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Luke 9:51-62
INTRODUCTION: We are starting a new messages series today called “The Road to Jerusalem.” Easter is only five weeks away, and so over the next several weeks we will focus on some key passages leading up to that final week in which Jesus gave up his life in the city of Jerusalem. This passage in Luke 9 starts the journey, so we will start here also.
Luke 9:51-62 - 51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56 and they went to another village.
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (NIV)
In the Scripture passage we just read, Jesus sets a prime example of obedience for us. Luke tells us that Jesus resolutely set out from Galilee to Jerusalem. And from this point on in the gospel of Luke, Jerusalem is constantly in sight for Jesus. From chapter nine through nineteen all of Jesus’ movements are seen in relationship to Jerusalem.
Now it only took about three days to get from Galilee to Jerusalem. But Jesus took an entire six months for this trip, teaching and preaching in various cities along the way. And as he went, a small company of disciples followed him. I want you to imagine yourself as one of those disciples, following Christ as he preaches and teaches on the way to Jerusalem. In a sense over the next four weeks we will walk the road with him and gain some insight together into what Jerusalem meant for Jesus and what it means for us.
For Christ, Jerusalem meant suffering and death. As Jesus told his disciples in Luke 9:22: “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” This realization casts a long shadow over all the remaining passages in Luke’s gospel. As Jesus walks towards Jerusalem, Jesus walks towards his death.
For us who follow Christ, Jerusalem becomes a symbol of discipleship. Will we take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow him? What might stand in our way of following him? In the passage before us we discover five roadblocks on the road to Jerusalem, five barriers that stood in the way of other people following Christ to Jerusalem in the manner he desired.
And as we look at these roadblocks together this morning, I want to challenge you to consider them in relation to your own life. Are any of these roadblocks preventing you from walking in the pathway of discipleship? Or have you gotten past these obstacles so that you may continue following Jesus all the way to the cross?
I. The Roadblock of Rejection (verses 51-53)
The first roadblock we encounter is the roadblock of rejection. The roadblock of rejection occurs whenever someone rejects Jesus outright and refuses even to consider walking the road of discipleship with him. Look at verses 51-53 with me: “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51-53)
Notice when Jesus began this journey towards Jerusalem. Verse 51 says, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven.” Jesus was about thirty-three years old. He had begun his public ministry about two and half years earlier. Now Jesus knew that he was entering the final phase of his ministry. Soon his days on earth would be completed, and he would return to the Father. But first he must complete his mission in obedience to the Father. And that meant going to Jerusalem to die on the cross.
Jesus did not come just to live a perfect life or to set an example for us. Today’s passage takes place soon after Jesus’ glorification on the Mount of Transfiguration. Jesus did not ascend to heaven at that point. I suppose he could have. He had lived a perfect life. Except that God’s command was for him to go to Jerusalem to suffer and die. And so Jesus was not ready to be taken up to heaven yet. Jesus’ ascension must follow his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus chose to obey the Father, and so Luke tells us that he “resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”
The Greek literally says, “He set his face towards Jerusalem.” Luke is echoing Isaiah 50:7 where the prophet said, “I have set my face like flint.” This Hebrew phrase implies fixedness of purpose, especially in the face of difficulty or danger. It means that Jesus determined to go to Jerusalem, no matter what.
Verse 52 tells us that he sent messengers on ahead. The word translated “sent” here is “apostello.” We get our word “apostle” from this verb. It is a word that means to send out as an official or authoritative representative. And so Jesus sends these messengers ahead as representatives to prepare the way for his arrival.
Luke tells us they went into a Samaritan village. Now the Jews and the Samaritans did not get along. The Jews hated the Samaritans, and the Samaritans hated the Jews. But, the most direct route to Jerusalem lay through Samaria, so this was the regular route taken by pilgrims heading to Jerusalem for the various feasts throughout the year.
