THIS DISCIPLE WAS NOT ASKING PERMISSION TO GO TO HIS FATHERS FUNERAL, BUT RATHER TO PUT OFF FOLLOWING JESUS UNTIL HIS ELDERLY FATHER DIED. PERHAPS HE WAS THE FIRSTBORN SON AND WANTED TO BE SURE TO CLAIM HIS INHERITANCE. PERHAPS HE DIDNT WANT TO FACE HIS FATHERS WRATH IF HE LEFT THE FAMILY BUSINESS TO FOLLOW AN ITINERANT PREACHER. ( WEATHER HIS CONCERN WAS FINANCIAL SECURITY, FAMILY APPROVAL, OR SOMETHING ELSE, HE DID NOT WANT TO COMMIT HIMSELF TO JESUS JUST YET. JESUS, HOWEVER, WOULD NOT ACCEPT HIS EXCUSE. JESUS WAS ALWAYS DIRECT WITH THOSE WHO WANTED TO FOLLOW HIM. HE MADE SURE THEY COUNTED THE COST AND SET ASIDE ANY CONDITIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE FOR FOLLOWING HIM. AS GODS SON, JESUS DID NOT HESITATE TO DEMAND COMPLETE LOYALTY. EVEN FAMILY LOYALTY WAS NOT TO TAKE PRIORITY OVER THE DEMANDS OF OBEDIENCE. HIS DIRECT CHALLENGE FORCES US TO ASK OURSELVES ABOUT OUR OWN PRIORITIES IN FOLLOWING HIM. [ THE DECISION TO FOLLOW CHRIST SHOULD NOT BE PUT OFF EVEN THOUGH OTHER LOYALTIES COMPETE FOR OUR ATTENTION. NOTHING SHOULD BE PLACED ABOVE A TOTAL COMMITMENT TO LIVING FOR CHRIST ]. ( MATT.8:21,22 )
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 16:43:46 +0000
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