“Difficult teachings of Jesus - What it Means to Follow”
Luke 9:51-62
I often visit YouTube on my computer. I find it a great place to find quick recipes (such as how to make Chicken Piccata or the best way to cook a lamb chop, etc.). I listen to a lot of classical music while I'm in the office at church. I also follow a couple of people who have YouTube channels (Much like the channel we have as a church). Some of you watching this morning may consider yourselves one of our 157 “Followers” of AshlandPres, and we thank you for that. The two main people I follow are Reverend Lee Cato, whose channel is “Unbound-Changing the Christian Narrative,” and Dutch historian Kayleigh During and her channel, “History with Kayleigh.” The first channel challenges some of my faith assumptions, while the second offers a wealth of discoveries in archaeology, human anthropology, and various other fields. How did I become a follower of either of these folks? I watched a video, clicked the like button, and subscribed. That is it. I receive notifications about new content for either of these channels when I log in to YouTube. With just a click, I became an official follower.
This morning’s passage from the Gospel of Luke is also about following. In this case, however, the one to follow isn’t a YouTube content provider. The one to follow in question is Jesus, the Messiah. The word for follow in Greek, akoloutheo akolouqeo, means “to be in the same way with, to accompany as a disciple.” A disciple is -mathétés: μαθητής, “A learner, pupil.” In this case, being a follower of Jesus is much more involved than simply becoming a follower of my favorite YouTube channels. Let us examine this section more closely to see what it reveals about becoming a follower of Jesus.
The passage comes just as things are becoming difficult for Jesus. He is about to enter Jerusalem, where he knows he will be confronting the authorities of the day. He has just told the disciples of his pending difficulties a few verses earlier in Luke 9:44, telling them, “Let these words sink into your ears; for the son of man is about to be delivered into the hands of others.”
The passage for this morning is split into two sections. As this morning’s first section begins, Jesus and the disciples draw near to Jerusalem. In that moment, Jesus “Sets his face.” What does this mean? The word for “sets”, stayridzo, stayridzo is to “ set fast or affix resolutely.” Jesus puts his game face on as he approaches the city. It is quite similar to a section in the Hebrew Scriptures from Isaiah, known as the Servant Song of Isaiah 50. There we read, “5 The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.6 I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.7 The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;8 he who vindicates me is near (Isaiah 50:5-8a). Jesus has set his face like flint to prepare for what lies ahead. It is here that we learn the first lesson of what it means to follow Jesus, as He calls two disciples, James and John, to a Samaritan village outside the city to prepare for Jesus. James and John return from their scouting mission only to report that Jesus and his followers aren’t welcome. The two of them want to rain fire down from heaven and burn up the whole town. Keep in mind, it was a Samaritan town, and Jewish people and Samaritan people were enemies, and had been for centuries, mostly over religious differences and ethnic heritage. James and John saw an opportunity here to use vengeance and do a “Two for One”- wipe sworn enemies off the face of the earth and get revenge for being unwelcome in the village. Jesus rebuked them for their suggestion. Their first response to “No” was wholesale violence. Their choice to punish, to harm, to destroy in the name of Jesus because the disciples were inconvenienced or wanted revenge was the opposite of following Jesus. Lesson one as a follower of Jesus: Do not seek vengeance.
Now comes the second section. Here we will learn three more lessons on what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The band of followers and Jesus move onto the road, heading towards another village to stay the night, and they meet another traveler on the road. The person recognizes he is the Messiah, and says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus responds, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He warns the would-be follower of the hardships that would come with following him. Jesus himself did not know from one day to the next where he would find shelter as he traveled around the country, or even if he would, as demonstrated by the last story. Those who followed then must be prepared to share that same uncertainty. Theologian T.W. Manson interpreted this passage in a slightly different way, but with the same conclusion. “ Everyone is at home in Israel except the true Israel (Jesus). The birds of the air (Roman oppressors) and the foxes (the Herods) have made their position secure. If you cast your lot with Jesus, you join the ranks of the dispossessed.” Lesson two, as a follower of Jesus- Do not expect a cushy, easy life. Rev. Billy Graham once said, “Jesus invited us not to a picnic, but to a pilgrimage. He offered us not an excursion, but an execution.”
