“ABANDONING SELF, FOLLOWING CHRIST”

58 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.”

Luke 9:58

If someone were to take the time to study Jesus—His life, works, teachings—it would be unwise for that person not to want to follow Him. Perhaps the only person who wouldn’t want to be Jesus’ disciple is someone who had already made up his mind to reject Christ, regardless. But for the most part, everyone would desire to be identified with Christ.

The man whom Jesus talks to in this passage is an individual who had seen Jesus’ miracles and heard His teachings. Matthew tells us that the man is a scribe. He belongs to a group of esteemed Jewish religious experts. They are the lawyers who interpret the law and the Jewish traditions. They are highly educated men and generally hostile to Jesus. However, this particular scribe is curious, possibly wanting to be one of Jesus’ disciples.

He addresses Jesus as “Teacher” and offers himself as a willing student. Here’s our Lord, being approached by an educated man who wants to be His follower. Interestingly,  Jesus does not seem to make things easy for the guy. Why? Because Jesus knows the man’s heart. He wants to put his commitment to the test.

This is not the first time people have wanted to follow Jesus. In John chapter 2, people watched Jesus perform many signs and wonders, causing them to believe in His name. However, the Lord did not invest in them because He knew they only wanted to see more of His miracles. The same is true of this scribe.

Jesus’ response is a masterful way of testing the man’s loyalty. The scribe is impressed with the Lord and desires to be His student. However, he fails to consider Jesus’ lifestyle. As an esteemed interpreter of the law, this scribe is accustomed to a comfortable life. On the other hand, Jesus does not even own a house. He and His disciples stay in the homes of those who invite them over. Jesus’ statement is a challenge to the scribe to see if he is willing to leave behind his comfortable life and prestige for His sake.

In practical terms, Jesus is not commanding every believer to live in poverty or abandon family and friends. In fact, there were wealthy believers in the first century, such as Joseph of Arimathea and Philemon. Jesus’ point is that a Christian must be willing to turn his back on whatever may stand in the way of committing to Him. In other words, our love for Jesus must have no competition. He is a jealous God and will not take second place.

The Lord understands our weaknesses and tendency to lose sight of our priorities. But if we are serious about following Him, we should count the cost. Discipleship demands self-abandonment and an unwavering commitment to the cause of Christ.

If Jesus demands you to leave behind the things you treasure the most, will you be ready?

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Norbert Buduczki on Unsplash