Matthew (8:18-22) NKJV
18 And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 20 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.” 21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
In Jesus’ early earthly ministry, He was often followed by large multitudes drawn by His teachings & response to His sermon (Matthew 7:28-8:1) and were attracted by His miracles (Matthew 8:16-18). Jesus would later command His apostles to make disciples of all the nations (Mt 28:19-20). Clearly Jesus wanted people to become His disciples.
In our text for today's study (Mt 8:18-22), we find Jesus responding to two individuals regarding the matter of discipleship.
REQUIREMENTS TO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST:
I. COUNT THE COST
THE SCRIBE'S OFFER...
19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”
JESUS’ ANSWER...
20 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.”
Two things we can conclude here:
1. Jesus informed the scribe that He will be homeless as a disciple
2. To follow Jesus at that time would mean to leave all as was necessary for Peter, Andrew, James, and John (Mt 4:18-22) Another example was the rich young ruler(Matthew 19:21)
COUNT THE COST BEFORE BECOMING A DISCIPLE...
1. As Jesus told the multitudes that followed Him
Luke 14:25-33 (CEV)
Large crowds were walking along with Jesus, when he turned and said: (26) You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life. (27) You cannot be my disciple unless you carry your own cross and come with me. (28) Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. What is the first thing you will do? Won't you sit down and figure out how much it will cost and if you have enough money to pay for it? (29) Otherwise, you will start building the tower, but not be able to finish. Then everyone who sees what is happening will laugh at you. (30) They will say, "You started building, but could not finish the job." (31) What will a king do if he has only ten thousand soldiers to defend himself against a king who is about to attack him with twenty thousand soldiers? Before he goes out to battle, won't he first sit down and decide if he can win? (32) If he thinks he won't be able to defend himself, he will send messengers and ask for peace while the other king is still a long way off. (33) So then, you cannot be my disciple unless you give away everything you own.
The true followers of Christ must at once build and fight, and therefore be ready and prepared to endure all types of hardships.
2. One does not have to become homeless to follow Jesus today, but we must still:
a. Love Him more than family and life (First Priority)
b. Forsake all by making Him the Lord and Ruler of our lives
3. We need to tell people the cost of becoming a disciple of Jesus
a. The cost of observing or holding fast to all that Jesus commands
Mat 28:20 (NIV)
“…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
b. A cost that might require a radical change in one's life
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This would at times require
1) Quitting jobs that interfere with holy living
2) Leaving friends who seek to lead one astray
3) Changing lifestyles, or getting out of unlawful relationships
c. Need of repentance in our lives & be baptized in the name of our Jesus Christ
Acts 2:38 NKJV
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
II. PAY THE PRICE
THE DISCIPLE'S REQUEST...
21 Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
1. He desires to forego following Jesus in order to bury his father first
JESUS’ ANSWER...
Matthew 8:22 (NKJV) 22 But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
a. Jesus often made it clear...to follow Him meant putting Him before family as we saw earlier
Luke 4:26 NKJV
26 You cannot be My disciple, unless you love Me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with Me unless you love Me more than you love your own life.
b. As He taught His disciples in preparing them for The Limited Commission – (Limited to the Jews)
Matthew 10:34-37 (NKJV)
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Without exception, nothing is to be preferred before our duty to God.
c. As He set a pattern on one occasion when His family was seeking Him
Mat 12:46-50 (NKJV)
While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. (47) Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” (48) But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” (49) And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! (50) For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Christ teaches by his own example that all things ought to be set aside in respect of God's glory.
III. WE NEED TO PAY THE PRICE OF BEING DISCIPLES...
1. As disciples, we are taught there may be a price to pay to remain faithful
A. As Paul taught the new disciples on his first journey…
Acts 14:20-22 (NIV)
But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. (21) They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, (22) strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.
B. As Paul wrote to Timothy at the end of his life…
2Timothy 3:10-12 (NIV)
You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, (11) persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. (12) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
2. Far too often, disciples today want to first "bury the dead" such as:
a. Putting family responsibilities before the Lord
1) E.g., missing services to entertain visiting family or friends
2) Did not Jesus tell Martha some things take precedent over the desire to be a gracious host?
Luke 10:38-42 (NKJV)
Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. (39) And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. (40) But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” (41) And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (42) But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
b. You might think them necessary to support family, but did not Jesus promise that God will provide if you put the kingdom first?
1) E.g., occupations that are so demanding, one has little time or energy left
2) Accepting jobs when they know it will hinder their service to the Lord
Mat 6:31-34 (NKJV)
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ (32) For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
3. In our passion to provide for our families, do we forget that we are disciples of Christ?
There are many good and noble things that can be done in relation to kin and occupation but as disciples of Christ, we have a higher and nobler calling.
1Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
CONCLUSION:
My Commitment As A Christian: (Source: ddick@wlgore.com)
I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me—my banner will be clear!
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PARTIAL COMMITMENT.
We either committed to Christ or we are not. We either trust Him or not. When we do, then we will have greater perspective on the everyday affairs of our life. We will be prompted by what He asks for us. This passage isn't so much speaking about a lack of care Jesus has for honoring our parents. Clearly that's not what Jesus is trying to say. I don't believe He is against burying our parents when they die. HE IS HOWEVER EMPHASISING THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF PUTTING CHRIST FIRST IN MY LIFE.
Putting Christ first is urgent, not just a possible option for our life! It is to be immediate, not just when we feel like it! It is to be our total commitment not our half hearted loyalty! All our excuses are inadequate! Even a trial or tragedy in our life is not an excuse, but actually a reason and opportunity to trust God more completely!
Luke 14: 28-33(CEV)
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. What is the first thing you will do? Won't you sit down and figure out how much it will cost and if you have enough money to pay for it? (29) Otherwise, you will start building the tower, but not be able to finish. Then everyone who sees what is happening will laugh at you. (30) They will say, "You started building, but could not finish the job." (31) What will a king do if he has only ten thousand soldiers to defend himself against a king who is about to attack him with twenty thousand soldiers? Before he goes out to battle, won't he first sit down and decide if he can win? (32) If he thinks he won't be able to defend himself, he will send messengers and ask for peace while the other king is still a long way off. (33) So then, you cannot be my disciple unless you give away everything you own.
When a person wants to follow Jesus, this is wonderful! But we should remind people there is a cost involved, one they need to consider before they commit. For those who are already disciples, we must not forget "The Challenge of Following Jesus". Salvation that Jesus offers is a free gift, but it comes at a high cost. Jesus truly "paid it all", so one cannot earn their salvation; but as our Savior and Lord, He requires that we have the servant mentality: He should rules over our life.
2 John 1:8 (NIV) Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.
Have you counted the cost? Are you willing to pay the price?
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