Luke 9 chapter break devotional

Today is a between chapters devotional.  Chapter 10 will start the proverbs of couplets that are traditionally the format that most think of when you say that word.  I feed myself by listening to some great preaching found on the internet.  One of my go to YouTube channels is that of Dallas Theological Seminary, https://www.youtube.com/user/dallasseminary.  They post their weekly chapels and what I want to share with you this morning is one done by their president, Dr. Mark L Bailey, on verses from Luke 9 to the incoming new freshmen and returning upper class men at this institution created to train men and women to give their all for Jesus Christ.

Jesus gives the great verse of commitment in Luke 9:23 which reads, And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me."  Jesus then tells His disciples again of what is going to happen to Him when He gets to Jerusalem.  He will be handed over to be crucified.  In the face of those facts to come Luke 9:51, 52 record, When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements from Him.  Jesus is marching toward God's will.  

Now Jesus is going to get specific about what it means to take up that cross and to follow after His example to set His eyes on following God's will even though it looked very bleak.  This made me think about the recruitment of the young people to the radical islamic movement.  They recruit young people to strap bombs onto their bodies, walk into a crowd and blow themselves up for the cause.  That is sinful but the commitment is tremendously high.  Jesus is going to give His recruits something that is not sinful to follow through on but it is no less tremendously high on the commitment level.

Three men are introduced in verses 57-62.  The first raises his hand very fast to volunteer.  v.57 says, As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, "I will follow You wherever You go." Jesus responds back to Mr. Hasty in v.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."  To follow Jesus is to lay aside our comforts.  I will follow Jesus but I need this also.  I will follow Jesus as long as I can keep my big TV.  I will follow Jesus as long as we say in a 5 star motel.  To follow Jesus means that our previous comforts are no longer the ultimate comfort of our lives for He takes that spot.

The second man receives an invitation from Jesus to follow in v.59 followed by his response and then Jesus' response back in v.60.  And He said to another, "Follow Me."  But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."  But He said to him, "Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God."  To follow after Jesus is to not be Mr. Hesitant.  He was hesitant to follow Jesus because waiting to bury his father when he died would probably have put him in a better financial position.  He would follow Jesus when things were more secure.  To follow Jesus means that our security comes from Him.  The world will take care of itself but Jesus will take care of you as you are about proclaiming His gospel.  The proclamation of the gospel is more important than the affairs of this world.

The third man makes a claim to Jesus in v.61, Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home."  In which Jesus responses in v.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."  To follow after Jesus is to not be Mr. Homesick.  He was homesick for the life that he once lived.  He wanted to follow Jesus but he also wanted to keep ties with his previous life.  He thought he could keep one foot with Jesus and one foot with his past.  To follow Jesus means to keep your eyes squarely on Him.  He is now your family.  He is now your home.  You are not going back but going toward Him and Him alone.

It sounds radical to lay aside all comforts, provisions and ties but Jesus says to follow after Him means to make Him your comfort, provision and tie.  If you do not do this, you are not fit for the kingdom of God.  You are not being asked to do anything sinful here like blow someone else up but you are asked to be totally dependent on Jesus' lead.  He will provide the comfort.  He will provide the resources to take care of you and your responsibilities.  He will provide your purpose that will serve God and others as you are about doing the most important thing, proclaiming everywhere the kingdom of God.  Let's pray.

"Lord, what a challenging message from You today.  To follow after You is much more than just saying a simple prayer but followed by a life that is radically different than the lures of the world.  We are called to a radical commitment that focuses on You and You alone.  Our following You will provide all that we need to live this life in glory of You.  Help me to wholly trust Your lead.  Amen."

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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