Scripture: Luke 9: 57, 59, 61-62
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” (57) He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” (59) Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (61-62)
Scripture Commentary:
Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, casting a net. Jesus told them to follow Him, and straightaway, they left their nets and followed.
And going from there, Jesus sees James and John with their father. Jesus told the two brothers to follow Him and immediately they left their father and followed Jesus.
What does Jesus want from us?
He wants total dedication, not half hearted commitment. We can’t pick and choose among Jesus’s teachings and follow Him selectively. We have to accept the cross along with the crown, judgment as well as mercy.
It’s necessary to count the cost and be willing to abandon everything else that has given us security. In Luke 9: 59, Luke does not say if the father has died or is dying. In Luke 9: 61, Luke doesn’t say if he wants to say goodbye to family or friends. But we see in Matthew 4, Jesus calls to Simon, Andrew, James and John, and they dropped everything and followed Jesus.
Jesus is calling. Are you going to follow?
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