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Luke 9 English Standard Version (ESV)

A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus

⁵¹ When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. ⁵² And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ And they went on to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

⁵⁷ As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ 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.” ⁵⁹ To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹ Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶² Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 

REFLECTION:

1. Jesus expects his followers to be totally faithful without any conditions or restrictions. He wants them to accept the cross as well as the crown, judgement as well as mercy, and to relinquish all and focus entirely on Jesus.
2. Jesus’ response to the first person, who wanted to follow Him, is: “Count your cost before following me.” According to the Jewish customs, the second person probably meant that “I’ll wait until my father dies before I come to follow you.” Jesus advised him to grasp the opportunity to respond to the moving of the Holy Spirit.  The third person probably wanted to settle his family affairs and if time allows, then he’ll come to follow Jesus.
3. The farmer has to look straight ahead in order to plow straight furrows for planting seeds. Jesus says that if we want to become a member of God’s kingdom, we need to focus our attention on God, and not allow the world to distract our focus elsewhere.
4. Jesus is calling you and every believer to come and follow him today, what excuses would you use to delay Jesus’ calling? Does Jesus delight in your excuses?  What are the things that are holding you back?  Are you willing to allow Jesus to take away these things from you?