A CALL TO BE DISCIPLES OF JESUS

Luke 9:57-62
We are living in the 21st Century!
ü Our entire lives seem to be lived in a rush.
ü So many things occupy our time, but how many of those things are worthy of it?
ü “Only one life and soon twill be past; only what's done for Jesus will last.”
ü We cannot call Him Lord and then disobey His commands: we must put Jesus first before the present.
In our today’s reading, we find the call of Jesus. Jesus calls- “come as you are, come to me”. We can see three responses:-
1. I will follow you wherever you go!
2. Le me go and bury my father!
3. I will follow you Lord, but first let me go back and say “good Bye to my family!

As you read the text, you will observe two things;
i. All unnamed people
ii. They all had opportunity to follow Jesus- a chance of a lifetime.

Q MR. ENTHUSIASTIC:
“I will follow You”- a zealous man. As we look, we find nothing to disqualify him to follow Jesus but he was disqualified. We would have said, “I can’t imagine why He lost the opportunity of winning that man! Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!” Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of “what is in man.” If the spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point to death. This one was enthusiastic about following Christ. He said,"Lord, I will follow you wherever you go." Many people are like this. They have good intentions, become very enthusiastic, but for various reasons, soon have a burn-out and quit.Their enthusiasm is very short-lived. They fail to have long-term commitment in doing God's will.

Luke 9:58 And Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air {have} nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

Why Jesus did discourage this man to follow Him?
The inner motive of this person was not right. Jesus knows “what was in man” ( John 2:25). He was looking to Jesus for fame and popularity
Following Jesus involves a cost. The follower of Jesus must not reckon on the transfiguration experience.
Mount of transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36)
Q MR. RELUCTANT:
Luke 9:59 And He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."
He was another of a same kind. The grace of God invitation for adventure of a lifetime. Out of grace, follow me!
This man did not want to disappoint Jesus, nor did he want to show a lack of respect for his father. This person father hadn’t died----- father as an excuse, children as an excuse. Now if the man's father has just died, what in the world is the man doing hanging around Jesus? He should be home making funeral arrangements! It's obvious that his father isn't dead -- yet. Not even seriously ill, or the man would be asking Jesus for healing. What the man is saying is this: I have responsibilities to my father as long as he lives. I'm not free to follow you right now. But when my dad dies -- and he is getting on in years -- then I'll follow you right away. I just can't follow now.

Response of Jesus- "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God." Let the spiritual dead bury the physical dead.When Jesus is talking here about death, he is talking about destiny. The spiritually dead put family responsibilities BEFORE their responsibilities to Jesus. But the spiritually alive are to follow -- NOW!
Jesus is not suggesting that we dishonor our parents, but only that we not permit our love for family to weaken our love for the Lord.
E.g. Pastor- gnashing of teeth in hell- old lady, not teeth- teeth will be provided.

When our loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ whatever the cost.
Later, Jesus tells his disciples, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple" (14:26). Jesus is saying in the strongest possible terms that following him must come before every responsibility we have -- even those which we hold sacred (see 1 Timothy 5:8).

Q MR. LOOKING BACK:
Luke 9:61 Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home."
Good response. It was a legitimate response. He was ready to go but his first priority is to say “good bye”. This man had reservations about going. The exacting call of Jesus has no room for goodbyes; good byes, as we often use them, are pagan, not Christian, because they divert us from the call.
He found the great valve of great treasure but he was missing the real treasure. He was not excited. You have most of me and not excited.
Eg . It's like a man who has been drafted into the military in wartime. He says, "I'll report for duty in just a week, but first I need to go home and say good-bye to my girlfriend, my buddies, my mom and dad, my sisters and brothers, and have a final going away party, since I may be away a long time. Is he ready for the army? No way! He is looking to his own needs and desires, not the needs of the service.

Luke 9:62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
Jesus points out that the kingdom has no room for those who look back when they are called to go forward.
Looking back is literally looks unto the things behind.- Phil 3:13
If you have put your “hands to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”-the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God
Once the call of God comes to you, start going and never stop.
CONCLUSION: My dear friend, Jesus is the King of the Jews who laid down his life for yours. Jesus is the Creator of the universe, the Head of the Church, Very God of Very God, King of kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. He holds the keys of Death and Hades. He is the Conqueror and Overcomer. He is the Lamb of God and the Risen from the Dead. He is the Bright and Morning Star. His name is higher than any other.
But he also humbles himself to come looking for you. To speak to you. To encourage your faith. And to pay you the highest compliment you will ever be paid, to call you to follow him. In the Book of Revelation, we read of Jesus, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
Do hear him calling you? Is he knocking? Do you hear it?
What are you possibly doing that could be more important right now than going immediately to the door and opening it to him?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive me when I've put my own priorities in front of yours. I've treated you more like a servant or an equal than my King and Lord and Sovereign. Forgive me. Have mercy upon me. Please help me to answer when you call, making no excuses. And though my track record of doing that is pretty spotty, I ask for your help and strength to be a disciple you can count on. In your powerful Name, I pray. Amen.