A Pause to Ponder God's Word
Leftovers
The responses of
Jesus to the would be disciples in Luke 9:56-62 baffle us. The three men
seem so willing to follow Jesus. Their requests do not seem out of line.
Though the first does not specifically request anything, Jesus' response
to him implies that his wherever you go had some qualifications
to it, or at least the man was not fully aware of what his commitment involved.
The second man responds to Jesus' call with first let me bury my father.
His statement reveals that his father had not yet died, but was ill and
near death. The third simply requests to say good-by to his family before
leaving to follow Jesus. We want, even expect, Jesus to tell them that
He understands and that they can catch up with Him as soon as they are
able. But He doesn't do as we expect. He strongly confronts, actually rebukes,
them.
The hard sayings of Jesus
in this passage cause us great distress. There is much discussion about
what they mean and how they should be understood. We cannot avoid His responses,
but the key to this encounter is found in the men's statements. Jesus responded
to their, but first let me. The men's requests revealed that there
were things that came before Jesus. Jesus' responses confronted their misunderstanding
of true discipleship. As harsh they seem, Jesus' replies were love in action.
He could not allow them to be deluded into thinking that following Him
was anything less than full and total consecration to Him and His way.
To give less is to go the broad way that leads to destruction.
These verses require us
to do some self-examination. How often does God get our leftovers? How
often does Jesus hear us say, but first let me...? We do not always
say it verbally, but our lives speak it through action. "First Lord let
me finish my education then I will have more time for you." "First Lord
let me get established in this job and advance in it and then I will have
time for You." "First Lord let me use up this thing, then when I get new
one I will donate the old one to Your church to use for ministry." "First
Lord let me spend time with my family and then we will go to worship times
with others." "First Lord let me get the things done that I need to today
and then we'll have some time together." "First Lord let me get the rest
I need. I've been so busy that I am exhausted. You understand. We talk
and I'll read Your Word later."
It is not that these things
are bad in themselves. In fact, following Jesus will often include many
of them. The problem is that they come first. When we get done doing want
we want then we follow. God gets our leftovers. Following Jesus is not
our life activity. Following Jesus is all too often a matter of convenience
and comfort. We will follow, but first let me...
Just before the confrontation
with these men, Luke tells us that Jesus had resolutely set out for
Jerusalem. (9:51) He set His face toward the cross and the fulfillment
of the Father's will. As Jesus set His face resolutely toward Jerusalem,
so we must resolutely set our faces toward Him. Let nothing distract us.
Nothing to the right or left, Jesus only! Look only to Jesus. This is true
discipleship. Here alone is life in and fellowship with Christ. There cannot,
must not, be any but first for us. We must follow Jesus first, always,
and in everything.
Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry
A Pause To Ponder God's Word is written and distributed
by Gerald Whetstone, Ordained Elder and teacher in the Church of the Nazarene.
These devotionals may be transmitted, duplicated, used in part or in entirety
without permission for nonprofit purposes only. Responses welcome.
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