teaching this man and the others who were around him.

Yes, it is important to take care of one’s parents and, yes, it is important to uphold the ten commandments; however, which is MORE important, honoring your earthly father, or honoring your Father in heaven. Jesus had come from the Father that all might find Salvation in him. The Good News was urgent and Jesus knew his time on earth was short. He was calling this man into discipleship, a call that would lead to establishing his body on earth once he resurrected and ascended. The body of Christ, also known as the Church, would go on to be builders of the Kingdom of God, on earth as it is in heaven.

So, when Jesus calls this man, there is divine urgency; however, the man wants to put off the call until another time when it is more convenient. He his putting his familial and social responsibilities ahead of his duty to follow the Lord our God. The message from Christ is clear, follow now. There is no time to wait, and God will not be put on the back burner. Follow now, or God will move on from you to others who will.

This, then, should be alarming and challenging to all of us. Do we serve Jesus and put him first in ALL things? Do we spread the Gospel faithfully with urgency? Or do we put him on the back burner while we tend to other things first? Of course, we struggle with that and, of course, there’s grace in all of us; however, the message couldn’t be clearer, NOW IS THE TIME TO FOLLOW AND SERVE OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. I pray our hearts, and eventually our actions, fully align with Jesus through the grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs – let them come to me, provided only I make my way to Jesus Christ.” – Ignatius of Antioch

PRAYER
Lord, help me to sense the urgency in spreading your good news and give me the courage to spread it. Amen.