A King Without a Castle: What it Truly Means to Follow Jesus

Hymn of the Ages

Welcome

Good morning family.

Hear the Words of Jesus from Revelation 21:6-7

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Are you thirsty this morning? Are you thirsty for something bigger and better than anything the world has to offer you?

If you are, you’ve come to the right place. Not because we’re anything special, but because we know Someone who is.

His name is Jesus, and He offers living water for free to all who surrender to Him.

I pray you’ll leave here satisfied this morning.

In just a moment we’ll hear a Scripture reading from Matthew 8:18-23 (966 in black Bibles). Turn there now.

While you’re turning, a few quick announcements:

1) A word about PBC. We are Disciples.

A few opportunities to grow as a follower of Jesus beginning this month:

1) Bookstall for summer reading

2) New Sunday School class: New Testament Overview (begins next Sunday at 9:15 AM)

3) For men & women:

Aspire—begins July 17 at 4 PM

Unreviled—begins July 17 at 6:30 PM

Spaces for both are limited, so sign up ASAP if you’re interested

2) No Tabletalk tonight

3) VBS, July 10 from 6-8:30 PM

Now look in your Bibles at Matthew 8:18 as Ramona Rogers comes to read for us.

Scripture Reading (Matthew 8:18-23)

Prayer of Praise (God is peace), Ramona Rogers

Come Thou Fount

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Prayer of Confession (Ignorance), Eli Dowell

Worthy of Your Name

PBC Catechism #27

What does the Holy Spirit do?

He convicts the world of sin and its consequences, brings repentance and faith to sinners through regeneration, indwells believers, gives them assurance of salvation, sanctifies them, and causes them to bear the fruit of Christian character. He guides, instructs, and empowers Christians, gifting them to serve the local church.

Pastoral Prayer (John Rogers)

SERMON

Dadurday, kids wanted to keep a baby bird.

I told them how they’d have to feed the bird.

“You could blend up first or something”

You’ve totally missed the point.

Many things in life seem fun and exciting, until you realize the cost.

Turn to Matthew 8:18

Last week I told you that Matthew 8-9 feature three sets of three miracle stories that show Jesus’ power. We looked at the first set of three miracle stories last week.

But Matthew is not interested in simply wowing you with Jesus’ power. He wants to convince you to follow Jesus

So in between each of the three sets of miracle stories, Matthew interrupts the narrative to teach us something about following Jesus

Our story begins with a great crowd around Jesus.

Makes sense because in the previous verses Jesus was healing everyone in Capernaum

You would think this would be the perfect time for Jesus and His disciples to set up camp for awhile to capitalize on Jesus’ success.

But Jesus thinks very differently than we do, especially in the numbers-driven West.

We form our political opinions based on polling data, our viewing habits are influenced by box office numbers, and our feelings of value are often connected to the number of likes on social media.

Even in churches, we are far too easily impacted by what will draw the largest crowd.

Jesus is far more interested in absolute allegiance from a few followers than admiration from a massive crowd.

So instead of striking while the iron is hot, Jesus does the unthinkable. He tells the disciples, “load up the boat, it’s time to leave.”

As they’re preparing to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, two would-be disciples approach Jesus. They’re hoping they can join Jesus in His travels.

In His responses to both men, Jesus reveals the cost of following Him: absolute allegiance.

But we don’t know how either man responds.

Matthew doesn’t finish the story. Perhaps because he wants us to finish the story. More important than what these men did is what you and I will do.

Some of you haven’t given your absolute allegiance to Jesus. I pray you’ll do that today.

Most of you have, but like Jesus’ disciples your allegiance wavers. I pray that today you’ll be reminded that following Jesus is worth it, even when it hurts.

As we walk through this passage together, I want you to ask yourself two questions that reflect the concerns of these two men.

1) Will I Submit My COMFORT to Jesus?

Perhaps while Jesus’ disciples are getting the boat ready to sail, the first man comes to Jesus...

8:19—And a scribe came up and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

This sounds pretty good!

It’s even better when you understand the significance of a scribe saying this to Jesus.

The scribes were religious scholars. Today they would be religious PhDs and seminary professors. Often in the Scriptures they were closely associated with the Pharisees.

Now imagine a seminary professor with a PhD from some prestigious seminary approaching a traveling Bible teacher without a formal education saying, “will you mentor me?” That’s pretty astounding!

