Singular Devotion

My grandparents -- faithful servants!

Scripture:

Luke 9:57   As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.” ⁵⁹ To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ⁶¹ Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶² Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Observation:

Jesus and his disciples were headed toward Jerusalem. Along the way, Jesus continued to teach them what it really meant to be a disciple. Far too many had said that they would follow Jesus, but he knew that they didn’t understand the cost. Each one of them had excuses that would sound fair by human standards, but Jesus knew that wholehearted discipleship required entire consecration with a face set toward the goal. 

To truly follow Jesus we must be willing to give up living where we might want to live. We can even call Jesus “Lord,” sounding spiritual and using the right words to acknowledge Jesus’ role in our lives, but at the same time be consumed by family that may or may not be our responsibility. Some believe that Jesus was insinuating that the dead didn’t need to hear the gospel preached, so it would be much wiser to put energy into sharing the good news about the kingdom. Another called Jesus Lord, but was also looking back at what they would need to leave behind. Jesus had his face set toward Jerusalem, and the disciples were going to have to do the same. No distractions and singular devotion. 

There is a hollowness to the responses of the individuals. They sound good, but they are not entirely devoted to Jesus. Basil the Great put it this way, “A person who wishes to become the Lord’s disciple must repudiate a human obligation, however honorable it may appear, if it slows us ever so slightly in giving the wholehearted obedience we owe to God” (CONCERNING BAPTISM 1.1).

Application:

Over and over in Luke’s gospel we find a challenge to a deeper walk with Jesus Christ. This last Sunday many people attended church services, either on-line or in-person, to celebrate Easter. I’m guessing that most of these would say that they are followers of Jesus Christ. We sang songs in which we declared that Jesus was Lord! Amen and glory to God — He is risen. 

But then Jesus looks at us and he asks us some serious questions. When I read about the early members of the holiness movement, I realize how “sold out” they were to following Christ. My grandparents on the Johnson side are reminders of what it means to give up everything to follow Jesus. My grandfather loved to preach holiness and he lived it out. During the height of the depression my grandmother took off her ring and put it in the offering plate — so that she could help the church. Having almost nothing of material worth, they both gave of themselves to constantly help others come to Christ. My grandfather planted little Nazarene churches across Nebraska — building them with his own hands. He had a cement mixer with which he made his own blocks. They often ate whatever had been left for them on the back porch by the farmers of their congregation. They trusted God to meet their needs. 

Recently my husband said he believes that credit cards have replaced trust in God. If we need something, we just go and buy it and use a card. Actually, needing to depend upon God to supply our needs builds our faith. Praying with your children about needs and then watching God provide builds them up in ways we can’t even imagine. This whole passage was about those who called themselves followers but weren’t willing to let go of the things of this world. 

In my tradition we talk about entire sanctification; being made entirely holy by God though the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ conversation along the way to Jerusalem had everything to do with entire sanctification, because it required singular devotion to the Lord. We can only be entirely filled by the Spirit when we are emptied of everything else. There comes a moment in our lives where we have to look Jesus in the face and tell him that we are willing to give him absolutely everything! That includes where we may live, how we may be employed, and how we spend our leisure time, including how much time we may be able to spend with family. 

My grandparents taught their son to follow Jesus with all of his heart. That commitment took him from Nebraska to Germany. None of them got to enjoy being together as family and I didn’t meet my grandparents until I was nearly 3 years old when I visited America for the first time. I wouldn’t see them again for another 4 years. 

Singular devotion doesn’t look back, but through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit presses on in service to the kingdom of God. 

Prayer:

Lord, take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to thee. Amen.