Personal Commitment Luke 9:57-62

The Call to Follow Jesus is a Call to a Personal Commitment

Around 2,000 years ago, Julius Caesar and his naval armada set out to conquer England. England was a great distance from Rome and the Celts were skillful and aggressive soldiers. The Roman ships held a finite number of soldiers, yet there were hundreds and thousands of the enemy. In addition, if Caesar and his men planned to retreat, they would have to sail back across the channel, cut off from relief or additional supplies. As the Roman ships drew near the coast, the enemy could be seen lining the Cliffs of Dover, eagerly awaiting battle.

Caesar is said to have directed the ships away from the cliffs, and after a valiant effort, the Romans established a beachhead, though one entirely surrounded by Celtic soldiers. According to legend, Caesar then made an incredibly daring move. He knew his men were tired and he questioned their commitment and resolve. As long as the Roman ships remained along the coast, there would be thoughts of retreat. Caesar ordered the ships to be burned. This way, there would be no escape, no retreat. If the Roman soldiers were going to be pushed back, it would be into the sea, and thus to be pushed back would be to perish. Caesar needed commitment from every one of his soldiers and he needed them to realize that defeat was not an option. They had come to conquer – and stay.

“If you want to take the island, you must burn the ships!”

I. A New Residence vv. 57-58

This week, our passage takes a look at a series of meetings:

There are people who want to follow Jesus, but each one is confronted with the reality that the call to follow Christ requires real commitment

Just as their is no Christianity without the Cross of Christ, there is not Christian faith that does not require believers to take up their own cross as they follow Jesus

The first man pursues Jesus and makes a promise: “I will follow you, wherever you go.”

However, Jesus wants him to understand what that means

To follow Jesus is to sacrifice the security of a physical home; Jesus lived from place to place and had no house that He could call His own

Following Jesus means joining Him in that lifestyle, not knowing from day to day where He might lead

However, I believe that in following Him, you find ultimate security!

You may lose the certainty of a place to call your own

But, you gain Christ in the bargain and you have all the security of knowing that you are His and that He will care for you

The truth is the best of our possessions and properties are transient at best; they are here today and they are gone tomorrow

If our trust is in the material, we will find that it is in a state of constant decay; however, if our hope is in Christ, we can trust that He will never fail His people

In Christ, our new home is with Him!

This week, I saw a post from a pastor named Ray Ortlund, and he told about a time that he was just ready to give up. What did he do? He made a deeper commitment to the Lord, even signing it in the form of a contract:

Lord Jesus Christ,

Believing that true life is to be found in you alone, and obeying your summons to enter the narrow gate and walk the hard path, at the end of which alone true life is to be granted, I sign myself and all I have over to you, as best I can in my weakness, earnestly desiring to be found faithful as your disciple and servant, at whatever the personal cost.

Have mercy upon me, Lord.

II. A New Role vv. 59-60

A second man is invited by Jesus to follow Him; Don’t miss this, the God of the universe is inviting him into a relationship

His response is simple and understandable; He is willing to follow Jesus, but he needs to go bury his father first

Jesus replies, “let the dead bury their own dead”

I’m sure, if you’re like me, this strikes you as a little cold

If Jesus is so compassionate and so loving, why won’t He let this man have some time to bury His dad?

I think that Jesus’s answer reflects a new role in the life of His disciples

We are not mourners any more, gathering to lament loss of life and the pain of death

Now, we are heralds of new life in His kingdom

There is good news of life that overwhelms the bad news of death!

If we really believe that the good news is that good, sharing it must become the priority of our life!

III. A New Resolve vv. 61-62

Finally, Jesus hears from a third man who is also willing to follow Him, but He wants to say goodbye to his family first

Again, Jesus’s words seem hard here, but I think that they are worth listening to.

In Christ, we are no longer motivated by the same things:

We are not looking back:

Our old life has passed away

Our old relationships, even the bonds of family, don’t have the same ultimacy

Our old hopes are transformed; the best of our lives is no longer behind us

Instead, we are moving forward:

There is a new life that is ahead of us, and in it, we are being conformed to the image of Christ

The picture of a plow is really a powerful image for two reasons:

First, because plows don’t work in reverse and they are of no effect when they are standing still.

Second, because it is a reminder that we have a task to fulfill

What do some of those tasks look like for us?

Take a look at your vision booklet

The purpose is to give us some practical goals for living out our commitment to Christ!

Our new relationships are ultimate, even greater than family; we have brothers and sisters that we will share eternal life with in the bonds of Christ, in a way that can never be broken

Our new hope means that the best is always yet to come

We must resolve ourselves to the pursuit of what lies ahead! The task will not be easy, but the hope ahead is worth the cost!

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.

My pace is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough. My companions few.  My guide is reliable and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give ’til I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.