Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:22)
When Jesus was teaching about the cost of following Him, He said some startling statements, and the one before us today is no exception. This was the response Jesus gave to someone who said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father” before I follow you. Now we don’t know if his father had already died, or if he simply wanted to put off following Jesus until he did die. But what we do know is Jesus did not accept any excuse for any delay in following Him.
There is a cost to following Christ and those who are not willing to pay it cannot be His disciple. Now Jesus was not teaching against the biblical mandate of honoring father and mother. What Jesus was teaching was no relationship is to rise above the relationship we have with Him. Loyalty to Jesus is to take priority over loyalty to anyone else. Here is the best way I know how to put what Jesus was teaching – don’t love your family relationship less . . . simply love me more.
Now this person’s request surely seemed reasonable on the surface. But Jesus never lets His disciples engage in “surface” living. Jesus demands His disciples live at the depth of undivided devotion to Him. No earthly care is to become more important than our eternal commitment to Christ. Jesus will tolerate no rival, nor should He. Nothing in this life is to come between our loyalty to our Lord. Our decision to follow Jesus for the first time is not to be delayed. And our decision to continue following Jesus each day after is not to be delayed either.
So, if you have been putting off following Jesus for any reason, remember, temporary gain is a poor exchange for eternal glory. There is only room for one person to sit upon the throne of your life – Jesus or you. Choose this day without delay, whom you will serve and may it always be the One who is worthy of your undivided attention and affection.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 