Luke 9:51-62 - Joining Jesus' Journey

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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Amen. Thank you all. Beautiful song.

When we moved to Huntsville about nine years ago, we noticed something really quickly.

We noticed that there were regularly and at all times of day these loud explosions.

We called them booms because we had little kids.

We didn't know at first that living near the arsenal would be so noticeable.

And so there would be times where we'd be walking around and all of a sudden just jump or scream because the explosion startled us.

But if you've lived here in Huntsville for a while, you may have had the same experience that we did.

Pretty quickly, the regular explosions became a part of life.

It was something that even at times faded into the background.

We didn't even realize they were happening anymore.

The kids stopped being woken up from naps and slept straight through them.

We carried on with our day and we'd have guests come in town to stay with us.

And in the middle of a conversation, they would, what was that?

And we would say, what was what?

We didn't notice anything.

Oh, oh yeah.

It's the arsenal.

We didn't even hear it.

Things that used to startle us and shake our lives and change things about our days faded into the background.

Stopped impacting our lives.

We got so used to them.

And I tell you that today because here we are singing songs about Jesus and the cross again.

In the passage we're going to read, Jesus is going to talk again about the importance of his going to the cross.

And since it's the same thing we've heard before, we have a tendency in our hearts to get used to it and disregard it.

Say, oh, pastor didn't tell me anything I didn't know this morning.

Nothing really new.

But Jesus keeps talking about the cross and it keeps coming up for us not because he thinks we need new information.

But because our hearts and our lives need transformation.

And the cross of Christ is not simply some preacher's hobby horse that he loves to talk about.

It is the message of salvation.

The good news of grace.

The hope of the world.

And so we talk about it.

The wonderful cross bids me come and die and find that I may truly live.

Maybe you don't realize what an outrageous claim that is.

But that's the claim that Jesus makes.

About himself and his cross.

So we dare not allow the gospel of the cross of Jesus Christ to become background noise in our lives.

It's my encouragement to us as we turn to God's word this morning.

Let's pray together and ask God to help us hear and heed his word again this morning.

Pray with me.

Father your word is truth.

It is sweeter than honey from the comb.

It is exactly what we need.

So we ask that you would speak to us through it clearly.

That we might love and follow Jesus more.

We ask in his name.

Amen.

Luke chapter 9 at verse 51.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

This is God's holy word.

The God of heaven and earth speaking to you this morning.

Hear his voice.

When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up.

He set his face to go to Jerusalem.

And he sent messengers ahead of him who went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make preparations for him.

But the people did not receive him.

Because his face was set toward Jerusalem.

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?

But he turned and rebuked them.

And they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road someone said to him.

I will follow you wherever you go.

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.

To another he said follow me.

But he said Lord let me first go and bury my father.

And Jesus said to him leave the dead to bury their own dead.

But as for you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.

Yet another said I will follow you Lord.

But let me first say farewell to those at my home.

Jesus said to him.

No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Grass withers the flowers fade.

These words of our God will stand forever.

I mentioned the booms from the arsenal today.

Because it's in this passage that Jesus here sets out on a journey to Jerusalem.

It's going to take up the next 10 plus chapters of the Gospel of Luke.

In other words the next 25 to 30 years of your life in our sermon series.

Not quite that long.

But Jesus is headed to Jerusalem.

And that's exactly what begins to shape the stories as we follow.

He will teach a lot along the way.

He will do a lot of amazing things along the way.

And those are important.

But the whole time the story is framed by his journey to Jerusalem.

For the most important thing.

As his days on earth draw near to their conclusion.

He's going to keep sounding that note.

That primary focus that comes up.

He set his face to go to Jerusalem.

He's so committed to doing that.

That is so much a part of a priority for him.

That everyone around him begins to notice.

Verse 53.

The Samaritans notice his face was set toward Jerusalem.

This is where he's headed.

Jesus and his disciples along with him.

They're Jerusalem or bust.

This is the priority.

It's where we're going.

It's like you write that in shoe polish on the back of your minivan.

Disney or bust.

This is where we're going.

We will get there.

This is where our hearts are set on being.

I picture Jesus and his disciples all in a car much smaller than a minivan.

Thirteen grown men in one accord.

The Bible says.

Thank you.

That was really tolerant actually.

I couldn't resist the oldest and worst preacher joke that there is.

It was just too close.

But Jesus and his disciples are going Jerusalem or bust.

That is where they're headed.

It's where their hearts are set.

They're going there.

Why?

Why is Jesus so set on Jerusalem?

What's the big deal?

It's not a vacation, is it?

They're not going there because it's a great place to be.

