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After the events on the mountain with Jesus, Elijah and Moses, Jesus told his disciples he was to be betrayed into the hands of men. We are told they didn't understand Jesus because it was hidden from them to understand. Also they were afraid to ask him concerning what Jesus said to them. It would seem that since meeting with Moses and Elijah on the mountain that Jesus understood that it was time to go to Jerusalem to accomplish His death. So Jesus sent disciples ahead of him, and they went into a Samaritan village who wouldn't put him up because he was heading to Jerusalem. James and John were most offended at the Samaritans response and asked Jesus if they could call down fire from heaven. Jesus rebuked them for asking for fire to be thrown down on the Samaritan village. Instead He made it known to them that he hadn't come to destroy mens lives but to save men.This was because the Samaritans didn't worship at Jerusalem. While they are on the road to another village we find some responses to people pledging loyalty to Jesus. To the first who said to Jesus he would follow him wherever he went. He said are you prepared to put up the hardship of not having comfort of their own home. This is what he meant when he told the man that foxes have holes and birds have nests but the son of man hs nowhere to lay his head. Next we see it is Jesus who asks for a response from a man on the road by commanding the man to "Follow me". The man answered by saying he first wanted to bury his father before following Jesus. Jesus response may seem to be harsh and insensitive when he says let the dead bury their own dead. But you go and preach the Kingdom of God. Another said I will follow you Jesus, but first let me bid farewell to my people at home.Jesus answer to him is "No one having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God!!!" So what is this all about then?
It is about double mindedness and lack of loyalty as well as a failure to recognise the urgency for a response to Jesus and his gospel of the Kingdom of God. First of all we need to ask what time is it? It is the last hour and as such there is no time to busy with other things, but to fight the battle at hand. Anyone who enrols in the Kings army is not his own. A soldier doesn't do what he feels like, but does the will of the King. The King doesn't expect his orders to be disobeyed. So when people put other things before the Kings business, they are not being faithful soldiers to the King. They put their own will before the will of the King of Kings. Any soldier who enrols in the army counts the cost. he knows that he may lose his life in the battle. So he must be totally commited to the cause of his government or King. For if they are not in total and complete submission to do the will of their King then they are likely to desert. In battle all deserters are put to death and disgraced for they have not done the will of their king and country. In the same way when Jesus says "believe in me" or "follow me" it is as a commander in the thick of battle. Either the troops believe in their commander, because they believe he is a skilled commander and he knows what he is doing. If they don't have confidence in their commander they will not believe in him and they will either desert to save their own lives or they will shoot the commander in the back. This was a common thing among the British troops especially in the 1st world war. Many officers put in charge of troops were green and naive and unexperienced in warfare. many of them were made officers because they had good education and came from well off families. These were put in charge of troops and sad to say many of them didn't have a clue about warfare. When the troops under the officers command saw that the officers leadership would lead them into certain death, the troops would shoot them in the back,because they could not believe in their commander. This is what Jesus means when one asks to first bury his family and the other just wants to go say goodbye. They must discern the hour and the urgency of the mission they are being called to. Jesus says troops like this who do not wholeheartedly set their eyes on the will of God and his Kingdom, but look back to other distractions are not fit for the Kingdom of God. To follow Jesus is a radical thing and the cost of being his disciple is a high one,even the loss of your own life. Jesus is saying don't be under any illusion, its either all or nothing if you want to follow me!!.Thats just the way it is. But if you lose your life because of your king you will find it because he will raise you to life immortal on the day of Jesus Christ and so you will gain life and all that goes with it ever so abundantly. |
