Rejection And Discipleship

Luke 9:51-62

Our Scripture passage today from the Gospel of Luke covers two lessons that Jesus taught the disciples.  The first was a lesson that He taught about how our reaction should be when we face rejection for the Gospel.  The second was a lesson on the cost of discipleship and following Jesus.

As our Scripture passage opens, Jesus and His disciples are journeying from the northern territory of Galilee to Jerusalem in the south.  The most direct route would be to go through the land of Samaria. Most Jewish people would never set foot in Samaria, and instead would take a much longer route by going east across the Jordan River, then heading south, crossing the Jordan again around Jericho.  Samaritans were the descendants of Jewish mixed marriages from the days of captivity. They had devised their own worship, which was a mix of Judaism and paganism. Devout Jews considered Samaritans unclean and hated them. We read in the Gospels, however, that Jesus went through Samaria several times.

On this day Jesus and His disciples are journeying to Jerusalem for the last time (vs. 51).  Jesus knew that this time His journey would end with His crucifixion, dying to save mankind. Although He knew He would suffer persecution and death in Jerusalem, Jesus steadfastly went ahead anyway.  We should have that same resolve, as well, where nothing deters us from following God’s will.

While passing through Samaria, the local residents saw that Jesus and His group were Jewish and heading to Jerusalem.  Because of the mutual animosity between the two groups, they did not welcome the disciples (vs. 52-56). James and John did not respond back with love, as Jesus had long been teaching them.  He did not want them to respond with retaliation and anger. He came to save, not to destroy. We must represent Jesus to others with love and mercy, even if they do not welcome our message, not with fury and anger.  Jesus has never wished for people to be converted at the “point of the sword”, like some in history have done. That was never His way. The Apostle John did learn this lesson, as a few years later he and Peter preached the Gospel in Samaria (Acts 8:25), and John’s Epistles are filled with lessons on loving others.

The second lesson Jesus taught in this passage of God’s Word is that of the cost of discipleship.  As they continued on their way to Jerusalem we read of three individual men who receive the call to follow Jesus, and what the response was.  The first man willingly came up to Jesus, proclaiming that he would follow Jesus wherever He led. That sounds great, and perhaps that man did.  Jesus reminded him, though, that the cost of following Him is great, and he needs to count that cost. Jesus told him that throughout His years of ministry He didn’t even have a bed to call His own, sleeping either at the homes of others by the kindness of their hearts, or out in the open (vs. 57-58).  The cost of truly following Jesus may mean that we must also give up some things that the world enjoys.

Jesus called the second man to come and follow Him.  However, he gave an excuse to put off following Him till later (vs. 59-60).  True discipleship requires immediate action. Jesus knew this man wasn’t just asking to bury his father.  Jesus doesn’t want us to neglect responsibilities to our family, but He often spoke to people in a way to reveal their real motives.  Jesus knew this man wasn’t just asking to bury his father. His focus was on “dead” worldly desires, and used his father as an excuse.  We cannot pursue both “dead” worldly goals and still follow Jesus.

The third man had also proclaimed he would follow Jesus, but first wanted to attend to other things (vs. 61-62).  He was hesitant to follow. Half-hearted, lukewarm faith is not acceptable (Revelation 3:15-16).

Jesus wants total dedication, not a half-hearted commitment.  We must accept the cross along with the crown. We must count the cost and be willing to abandon everything else.  Focus on Him and don’t allow anything to distract us. There is a cost to following Jesus. Each of us must be ready to serve Him, even if it involves a sacrifice.