October 16, 2024 -- Luke 9:57-62 -- Joyfully Following Jesus

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.”
Luke 9:57-62 ESV

Jesus was a peripatetic teacher. Okay, I love that word peripatetic. It means He was an itinerant preacher going from place to place. It was common in Jesus’s day for a philosopher, or great teacher, or preacher, to have disciples leave their families and homes and go with the itinerant master in order to get instructed. This passage shows the reader there was great interest in following Jesus, however, the follow-through was not great. If someone is going to follow Jesus, becoming His disciple, then Jesus becomes the Master and all other worldly concerns must be submitted to His authority.

Have you ever heard of William Whiting Borden (November 1, 1887 - April 9, 1913? He was part of the Borden family that became rich building the Borden milk empire. In 1905 Borden went to Yale. His classmates noted something different about him. He was focused in his spiritual walk. In his journal was an entry that read, “Say ‘no’ to self and ‘yes’ to Jesus every time”. At the start of his first year at Yale, he started a prayer meeting. By the end of his first year about 150 students were meeting regularly for prayer. At the end of his senior year it is said that 1,000 students met regularly for prayer. At that time Yale had 1300 students!

William felt the call to become a missionary. His friends were not supportive. His parents wanted him to go to Yale. He attended Yale, but wrote on the inside cover of his Bible: no reserves. Despite the negative influences he received, he kept his goal of following Jesus. When he graduated Yale, he was pressured to go into the family business. He didn’t. He went to Princeton Seminary. Even though his family objected and preferred he take his place in the family business. He wrote on the inside cover of his Bible “no retreat”.

After graduating Princeton, Borden determined to go to Egypt. He felt led to learn Arabic so that he could teach Chinese Muslims the way to Jesus. One month after starting his studies, he contracted spinal meningitis and died. Many people thought what a waste. He could have accomplished so much at home. However, on the inside cover of his Bible he’d written “no regrets”. What profound and beautiful dedication to Jesus he showed, “no reserves, no retreat, no regrets”. Though his earthly goals may not have been met, his greater goal of saying “yes” to Jesus every time was fulfilled.

To what is Jesus calling you? Where are you providing excuses? Where are you yielding to Him?

Lord Jesus Christ, I confess there are so many distractions pulling me away from whole-hearted allegiance to You and I make many lame excuses which always lead me into trouble of my own making. Spirit, great Gift of the Father and the Son, by Your mighty presence in me, and with Your divine help enable me to constantly submit my own will to Yours, thus empower me to cheerfully follow Jesus with no reserves, no retreat, and no regrets. Amen

https://youtu.be/e8MU9UVd8Yc?si=dlkhMDIJ8UJhqpY9 What God Ordains Is Always Right

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