The Call To Discipleship

The Call to Discipleship

Luke 9:59-60, NIV

He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

Setting the Scene

It’s one thing to experience that heady moment when we sense our lives touched by God and realize we are being called to follow. It’s another thing to consider the cost of discipleship. Whether Jesus was responding to eager volunteers or approaching people with an invitation to follow, his concern was always that only those who recognized the cost actually became genuine disciples.

The farmer Jesus referred to in Luke 9:62 reminds us of one of the most compelling stories Jesus told about discipleship—the parable of the four soils (see Matthew 13:3-9). In the cases of the three men who interacted with Jesus in Luke 9:57-62, we don’t know what kind of “soil” they turned out to be. Their initial responses place them squarely in the rocky or weedy soil categories. Their responses to Jesus may have had little root so that their faith quickly withered, or they may have had conflicting loyalties (weeds) that quickly choked out a commitment to Christ. We do not know the outcome.

We are aware of Jesus’ call in our lives. Any response other than an unqualified yes turns out to be a stark or veiled no. Millennia have passed since these men held brief exchanges with Jesus, yet the basic issues remain the same for us. Have we considered the cost of discipleship, and have we answered the call?

Several times this week we have considered Jesus’ response to the second man, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Ultimately the choice for each of us is between life and death. Because Jesus is life, following him is making a choice for life. Any other choice turns out to be a choice for death.

Getting Personal

Which, if any, of the responses of these three men most closely parallels your own initial response to Jesus?

What is your current condition as a follower of Jesus? What changes need to be made?

Jesus will not settle for mere good intentions—not then and not now.

Talking to God

It’s God’s great love that persistently demands your wholehearted obedience. Thank him that he loves you enough to keep drawing you closer to him.