Week 1 Day 4

Week 1 Day 4
Memory Verse: But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Matt 6:33

STUDY VERSES:
Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:23 Come after me means to become a disciple (cf. 14:27) and requires that a disciple: (1) deny himself (not simply denying certain things but denying personal control of one's life); (2) take up his cross (cf. 14:27; notes on Matt. 10:38 and Mark 8:34; make a commitment that will lead to rejection and possibly even death); and (3) follow me (following the example and teachings of Jesus). In Jesus' day, “follow me” also meant joining the company of his disciples who traveled in ministry with Jesus around Palestine.

Luke 9:57-62 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 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.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:58 The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head is Jesus' challenge to a would-be follower, reminding him that the path of following Jesus is not easy and comfortable, for ultimately Jesus is not at home in this world. In this and the following two brief stories (vv. 59–62), Luke does not tell his readers how the person responded.

Luke 9:59 To go and bury a deceased parent was an important duty, and Jesus clearly upholds honoring one's parents (Matt. 15:1–9). The request seems reasonable on the surface, but this man's first response was not to obey Jesus immediately (as others did, cf. Luke 5:21, 28) but to make an excuse for not following him. Burial at this time in Judaism often involved a year-long period from the time when the body was first buried until a year later when the bones of the deceased were placed in an ossuary box. Though this was a basic family obligation, Jesus is teaching the priority of the kingdom over family.

Luke 9:60 Leave the dead to bury their own dead constitutes a pun in which “dead” means both “spiritually dead” (cf. 15:24, 32) and “physically dead.” Here (as in 14:25–26) Jesus insists that following him must take precedence over every other relationship and obligation. This does not imply that Jesus' followers can never care for their family obligations, but when they do, it must be out of obedience to Jesus, not instead of obedience to Jesus. In this man's case, Jesus was clearly not his highest commitment (see 9:59).

Luke 9:61 As in v. 59, this man's halfhearted discipleship begins with a “but”: I will follow you, Lord, but. This recalls 1 Kings 19:19–21, where Elijah permitted Elisha to say farewell; but Jesus does not permit this. Jesus' summons to discipleship takes precedence over everything else.

Luke 9:62 Anyone who puts his hand to the plow has to keep looking forward to guide the plow, for if he looks back the plow will quickly veer off course.

STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. What are the three commitments we must make if we want to follow Jesus?

2. Describe one area in which you need to deny yourself so can follow Him more closely.

3. Considering the cross as a personal ministry, what could you do to take up your cross today?

4. What is one step you could take today to follow Christ more closely?

5. What were some excuses given by those following Jesus as to why they could not follow Hom?

6. What excuses do people use when asked to follow Christ?

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Jesus asks us to take up our cross everyday. I love that He knows we must make the commitment new everyday! If we only tell Him one time, then we are missing a relationship with Him. How do you think your spouse, your children, your friends would react if you only told and/or showed your love for them one time? Remember, we said LOVE is a verb! God is love and therefore, we must act to keep our relationship real with Him.

Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, ministered to the lost and confused. Do you know that He wants us to do the same? Do you believe that you have the power? It is not your power, but the power that works in you--the power of God, the power of Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit. If we align ourselves rightly with Him and do what His Word says we must do--speak the Word, study the Word, love the Word, know the Word then all these things will be added to us.

Ask Him to put your past behind you, to lift up His name to glorify Him in all that you do today. Whatever you think, eat, say, pray, respond to; do all unto Him and watch His miraculous love heal the sick and dying! We love you Lord and we worship you, we magnify your name, your word, your promises. Help us Lord to be obedient and to remember you in everything. Be blessed brothers and sisters. Sister Lisa