Jesus' face being set toward Jerusalem echoes the words of prophets like Isaiah.

Who says the Messiah sets his face like a flint to walk into suffering.

Isaiah 50 verse 6.

Isaiah 50:6

This is just part of the context.

I gave my back to those who strike.

My cheeks to those who pull out the beard.

I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.

But the Lord God helps me.

Therefore I have not been disgraced.

Therefore I have set my face like a flint.

And know that I shall not be put to shame.

I'm going toward this suffering.

My face is set on it, Jesus says.

It's what he's been saying already in Luke chapter 9, isn't it?

Luke 9 · chapter mention

As we've studied here through the past few weeks, verse 22.

Jesus said the Son of Man must suffer many things.

And be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes.

And where's he going to do that?

Where do you find the elders and the chief priests and the scribes?

That's in Jerusalem.

And be killed.

Verse 44.

He says to his disciples,

Let these words seek into your ears.

The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.

We're going somewhere.

And we're going there to suffer.

And to die.

That's why Jesus is set on going to Jerusalem.

And he demonstrates here for us again his single-minded commitment to his redemptive mission.

This is what he's about, right?

It hasn't changed.

He sets his face to endure the cross.

To pay for the sins of his people.

To restore every inch of his creation to the way he created it to be.

To establish his kingdom as a refuge for all who are in need of rescue.

That's what he's about.

The journey to Jerusalem is not a vacation at all.

And yet, Jesus is calling us to join him in that journey.

He's called us already to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him.

And here in this passage, as he calls again, we're going to see some different responses to that call on our lives.

First, we see the response of the Samaritans.

Their flat-out, principled rejection of Jesus.

Verse 52.

He sent messengers ahead of him who went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make preparations for him.

But the people there did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem.

The Samaritans didn't receive him.

Why is that?

Why did Jesus going to Jerusalem bother them?

Why didn't they want him to stop and stay along the way?

You may or may not know that the Samaritans and Jews weren't the best of friends.

The Samaritans had at least some Jewish blood, some Jewish heritage in them.

But they had rejected the Jewish people, religiously believing they had the true understanding of God.

They believed Yahweh wanted to be worshipped on Mount Gerizim in their territory.

Not on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the way we read about in the Old Testament.

The Samaritans have adopted their own holy books and as such have their own set of messianic expectations.

What they're looking for in a king and a rescuer, a deliverer for them.

And this is not it.

Any supposed religious leader, Messiah, who thinks he needs to get to Jerusalem is a fraud by their account.

They won't join Jesus' journey even as hospitable hosts.

They want nothing to do with him on religious principle.

They simply reject him and his message.

Now maybe that's where you've been with Jesus or where you are this morning with him.

You just don't believe he is the hope of the world.

The only savior of sinners.

The way for you to be restored to God.

If that's the case, if that's where you are and you just say, listen, I've heard it before but I don't believe it.

If that's you, I'd love to talk with you.

I'd love to be able to have that conversation.

Maybe you, like the Samaritans, probably would have believed that whether or not Jesus was God himself was of utmost importance.

Maybe you'd acknowledge that and say, yeah, who Jesus is really does matter.

Matter, I'd love to have the conversation with you to talk about your questions and your personal concerns and what makes you wrestle with Jesus.

But before we leave this principled, upfront rejection of Jesus rather than talking to me, I want you to see Jesus' response.

It's in verse 54 after his disciples have a suggestion.

His disciples James and John saw it.

They saw that Jesus was rejected by the Samaritans and they said, Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?

But Jesus turned and rebuked James and John.

Jesus said, by no means.

James and John want to call down fire from heaven like Elijah.

Jesus said, by no means.

Jesus said, by no means.

Jesus said, by no means.

He says, by no means.

Jesus said, by no means.

That He really is God.

And by exercising judgment upon them.

Jesus rebukes His disciples in a way that demonstrates they don't really understand the point of His journey.

The mission that Jesus is on.

He's on a mission to redeem.

He bears patiently with those who reject Him

and He heads to the cross to suffer and die

quite possibly for some of them,

some of those Samaritans who would yet come

to believe in Him.

Yes, the Bible speaks of judgment for sure.

But Jesus' single-minded commitment

to head to Jerusalem is to redeem.

That's what's on His heart.

It's the stance that He calls those who follow Him

to have toward those who do not yet believe in Him.

If you're a follower of Christ,

this is how He calls you to treat others

who don't follow Him.

Not to be eager to see their judgment,

but to be anxious for their redemption.

A friend who rejects Jesus offhand,

who says, no, no, no, Christianity,

I've seen it and it's not for me.

Jesus persists in loving you

even in your unbelief.

