Lesson 31: The Cost of Following Jesus, Luke 9:51-

A Samaritan Village says “No!” Luke 9:51- 54

English Standard Version (Chapter 9)

51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53 But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 And they went on to another village.

Verse 51 states that the days were drawing near for Jesus to be taken up. That is a reference to the cross. It tells us that this is the final days of ministry. His third year of ministry on this earth was marked by rejection. That sort of rejection came to Him in this Samaritan village. To say that there was conflict between the Jews and the Samaritan would be no small statement. Was the “Good Samaritan” from this village? We have no way of knowing, but it does underscore the tension between them and also highlights the grace that was found in the “Good Samaritan” story.

Rejection and hardship will be a theme of this book from this point to the victory over sin and the grave. The days are drawing near in this last year of rejection and the cross is in view of Jesus but not many others. The Samaritans were having nothing of Jesus Christ in their village, even though the 12 were sent on ahead to make some preparations for Him. Twice, it says that His face was set toward Jerusalem. The cross was affecting Him so much that even the people could tell something was up with this guy and they did not receive Him.

The disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven on the village to consume them. It has not been that long ago they were simply to do the disciple stomp to get the dust off their feet and leave the place behind if they were rejected. They have had a taste of the Lord’s miracles and now they want to blow everything to smithereens. Jesus simply rebuked the disciples and they went on to another village. That was just as they were instructed in the beginning. It’s time to focus men!

Fit for the Kingdom 9:57- 62.

English Standard Version (Chapter 9)

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Lots of talking is going on as you read about this road trip. Jesus is getting feistier all the time Now, it’s not about being the greatest, but Jesus has just rebuked the disciples for wanting to call down fire from heaven to consume the Son of God. And, here an unnamed guy proclaims he will follow Jesus anywhere He goes. But Jesus nearly says, “Probably not.” He is saying the animals have a place to live and sleep, but I don’t even have a bed or a pillow. If you follow Jesus you must be ready for paying the price. This is not a prosperity gospel. Jesus’s kingdom message was a willingness to lose whatever life you had and exchange it for Christ’s.

Next in verse 59 He compels a man to “Follow me!” But the man makes an excuse about going to a father’s funeral. Most of us would say go ahead and you can follow after you get done with that. Jesus tells him to let someone else do it and go proclaim the kingdom of God. Jesus is saying the time is running out and sacrifices must be made. A third man says I will follow you but let me first say farewell to my family. Jesus responds, that if you follow Him, you can’t look back. If you get started with your hand on the plow and look around, your path is going to look a mess. Time is running out. If you don’t believe that then consider Psalm 39:7

English Standard Version (Psalm 39)

7  “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

My hope is in you.

What are you waiting for? What do you think it will appear to be when God comes calling for you to give your life for His kingdom? I believe this has always been the anguished cry of the fervent servant. I am willing to follow Jesus , but “Let Me First.” The emphasis here is mine but the response mis the same for many, I can do it but there is this thing of “ME FIRST.” Remember Jesus is in the final days before His death and His message is urgent to a people who by and large do not have the willingness to drop what they are doing and follow.

Let’s review what Jesus said earlier in Luke 9:

The Lexham English Bible (Chapter 9)

23 And he said to them all, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me, this person will save it. 25 For what is a person benefited if he* gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of this person when he comes in his glory and the glory* of the Father and of the holy angels.”

It is no wonder the laborers are few and the harvest is great. Too many times inconvenience has halted the work of God right in its tracks. We have a far greater capacity for excuses than for going. The hour is still coming in quickly today as the Savior bids His followers “to come.” Evangelical Pastor R.C. Sproul said in his commentary :

A Walk with God: Luke (49. Looking to the Future (Luke 9:57–62))

Now Jesus was not setting down here a standard for all times, that we are always supposed to neglect our dead and wounded. No, he said, ‘Right now, the kingdom of God is at stake and there is only one place you can be and that is at the front line of the kingdom.’

I think that is where we are at today. We are at the front lines or God is getting us ready for the front lines and there is not any room for anything that squeezes the Lord’s calling over to the side. It is real and He is coming. The great thing about today is that we know that the cross and the tomb are a part of the majestic plan of God that happened over 2000 years ago. I believe the urgency of the hour to follow Him is as great as today as it was back then!

Who is with me?

The Life Application Bible Commentary says it this way:

Luke (Jesus Teaches About the Cost of Following Him / 9:51–62 / 122)

No great success comes without sacrifice. Ask champion athletes or concert musicians what they had to give up to attain their level of expertise. Ask a mother if she has had to forgo some of her own plans and desires in order to do what is best for her child, and she will tell you that she has. Nothing worthwhile comes without sacrifice, and that applies to Christian discipleship as well. Of course, there are incomparable benefits to having a living relationship with God, but they do not come without a price. Jesus said that he, the Son of Man, didn’t even have a home, a place to call his own. What sacrifices has God asked you to make in view of the much greater privilege of following Jesus? Earthly success, possessions, and recognition must not deter us from serving others.

It’s time to follow today. Today is the day to say “yes!”