Who Will Follow Jesus?
By David A. Paher
Printed on October 5,
2003
Jesus had always struggled with discipleship. Some followed him for a meal; countless to
see wonders; others for knowledge; few for spiritual enlightenment. He was faced with many individuals who turned
away and discontinued their course with the Saviour. With each person, Jesus always saw their
heart and knew if they were genuine or superficial. In either case, Christ’s teaching struck the
heart of the matter and dealt strictly with the root of the problem. Three desirous disciples came to the Lord
seeking to show their willingness.
Peering into their soul, Jesus illuminated their true motivation.
The first man to eagerly follow Christ said, Teacher,
I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest (Mt. 8:19). On the surface it appears he was sincerely
telling Jesus of his inspiration to be a devotee. However the Lord’s response advised
otherwise. And Jesus saith unto him,
The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests; but the Son of
man hath not where to lay his head (Mt. 8:19-20). Could it be that Jesus recognized this man’s need for comfortable
sleeping arrangements thus stressing the soberness of reality—the Son of man
hath not where to lay his head? Jesus
needed a follower who would live under the deficient conditions and illustrated
this need through the foxes of the earth and fowls of the air.
Foxes? Birds? Jesus understood that even the animals lived
in natural conditions of this life.
Foxes have tunnels to burrow. And
birds have nests to build. They rely in
the heavenly God above. From day to day
they depend on their Maker to provide food (Mt. 6:26) and shelter (Mt. 8:20)
and each time He delivers! But the foxes
and birds do not make conditions for being obedient. The point is that one who follows God, the
creator and sustainer of life, must be as trusting as a bird looking for food
and shelter. And which of you by
being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life (Mt.
6:27)? Thus the seriousness of turth, but
the Son of man hath not where to lay his head [and you will not either!]”
(Mt. 8:20).
The second man to eagerly follow Christ said, Lord,
suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me;
and leave the dead to bury their own dead (Mt. 8:21-22). This command at first glance is very
troubling. Why would Jesus discourage a
man from overseeing his father’s funeral?
Three possibilities are offered.
Firstly, Jesus could have given this warning because the
deceased father was living in sin. This
would explain Jesus’ attempt to reframe his mind on godly things rather than
worldly as Jeremiah did. God, through this
prophet, instructed Jerusalem not to weep for the wicked who had already died
because it was too late for them to repent (Jer. 22:10). Since they were living in sin, they were to
be carried into Babylonian captivity to die having built their houses in
unrighteousness and bedchambers in injustice.
Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his
chambers by injustice; that useth his neighbor's service without wages, and
giveth him not his hire (Jer. 22:13).
Because of sin, there is to be no ceremony for the dead though they may
be family. Therefore thus saith Jehovah
concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: they shall not lament
for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! They shall not lament for him,
saying Ah lord! or, Ah his glory! He shall be buried with the burial of an ass,
drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem (Jer. 22:18-19). Looking on a man with a sinful lifestyle is
like gazing at a white sepulcher, outwardly beautiful but inwardly are full of
dead men’s bones. Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres,
which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones,
and of all uncleanness (Mt. 23:27).
Could it be that Jesus wanted this disciple to be more concerned for
those to whom it is not too late to reach—those still alive and able to
change. However, Jesus did not neglect
earthly ties.
Secondly, Jesus could have given this warning because the
deceased father was not living in sin.
Every soul shall be judged by what they do in this life. Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh,
in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have
done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment (Jn. 5:28-29). This disciples’ father may have been faithful
and would have been expecting a reward for putting to death the deeds of the
body (Rom. 8:13). In this light, Jesus
would have been focusing this man’s attention of the fact that they would meet
again on the other side of heaven. Jesus
was not harsh about the teaching but only showing the reality of death, which
is a separation. Our Lord knows how
special it is when a person dies in the Lord.
And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead
who die in the Lord from henceforth:
yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their
works follow with them (Rev. 14:13).
Truly the death of a loved one causes much pain; the separation that is
endured provokes deep anguish and sorrow.
Jesus wept when he stood before Lazarus’ tomb (Jn. 11:35). Paul encouraged Christians to weep with
others who weep (Rom. 12:15). Death is a
sobering occasion but hope remains. God
gives life to the dead (Rom. 4:17).
Those asleep in Christ are blessed because they have the crown. The fundamental question is, Why seek among
dead people what you can only find amongst the living (cf. Lk. 24:5)? Any true disciple will leave the dead and
pursue life. This leads one to the third
possibility for Jesus’ response.
Thirdly, perhaps Jesus gave this warning because the
deceased father’s lifestyle is immaterial.
What did Jesus mean when he said, “…leave the dead to bury their own
dead?” There is something beyond the
immediate which needs to be focused on.
Luke’s account records Jesus to say, “…but go thou and publish abroad
the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:60).
Ultimately the father’s lifestyle, whether righteous or not, seems
beside the point. Jesus seems to be
focused on one thing: seeking and saving
the lost (Lk. 19:10). No matter what
life renders God’s disciples need to be about the Father’s business (cf. Lk.
2:49).
The third man to eagerly follow Christ said, I will
follow thee, Lord; but first suffer me to bid farewell to them that are at my
house. But Jesus said unto him, No man,
having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of
God (Lk. 9:61-62). Picture
this: A young man walks into a
recruiting office for the Armed Forces and requests to enlist. But his priority before signing up is to go
say goodbye to his family. What do you
suppose would be the reply of the recruiting officer? Perhaps the officer would make a similar
reply to that of Jesus, “…huh…what are thinking?” Subconsciously, this man is not ready to join
and mentally desires to seek advice from his kinfolk. In the first place, a man needs to know what
he is doing. Second, by bidding adieu to
his family, this would be the prime opportunity for them to talk the young man
out of joining.
If a man wishes to enlist in the army of God, he should
do so without having talk it over with his family, else he would not be a
man. Sadly, too many are “world
conscious” and always thinking, How does the world view me? Would my friends
accept me? and What would my family think?
Notice Jesus’ response concerning the
plow. His use of this farm tool is
indeed simple and his lesson is endless.
The plow is pulled by oxen to break the ground in order to lay seed. The task is demanding. With one hand, the plowman holds its handle
directing the effectiveness of the share; the other hand drives the ox
forward. Therefore a constant balance of
gazing forward for direction and looking downward for efficiency is
required. Furthermore, the machine does
not have a reverse. Having said this, a
plowman has no advantage in seeing the ground he has already plowed behind
him. In other words, once started there
is no looking back. Thus Jesus said, No
man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom
of God (Lk. 9:62).
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