Shalom,
We ought to give thanks to the heavenly Father for giving His only Son, Jesus, to die for us that we can be saved from eternal condemnation. Now we are always sanctified by His word and are awaiting perfection that He promised.
We have learnt that following Jesus is characterized with humility. As a matter of fact, there is no one able to prove themselves to have humility and meekness other than Jesus (Matthew 11:29). While waiting for His second coming, we should follow Him with humility and also understanding that there are consequences of doing so.
Now let us find out what consequences of following Jesus in Luke 9: 51-62. While on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus was told that someone wanted to follow Him wherever He went. Then Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Jesus actually still gave him a chance. Then He further told the other two people to follow Him. But these are their responses:
- The first person did not respond to Jesus’ answer.
- The second person asked for permission to bury his father.
- The third person would join Him but only after he said goodbye to his family.
We might have similar or different excuses when asked to follow Jesus. And it will obstruct and stunt our journey with Him.
When the day was near for Jesus to be taken up to heaven, He set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). He sent several disciples to go to Samaritan’s village to make things ready in advance for Him. What was the Samaritans response to His arrival? They rejected Him because they did not mingle with Jewish people (cf. John 4:9)
Knowing their rejection, James and John became furious and they wanted to send fire from heaven to burn them. But Jesus rebuked them saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (vv. 55-56). They had been following Jesus for quite some time but had wrong point of view and their hearts were not sanctified yet. They expected their Teacher to be respected and praised because of His miraculous works. As it did not happen, they wanted to imitate what Elijah did in the Old Testament. He sent fire from heaven and finished off an officer and his fifty soldiers sent by King Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:9-12).
Introspection: Many servants of the Lord expect to receive a good welcome and even best facility when they are invited to do a ministry. What would their reaction be if they are rejected or have to pay their own expenses? How about us? When we follow Jesus, do we focus on the miracles rather than the miracle maker? Do we adore some ministers of God because of the spiritual gifts they have? Paul reminded that He and Apollos were fellow servants of God with different tasks. One was planting, the other was watering, but it was God who caused it to grow (1 Corinthians 3:5-6).
Jesus was not offended when He was rejected by the Samaritans. He went to other village along with His disciples. Jesus was willing to save every person (their personal life, marriage and family) no matter how sinful they were. For instance, He saved an adulterous woman, Zachaeus the tax collector and many others. Apart from God, there is no good person. Even the United Nations’ effort to manifest international peace and unity will not succeed if Jesus is not involved.
Application: Don’t be disappointed if our ministry and evangelism got rejected, wrongly assumed that this was not from the Lord! Every of our plan is under God’s control proven by Paul’s and Silas’ ministry when the Holy Spirit forbade them from preaching the Gospel in Asia and also in Bithynia (Acts 16:6-7).
Bear in our mind that anything we think and do will bring consequences. For instance: the Triune God’s creations of heaven and earth and all the host of them including the first man were very good (Genesis 1:31). But as soon as Adam and Eve believed the serpent and put themselves against God, they fell into sin. Consequently, their lives were not as good as before because they were cast out from the Garden of Eden and had to start living in hard labor (Genesis 3:16-19, 24). However, God will turn man’s bad condition into good again only if they return to Him and obey His word.
After hearing the three people’s responses, Jesus explained the consequences everyone (including us) has to face of following Him:
- “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” It speaks of man’s primary need à the Table of Showbread.
The first person said that he would follow Jesus wherever he went – to the mountains, valleys, lakes, etc. Did Jesus praise him for his good desire? No. Jesus’ answer made him stunned. Do you know Jesus’ activities? It once happened that Jesus and His disciples were so busy working and performing miracles of healing and casting out demons that they had no time to eat, then they went to a deserted place to get some rest (Mark 6:31).
Application: When we follow the Lord, we should be ready to face consequences concerning our primary need. But we should not worry because the Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need (Matthew 6:31-33).
Preacher’s testimony: In 1969 he was called to begin his ministry. Together with his wife and eldest son, he had to leave their comfort zone in Surabaya to go to the unknown city of Sorong. They took a merchant ship and slept on the deck for weeks. Although they underwent lots of hardships in Sorong, God always graciously provided for them.
- “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” à the Gold Lampstand.
When we preach the gospel of God’s Kingdom, we need to prepare ourselves for the consequences of breaking traditions, e.g. the ceremony to commemorate the fortieth or one-hundredth day of our family member’s death. We should testify that the living word of God is powerful to bring life and eternal salvation.
Preacher’s testimony: In Sorong he received a message that his father died in Surabaya. He could not go to see him. Even when his mother died a few years later, he could not go either. As the consequence, his siblings got angry calling him disrespectful and ungrateful to their parents. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 33:8-11 that the Levites did not acknowledge their parents and brothers, meaning that they ministered to the Lord because they valued Christ’s sacrifice, not merely driven by their feeling or emotion.
- “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” à the Altar of Incense.
The third person was willing to follow Jesus only after he said goodbye to his family. Hence, his kinship was stronger than his willingness to enter the Kingdom of God.
What did the apostle Paul do to enter the Kingdom of God? He exercised to have self-control in everything so that after preaching the gospel he himself would not be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27). He also purposefully forgot the things behind and reached out for the things ahead, striving toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).
Application: When we follow Jesus, we should not set our eyes to the past success but rather focus ourselves on the ministry before us. And whenever we open a new ministry, do not forget to ask for God’s favour on that place.
Preacher’s testimony: In 1990 he was called to leave Sorong for a new ministry in Medan whereas he had already decided to spend the rest of his life in Sorong continuing the ministry he had planted and “successfully” managed for twenty one years. He asked God why he had to move to a new place and start a ministry from the beginning. God reminded him of this verse suggesting him not to live in the past success, lest he lost his vision and mission of preaching the Gospel of the cross of Christ and failed his ministry. Don’t work on a ministry based on past success and experience! Rather, pray in God’s name, break up the unplowed ground until He comes and showers His righteousness on us (Hosea 10:12).
A servant of God must beware not to let his pride over the successful ministry and the joy of receiving praises make him lose the vision and mission of his ministry, forgetting the grace of God.
Now we understand that there are consequences of following the Lord. However, we should not worry our welfare; instead, rest assured that He who calls us will graciously provide for us. Although there is a risk of breaking the traditions while preaching the Gospel of the cross of Christ, keep on setting our eyes to the finish line which is the New Jerusalem, the place where we belong forever. Amen.