Part 28 | The Decision to Follow Jesus

Matthew 8:18–22 (ESV)

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

A scholar by the name of Rob Henderson wrote an article in the New York Post about—what He calls--”Luxury Beliefs.” He asserts that—in the past—upper-class Americans used to display their social status with high-end clothing and other luxury goods. But now, with trendy clothing and other goods becoming more affordable and accessible, there is increasingly less status attached to these things.

He argues that the upper class has found a new solution to display their status—namely, by Luxury Beliefs, which he defines as “ideas and opinions that confer status on the rich at very little cost to them, while taking a toll on the lower class.”

For example, Henderson tells the story of a former classmate from Yale who told him that “monogamy is kind of outdated” and not good for society. He then asked her about her background and if she planned to marry. It turns out that she comes from a traditional family and she plans, herself, to marry and have a traditional family, but still maintained—nonetheless—that traditional families are old-fashioned and that society should evolve beyond them. Her beliefs do not align with the clear evidence that families with two married parents are the most beneficial to young children.

Henderson’s point is that the young lady’s promotion of such erroneous beliefs about marriage and family won’t affect her or those in her circle, but will harm the working class who are far less likely to get married and to have kids out of wedlock.

One more example of Luxury Beliefs is the idea of “white privilege.” Henderson writes that it is often members of the upper-class that claim that “racial disparities stem from inherent advantages held by whites. Yet, he says, Asian Americans are more educated, have higher earnings and live longer than whites.”

The promotion of such beliefs by affluent whites help them gain status, but their ideas are of little cost to them. Henderson writes, that when laws are enacted to combat “white privilege”—it is the poorer-class whites who bear the brunt.

I share Henderson’s idea of Luxury Beliefs with you, because I believe that there is something similar going on in the contemporary church. Many preachers—especially in the US—are notorious for preaching a watered down gospel—or a half-truth Gospel. In their gospel presentations, they rightly tell of a loving Savior who died for our sins and offers grace, forgiveness, and salvation to all who would believe; but the messages are often void of the harder truths of the faith—such as repentance, sacrifice, and the hardships that accompany the Christian life.

These half-truth gospel presentations are of little cost—at least in this life—to those who preach them. Often, these pastors’ churches experience exponential growth, because people tend to flock to a church that feeds them a message of great benefits with little or no cost. While the preachers’ status is raised as they proclaim these beliefs, it is the congregants who are harmed. There is no salvation without repentance, and—when these churchgoers discover that the Christian life is not all cupcakes and rainbows, they are left disillusioned— and many of them, consequently, walk away from the faith.

Jesus never gave this kind of shallow-presentation of the Gospel. He spoke often about the benefits of the Kingdom of God, while—at the same time—never shying away from the need for repentance and the hardships that accompany the Christian life.

Remember in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus is giving this invitation to follow Him and to be part of the Kingdom of God?

Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

The Christian life is glorious in many ways—but it is a life of sacrifice.

Many people claim to be Christians. But what does it mean to be a Christian? Is it merely believing in Jesus? Is it attending church on Sundays or praying. While these are all good and necessary parts of the Christian life… they are not—in and of themselves—what it means to be a Christian. To be a Christian is to be a real follower of Jesus.

John 10:27 (ESV)

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

So, what does it mean to follow Jesus?

Simply put, it means to obey Him. It means to walk with Him. It means that He is the priority in our lives, second to none.

To follow Jesus, then, is a MASSIVE decision—one that should not be taken lightly.

In our text, two men claim to want to follow Jesus, but the Lord challenges each of their commitments.

One man commits to Jesus too hastily. He has not considered the cost of following Jesus. The other man is too hesitant in his commitment. He wants to commit to Jesus… but in his own time.

So, as we move through the text, I want to present these two challenges to you: Don’t commit to Jesus too hastily (really consider what it means to be a follower of Jesus), but two, don’t be too hesitant.

The balance this: take time to know what it is to follow Jesus, and—when you understand the commitment—don’t wait. Start following Him today.

I. Don’t Commit to Jesus too Hastily

Matthew 8:19 (ESV)

And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

Scribes

The Scribes were associated with the Pharisees; they were part of the religious elite and were authorities in Jewish Law.

They were highly educated and were considered scholars within the Jewish community.

For this this man to address Jesus as Teacher is rather remarkable, because Scribes were not often known for following teachers; they, themselves, were normally the teachers . To follow someone like Jesus—who challenged the Scribes and Pharisees understanding of the Law and Jewish traditions— would have been even more shocking.

For this man to become a dedicated disciple of Jesus, would mean to be an outcast in the community of his fellow scribes.

Perhaps he really believes that his desire to follow Jesus is genuine. He must truly be moved by Jesus’ teachings and miracles. So he asserts, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

But the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves; He challenges this man’s commitment—almost to say, “you have no idea what you are signing up for.”

I have been in many church services—especially revival type meetings—where a gospel presentation is given. The preacher then says something like, “if you want to be saved, I am going to count to three and I want you to raise your hand. Then he begins the countdown:

(1)… tonight you can be forgiven of your sins

(2)… you don’t know when you are going to die so you better raise your hand… you better turn or burn… AND

(3)… and hands shoot up everywhere.

I have a problem with this for a couple of reasons:

(1) One, nowhere in the Bible does it say “raise your hand if you want to be saved.” So, by someone raising their hand… they could leave the service with no change of heart… no repentance… and yet, think that they are saved.

(2) The high pressure sales tactic causes people puts people in an awful spot, where they are forced to make a commitment without really knowing what they are signing up for.

To be sure, I don’t think you should put salvation off. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. But at the same time, you need to understand what the commitment you are making entails.

