Tag: Following Jesus

Following Jesus – Luke 9:46-62

September 30th, 2025

“An Argument started…” – interesting way this passage I turned to yesterday started… surely followers of Jesus don’t do that.

Luke 9 is an often quoted passage, not the least of which is 9:23 – if you would come after/follow after me… deny self, take up cross DAILY and follow me

Perhaps the hardest part of following Jesus is that it is constant – daily, moment by moment, thought for thought.

Then it says whoever wants to save his life must lose it. Then Luke records the “inner three” – John, James, and Peter having the mountain top experience with Jesus. More happens and then Jesus says, v44 Let these words sink in: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men… but they did not understand… were afraid to ask… Sometimes the hardest part of following is that his destination is different or doesn’t make sense to us.

Then in v46… an argument started among them about who was the greatest… My goodness, was this ripped from the headlines today in 2025? No, it’s just the proud hearts of men, men of God.

Jesus then took a little child, whoever welcomes this little child, welcomes me… whoever is least this is the great one.

v49 Master, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because HE DOES NOT FOLLOW US. Again, is this a current headline? Jesus’ response, don’t stop him… whoever is not against you(us) is for you(us)

We get wrapped up often in wanting people to follow us, don’t we? We also get wrapped up in wanting to know “where” and “what” and not “who”. Following Jesus is about the WHO – more than the where, what, how, or even why.

The childlike following is just being happy to be there with Jesus.

So, then these potential followers end up the chapter

v57 – I’ll follow you wherever you go . Jesus says, “I don’t have a place”. It’s not the where but who.

v59 he said to another, ‘Follow me’… ‘Lord, first, let me bury my Father’… i.e. not now, later… culturally they tell us this meant NOT that his Father was dead, but that sometime, perhaps years later, when his father had died, then I’ll follow you.

v61 another said, ‘I will follow you… but first… let me say goodbye… again, culturally this one was suggesting an extended party… time…

v62 Jesus said, no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom

They would have remembered in 1 Kings 19:19-21 when Elijah called Elisha to take up and follow him. Elisha was plowing a field and said let me kiss my father… then I will follow you… Elijah scolded him… go back… what have I done to you… and Elisha realized he couldn’t wait and so he slaughtered his oxen, broke up the plow for a fire and fed everyone the oxen, and left and followed him.

Following Jesus is leaving it all behind, now. Following Jesus is not about what, where, when, or how, not even why, it’s about WHO

Not you, deny yourself. Don’t seek notoriety, follow now, each and every now. Take up your cross, daily – now, and now, and now, and now, not later.

It’s not about where, “where are you going”, no – WHO is going? WHO is leading? I’m follow… means I GO.

Oswald Chambers on this passage says, “When once the call of God comes, begin to go and never stop going.”

When we say, “yes, but first” we just stopped following and said “no”.

When we argue over who is the greatest, we just stopped following.

Whatever hinders following… Whoever hinders following…?

v60 Jesus said, you go and spread the news of the Kingdom… and when we do that, we look up and find we are WITH Jesus

Again Chambers said, “the one who says, ‘yes Lord… but’ is fiercely read, but never goes.”

Let’s go… Following Jesus is just about Jesus – go with him.
What’s God Asking for From Me?

November 20th, 2024
When we read scriptural accounts, it is important to know to whom God is speaking, what he is saying, but always ask, “what is this saying to me?”

We have to recognize that not every promise is automatically for me, nor is every judgment or “curse”. Yet, the God speaking is the same and there are principles to learn that can apply everyone.

In Genesis 22 has an amazing account of a “one-of-a-kind” event. You know it – Abraham was old when God promised a son, a family, offspring and descendants what would bless the world. That promise wasn’t fulfilled for decades, until Abraham was WAY TOO OLD, and yet God did it.

WOW

What joy to receive Isaac… and then Genesis 22 says God tested Abraham?

God called, “Abraham” – and he replied, “Here I am” – that word henneh = behold – He is saying, “look here Lord”.

God says, “take your son… your only son… whom you love… go to Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering”

We don’t have any interaction / conversation recorded. If they had it, it wasn’t recorded… and that’s something that usually is found in scripture, like Moses, Like Gideon…

But here – it just says, “SO Abraham got up early in the morning… saddled his donkey… split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go…”

This was a Three-Day Journey to the place God directed.

v5 he tells his servants with him … the boy and I will go over there to worship: then we’ll come back to you.”

Let me stop and point out some principles here. Remember now, Abraham has been on this “journey to promise” with God for probably 38 years. He was 75 when God called him in Genesis 12. He was 100 when Isaac was born. Now Isaac is probably 13+ years old.

Abraham had been down the road and learned to trust God, to have faith in God. It has been good and bad, failure and success, but he has learned.

Some principles when God calls, and asks from us:
1. When God called, Abraham said, “Here I Am”. We don’t need to know the fullness of the plan, nor question our ability, but simply express availability.
2. He Split wood for the Offering – that means he expected to carry out this difficult task. He may have believed God would provide an alternative way, but he did NOT take a “back up plan”.
3. God said, “do this… give me back your son as an act of worship, a sacrificial offering.” What did Abraham do? “He got up early and set out”. The very next day he got to it.
4. He made the journey – 3 days
5. He was set on worshipping God. And I would add to it, that the moment he set out, he was already worshiping God in action of faith and obedience. I define worship as “an expression of adoration to the object of our affection.” Anything we do, say, believe that is an expression of adoration, is worship. When his heart was set, his mind made up, he started the journey and worship began
6. He told his servants – “WE Will Come Back”. Abraham believed in the provision of God.
7. He Took Supplies for Obedient worship. v6 he loaded wood on Isaac’s back for the offering. In his own hands he carried a fire in one hand and the sacrificial knife in the other. I have many knives. I’m sure Isaac had seen this knife many times as his father used it to slaughter the sacrificial lamb.
8. vv7-8 Isaac asked “Abi (Daddy) where is the lamb for the offering?” Isaac had seen worship with his father before. He knew the tools. Perhaps this teenager was wondering for a couple of days, and maybe even putting 2 and 2 together. Abraham answered, “God himself will provide, my son.” What a beautiful intimate statement. Reassuring words of faith. Then the two walked together… I wonder if Isaac suspected, but I believe he trusted his father, and he trusted God.
9. Abraham carried out the pre-worship routine – Built the altar – Arranged the wood – Bound His SON (now It’s real) – Placed Isaac ON the Altar – Took his knife to slaughter…
v11 – “BUT… But the Angel of the Lord (that’s Jesus) ‘Abraham, Abraham”…

