Plowing Crooked Rows

Plowing Crooked Rows

Text: Luke 9:57–62 (KJV 1900)

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. I. Jesus said the way in not always easy.

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

* Why did Jesus tell this first man about how poor he was? Why did Jesus try to discourage this man from following Him?

* Jesus wanted this man to know that if he chose to follow Him that sometimes it would be hard.

* Jesus wanted this man to count the cost of following Him and make up his mind that he would be willing to suffer hardship. He wanted this man to know up front that following Jesus was not easy.

Luke 14:25–35 (KJV 1900)

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

* The Apostle Paul told Timothy that following Jesus would sometimes become hard:

2 Timothy 2:1–4 (KJV 1900)

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Application:

* Peter warmed himself by the world’s fire. Luke 22:54–62 (KJV 1900)

54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off. * Why was Peter now following afar off? Before Peter had followed Jesus closely, why now is he following afar off? * Peter is now following afar off because now all of a sudden following Christ was not easy any more. Now it was hard! Now Peter was facing being condemned by the world! Now Peter must endure suffering if he is to continue to follow Jesus! * When the going got rough Peter did like many other Christians and began to make himself comfortable with the world. * That’s were many who started out following Christ are today. They are all cozyied up with the world, enjoying their nice homes and fancy cars and boats and campers and hunting equipment, not willing to stick their neck out for the Lord. * They are too comfortable to get out and load up a van or a bus and bring boys and girls to church where they can hear the gospel and be saved. * The are too comfortable to obligate themselves to build a Sunday school class and teach boys and girls, men and women and bring them to the knowledge of the Savior! * Like Peter, they started out following Jesus, but when they got the part where they were supposed to pick up their cross and put their neck in the yoke and plow with Jesus to bring people into the Kingdom of God, they let go of the plough because it’s too hard.

1 John 2:14–17 (KJV 1900)

14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

(the story continues…)

55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. 57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. 58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. 59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. 60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

II. Jesus said there will be many distractions.

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

* King Agrippa was almost saved, but was distracted by the present world and its duties. Acts 26:24–28 (KJV 1900)

24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. III. Jesus said don’t look back.

61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

* Why did Luke choose to include Jesus telling this man not to go back to his friends and family before he followed Jesus?

* Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Luke recorded this story right after the two previous accounts, to emphasize the importance that when we make the decision to follow Jesus, we must decide ahead of time that we are leaving the old life that we had before we believed on Jesus behind. * In order to follow Jesus, we have to leave our old friends behind.

* In order to follow Jesus we have to leave our will and desires behind and put God’s before ours.

* God gave us an example in the book of Genesis of someone who kept looking back to the world. * Lot’s wife looked back. Genesis 19:24–26 (KJV 1900)

24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Luke 17:32–33 (KJV 1900)

32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

* Why did Luke record these words that Jesus said “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God?” Is Luke saying that if start out following Jesus and then backslide that you can’t go to heaven?

* We know that is not what Luke, through the Holy Spirit is saying. What Jesus as teaching that man is that when we start following Jesus, but keep looking back, we are an unfit servant for the Kingdom of Heaven.

* Peter didn’t loose his salvation when he denied Christ back there by the Devil’s croud, be he was not yet fit to lead people into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Luke 22:31–34 (KJV 1900)

31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. * Peter had believed on the Lord, but he was not yet ready for service for the Lord because he had not fully made up his mind that he was ready to follow the lord without turning back. * The Bible says that when the guards took Jesus and led him away from the garden to be interrogated by the High Priest, that Peter followed Jesus afar off. * We have many in the church that have believed on Jesus, but like Nicodemus and Joseph of Armathia, they follow Jesus afar off.

* These Christians are saved, but they have never completely left the world, and are of no use in the work of bringing people into the Kingdom of God.

* They keep on foot in the world just in case they might have to turn back away from following Jesus.

* Tonight Satan wants to keep you there so you won’t bring other into the kingdom of God.

* Jesus uses a person plowing a field for an example.

* Now if you have ever plowed a field, you know that you need to keep a straight row or you won’t make a very good crop.

* If your rows and crooked and twisty, you will have to work twice as hard to grow a good crop.

* Like a man that can’t plough a straight row, is not suited to be a good farmer, a Christian that keeps looking back to the world is not fit bear fruit in the Kingdom of God.

* I’m not much of a farmer, but I do know that if you don’t pick out something in the distance in front of you and keep your eye on that point, it’s almost impossible to plough a straight row.

* This is why Paul said:

Philippians 3:13–15 (KJV 1900)

…but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded…

* Some of us have been saved for many years. God desires to use you in the work of bringing people into the kingdom of God, but you can’t plough a straight row.

* You keep looking back, and when you turn your heart toward God again, you have messed your life up and you have to keep straightening up the problems you have made in your life by looking back.

* Jesus is calling us tonight to make a commitment to God to follow God with all our heart, all of our mind, and of our soul. * God wants your head in the game tonight if you are going to serve him. Only then are we fit to bring other into the Kingdome of God.