Verse 53 says that the people did not welcome or receive him. They did not receive Jesus or his messengers. They offered no hospitality. They made it clear that they did not want Jesus or his disciples around. Luke tells us the reason they rejected Jesus was because he was going to Jerusalem. This was offensive to the Samaritans because they had their own shrine for worship at Mount Gerizim. They felt they could worship there, and they refused to acknowledge Jerusalem as the valid center for worship. You might remember the words of the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well: “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” (John 4:20)
So what is the first roadblock? The roadblock of rejection. Many people never even begin on the roadway of discipleship because they reject Jesus outright from the start. Is this a roadblock for you? The Samaritans refused Jesus hospitality in their village. Have you refused Jesus hospitality in your heart? The Samaritans did not receive him when he came. Have you received him? John 1:12 says, “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Let me just mention something here. The Samaritans rejected Jesus without even understanding who he was. They did not reject him because he said he was the Son of God or because of his preaching or message. They simply rejected him because he was going to Jerusalem. But the same thing happens today. So many people reject Jesus today without really even understanding who he is or what he did for us. How sad! And it is our responsibility as Christians to make sure that other people do understand these things, so they can make a decision based on the truth rather than a false impression of what Christianity is all about. The first roadblock on the road to Jerusalem is the roadblock of rejection.
II. The Roadblock of a Judging Spirit (54-56)
The second roadblock is the roadblock of a judging spirit. Look at verses 54-56. “When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.” (Luke 9:54-56)
Ah, good old James and John – also nicknamed the Sons of Thunder. James and John are so indignant at the Samaritans for rejecting Jesus that they actually seek vengeance. They remember the prophet Elijah who had called down fire on the enemies of God, and offer to do the same for Jesus.
Now you have to admire their faith here. They have no doubt that they can actually do this. God had filled them with power to heal and to cast out demons. They have just seen Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. Maybe that’s why they were thinking about Elijah just now! They are still on a bit of a power rush, but they are not quite mature enough to handle it.
What was Jesus’ response? Luke says that Jesus turned and rebuked them. What was the problem? Well, once again, there was no problem with their faith here and no problem with their zeal. The problem was with their attitude and that they completely misunderstood Jesus’ mission. Jesus didn’t want them to call down fire. Jesus did not come to destroy but to save.
When Jesus sent the disciples out on trips earlier, he told them, “If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them.” (Luke 9:5) Well shaking dust off your feet is a far cry from calling down fire! Shaking the dust off your feet was a testimony of judgment to come, in hopes that the people would turn and be saved. But calling down fire was a sign of immediate judgment with no hope for salvation. And so Jesus rebuked them.
2 Timothy says this about our attitude towards those who do not accept Jesus. Paul writes, “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 2:24-25) As Christians we are called to be kind and gentle, not resentful of those who oppose us. Yet how often do we “call down fire” on those with whom we disagree instead of praying for them and gently instructing them in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth?
Why is a spirit of judgment a roadblock to discipleship? Think about it. How can you possibly walk to the cross with Jesus when you have a judging spirit? The roadway of discipleship is the road of the cross. The purpose of the cross was salvation for man, not judgment. All who reject that cross will be judged, but we are not the ones to do the judging. James 4:12 says: “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you — who are you to judge your neighbor?” Roadblock number two is the roadblock of a judging spirit.
III. The Roadblock of Hasty Commitment (57-58)
The last three roadblocks center on a trio of potential disciples. We don’t know for sure whether any of these men overcame the challenges put forth to them by Jesus. I sincerely hope they did, but the tone of the passage makes it unlikely. They all seem similar to the rich young ruler who went away from Jesus sad. It would be nice to know if they followed Jesus, but the focus in this passage is not so much on these would-be disciples’ responses, but rather on Jesus’ demands. So what were these final three roadblocks these men needed to climb over?
