I was recently studying Luke 9:59-60 and listening to a sermon. A man is asked by Jesus to follow Him. The man replies that he wants to go and bury his father first then he will follow Jesus. It was perplexing me how harsh Jesus' answer to this man appears. It appears that Jesus pretty much tells him to forget his mourning family and dead father, to suck it up and follow Him. The sermon I listened to gave me a new understanding of these two verses though. It was a very big deal back then when someone died. The funeral would go on for days. If the man's father were actually dead at the time of this encounter then most likely the man would not have been out and about talking to Jesus.
A more logical explanation of where this man is at is that His father is not dead at all. He most likely wants to stick around and get his inheritance then he will be open to going and following Jesus. He will be secure so there will be very little risk involved. His god (idol) of security will be appeased and he will also have Jesus.
This is not what Jesus calls us to. Hence the very strong rebuke to this man. Jesus will never allow himself to be second in anyone's life. If fact He won't stand to be equal to anything either. Jesus plus anything equals nothing. Sadly this is played out constantly in our world and especially in America today. I would say that security is one of the most worshiped false gods in America. People put Jesus on hold to first pursue education, being debt free, getting that big promotion, and many other things they expect to make them more secure. They expect these things to give them strength to stand when they are walking with Jesus and things get hard. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 tells us that God will not share His glory:
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (28) God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (29) so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
"So that NO human being might boast in the presence of God." This is how God works. It is played out throughout scripture this way. When the strong are called God often gives them a weakness first. God gave Joseph a limp and Paul a torn in the flesh. He tells Paul my grace is sufficient for you. I heard one man say, you should never trust a "man of God" who doesn't have a limp. If the man seems to have it all together, never go through hard times, is nearly like God, and sinless; he seems to be very .... SECURE. He is lifting up his own strength and not giving the glory to God. Paul makes it clear throughout scripture that he is not secure in his own accomplishments and strengths. He even says he now considers all the things, he has accomplished to make him secure, as garbage.
Jesus gives a very straight and to the point answer to this idolatry. In essence, He says, burn your idols of security, put me first by proclaiming the Gospel everywhere. What are you putting before Jesus? What are you relying on to make you more secure other than Jesus? Put those things aside, turn back to Jesus and proclaim the good news. That all you need is Him.
A more logical explanation of where this man is at is that His father is not dead at all. He most likely wants to stick around and get his inheritance then he will be open to going and following Jesus. He will be secure so there will be very little risk involved. His god (idol) of security will be appeased and he will also have Jesus.
This is not what Jesus calls us to. Hence the very strong rebuke to this man. Jesus will never allow himself to be second in anyone's life. If fact He won't stand to be equal to anything either. Jesus plus anything equals nothing. Sadly this is played out constantly in our world and especially in America today. I would say that security is one of the most worshiped false gods in America. People put Jesus on hold to first pursue education, being debt free, getting that big promotion, and many other things they expect to make them more secure. They expect these things to give them strength to stand when they are walking with Jesus and things get hard. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 tells us that God will not share His glory:
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (28) God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (29) so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
"So that NO human being might boast in the presence of God." This is how God works. It is played out throughout scripture this way. When the strong are called God often gives them a weakness first. God gave Joseph a limp and Paul a torn in the flesh. He tells Paul my grace is sufficient for you. I heard one man say, you should never trust a "man of God" who doesn't have a limp. If the man seems to have it all together, never go through hard times, is nearly like God, and sinless; he seems to be very .... SECURE. He is lifting up his own strength and not giving the glory to God. Paul makes it clear throughout scripture that he is not secure in his own accomplishments and strengths. He even says he now considers all the things, he has accomplished to make him secure, as garbage.
Jesus gives a very straight and to the point answer to this idolatry. In essence, He says, burn your idols of security, put me first by proclaiming the Gospel everywhere. What are you putting before Jesus? What are you relying on to make you more secure other than Jesus? Put those things aside, turn back to Jesus and proclaim the good news. That all you need is Him.
