The Cost of Following Jesus

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

The Cost of Following Jesus

Date: May. 27, 2023

Passage

Luke 9:57-62 (ESV)

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.”

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 9:62

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Jesus has extended a gracious and wonderful invitation for each of us to follow him. We might be quick to answer “Yes, Lord!”, but how close are we really willing to follow him? How far is the distance between him and us? One man said he would follow Jesus wherever he went, but was he willing to follow Jesus into discomfort and self-sacrifice? Was he willing to live as a mere traveler in this world? Jesus, the Lord and Creator of the whole universe, forsook the comforts of the world to serve God and others. Are we willing to do the same?

Followers of Jesus must have their priorities in order. There must be a sense of urgency in serving Jesus and proclaiming the gospel. Jesus invited a second man to follow him, but the man wanted to wait until a better time. Apparently, his father was elderly, and he wanted to care for him until he passed away. This was a good priority, but not the most important one. The Kingdom of Heaven was at hand and the man needed to proclaim it with all his heart. A third man wanted to follow Jesus after saying goodbye to his family. He, too, was rejected because Jesus wants his disciples to be wholly committed to him. Our eyes must remain on Jesus, and we must follow him with no regrets. The costs of following Jesus are high, but the blessings and joy we have in him are far greater.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are everything to us.

One Word: One Word: Follow Jesus and never look back

God Will Not Give Up Israel

Hosea 11:1-11

Key Verse: 11:9-10

  I will not execute my burning anger;
    I will not again destroy Ephraim;
  for I am God and not a man,
    the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath.
  They shall go after the LORD;
    he will roar like a lion;
  when he roars,
    his children shall come trembling from the west;

Today's Question

What is the sixth commandment?

See answer and references