One commentator states, “Going through the process of discipleship after already being a scribe would be a humbling experience (like having to repeat high school after finding out that one’s school was unaccredited).” [2]

This scribe seems pretty impressive! A lot of preachers would be ready to get this guy to walk an aisle, sign a card, get baptized and join the team.

“Not so fast,” says Jesus...

8:20—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 poetically replies, “are you sure you want to follow me? I’m homeless. Even foxes and birds have more comfort than my followers do.”

Following Jesus will lead to a crown. . . eventually. But the cross comes first.

Matthew 16:24-26—Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

J.C. Ryle—“Nothing, in fact, has done more harm to Christianity than the practice of filling the ranks of Christ’s army with every volunteer who is willing to make a little profession, and talk fluently of his experience. It has been painfully forgotten that numbers alone do not make strength, and that there may be a great quantity of mere outward religion, while there is very little real grace.” [3]

Before we affirm as person as a follower of Jesus, we should do our best to make sure they’ve counted the cost

Have you counted the cost? Following Jesus will cost you many things, including your personal comfort.

Following Jesus is uncomfortable...

As a single (living purely; loneliness)

As a husband (dying to self)

As a wife (submitting)

As a kid (honor/obey)

As a mom (raising children rightly)

As a dad (pastor in your home)

As a church member (grieve with those who grieve, rejoice with those who rejoice)

As an employee (working as unto the Lord, not unto men)

As a disciple-maker (helping people follow Jesus)

In the world (loving sinners while faithfully telling the lost the Gospel)

In suffering (not giving over to vengeance or bitterness)

Why would anyone be willing to endure such discomfort?

Only those who understand what Jesus means when He calls Himself the “Son of Man”

8:20—“… the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Jesus refers to Himself as the Son of Man 79x in the Gospels. It’s His favorite title for Himself.

But what does it mean?

D.A. Carson rightly says that Jesus used the term because it both conceals something about Jesus and it reveals something about Jesus. [4]

What it reveals is obvious: Jesus is a real human being.

The title “son of man” is often used to refer to a human being (Psalm 8:4, Ezekiel)

Jesus could refer to Himself as the “Son of Man” and most people wouldn’t bat an eye. Of course He’s a human, we can see that with our own eyes!

But Jesus also used this term to conceal something about His identity from those who weren’t truly His followers...

What it conceals from unbelievers is His identity as the eternal Son of God.

Daniel 7:13-14—I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

This homeless, traveling preacher is also the eternal Son of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Jesus uses this title to do something that’s kind of like an episode of Undercover Boss. In the show high-level corporate executives leave their cushy offices to secretly take low-level jobs within their companies to find out how things really work and what their employees truly think of them. But in order for the show to work, the boss has to remain undercover. The moment the boss’ cover is blown, the experiment is over.

Jesus has left the glories of heaven to live among the human race He has created. In order for Him to accomplish His mission, to die on a cross for the sins of His people, Jesus’ has to work and minister undercover. Not completely of course. He’ll reveal who He is to some, but not to everybody. That day won’t come until Jesus returns and every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord! For now, it’s an open secret.

Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear who Jesus is? Do you believe He is the Son of Man, truly man and truly God?

If you do, you’ll sacrifice any and every comfort to worship Him.

If you don’t, will you ask Him to open your eyes today?

WHITE FLAG

The cost to following Jesus is absolute allegiance. Are you willing to submit your personal comfort to Jesus?

There’s a second question I need to ask myself...

2) Will I Submit My OBLIGATIONS to Jesus?

8:21—Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

Matthew is probably using the word “disciples” loosely. This isn’t one of the twelve. It’s someone who’s following Jesus to some degree, but his limits are about to be tested.

He asks permission to bury his dad before he goes any further.

This seems a pretty reasonable request:

Craig Keener—“Many Jewish people considered honoring parents the supreme commandment and burial of one’s parents one of the most important implications of that commandment, regardless of the circumstances. In most current interpretations of biblical law, only the honor due to God took precedence over the honor shown to parents.” [5]

This would-be disciple asks permission to fulfill his obligations as a son, and then follow Jesus.

How does Jesus respond?

8:22—And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”

As I studied this passage last week, I was also spending time with some of our church members who were planning a funeral for their father. I can’t imagine saying something like Jesus’ words here to a family who is grieving while also planning a burial.

So what’s going on here? Is Jesus being harsh?

Three Main Views:

Some say this man’s father was probably still alive.

Because the Jews didn’t practice embalming, burial usually occurred within hours of death (think of the Jesus’ burial)

If his dad had died recently, this man wouldn’t be talking to Jesus. He would be preparing for or in the process of burying his dad.

