Sure, I Like Jesus!
Many of us would recognize that it’s a good thing to follow Jesus. You probably would like to make decisions with the same kind of wisdom as Jesus. You likely want to be a person of integrity like him. Chances are, you’d like to follow his example by honoring God the Father, loving what’s good, and by showing kindness to the people around you. You probably would agree that all these things generally sound like good ideas.
Are You Sure You Want to Follow Jesus?
But affirming that it’s a good idea to follow Jesus isn’t the same as actually following him. You can say all kinds of nice things about Jesus, but it won’t mean anything unless those words are matched with a real, life-transforming devotion to Jesus. You can get a good idea of what it means to truly follow Jesus by considering Matthew 8, 18-22:
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Jesus encounters two different men here. Each of these men are grappling with what it means to follow Jesus. But these two men have distinct issues that they need Jesus to address.
True Enthusiasm or Temporary Emotion?
Notice the first man. The text tells us that he was a scribe, a scholar of the Jewish Scriptures. He cared about knowledge, about having the right answers to big questions of life. He liked talking about God, it would seem. And this scribe, notice how excited he is about Jesus. Verse 19 says that this “scribe came up to him, and said to him, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’” You’ll notice, Jesus isn’t chasing this guy around or twisting his arm. But this scribe initiates the conversation. And he immediately promises that he’s ready to follow Jesus, whenever, however, wherever. This man claims that he’s committed.
Jesus’s response, though, probably isn’t what you’d expect. You may think Jesus would say, “You’re ready to follow me? That’s wonderful! Come right along.” But that’s not what Jesus says. Instead, he gives this scribe a reality check. Jesus tells him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head.” In other words, Jesus explains to the scribe that following him will be costly. The life of a Christian is the life of a wandering pilgrim – the life of a homeless person. Following Jesus isn’t a path to worldly honor.
This scribe perhaps noticed that Jesus had drawn a crowd. He perhaps noticed that Jesus was a wise and capable teacher. And the man maybe thought, “If I just follow this teacher, then I’ll be able to gain wisdom! Maybe there will be crowds of people who come to listen to me!” But Jesus makes it clear, if you’re really going to follow him, you need to understand what you’re really getting into. If you’re going to follow Jesus, prepare to be rejected by your peers. Prepare to be labeled as a hater and a bigot by the cultural elite. Prepare to lose your home, your credentials, your reputation. Prepare to stand by him, even if you find yourself standing there alone.
This is, quite realistically, what it has looked like to follow Jesus for much of church history. And if you’re really going to follow Jesus, be aware that this may be what it looks like for you.
Supreme Priority, or Second Place?
But there’s a second man here, mentioned in verse 21. This man is quite interested in Jesus. He’s half-inclined to get in the boat right then and there. But then this man realizes that there’s something he wants to take care of first. This disciple says, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
This really is a noble desire, isn’t it? This man recognizes the provision and protection he has received from his father throughout his youth. He wants to express his love and honor for his father. It’s not exactly clear from the text whether the father had already passed away, or if he was just elderly and near death. But in either case, this man is simply telling Jesus, “I just have this one thing I need to do first. I’m not ready to follow you yet. But once my Father is buried, then I’ll be yours. Then you’ll direct my life.”
But there’s one problem with this man’s request. This man is giving his father the #1 spot in his life instead of Jesus. It’s not a problem that this man wants to honor his father. This should absolutely be a priority for him. But it must not be priority #1. Nothing can rightly be placed as a priority ahead of the Son of God. And we need to be honest with ourselves. If we’re willing to prioritize “one thing” over Jesus, usually that “one thing” becomes two things, or ten things, or ten thousand things.
Is It Your Top Priority to Follow Jesus?
And so often we put him on hold for reasons that are exceptionally pathetic. “God, let me just finish my video game!” “O Lord, I just need to check my Instagram account, and then I’ll be ready to follow you.” “King Jesus, I just want to have one more night out with the boys, and then I’ll get my life together.” Some of these excuses are obviously empty and ridiculous.
But we need to prayerfully consider other bad excuses that may not be as obvious to us: prioritizing travel sports for our kids, prioritizing work over our daily Bible reading, prioritizing our hobbies, our Spring Break vacations, and our retirement plans. Will these things be our priority, or will we be committed to following Jesus? Will you come after Jesus, denying yourself, and taking up your cross daily to follow him (Luke 9:23)? Because this is what he’s calling you to.
It’s Worth It to Follow Jesus
Make sure you understand that following Jesus comes at a cost. It requires courage. It calls for commitment. But keep in mind, this passage doesn’t just say follow, follow, follow. Don’t get so preoccupied with the command to follow, that you miss the reason why you’re following in the first place. Don’t forget the greatness and sufficiency of the one you’re following.
Though there’s a real command here, there’s also a real consolation. We get to follow Jesus. King Jesus calls us to be close to him, to know him, to learn from him, to exert ourselves in his work, and to enter into his glory. He has gone before you to cleanse you from your corruptions, to free you from your fears, to clothe you in his righteousness, and to open the way to God. Jesus has decisively blazed the trail into eternal life. And this Jesus who calls you to follow him is the one who also supplies the strength and endurance for the journey. He urges you to follow him, because he wants to lead you into something that’s truly worth having.
The cost is worth the crown. The risk is worth the reward. Jesus says, “Follow me.” What’s stopping you?
