Putting Jesus First

Putting Jesus First - Luke 9

Luke 9:1-62

"Now it happened as they journeyed on the road...." Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. He had predicted that He would suffer and be killed there. In his travels He met three men, whom He had greatly impressed.

The first man came to Him and said, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." Other disciples, who started to walk with Christ, had some difficulty understanding what Jesus was saying. We can read about them in John 6:66: "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more." This man here didn't know where Jesus was going.

The Lord said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." According to John 7:53, "Everyone went to his own house," and in the next verse we find, "But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives."

Jesus said to the second man, "Follow Me." The man was willing to follow Christ, but he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." We don't know whether his father was alive or dead at the time. "Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." This statement probably means that we should let those who are spiritually dead bury the physically dead. Following Christ is more important than even attendance at the funeral of one's own father.

A third man volunteered to follow Jesus, saying, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." Jesus replied, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Those who plow while looking back cannot plow in a straight line.

Earlier in this chapter Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." He was talking about the cost of discipleship.

We don't know if any of these three men wound up following Jesus. The Bible doesn't give us the answer. We do know that today the Lord says, "Follow Me." When we hesitatingly respond, "But...first...," that's definitely the wrong answer. We need to put Jesus first, and follow the Leader.

Lord, Your call to discipleship is quite simple. We realize that we follow You one step at a time. Lead us by Your Spirit, and use us for your glory and the advancement of Your kingdom. In Jesus' name. Amen!

Mary and Martha - Luke 10

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