Luke 9 :57-62 Full Readings
The would-be Disciples
Beloved brethren, in today's Gospel we hear Jesus saying, “Foxes have holes, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head,” He went about doing good, he healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry and comforted the afflicted. Yet he was homeless and poor, making his home with the wretched of the earth. Are you able to provide a resting place for Jesus in your heart? That was his life and that is the path every believer is called to follow. It is a call to a life of total self-giving and sacrifice; to live for God and for others without counting the cost. And once we say Yes, there is no backing down or turning back, for only cowards do that! How much sacrifice can we make in the service of the Lord? When the three would-be disciples came to Jesus saying that they will follow him only after finishing the unfinished businesses, Jesus' responses to them are quite deep and reflective. What can we learn from these would be disciples of Jesus?
The first would-be disciple approached Jesus and said he was ready to follow wherever Jesus went, Jesus told him it would require sacrifice - the sacrifice of certain creaturely comforts for a son of man has nowhere to lay his head. Jesus appealed to this man's heart and told him to detach himself from whatever might hold him back. Spiritual detachment is a necessary step for following the Lord. It frees us to give ourselves without reserve to the Lord and his service. While many of us may not need to give up the comfort of our own home and bed to follow Jesus, we, nonetheless, must be willing to part with anything that might stand in the way of doing God's will.
Another would-be disciple said he would follow as soon as he had buried his father. What he meant by this expression was that he felt the need to return to his home to take care of his father through old age until he died. Jesus responded to him, "Let the dead bury their dead, but you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God." The third had no obligation to return home, but simply wanted to go back and say good-bye. Jesus surprised these would-be disciples with the stark truth that nothing should hinder us from following the Lord. Was Jesus being harsh and rude to his would-be followers? Not really. We are free to decide whether we will take the path which Jesus offers. But if we choose to go, then the Lord wants us to count the cost and choose for it freely. Jesus wants his followers not to let anything hold them back from following the Lord Jesus.
Jesus ends his responses by these words: "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God." A plowman who looked back while plowing his field caused the line or furrow, he cut into the soil to become crooked. One crooked line easily leads to another until the whole field is a mess. The plowman had to look straight ahead in order to keep the plow from going off course. Likewise, if we look back on what we have freely left behind to follow the Lord - whether that be some distraction, attachment, or sinful habit which leads us away from doing God's will - our path will likely diverge, and we'll miss what God has for us and his heavenly kingdom.
If these are the demands of Jesus' would-be disciples, will you say "yes" to the Lord's call for your life? The Gospel does not record the response from these three would-be disciples. We are only left with the question which Jesus intends for us as well. Are you ready to take the path which the Lord Jesus offers? His grace is surely sufficient, and his love is strong. There is nothing greater we can do with our lives than to place them at the service of the Lord and Master of the universe. We cannot outmatch God in his generosity. Jesus promises that those who are willing to part with what is most dear to them for his sake "will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29). The Lord Jesus offers us a kingdom of lasting peace, unending joy, surpassing love, enduring friendship, and abundant life. Is there anything holding you back from pursuing the Lord and his will for your life?
Let us Pray
Lord, you desire for me to follow you. Clear my own pathway to your Kingdom: help me to distinguish between those things that make it easier to follow you and those things that make it more difficult. Help me to encourage others to stay focused on your Kingdom. Amen
Be blessed
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