So some suggest “let me first bury my father” is a figure of speech that basically means, “let me take care of my dad until he dies.”

If this view is correct, the man is asking for an unknown amount of time. As long as it takes to care for his dad and receive his inheritance. And then he’ll follow Jesus.

Others say that perhaps his father had died and was buried, but the customary thirty day mourning period wasn’t complete.

If this view is correct, the man is likely just asking for a few more days, and then he’ll follow Jesus.

Still others refer to a custom called reburial.

The eldest son would return to the tomb, a year after his father’s death, to “rebury” his father by neatly rearranging the bare bones in a container and sliding them into a slot in the wall of the tomb. [6]

Weird, I know, but we do lots of weird things with the dead.

If this view is correct, the man wants to wait at home for up to a year and then he’ll follow Jesus.

Regardless of which view is correct, two things are clear:

1) If the first man was too quick to make promises to Jesus, this man is too slow to perform his promises. The first man was naive. This guy’s dragging his feet.

2) Followers of Jesus must submit every obligation to Him.

Whether he’s caring for his aging dad, completing the grieving process, or honoring his dad through reburial this would-be disciple is trying to honor his dad. That’s good! That’s a social obligation for every self-respecting Jew in Jesus’ day.

But Jesus says, it doesn’t take precedence over me. I demand your absolute allegiance.

So Jesus says, “let the dead bury their own dead.”

Now of course, the physically dead can’t do anything! So Jesus must be talking about the spiritually dead.

In other words, “let the spiritually dead care about the things of this world. You follow me.”

Are you willing to submit your obligations to Jesus?

If you have aging parents, you have an obligation to care for aging parents. But you must submit that obligation to Jesus.

If your parents ask you to choose between following Jesus and serving them, you choose Jesus.

Think of our brothers and sisters who were saved out of Muslim backgrounds. They often are renounced by their families upon their baptism.

If you have children, you have an obligation to love them. But you must submit that obligation to Jesus.

You can’t disobey Jesus to “love” your kids

Enabling sinful behavior

Affirming their sinful choices

If you have a job, you have an obligation to honor your employer. But you must submit that obligation to Jesus.

Earlier this month five players on the Tampa Bay Rays major league baseball team were in hot water because they refused to wear a patch the team added to its uniforms to celebrate Pride month.

One of the players explained the decision this way: "...it's a hard decision. Because ultimately we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here. But when we put [this symbol] on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it's just a lifestyle that maybe — not that they look down on anybody or think differently — it's just that maybe we don't want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who's encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior, just like [Jesus] encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. It's no different." [7]

These players basically said, “we have an obligation to honor our employer and our fans. But that doesn’t take precedence over honoring Jesus.”

As a citizen of the USA, many believe you have an obligation to shut your mouth about stuff like this. Just leave it alone. But you must submit that obligation to Jesus!

This isn’t anything new! In the earliest days of the church, the religious leaders in Jerusalem told the Apostles they had an obligation to stop talking about Jesus. And when Peter and John refused, the religious leaders arrested them...

Acts 5:27-29—And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this Name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”

The cost for following Jesus is absolute allegiance. Are you willing to submit your obligations to Him?

Before we conclude I want to address the Christians in this room, who may be prone to despair thinking about this call to radical discipleship.

Have I really submitted my comfort to Jesus? All of it? If I haven’t, am I really a Christian?

Have I really submitted my obligations to Jesus? All of them? If I haven’t am I really a Christian?

We tend to think we’re either doing it perfectly or we’re not doing it at all!

Dimmer switch vs. toggle switch

Some commands in Scripture are like toggle switches, you’re either on or off, you’re either doing it or you’re not

Other commands are more like dimmer switches, you may be doing the thing, but you just need to turn it up your intensity

There is a toggle switch moment when you must submit yourself to Jesus and become His disciple by repenting and believing

But then the rest of your life is like a dimmer switch. You’re growing in submitting your comfort and your obligations to Jesus.

If you need an example, just look at...

8:23—And when [Jesus] got into the boat, His disciples followed him.

The disciples aren’t perfect. In a few moments they’re going to be worried about their comfort as a storm descends upon the sea. But they’re in the boat. They’re with Jesus. And He’s the One they turn to when they don’t know where else to go.

Let that be you, Christian.

Me and the baby birds: don’t get a baby bird!!!

Jesus is so different. Yes, there’s a cost. But in the end it’s worth it.

For the Cause

Benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14)