The Cost of Following Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Growing up I played baseball. Sport of failure. 40% success puts you in the hall of fame. Hard lesson to learn. “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” It’s true. Things everyone should do: eats food, listens to music, talks with friends. Hard things people start but bow out of: sports, exercise, school.
Need: We can sugar coat the cost of following Jesus. Make it seem like a walk in the park. Say this prayer, get a Bible, and come hear the preacher preach, then you’ve got it. That’s nowhere in Scripture. Jesus actually gives us a real account of what it’s like.
Main Idea: Following Jesus is not easy
This passage marks the way to Jerusalem.
Luke 9:51-62
Verse 51. Hebraic phrase only used twice in Greek. Acts 2:1. Taken up = ascension. Set his face = determined to go to Jerusalem. Fulfill all that has been said. As he goes, so does his followers.
Truth #1: Followers will face rejection (51-56)
Exp. To get to Jerusalem, they have to pass through Samaria. Verse 52. He sent them out, as messengers. This is normal. Verse 53. Samaritans hated the Jews in Jerusalem. Their rejection is a rejection of Jesus. Notice their response. Verse 54. My favorite response ever. Likely a call back to Elijah in 2 Kings 1. King Ahaziah sent men to kill Elijah, but he called down fire and it consumed the captain and his fifty men. James and John wished to punish the Samaritans. Verse 55. Jesus would show them of another way. No need for vindication. Judgment will come.
Ill. Taylor and Susan in New York. Faced a lot of rejection. Hardest ones are within the faith family. Speaking the truth in love. But you keep moving!
Arg. Rejection is a fulfillment of the prophets. Called to speak truth to a specific generation. Hated by those who listened.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Christ - This is a picture of the rejection the disciples will face in Jerusalem. Jesus will be despised and rejected by men. He would be taken to the cross because he is hated. God will use the hatred of men for his glory.
App. Understand they are rejecting Christ. Maybe you’re rejecting Christ…
Do not call down judgment. James and John were wrong. Jesus rebuked them. Heightened political season. Lot’s of rejection for ideas. Rejection of beliefs. Rejection of truth. Don’t call down fire on people. Call down fire on sin.
Thick skin, tender heart. Taught this as I was mentored in ministry. Thick skin = take the blows from people. Tender heart = Remain compassionate.
Those rejecting Christ: Turn away from sin and turn to Jesus.
Truth #2: Followers will sacrifice greatly (57-62)
Exp. As they are on the road, Jesus comes across three separate people. Luke writes these quick exchanges. We will walk through them together:
Someone came up to him. Verse 57-58. Quick response. He was just rejected by Samaria. Nowhere to stay. Following Christ is not a life of comfort. Jesus isn’t offering material blessings and security as a disciple.
Jesus speaks to the next one. Verse 59-60. Burying your family is the first responsibility in honoring them. This idea is harder for us to grasp because Jesus is saying that following him is the ultimate honor. Everything else, even the honoring of family doesn’t compare.
Ill. Hunter Furches parents. Young man leaves Islam to follow Christ. Disowned by his family. We live in a culture that really doesn’t care. Pluralistic. In Jesus’ day, to give up family honor was disgraceful.
Another comes to him. Verse 61-62. Let me go take care of my affairs first, and then I’ll come. Illustrates the plow. When you plow, you only look ahead, if you look behind, the plow will get off course. “Looking back” includes the old ways. To follow Jesus means you give up the past.
App. How do we do this? Count the cost:
Give up comfort. If you choose comfort or convenience over Christ, you are disobedient. Nobody is saying you can’t have a nice house or drive a nice car. God has provided for you, great. But if God opens a door to a need, and you deliberately won’t fill it because of comfort, that’s not preference, it’s disobedience. Are you willing to give up comfort for Jesus?
Give up tradition. This is how we do it mentality. How I was raised. All I know how to do. A better way: I see what he’s calling me to do, but I’m not sure how to do it. Can you help me?
Give up the past. You can’t have Christ and your old sin. Or any sin. Old friends. Old rhythms. Not saying you shouldn’t be around unbelievers. There’s a difference in intentional evangelism and being drug down into sin.
Christ - How can we accomplish this. Because the Christ we follow sacrificed more than we could imagine. Jesus was going to Jerusalem to be crucified and resurrected. The very creation he breathed life into would be the place and hands that would put him to death. His sacrifice led to something. This would inaugurate pentecost. The way of glory is the way of the cross.
Conclusion
What are we going to give up for him who so lovingly gave himself up for us?
