Our "My Story" series has been a powerful testimony about how one encounter with Jesus forever alters our story. We met a despised tax collector, a woman with a colorful past, a blind man, a Pharisee, and a demon possessed outcast. These five individuals did not have much in common, aside from a firsthand experience of Jesus' grace and mercy. And just like the six Cedar Hillian's who shared their stories with us throughout this series, things were completely different for them after they welcomed Him into their hearts. Because that is what Jesus does. He changes lives and He transforms our stories. Much like the individuals we read about in the Bible, He is still at work in us today.
But what about those stories that were never written?
How many disciples did Jesus have? Trick question- we don't actually know. We do know that He had at least 72, though! In Luke 10, Jesus sends His disciples out and, empowered by His Spirit, they do incredible things. In verse 17, they exclaim, "Jesus, even evil spirits obey us when we use your name!" There were some who stuck with Jesus through thick and thin, all the way to the bitter (and very shocking) end, but there were others who started out strong then chose to walk away when the going got tough. And when they walked away from Jesus, their stories of transformation walked with them. Instead of reading their incredible stories in the Bible, they are nowhere to be found. But, there is a lesson in these untold stories, too, for they can serve as a wakeup call for some of us today.
In Luke 9:57-62, we read a couple of conversations with potential followers:
As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” He said to another person, “Come, follow me." The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family." But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Wow, so much for the meek and mild Jesus that we seem to hear so much about- these are some strong words! And they are words to remember today, for each man was invited to follow Jesus, but we quickly learn that there was something in the way for each of them.
The first man, who we will call the Man of Comfort, was eager to follow Jesus. He didn't have to be asked! Matthew tells us that this man was actually a teacher of Jewish Law. These guys were not generally fans of Jesus, but we see a curiosity and a desire in this man. The teachers of Jewish Law believed that the Messiah would come to rescue Israel by leading a military coup against their Roman oppressors. So his declaration to follow Jesus meant that he would follow Him into battle, if need be. But Jesus could see that there was something holding this man back from full commitment. We don't know if it was his beautiful home, the security of his wealth, or maybe just the general comforts he had become accustomed to, but when Jesus called this out by stating that "the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head", our friend backed out.
The second conversation was with the Man of Convenience. When Jesus extends an invitation, it's clear this man desires to follow Him. He wants to, but there is something holding him back. Social and familial obligations are vying for his attention and this would be a very inconvenient time to go all in with Jesus. So he requests to return home and take care of some things, then catch up with Jesus a little later. But Jesus calls him out, telling him to "Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead!" We don't know the rest of the conversation, but we do know that this man did not follow Jesus. This sounds not compassionate. Most would say Jesus was the most compassionate, so why is He responding this way? He is using strong language to say that spiritual commitments aren't an inconvenience. They are what is most important. Those who are spiritually dead- those who do not embrace or follow Jesus, that is- are focused on this life alone. But you are called to a kingdom that is greater! And if today is not the right time, then will there ever be a right time?
And lastly we have the Man of Competing Commitments. Once again, we see a desire to follow Jesus, but the competing commitments back home are confusing things. He mentions family, but it could have been anything. His home, a business, animals, or community responsibilities could have been getting in the way. So Jesus says, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” We don't have to have experience plowing fields to understand this analogy. Let's look at mountain biking as another example: The basic rule of biking is where you look, is where you go. If you see a rock on the trail and you continue looking at it, you're going to hit the rock. If you look behind you, you're going to steer off the trail. The same is true with plowing. If you look behind you, you're going to veer off course and you won't plow a straight line.
Jesus isn't saying that your family, or your business, or your life isn't important. His challenge was to stay focused on what's most important. And in 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Paul says the same thing. Don't lose sight of your purpose and your calling, don't be distracted by competing commitments, and serve a greater kingdom. Three conversations. Three men. Three stories that could have been told, but were never written. Jesus isn't begging for followers. In fact, it seemed as if he turned these three away because he demands unconditional trust and undivided affection. J.C. Ryle explained it well when he said, "Nothing has done more to 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."
So what might be hanging you up? Jesus wants us to turn from our
comforts,
conveniences, and
competing commitments to embrace Him fully. Lay it all down and follow Him. Let Him write you a new future, and a new story.
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