Luke 9:46-62

What does it mean to take up your cross daily and follow Christ?  It means we are focused on Christ.  His words are putting down deep roots in our hearts: following Him leads to the cross.  It means there is no place for arguments about who is the greatest.  It means we are not jealous of others who also serve Christ.

A third situation involves Jesus’ rejection by a Samaritan village.  In John 4 Jesus was welcomed by the Samaritans when He was going from Jerusalem, Here He was rejected because He was headed to Jerusalem.  It may have been the result of the rivalry between Jews and Samaritans, and it might also have been because they knew He was going to Jerusalem to offer Himself to the nation.  

But the problem was not with the Samaritans but with His disciples: they failed to understand why He was among them and why they were going to Jerusalem.  Again, Jerusalem is where His cross is; and His cross is essential to the salvation of mankind, whether Jews, Samaritans or even Gentiles.  This is a principle of the cross.  Jesus had a cross by which salvation would be provided.  We have a cross through which salvation can be offered.  

These three situations are followed by three would-be followers of Christ.  We do not know their outcome, whether they responded properly to Jesus’ words.  But through these exchanges we see what it means to follow Christ.  As a backdrop remember the response of the four fishermen who forsook all and followed Him (Lk. 5:11) and Levi who left all, rose up and followed Him (Lk. 5:28).  Also think about how easy we want to make discipleship when we call others to follow Christ.  We emphasize all the benefits but may obscure the part about denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily.  Jesus calls men to follow Him and He does not soften His message when they hesitate.

·        9:57-58: Jesus’ call to discipleship is not about becoming more comfortable in our culture or life on this earth.  I will follow You wherever You go the man says.  The answer is, there are no promises that it will be easy.  

·        9:59-60: This seems overly harsh.  What could be wrong with burying one’s father?  For one thing it is quite possible his father had not yet died.  But even if he had, Jesus makes it clear that following Him is a relationship much deeper than the closest of human relationships.  Christ is our Master, not our circumstances.  Our love for Him must supersede that of our family.

·        9:61-62: Again, if you think this is over the top, think back to the parable of the soils.  The ordinary cares of this world can doom a person to a life without Christ (Lk. 8:14).  Remember Lot’s wife who longed for what she was leaving behind (Gen. 19:17).  Jesus words here are echoed in Heb. 10:38-39: if anyone draws back My soul has no pleasure in him.  We take up our cross daily, AND it is for a lifetime of days!

Christ desires disciples, not by our definition, not at the time of our choosing, not with pre-conditions of worldly comforts.  He simply calls, FOLLOW ME!