Previously
Jesus “set his face to Jerusalem”. The question is ... who would go with Jesus? There were certain people who were attracted to Jesus who thought that it would be easy to follow Jesus, and that they could do so at their own convenience. So, Jesus put some significant challenges to them (9:57-62). This was not to send them away, nor scare them off, but rather to point out the seriousness of such a commitment, and that they needed to be fully focussed if they were going to be able to stay on the Jesus journey.
Question
What does it mean to be a disciple? To be under the discipline (or teaching) of; to emulate or imitate; to carry on the work of.
The Cost of Discipleship
Jesus was itinerant, without any particular place to call home, and constantly on the move. Even foxes and birds had more settled living arrangements than Jesus did. Jesus’ task was large, and he had a history of getting his disciples to do things that were way out of their comfort zones. For instance, Jesus was asking fishermen, a former tax collector, and such like, to become roving missionaries into friendless places.
Jesus actually sensed someone who had the potential and qualities of a disciple in verse 59. Jesus picked this person out of the crowd, eye-balled him, and said “Follow me”. Jesus would have hoped that this person would have left everything behind and followed like the fishermen and the tax collector had already done, but not so. This one wanted to attend to the funeral of his father first. Whereas this might sound reasonable at first, it misses the whole urgency and importance of what Jesus was doing. Some commentators suggest that this excuse refers to wanting to see out the final years of his father’s life before becoming more free to follow Jesus, which suggests an even greater delay.
Following Jesus is never a matter of our convenience or when we’re ready, it must start now (once we sense the call or receive the invitation). The controversial and tough saying of Jesus, “Let the dead bury their own dead”, suggests that such a task should be left for others who are not so inclined to put their priority on proclaiming the Kingdom of God; as if to say, let the spiritual “dead” bury the physical “dead”, while the spiritually alive promote the cause of Jesus. While this doesn’t mean we neglect our natural responsibilities, it does bring certain priorities into focus.
As we read on to a third would-be-follower, we see even that saying farewell to those left behind at home meets with objections from Jesus? Was this due to the delay or the potential distraction or the possible second-guessing involved? One commentator suggests that what is meant is that this person wants to seek permission from his family before following Jesus. At any rate it seems that there is some level of reluctance to be decisive here. To be so inclined risks losing the positive and life-giving impulse of the moment. Jesus says, “Just follow me”!
There is no time to look longingly back to warm experiences in the past. Or, given how Jesus replies in verse 62, is it more about the associations and baggage of the past being allowed to limit the future. To take on the task of ploughing a field without one’s full attention being ahead on the job at hand is not going to work out well. To try to do this while taking cues from a wide variety of people will quickly go wrong – a singular focus on Jesus is required.
The point being made here, is that you can recite the best excuse imaginable (and these last two excuses weren’t too bad), but it still won’t cut it! Nothing is as urgent as ‘proclaiming the Kingdom of God’. For discipleship is not a part-time extra job or a bit of a hobby carried out when other preferred activities are complete, but rather the over-riding context in which a life is lived. To follow Jesus involves a “radical transfer of loyalty” (Walter W Wessel).
If we say that a person can come to Jesus and be forgiven and then just live in freedom ... I think we’ve left a whole lot out and have not fairly represented the biblical truth (nor been fair to the person themselves). The “great commission” given by Jesus was about making disciples, not simply adding numbers.
Another interesting definition of a disciple is: ‘one who not only welcomes Jesus, but also embodies Jesus’ commitments and practices in one’s own life’ (Joel B. Green in “NISB”, 2003). All other considerations or interests in life should fall into line with this priority. Did the second and third of these would-be-followers (in our passage) really seriously consider following Jesus, or were they only interested if they could control the agenda themselves (as seen by their delaying tactics)?
The Work of Discipleship
There was by now seventy or seventy-two people who were committed enough to the task of discipleship, for Jesus to be able to send them out on mission. Seventy odd would never be enough for a harvest-field so large, so two things would have to happen concurrently:
(i) They would have to pray for others to join them; and
(ii) They would have to go out anyway and make a start, greeting people and connecting with people, sharing the good news with them – allowing God to add them to their number. This would be a case of participating in the answer to their own prayers.
These seventy odd disciples went as representatives of Jesus – this would need to be uppermost in their minds. And this would mean at least two things:
(i) We learn as much as we can about the person we are representing ... Jesus’ character, attitudes, priorities, teachings; Jesus’ gifts of grace, love, compassion and forgiveness. It is the light of Jesus himself that we should seek to have shining through us, bringing with it an offer of peace and hope.
(ii) And, we put aside some [maybe all?] of our own issues, so that they don’t get in our (or God’s) way. God certainly can use us just as we are, and all our experiences in life (both positive and negative) will be valuable to us as we connect with others – just sometimes unresolved (often self-focussed) matters can be disruptive to God’s plans. Ultimately we may need specific prayer, good guidance and even healing, to get past some stuff that holds us back. Here I am referring to various pieces of baggage, like:
(a) past hurts, even bitterness
(b) preconceived notions about certain people,
(c) our desire for security,
(d) theological issues that we are more concerned about than even God is – we are not asking people to buy into a list of beliefs, but rather to embrace a faith-based relationship with Jesus!
Desperate Need
We go on to read about the towns where the disciples of Jesus have not been welcomed and that they can justifiably wipe the dust of any such town off their feet (and go other places) – that living circumstances may become intolerable in such towns. In fact (in 10:13), we read, “Woe to you Chorazin”, which is often seen as a strong negative judgement or even a ‘curse’ on such a place. However, there is another way of looking at this.
This is really, in my view, a statement of present and future reality that should make us shudder with regret. This will be how individuals and communities are left bereft through rejecting Jesus. “Woe to you” means “How sad it is” ... that you have imperilled yourselves like this! This reminds us of the desperate situations people live in without Jesus. There is urgency on Jesus’ breath here!!
Happily, with the right mindset, and a never-say-die attitude, situations like this can change. Look at the results from this ‘two-by-two’ mission (10:17-18). So despite rejection, we keep praying and going. Often people reject the Gospel for reasons not of their own making.
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