Luke 9:57-62 The Cost of Discipleship (Matthew 8:18-22; Luke 14:25-33; John 6:60-65)
“As they were walking along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”
Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.”
The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.”
Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
The morning Jesus begins making these statements, the disciples are really scratching their heads. You can almost hear them thinking, “Jesus! What do you think you are doing? Don’t you know that if you want to be inclusive, you shouldn’t be discouraging people this way?” Jesus knows exactly what his disciples are thinking; that’s why he is saying these things.
What the disciples can’t see and what Jesus already knows is that following him is going to be both the very best thing the disciples have ever done and also the most dangerous. Jesus knows that the religious professionals are out to get him any way they can and that sooner or later, they’ll succeed. When that day arrives, anyone found following Jesus will be persecuted and possibly even killed.
Let’s look at what we can learn from these three men. “As they were walking along the road, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Matthew tells us that this was one of the scribes who made this statement just as Jesus gave orders to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus recognizes that this man wants to follow him…as long as it’s pleasant and convenient. Right now the sky is blue, the sun is shining, and the birds are singing. But this man has no idea that Jesus must depend on the kindness of others for everything, including a place to sleep. What happens when a cold rain is falling and nobody offers shelter? Jesus might wind up sleeping in a cave, not an inviting thought.
Jesus wants this man to think carefully before he makes commitments he can’t possibly keep. And this man is used to public approval. What happens when Jesus falls into disfavor? What happens if Jesus is dragged before the Sanhedrin, the religious court? John 12:43 tells us that there were many religious leaders who were secret followers of Jesus but who feared to be open about it, “for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God.”
Then He said to another man, “Follow Me.”
The man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Let the dead bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Was this man’s father dead already? Chances are good that the man’s father was hale and hearty with every intention of living several more years. No matter how dedicated a son this man appears to be, he’s really concerned with securing his inheritance once his father dies. Should this man’s father die while he is moving around the country with Jesus, he might lose out entirely. Jesus knows all this and that’s why he elicits a response by telling the man to follow him. This man isn’t even pretending to be a follower; he’s merely a listener. No way is this man stepping out into an uncertain future! And why should this man proclaim the kingdom of God? Aren’t there enough rabbis and teachers of the Law already?
“Still another said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first let me bid farewell to my family.”
Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Now this sounds really harsh unless we consider the type of farewell this man has in mind. It’s likely that this guy isn’t simply thinking of stopping by the house and kissing everybody goodbye before setting off. No, this man wants proper farewell parties with some recognition of the sacrifice he is making so everybody can admire his willingness to suffer. Jesus knows that taking this man as a disciple would be a disaster, for he would always be finding excuses for running back to his family instead of obeying Jesus. This man’s feet may be headed in one direction, but he will always have his face turned toward home, no matter the fine statements he is making now.
Whether done with animals or with a tractor, plowing requires concentration and fixing your eyes on a distant goal to maintain straight lines when you plow. If you are forever turning your head, your plow will make huge skunk tracks across the field. (Skunks never walk in straight lines but wander around.)
Jesus is trying to emphasize that discipleship is going to COST! Luke records more of Jesus’ discussion in Luke 14:25-35 “Large crowds were now traveling with Jesus, and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.” Condemned criminals were forced to carry parts of their crosses to the execution site before being crucified. In effect, Jesus is warning the crowd that anyone following him must be prepared to die for his loyalty to Jesus.
“Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it? Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’ 1Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand? And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.
In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple.
Salt is good, but if the salt loses its savor, with what will it be seasoned? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile, and it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Disciples who talk a good game but who don’t live up to their boasting are like salt that has lost its flavor-useless!
Eventually, the disciples learn the truth of the teachings Jesus is giving this morning. Most of the disciples will die as martyrs, but they will die praising God and the earth will be glad for their lives and their examples. These men will eventually pay the price of discipleship in full.
What of us? We might feel that we have no desire to suffer, but how much control do we really have over our lives? Isn’t it better to follow God and His leading than to wander blindly like someone plowing while distracted? When we follow God, our lives will count for something; if we live only to please ourselves, we will fail and live lives of futility.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and not to waver. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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