Maybe you feel like you've settled that years ago

in your mind.

It just wasn't true.

He just wasn't worth it.

He's been patient.

He's brought you back here again this morning

to hear His Word

and to see His heart

to rescue and to redeem.

Jesus is the Savior who comes and calls to you

and says there's no other way.

Come and trust Me.

Oh, I'd urge you to investigate that,

to listen to Him,

to hear His Word again.

But many of us here this morning

aren't publicly and on principle

rejecting Jesus.

We're in church after all, right?

Now that's why we're here.

I've publicly said,

I'll follow Jesus.

Many of us have.

We'd say we're on that journey with Jesus.

But what does that really mean?

Jesus is about to raise that issue

in the rest of our passage

so it gets a little bit harder for us.

You may know that Skeet Simonis,

one of our elders,

and I are preparing to go on a trip

to India this October.

We're partnering with one of our mission partners

there in India.

Going to India is not a cheap,

trip.

So when you think about taking a trip,

there are always costs associated,

not just mission trips,

but business trips and personal trips.

They have costs.

And if you're like me,

you consider them up front

before you make the decision

to go on the trip.

Perhaps the most obvious costs are financial.

There's travel and lodging and food

to be taken into account.

To be on the trip will call me

to financial commitment.

But there are a lot of other costs

of taking a trip.

The people you will be gone from.

I'll miss my family for two weeks.

That's no small thing.

The comforts of life you will miss.

Being able to sleep in your own bed,

drink water from a tap,

and so forth.

Going on the trip will cost missing other events

and activities that you would have been a part of back home.

For me,

heyday falls in the midst of the India trip.

So I don't even get to be in a dunking booth all fall.

It's a huge cost for me.

I really do miss being with you all.

Whatever the costs are to a journey,

to a trip you're taking,

you have to evaluate them up front

and then decide,

so given all these costs,

is the trip worth it?

Is it worth it for you to take that trip,

to make the journey that you're considering?

And that's what Jesus challenges us to do

with the journey of following Him.

He's calling us to follow Him to the cross,

to suffering on a redemptive mission,

no matter what the cost.

And He's not unclear on this.

It's not hard to understand.

In fact, He's already told us a few weeks ago

that it could cost us everything.

What He does this morning

is just get more specific

on what those costs might be.

He and His disciples encounter on their journey

three people

who, unlike the Samaritans who reject Him offhand,

say they're interested in joining Jesus on the journey.

They've shown up at church, perhaps.

They've talked about Jesus.

And yet, practically speaking,

when it comes to their lives,

the cost may be too high for them.

First one is in verse 57.

As they were going along the road,

someone said to Him,

I will follow you wherever you go.

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.

This man says,

I'll follow you anywhere, Jesus.

And Jesus says,

well, hold on a second.

Let me make sure you know what you mean by that.

It may not be where you think you'll be following me.

It's not glamorous.

Truly following me means being uncomfortable

and unwelcome in this world.

I don't even have the homes the animals do,

Jesus says.

Jesus has experienced this no room at the inn response

from the world all the way back to His birth

and all the way up to the verses we just read from the Samaritans.

Part of the cost of following Jesus

is being uncomfortable and unwelcome in this world,

facing hardship and rejection.

Part of the cost of following Jesus

is being uncomfortable and unwelcome in this world,

facing hardship and rejection.

Rejection.

It doesn't sound like a sales pitch, does it?

Jesus is trying to be honest about the cost.

And sometimes we sit there

and those words go right over our head

and we think I've heard that before.

Hardship and rejection.

And hardship and rejection.

Uncomfortable.

Unwelcome.

These aren't the things you usually wake up

searching out every morning.

What does that cost look like for us?

It could mean you don't live in the neighborhood you'd prefer

because the world doesn't give you that option

or you choose not to take that option

for the sake of the kingdom.

It could mean you make less money

because you're pursuing Jesus more.

It could mean you get left out of a group

because of your commitment not to get drunk

or your passion for the Lord's Day.

Whatever it is,

if you're not willing to be uncomfortable,

and unwelcome in this world,

you aren't really journeying with Jesus.

There's a second interaction in verses 59 and 60.

Another man comes up and Jesus says to him,

follow me.

But the man said,

Lord, let me first go and bury my father.

Jesus said to him,

leave the dead to bury their own dead,

but as for you,

go and proclaim the kingdom of God.

This guy's got interest in Jesus.

He likes him.

He calls him Lord.

And he's got important things to do.

This was a high social priority in these days.

It could have taken up to a year or more

to complete the appropriate burial process

for a family member.

And this was so important in this society

that it actually took priority over circumcision,

over the Passover sacrifice,

over other important religious obligations

you had to fulfill.