Well, first there is the roadblock of hasty commitment. We read about this roadblock in verses 57-58. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9:57-58)
This man’s words to Jesus are admirable. The gospel of Matthew tells us that he was a teacher of the law. Now a teacher in those days would normally view discipleship simply as following a man’s teachings. But this man offered not only to follow Jesus’ teaching; he was actually volunteering to follow Jesus on foot. He wanted to join Jesus’ company of traveling disciples. And he was willing to go anywhere - “wherever you may go!” This was a wonderful declaration of faith and commitment, one that we all should aspire to. I can just picture the disciples and the crowd hearing this man and nodding their heads in approval.
But Jesus saw the roadblock. This man was saying all the right words, but he had not really counted the cost. And so Jesus challenged his commitment. Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Whoa, that’s a different story. It is one thing to follow Jesus when the path is smooth and the burden is light. But what about when the going gets tough? Will we still follow him then?
Jesus and his disciples had just come from a town where they had been refused hospitality. Foxes and birds may have places they can call home, but Jesus did not. This was part of Christ’s humiliation, rejection and suffering. He did not come to earth to live in comfort and luxury. He came to suffer and to serve.
What was Jesus doing? He was helping this man to count the cost of discipleship. The servant is not greater than the master. This teacher of the law had not thought through the implications of his bold statement. He reminds me a little of Peter who boldly told Jesus, “I will die with you,” but then denied Christ later the same night.
Do you desire to follow Christ? Then you need to count the cost. It is a lifetime commitment, and sometimes Christ calls you to suffering. Regardless, it is a life of obedience; it is a life of commitment; it is a life of joy. But you must count the cost. Don’t let the roadblock of hasty commitment keep you from following Jesus all the way.
IV. The Roadblock of Delay (59-60)
The next roadblock is the roadblock of delay. This one is the opposite of hasty commitment. The person who gets stopped by the roadblock of hasty commitment jumps to follow Jesus too quickly. The person who gets stopped by the roadblock of delay waits too long to follow after Christ. Look at verses 59-60: He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)
The gospel of Matthew tells us that this man was already a disciple of Christ, but this probably means a disciple in the broader sense of one who was favorable towards Jesus and willing to learn. Now Jesus calls upon him to join the traveling band of disciples following Jesus on the road to Jerusalem.
This would-be follower of Jesus responds, “Lord, first let me …” Talk about starting out on the wrong foot! He was starting on the “me” foot, rather than the “Christ” foot. He was willing to put the call to discipleship on hold. We do this anytime we respond to God’s command with the words, “Lord, first let me . . .” Christ must always come first.
So, what did this man want to do first? “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Burial was very important for the Jews. Burying your parents was considered part of keeping the fifth commandment: honor your father and mother. The obligation to bury a relative took precedence over religious duties. It even took precedence over studying the law. Priests, who normally could not touch dead bodies, could do so in the case of relatives (Lev 21:1-3). And so burying a relative was both an obligation and an act of love. It was considered a good deed to bury a stranger. How much more a relative; how much more your own father! It would have been scandalous for a Jew to leave this sacred duty undone.
Some commentators point out that the passage is unclear whether the father has actually died yet or not. They suggest that perhaps the disciple is asking something more unreasonable here: “Let me stay here at home for some unspecified time until my father dies and then I will follow you.” But the most natural reading implies that the father has just died, and this would-be disciple asks for permission to go bury him.
Jesus responds, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” It makes you stop and go: “What? Won’t Jesus even allow this man to go bury his own father?” And the answer is: “No, not if it conflicts with the call to discipleship.” And in this case it apparently did. Jesus’ call must take priority over everything else. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 6:33) God’s kingdom must always come first. There must be no delays!
So what does this phrase, “let the dead bury the dead” mean? Jesus is saying, “Let those who are spiritually dead bury the physically dead.” Right now Jesus had a more pressing claim upon this man’s life – the call to proclaim the gospel to those who had not yet responded to Jesus’ call. August Van Ryn writes, “We are here that dead sinners might live, not that dead sinners might be buried.” Christ’s call takes precedence even over the most solemn obligation to bury one’s parents. Regardless of whether the father was living, dead or near-dead at the time, this was a radical call for commitment.
