Skip to main content

165. Christ Must Be Our Security


Matthew 8:18-22, Luke 9:57-62, James 4:13-17
Key Verse: Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom Of God.”
Luke 9:62

It’s an easy game that we play with ourselves. “I’ll get around to it, but first I need to…” We stack so many promises into tomorrow. But I ask you, what if tomorrow never comes?

There’s a song from the musical, “Little Orphan Annie,” that says, “tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, Tomorrow, you’re only a day away.” Tomorrow, I will do what I know I should do, after all, “it’s only a day away,” but today is for me. Today I will earn a living and provide for myself. Today, I will do what I want to do. Tomorrow, I will begin the life of sacrifice. Tomorrow, I will live for You, Jesus.

Earlier, Jesus had talked about counting the cost and He had lost many of His followers for His truth in advertising. Today’s message is similar, only Jesus is targeting specific people with specific stumbling blocks that they really need to consider if they truly want to follow Him.

First there is a man that Jesus refers to as, “a teacher of the law.” Wow, most of these men were critics, but here’s a man who claims he’s willing to change, give it up and follow Jesus. You would think that Jesus would embrace the man and say, “Welcome aboard! So glad you’ve seen the light!” Jesus, however, lays out a harsh reality. “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has no place to lay His head.” (Luke 9:58)

Jesus may have been referring to His poverty here, which would have been a tough enough pill for this man to swallow, but by using the word “fox,” Jesus also may have been referring to Herod, whom Jesus had referred to as a fox earlier. Herod has a palace, but the Son of Man, has nothing so elaborate to offer. This man may have come to Jesus for political reasons, thinking that, if Jesus really does overthrow Rome, being with Him would put him next to the seat of power. If this is the case, this man needed to learn that Jesus could not be used for worldly gain. If this man was to follow Jesus, it needed to be now and it needed to be to serve, not conquer.

The second man was actually called out by Jesus, but worldly concerns held him back. Jesus has dealt with this issue before in the Sermon on the Mount when He said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matt. 6:19-20) Jesus called, but this man’s misplaced priorities caused him to miss out on the plans that Jesus had in store for him.

The third man offered a conditional service to our Lord. I will follow You, but first I need to take care of myself. First I need to get my retirement account to a place where I can live comfortably. First I need to make sure that my children's college accounts are fully funded. My house needs to be paid off so that I have a place to come back to in case it doesn’t work out with You. My pantry needs to be fully stocked. My calendar needs to be cleared. I need better clothes so that I represent you well, Jesus. You wouldn’t want me to look like an outdated bum now would you?

Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service In the Kingdom Of God." (Luke 9:62)  Are there excuses that you are using to rationalize your holding back?  What do you suppose Jesus would say to you about them?

Hymn: "I Gave My Life for Thee" 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

258. "Remember, Always Remember!"

Exodus 12:1-30 Key Verse: "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord a lasting ordinance." Exodus 12:14 "Celebrate the feast of unleavened bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come." (Exodus 12:17) "And when your children ask you, "What does this ceremony mean to you?" then tell them, "It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when He struck down the Egyptians." (Exodus 12:27) The original act was an act of worship as the first true act of freedom for the people of Israel. They had been brought to Egypt by Joseph during a time of famine so that through Joseph God could preserve their lives. ( Genesis 37 , & 39-50 ) After Joseph died, however, instead of heading back to C...
Post a Comment
Read more

August 13 What Is Fitting

It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury—how much less for a slave to rule over princes! ~Proverbs 19:10   On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man!” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. ~Acts 12:21-23  Wow! Well, what in the world can there be to benefit us here? First of all, perhaps we should review the first Biblical definition of a fool, penned by no other than Solomon’s Father, David himself. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” (Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1) It is not fitting for the fool to live the blessed life. Why should they when they deny from whom all blessings flow?  King Herod was a fool. Now, just to be clear, this is not the Herod who ruled at Jesus’ birth and ordered the slaughter of the male children in Bethlehem. He ...
Post a Comment
Read more

July 26 Time for A Wellness Check Up

This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind? All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work, this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart. ~Ecclesiastes 5:16-20  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everythi...
Post a Comment
Read more