All of those were put off

while you handled the burial.

That's how high a priority this was.

And Jesus says,

there's something else of higher priority

that cannot be delayed.

Following me.

Proclaiming the kingdom of God.

Offering life.

Not dealing with death.

And Jesus is not saying

that social customs and family values

and honored traditions

are necessarily bad things.

He is saying

they should never be chosen

over him and his kingdom.

Jesus may call you to the mission field

instead of the four years of college

that you've been looking forward to

and everyone expects you to enjoy.

He may call you to invest

in a kingdom opportunity

with a needy friend

instead of becoming an elder at your church

like people have been expecting you to

and you've been hoping for.

He may call you to a new area of ministry

that wrecks your retirement plans

everybody's been hearing about for years.

If you're unwilling to prioritize

the mission of his kingdom

over social norms

and honored traditions

you aren't really journeying

with Jesus.

Finally Jesus pushes on those

family relationships one more time.

He knows our hearts

are deeply committed there.

So verse 61

another man comes and says

I will follow you Lord

but let me first say farewell

to those at my home.

And Jesus said to him

no one who puts his hand to the plow

and looks back

is fit

for the kingdom of God.

Seems like a good idea right?

I'm going to be gone for a while.

Let me go say goodbye first.

Listen Jesus is not against

loving your family.

But just like with

the guy and his father

Jesus says

the primacy of the kingdom

must be clear.

We need to face

straight on this morning

some of our

idolatries

here.

For some

the cost of this

with our families

is so painful

it means being shunned.

Never getting to

speak to our families

again

when you convert

to Christianity

from another religion.

For others

it's different.

It may mean

clinging to Jesus

when your children

disdain you

for how you're

raising them.

For others

the cost may be

the family you've

dreamed of

not marrying

the guy

you really like

because he doesn't

share your heart

for following Christ.

Or it may be

the cost of the stage

of life

you thought you were in

as God leads you

to foster

or adopt

someone into your family

and it's going to disrupt

where you thought

you'd finally gotten.

But if you're

unwilling to sacrifice

your ideal

family relationships

for the sake

of kingdom priorities

you're not

really

journeying

with Jesus.

That's what Jesus

is calling us to do

isn't it?

It's not unclear here.