Then Jesus sees another person traveling on the road and calls them to follow. The person responds, “First, let me go and bury my father.” This is a more than reasonable request. Back then, burial took place very soon after death. If his father had just died, he would likely have been buried the same day. The man would then be free to follow Jesus. In addition, attendance to the burial of one’s parent is connected to the 5th commandment. To honor a parent was to make sure they were buried properly when they died. Jesus responds, “Leave the dead to bury the dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” According to some theologians, here Jesus is telling the would-be follower, “leave the spiritually dead to bury the physically dead. That business will look after itself. You have more important work to do.”
My mother died on a Sunday morning, Mother’s Day in 2018. It was not the day we had her memorial service, nor the day we spread her ashes, which I indeed attended to later to honor Mom. But I could have asked someone to do the service for me that morning, or canceled church altogether, and I know you all would have understood and given me grace upon grace if I had done so. Yet peace came over me in that moment as I heard her caregiver’s voice, giving me the news. I knew she was now in God’s hands, and there was nothing I could do to change that fact. So, after some silence and prayer, I set my face, proclaimed the kindom and preached the gospel. Lesson three is a difficult one. As followers of Jesus, we are called to place Jesus first, even above family.
This last lesson is reemphasized as Jesus meets another person on the road, who says, “I will follow you, Lord. But first, let me go and say goodbye to my family back home.” This is not unreasonable, and one could even claim a biblical story as precedent. Eight hundred years earlier, the prophet Elijah was instructed by God to appoint Elisha as his colleague and successor. As he encountered Elisha for the first time, he was ploughing a field with oxen. Elijah placed his cloak over him as he walked by, and Elisha understood the meaning that he had been chosen to go with Elijah. Elisha’s response was, “Let me go and say goodbye to my parents, and then I will come back with you.” Elijah said, “Go back and do so.” Not only did Elijah say goodbye, but he also hosted a farewell feast for his parents and all those who worked on the family farm.
Jesus’ business of proclaiming the kingdom was more urgent than Elijah’s work as a prophet. In Jesus’ reckoning, family ties must take second place to the kindom.
Another consideration. Someone who looks back cannot drive a plough. The furrows will be crooked. The ploughman who looks back is the would-be disciple whose mind is still partly on the life he left to follow Jesus. The work of the kindom of God requires single-mindedness and focus. When I first began working full-time in ministry, I admit that although my hand was on the plow, there were moments when I looked back, as I sometimes struggled with the notion of “what if.” Could I have been a performer, an opera singer, instead of going into ministry? But those memories were exactly what Christ warns of here. Jesus wants us to look forward into the ministry of each new day. There is a fourth message about being a follower of Jesus here. As a follower, the work of the kindom is ahead of us. Our work as followers of Jesus requires single-mindedness and focus. It's time to move forward, not look back.
What do these teachings about following Jesus tell us? In an age of social media, where following someone takes no more than the click of a mouse and hitting the like button, we can easily forget that following Jesus requires more and will cost us something. To all our viewers out there, I thank you for following us, but I truly want you to follow Jesus and his teachings. Theologian Karl Jacobsen says, “This passage in Luke tells us two very related things. First, that Jesus’ messianic intention is serious, and it is full. There are no half-measures for Christ. And then, second, in a sense, the calling to which the faithful are called is no less full. To be “fit for the kingdom” is to be committed as fully as possible, to set our faces toward Jesus, and not to turn away, no matter how ugly things may become.”
The nation we live in has become ugly, brutal, and, in my mind, is headed away from Christ’s calling to work for justice for the poor, help the stranger, and show love and mercy to others. It might be easier to turn away from following Jesus in this moment. Do not turn away from this point in time. We need to demonstrate that we are following Christ and His teachings, especially now! May God be with us as we, too, set our faces and get to the work of the kindom. Alleluia. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, our Messiah, Great Teacher, You place tremendous responsibility upon those who follow you. You demand more than we are often willing to give. You promise no safety, only that the way will be rough. Make us ready and willing to walk your rocky path and carry your subversive word to hostile ears, for the hope and promise of a rewarding life in following you in this life. Amen.
