October 2, 2012. Prayer Service, October 3, 2012

Luke 9: 57-62

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever your go." Jesus answered him,  "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." And to another he said,  "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father." But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead. But you go and proclaim the Kingdom of God." And another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home."   Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."
The Gospel of the Lord.



Luke 9:57-62
TRUE DISCIPLESHIP

A TRUE DISCIPLE HAS NO (PERMANENT) HOME - Vss. 57-58
By this we mean that a true disciple of Christ will consider his true home to be in Heaven.  Earthly accommodations mean nothing compared to the importance of following Christ wherever. See 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Hebrews 13:14 and Luke 9:23-24.

A TRUE DISCIPLE HAS NO HINDRANCE - Vss. 59-60
When this man requested a delay in following, the father was probably not even dead yet.
He was using family as an excuse, a hindrance for not doing what he was told.

A TRUE DISCIPLE HAS NO HESITATION - Vss. 61-62
There is no unnecessary delay on our part when we are truly following the Lord.


*********************************************************************
Luke 9:57-63
WILLING?

Many people who say that are willing to follow Jesus really aren’t.  Here are three people who claimed they would follow Jesus but weren’t as willing as they sounded.

SOME ARE “WILLING” BUT DISILLUSIONED – Vss. 57-58
Evidently this man thought that following Jesus would mean prosperity.  Jesus told the disillusioned man that it meant sacrifice.

SOME ARE “WILLING” BUT DISORIENTED – Vss. 60-61
This man would follow Jesus when he thought the time was right, after he buried his father.
Jesus told him that following Jesus meant preaching now.

SOME ARE “WILLING” BUT DISTRACTED – Vss. 62-63
This man was more interested in family and friends than following Jesus.
Jesus told him that the one who began a task and looked back wasn’t fit for God’s kingdom.