John McNeill was a Scottish preacher in the 19th century. He was in England on his way to preach at an evangelistic meeting when he received word of his father’s death in Scotland. He considered sending a message on ahead canceling the meeting, knowing that people would have understood. “But I dared not send it,” he said, “for this same Jesus stood by me, and seemed to say, ‘Now, look, I have you. You go and preach the gospel to those people. Whether would you rather bury the dead or raise the dead?’ And I went to preach.”
Now the question arises: Is it wrong for a preacher to cancel a speaking engagement in order to return home for a funeral? And I would say, it all depends upon the call of Christ. McNeill felt a conviction by Christ to go and preach that weekend, and it would have been disobedience for him to do otherwise. But another preacher might have felt God’s call to return home (perhaps in obedience to 1 Timothy 5:8). But the point is this: the call of Christ upon your life takes precedence over everything else!
Too many people have been sidetracked from following Jesus by the roadblock of delay. “I’m not ready to commit to Christ quite yet. Maybe next year. I want to follow you Jesus, but first let me … , but first …, but first . . .” (fill in the blanks) Don’t make a hasty commitment to follow Christ. But don’t delay either. Count the cost, and then choose to follow Christ now, not later.
V. The Roadblock of a Divided Heart (61-62)
And then the final roadblock is the roadblock of a divided heart. Look at verses 61-62: Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62)
Once again, this seems like a very reasonable request. “Let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Eight hundred years earlier a man named Elisha asked to say goodbye to his before leaving to follow the prophet Elijah. Elijah saw nothing wrong with this and gave him permission. But now one greater than Elijah is here. Some people try to soften Jesus’ demands in these verses by making the requests of the would-be disciples more unreasonable. But the whole point of these encounters is that these apparently reasonable, innocent requests result in apparently very unreasonable answers from Jesus.
The problem is with the word “but.” “I will follow you, Lord, but …” Imagine a young man proposing to a woman: “Will you marry me?” and she answers, “Yes, but . . . .” That is not the answer you want to hear!
Jesus replies, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” This calls to mind Elisha who received his call to follow Elijah while he was plowing. Here’s the point. You cannot plow a straight furrow without looking straight ahead. You cannot follow Jesus while constantly looking back over your shoulder. That is one of the lessons we learn from Lot’s wife who looked back. (Genesis 19:26) Once you have made the decision to follow Christ, it must be all or nothing. The person who has started out with Christ, but now looks back is not fit for service in the kingdom of God.
This would-be disciple had a divided heart. His mind was still partly on the life he left behind in order to follow Jesus. Serving Christ in the kingdom of God requires singleness of purpose. Once again, look to Jesus who set his face towards Jerusalem. For him there was no turning back, no turning back.
You left behind a life devoted to self when you committed to follow Jesus. The question is: have you left it totally behind? Or are you still looking over your shoulder? Do you have a divided heart?
CONCLUSION: Jesus is walking the road to Jerusalem. He is walking to the cross to suffer and die for other people. And he asks you to follow him. That is the meaning of discipleship. I. Howard Marshall writes: “Those who would follow him wherever he goes must be ready to share the homeless lot of the Son of man, to place discipleship above the claims of family and duty, and to persevere to the end. The commitment required is absolute, and goes beyond that of a pupil to a rabbinic teacher, or of an Elisha to an Elijah.” What roadblock stands in the way of you following Jesus this morning?
Jesus knew what waited for him in Jerusalem but there was no turning back. Every day we live we face these potential roadblocks to discipleship. May we avoid the roadblocks of rejection, of a judging spirit, of hasty commitment, of delay and of a divided heart. Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem because he knew that his time to be taken up to heaven was near. We may not realize it, but our time also draws near. Let us take up our cross and follow him.
© Ray Fowler
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