WHOEVER WANTS TO BE MY DISCIPLE
Luke 9:41-62
“Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”
Luke tells us of a time when the disciples argued among themselves as to which of them would be the greatest, and locates it just after the text quoted above. It could well be an incident immediately following Jesus’ caution to them to listen carefully, or it could be the writer intentionally placing the story at this point. The thing is that it stands in stark contrast to what Jesus was telling them.
And so it hints to us that there is a big gulf between the mindset of the disciples and what Jesus was trying to instil in them. And that, I think, guides our understanding of what Luke chooses to tell us in this passage that we are considering.
Firstly the obsession with greatness. Jesus took a child, saying “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”
Simply put, greatness in the Kingdom is in those who have no thought for greatness and are not moved by greatness but instead their central focus is Jesus.
And then, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” Your focus is on your mission, your goals, your Lord, not on who or what. Strip off your ego and serve your Master and his mission.
Then, “‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.” It is not for you to judge. Move on. Serve your Master and your mission.
“Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” You will follow me wherever I go? Understand that I will go anywhere, everywhere. I have no “home”; “home” is where I am sent.
“Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” You’ve got it wrong. The most important thing is not death; it is life. When death comes there is nothing more you can do. Live your life for life’s sake, not death.
“No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” No buts. Whoever wants to be my disciple does what I want him to do, because in the kingdom of God, I am King.
Take time to go through Luke 9 that we have considered over the past 3 weeks. What is Jesus saying to you about being his disciple?
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”