What does Abraham say? “Here I Am” (hinneh – behold)

Jesus says, do not lay a hand on the boy… For I know that you FEAR GOD, since you have not withheld your only son from me”

Did God not know what Abraham would do? No – I believe God knows all, and he knew… But Abraham needed to know – 1) God is in Charge 2)Everything is His 3)God will provide 4)Obedience is better than sacrifice and often IS the sacrifice 5)and to know that he would go anywhere with God.

Listen to His Voice. Get Up and Go, Make Preparation, and Release Control.

God provided a ram caught in the thicket

Abraham named the place – “The Lord will Provide” – Yahweh Yireh

Then notice v15 – the Angel of the Lord called a Second Time

… “Because you have done this… have not withheld… I will indeed bless you…”

Now there is a lot of blessing mentioned here… it bookends from Genesis 12 – the blessing of obedience for Abraham, the descendants, the blessing of the world through him… Those are specific blessings for Abraham… BUT the PRINCIPLE for Us is this
- Do Not Hold Anything Back from the Lord – God blesses Worshipful Release of Rights and Ownership
HE IS OUR BLESSING – There is blessing in Obedience that will extend for generations.

I don’t know what God is asking from you today… but…

Lay it All Down!

Truly knowing God comes in the JOURNEY not in the classroom
Later – John 13:36

January 5th, 2021

There’s a word I don’t like, “Later” – Read John 13:36 –

I/We usually want what we want, NOW. That’s why we have microwaves. We’d rather have it NOW, even if it is rubbery, and less flavorful, we want it NOW, not later. But that brings up some questions

1.Who is Saying – Later?

If a parent or authority says, “Later” – If the Lord God says, “Later” – that’s the ANSWER. Or at least it SHOULD be. Jesus says to Peter, v36 “where I am going you cannot follow me NOW but LATER you will. (Emphasis mine) Remember these are the words of our Omniscient, Omnisapient, Omnibenevolent Lord. And He is saying, “Following me in THIS THING”, his death – burial – resurrection – ascension, “is NOT for NOW, but for LATER”, KJV says afterward. If the Lord says it, receive it.

If a parent, if our boss, if the Lord, says, “Later”, it is a command, it is loving, it is right.

On the contrary, if a child, a subordinate, a servant of the Lord, responds to the voice of instruction with, “no I want it NOW”, or “I’ll do that later”, that is disrespectful, distrustful, disobedience.

Then the next question

2. What Does it Mean – “Later”?

It means, you have OTHER things to do NOW. You will NOT do that now, you will do that later, because NOW you have something else to do, THIS.

What is it, NOW, we are to be doing? Well put this verse in its context. Go back to v31. Jesus says to the disciples,

NOW the Son is glorified and God is glorified

We don’t understand it all because we are little children v33. So, right NOW, we need to make the most of the opportunity we have NOW, v34 a new command I give you, LOVE ONE ANOTHER v35 by this (LOVE) everyone will know … if you love.

That is the command of the Lord, but Peter is distracted by Jesus saying in v33 that he is going somewhere, and so he’s not listening.

Oh we ARE such little children. And Peter says, “I want to go with you”, but Jesus says, “Not now, later”. And of course, little Peter says, “why can’t I follow you now, I’m committed” v37. But for Peter to follow in Death at THAT time, a) wasn’t his job and b) wouldn’t accomplish HIS task OR the Kingdom task.

So, not NOW but Later, there is something else for NOW

Brings up another question then,

3. When Is It?

When Jesus says it is best, when he deems appropriate, when everything is prepared.

Jesus is saying, “Peter, you aren’t as committed as you think” v38 “you are going to deny 3 times TONIGHT, so stick with the plan I am giving you. Let’s focus on the Loving and the Living, the glorifying me with your life, and death will come soon enough”

4. So –

v14.1 Let not your heart be troubled –

Oh isn’t that instruction beautiful in context?

“Peter, you want to do MY job, you want to go where I must go, you are Troubled about the wrong things.” And I hearken to Matthew 6:33 seek first the Kingdom of Heaven … everything else will fall into place.

Don’t be troubled – not by your coming failure – you will deny me 3 times tonight

Don’t be troubled – not by your coming struggles in service

Don’t be troubled – not in the frustrations of waiting for later

Believe in God, Believe in Me – Trust me little children

NOW – v14:2-3 – I’m preparing a place for you in Heaven, with me, by the cross, by my resurrection, after my ascension, I will return and take you there, LATER.

So, NOW – Love one another. NOW – Display my glory. NOW – Tell my story. NOW – LIVE for me. Oh child, you WILL follow me, later, after you do this, NOW.

Tag: Following Jesus

Following Jesus – Luke 9:46-62

What’s God Asking for From Me?

Later – John 13:36