This high pressure sales pitch is not the tactic that Jesus uses:

Consider the text: Jesus responds to the Scribe’s statement with a statement himself, challenging the genuineness of his decision.

Matthew 8:20 (ESV)

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.”

Jesus’ answer may seem off topic and perplexing, but it is actually brilliant.

The Scribe is use to a life of respect and prestige. If you were a teacher of the the OT Law, you were revered and put on a pedestal within the Jewish community.

When He considers the teachings of the miracles of Jesus—He is surely thinking— “wow, if I stick with this guy, I will really be something.

Jesus is aware of his misconception. He challenges the Scribe’s understanding of the commitment that he just proclaimed.

Foxes have holes were they can experience protection and rest; birds have nests where they can rest, but Jesus—during his earthly ministry—does not even have the basic comforts of this life. He had no place of His own, often staying with friends, family and disciples.

This doesn’t mean that every Christian will be homeless.

Jesus point seems to be that following Him would not bring the Scribe honor and prestige—nor would it bring Him comfort and luxury. Quite the opposite, actually.

Matthew 10:21–22 (ESV)

Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

The Scribe in this story has not considered what he is signing up for when he hastily declares that He will follow Jesus.

John 2:23–24 (ESV)

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.

Jesus knows that a profession of faith doesn’t necessarily reflect a strong commitment.

During my tenure at Real Life, countless men and women—being moved by the service—have come to the altar and made commitments to the Lord. They say things like “today is the day of change…” I am going to start truly following Jesus. My family is getting back in church, we are living for Jesus… But a week, or a month, or a year later… they are nowhere to be found. They are back living that old life again.

Becoming a Christian does not mean that you add Jesus to your life… it means completely giving your life to Him.

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

To be a Christian is to be willing to give up everything for the sake of Christ. Before you commit to the Lord, you need to understand the magnitude of that commitment. You don’t make a commitment like this hastily.

To commit to follow the Lord without considering the cost-- just because you had an emotional experience at camp or at a church altar. Think about the decision you are making—because to become a Real Follower of Jesus CHANGES EVERYTHING.

II. Don’t Commit to Jesus too Hesitantly

Matthew 8:21–22 (ESV)

Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

The word “disciples” in verse 21 is used very loosely—the man is NOT one of the twelve, but He is someone who is interested in following Jesus, without—again—understanding the weight of that commitment.

So he says, “Jesus, I will follow with you… but I just need some time to bury my father. It seems like a fair enough request, right? And then Jesus gives—what appears to be—a brutal response. “follow me… let the dead bury the dead.” What in the world?

In Israel, burial of a dead family member superseded other religious obligations. The obligation of providing an honorable burial for a mother or father came implicitly from the command to “honor your father and mother.”

Being a Christian doesn’t preclude you from attending a parent’s funeral. Being a Christian does not preclude you from honoring your father and mother. So what is going on here?

Some Scholars Suggest that the man’s father is not yet dead

Because the Jews did not practice embalming, when someone died, the body would be quickly prepared and buried. Burials would normally happen within 24 hours.

If this man’s father had died, he would be busy planning and attending a funeral, not standing around speaking with Jesus. So what is going on here?

John MacArthur points out that the phrase “bury my father” was a Near Eastern figure of speech that referred to a son’s responsibility to help his father in the family business until the father died and the inheritance was distributed.

If a son didn’t fulfill is duties to his father, he could lose his inheritance.

So, to say “I want to bury my father” was commonly equivalent to saying “I want to receive my inheritance.

Other Scholars Suggest that the Father has died, but it is a Second Burial that the man has in mind

A year after the first burial occured—after the flesh rotted off the bones—the son would return to the burial ground to put the bones in a special box, and he would then insert the box into a slot in the tomb’s wall.

Either way, Jesus point is clear: the man has a sense of what it is to follow Jesus, but He is asking for delay. It’s like, Lord, I want to follow you… but now is not a good time. There are other things that are more important in his life than Jesus. But that is not how Christianity works. To follow Jesus, means to put Him above everything.

Matthew 10:37 ESV

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

The second man in the story may love money more than Jesus… wanting to receive his inheritance before following the Lord.

He may love his family more than Jesus. The Lord wants us to honor our family… but even so, He must come before them.

The bottom line is that something is more important in His life in Jesus. But if you follow Jesus, He must be the priority. Hands down.

Through the years, I’ve heard many people who aren’t following Jesus say things like “I know I need to follow the Lord.” But then they go on to tell me why it isn’t a convenient time for them to make such a decision.

It’s like: “after I graduate then I will start following the Lord” or “when things slow down, then I will start serving the Lord,” or after I get married… or after the kids get older… or after I get out of debt… or when I retire… then, I will start serving the Lord. This way of thinking is quite dangerous!

Perhaps some of you know the truth… and you understand the commitment of what it means to follow Jesus… and you know you need to make that decision. BUT you are thinking of all the things you might miss out on.... all the things you want to accomplish before you turn your life over. I would just challenge you and say that there is nothing more important than making a decision to follow Jesus today.

Closing: Jesus is Worthy

Following Jesus means laying down every part of your life for His glory. It means to obey Him. It means to turn from sin. It means to go where He leads you to go. It means to trust His plans for your life. To know follow the One who spent His life for you, means that you spend your life to selflessly serve others.

John 12:25 (ESV)

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

We are saved by grace through faith. But true faith goes beyond intellectual belief—is laying your life down at the feet of the One who laid His life down for you.

And that decision may cost you a lot. But I want to close by saying… “FOLLOWING JESUS IS WORTH THE COST.”

Philippians 3:8–11 (ESV)

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

The invitation to follow Jesus is for you. Don’t be hasty (count the cost), but don’t be hesitant. I pray that you all make the decision to be a REAL FOLLOWER OF JESUS.