He says

follow me

proclaim the kingdom

now

don't let the

practical realities

of life

keep you from

actually following me

as you say you want

to do

don't say you'll

follow me

but reject me

in your life

he says that

to all of us

kids

don't say

I'm too young

I'll follow Jesus

when I'm an adult

college students

young adults

don't say

oh I'm going to

follow Jesus

after just a

few years

of pursuing

my own

pleasures

and my own

dreams

I'll follow

him

later

young

couples

don't say

I'll come to

church again

once I have

kids

I'll give

to the kingdom

again

once we make

more money

young

families

don't say

I'll look for

others to love

and share

the kingdom

with

once my

kids are

grown

and I

actually

have the

time to

think about

anything

else

empty

nesters

don't say

I'm checking

out of

church

now that

the kids

are gone

or I'll

re-engage

with my

neighbors

once I

retire

and have

the

margin

for them

retirees

don't say

I've journeyed

with Jesus

so long

so many

years

now I

can live

for myself

no

the call

is to

follow

Jesus

now

today

for all

of us

it's a

clear call

to sacrifice

comforts

and successes

and other

priorities

now

to have

the glory

of the

gospel

the redemptive

mission

of Jesus

so shake

your heart

and startle

you

that you

would give

up anything

to follow

him

that it

would transform

your life

it would

grab the

attention

the affection

of your

hearts

and that

every decision

would be

made in

light of

it

now

you follow

Jesus

no matter

the cost

his call

is really

clear

what's not

clear

interestingly

is the

response

to that

call

and if you

noticed

it's an

interesting

literary

device

that we

don't know

how any

of these

three men

responds

to Jesus

do we

Jesus

responds

to them

but

we don't

know

do they

join him

on the

journey

or turn

to their

other

priorities

when they

count the

cost

is Jesus

worth it

it's a way

that Luke

can put the

question to

each of us

you don't know

how they respond

how will

we

respond

are the

practical

priorities

of your

life

revealing

a rejection

of Jesus

it's

unsettling

isn't it

that's

good

otherwise

I don't

think I've

been faithful

to this

part of

God's

word

I've got

to tell

you honestly

if our

studies in

Luke

just this

summer

haven't

created

some

challenging

conversations

for you

at home

we probably

missed Jesus

message

we don't

naturally

get it

and it

doesn't

naturally

fit

what we

expect

I hope

the gospel

is exploding

again

in your

ears

and that

it's

shaking

your hearts

and lives

in ways

that you

can't

ignore

I certainly

haven't given

every answer

to every

situation

but Jesus

has shown

us a clear

priority

for himself

he's told

us where

he's headed

and a clear

call to

follow him

there

it doesn't

matter what

it will

cost

he's telling

us that

he's worth

it

last week

many of us

got to hear

from one of

our

long time

mission

partners

he was

back in

town

and telling

us that

he just

had a

grandchild

who's

eight months

old

his first

grandchild

he and his

wife left

their kids

and grandchild

just

Wednesday

to go

back to

the Middle

East

to pastor

an international

church

in a

dangerous

war-torn

part of

the world

and he

shared with

us about

his heart

for that

his report

was so

interesting

and so

challenging

but I

think my

favorite part

was something

his son

said

the father

of the new

grandchild

was here

with his

missionary

dad

a 27

year old

who'd grown

up on

the mission

field

and we

asked him

how do you

feel about

granddad

heading over

to the

Middle East

again

and he

said this

he said

I grew

up in

a Christian

home

but I

wasn't a

Christian

until high

school

and part

of my

conversion

experience

was reading

1 Corinthians

15

and it

said

I passed

along to

you

the things

that are

of first

importance

and there

that Christ

died for

our sins

according to

the scriptures

that he was

buried

and he was

raised from

the dead

on the

third day

and he

said I

read that

and I

thought to

myself

my mom

and dad

actually

believe

that those

are the

most important

things

I looked

at my

parents

lives

and I

said those

are the

most important

things to

them

and he

said that

was a

significant

part of

me

coming to

trust in

Jesus

myself

so I'm

sad

that they'll

be gone

and that my

child won't

have his

grandparents

nearby

in the next

few years

but how

could I

not be

glad

to see

them live

that

commitment

out

before many

others

who need

to know

the hope

of Jesus

as I

did

kids

and adults

this is

what is

of

first

importance

kids

this is

why your

parents

are here

this morning

they could

be out

making more

money

somewhere

they could

be out

having more

fun

somewhere

but they're

here because

what is of

first importance

is the

cross

of Jesus

Christ

and his

love for

them

Jesus

gathers us

around this

table

regularly

so that

we don't

forget

what is

of first

importance

that he

came

to the

cross

to die

for us

to redeem

us

remember

how Paul

said

I received

from the

Lord what

I also

delivered

to you

that the

Lord Jesus

on the

night he

was betrayed

took bread

and when he

had given

thanks he

broke it

and said

this is my

body which

is for you

do this

in remembrance

of me

in the same

way also he

took the

cup after

supper saying

this cup is

the new

covenant in

my blood

do this as

often as you

drink it in

remembrance of

me for as

often as you

eat this bread

and drink the

cup you

proclaim the

Lord's death

until he

comes and

that's what

you've been

called to do

is to

proclaim his

kingdom

to follow

him

and so if

you're a

follower of

Jesus Christ

come

this is

this is

food for

the journey

to strengthen

you as you

follow him in

difficult places

even to

death

come and

rejoice and

celebrate

if you're

here and

you're a

follower of

Christ but

not a

member of

this church

this is

not our

table it's

his

it's his

table he

calls all

of us to

come and

celebrate

together who

would turn

from our

sin and

embrace him

again who

have joined

any church

that preaches

the gospel of

Jesus Christ

alone for

salvation come

and celebrate

if you don't

know him if

you've rejected

him on

principle if

you've said

you know

what it's

good to know

Jesus but

there's some

other things

that you have

to do too

or I'm

hedging my

bets I

don't know

if he's

going to

come through

I'd really

rather something

else don't

don't come to

this table

rather consider

coming to

Jesus

Jesus says

don't come

and do

something that

would profess

outwardly what's

not true of

you inwardly

and when you

come to this

table you say

the death of

Jesus in my

place is the

only thing that

brings me to

sit down with

my heavenly

father in

fellowship with

him if that's

your heart come

and feast if

it's not he

patiently comes

to you to

redeem he

goes to the

cross because

he loves the

world won't

you trust Jesus

and come to

him let me

pray and then

we'll come to

this table

father thank

you for a

table that

reminds us

what's of

first importance

gave us this

to do

repeatedly

because you

wanted us to

remember and

to proclaim

your death

until you

come and we

do it this

morning we

proclaim there's

nothing in us

good enough to

commend it to

you but there

is plenty in

the life and

death and

resurrection of

Jesus and we

hold on to him

this morning to

encourage us in

our faith through

these elements in

Jesus name amen

for more

information visit

us online at

southwood.org

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