The Gospel of Luke
This devotional is written by Josh Anderson. Josh is an all round great guy!
Luke 9:51-62
Samaritan opposition
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?' 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.
The cost of following Jesus
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.'
58 Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.'
59 He said to another man, ‘Follow me.'
But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'
60 Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'
61 Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.'
62 Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?' 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.
The cost of following Jesus
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.'
58 Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.'
59 He said to another man, ‘Follow me.'
But he replied, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.'
60 Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.'
61 Still another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.'
62 Jesus replied, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.'
Reflection
Jesus talks to three men in this passage.
The first (v57) is keen follow his leading wherever it goes, but Jesus tells him he is being too hasty; he needs to know this life won't be one of glamour, but hardship.
We know that following Jesus is life-transforming, but the Bible warns us there will be costs too. We need to know there are benefits and costs of following Jesus. That way, when life is hard, we can hold onto the truth that Jesus is worth it.
The second (v59) finds giving up control of his life harder. He's focussed on the process of the world around him, saying "I'll do it tomorrow". Jesus's response sounds harsh, but really he's saying "look at what I want to do today!".
If we're only looking for what we know, we'll miss the call to join in with what God's doing.
The third (v61) seems hesitant, asking Jesus to wait for him to say goodbye (commentators say to get his family & friends' approval). Jesus tells him he will be ineffective in the Kingdom if he is distracted by looking for the approval of others.
We mustn't get distracted by looking for the praise of others. The gospel is urgent, let's get out there!
Are you falling into any of these categories?
you feel like you jumped into Christian life without realising the cost. Maybe you're suffering as a result and you feel cheated or resentful
you can feel the things around you/your past pulling you away from following Jesus.
you're worried about how you appear to others, or how well you're doing compared to other Christians
Pray.
Take time to reflect. Identify anything that's holding you back. Make a conscious decision to give them over and be refilled with the Spirit.
The first (v57) is keen follow his leading wherever it goes, but Jesus tells him he is being too hasty; he needs to know this life won't be one of glamour, but hardship.
We know that following Jesus is life-transforming, but the Bible warns us there will be costs too. We need to know there are benefits and costs of following Jesus. That way, when life is hard, we can hold onto the truth that Jesus is worth it.
The second (v59) finds giving up control of his life harder. He's focussed on the process of the world around him, saying "I'll do it tomorrow". Jesus's response sounds harsh, but really he's saying "look at what I want to do today!".
If we're only looking for what we know, we'll miss the call to join in with what God's doing.
The third (v61) seems hesitant, asking Jesus to wait for him to say goodbye (commentators say to get his family & friends' approval). Jesus tells him he will be ineffective in the Kingdom if he is distracted by looking for the approval of others.
We mustn't get distracted by looking for the praise of others. The gospel is urgent, let's get out there!
Are you falling into any of these categories?
you feel like you jumped into Christian life without realising the cost. Maybe you're suffering as a result and you feel cheated or resentful
you can feel the things around you/your past pulling you away from following Jesus.
you're worried about how you appear to others, or how well you're doing compared to other Christians
Pray.
Take time to reflect. Identify anything that's holding you back. Make a conscious decision to give them over and be refilled with the Spirit.
Recent
Archive
2020
January
New YearNew YearNew YearThe Path to Spiritual GrowthEvery Night with MattThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
February
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
March
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
April
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
May
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukePentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost Prayer
June
July
August
2019
January
John the Baptist prepares the wayJesus announces the good newsJesus heals manyJesus forgives and healsJesus heals on the SabbathParable of the sowerLamp on a standJesus restores a demon possessed manJesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick womanA prophet without honourJohn the Baptist beheadedJesus feeds the five thousandJesus walks on waterThat which defiles
February
Faith of the Syro-phonecian womanFeeding 4000Jesus heals a blind man at BethsaidaTransfigurationJesus heals a boy possessed by an impure spiritJesus predicts his death a second timeDivorceThe rich and the kingdom of GodJesus predicts his death a third timeBlind Bartimaeus receives his sightJesus comes to Jerusalem as kingJesus curses a fig tree and clear the templeThe authority of Jesus questionedPaying tax to CaesarThe greatest commandmentThe destruction of the temple
March
June
July
A Fellowship of DifferenceLove your neighbourLove your enemyNeither Jew nor GentilePray for PrideEphesians 6:10-13Ephesians 6:14Ephesians 6:15Ephesians 6:16Ephesians 6:17Ephesians 6:18-20LoveLove, for the day is nearLove is patientGod is loveCreationSabbathThe Lord does not grow wearyPsalm 23Come all you who are wearyBe stillJesus asleep in the boatQuiet you with love
August
Proverbs 1Proverbs 2Proverbs 3Proverbs 4Proverbs 5Proverbs 6Proverbs 7Proverbs 8Proverbs 9Proverbs 10Proverbs 11Proverbs 12Proverbs 13Proverbs 14Proverbs 15Proverbs 16Proverbs 17Proverbs 18Proverbs 19Proverbs 20Proverbs 21Proverbs 22Proverbs 23Proverbs 24Proverbs 25Proverbs 26Proverbs 27Proverbs 28Proverbs 29Proverbs 30Proverbs 31
September
October
A Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleBack very soonSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the Mount
November
Sermon on the MountSermon on the MountOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the Thessalonians
No Comments