The Cost of FOLLOWING JESUS

Luke 9: 46ff

Lk. 9:43-48 – (READ)

Mental reasoning/discussions block our hearing/understanding

• After being amazed at God’s majesty and marveling at all that Jesus did, the disciples’ question:

o Who will be the greatest?

o This is a question that compares one person with another.

• Didn’t “hear” with a right interpretation Jesus’ words, “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.

o We need to hear correctly to be able to ask the right question.

o Needed to ask how to prepare themselves for this event without fear.

• How did Jesus respond? (see below)

HUMILITY OF HEART Receives Jesus and Others

Lk. 9:48 - “Whoever receives (takes the hand) of this child (an immature person) receives (takes the hand of) me (Jesus) and receives (takes the hand of) Him (Father God) that send Me.

• Jesus: “He who is least among you shall be great.”

o ‘Taking the hand of’ someone who is immature in their faith requires humility and love.

o Phil.2:3(NET) – Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.

• Receive – Jesus, allowing Him to impact our lives for the Kingdom.

o Child, an immature or innocent one affects our lives and that one’s life for the Kingdom.

o This involves discipling others; not being envious if they have more of an impact that you eventually.

Lk. 9:49-56 (READ) – Jesus’ rebuke of his disciples’ attitude of soul.

• The disciples failed to apply the above teachings of Jesus about following His humility.

o Wanted to call the fire of destruction down on those who refused Jesus.

o They didn’t understand the time – Jesus was going to Jerusalem without delay.

• They “went ahead to prepare for Him” (v.52-53) as they had done in the past when Jesus sent them out two-by-two.

o Jesus had his face set for the journey to Jerusalem, not to stop to minister in Samaria.

o The disciples were offended on behalf of Jesus and wanted to punish the people.

• Jesus: “You don’t know what manner of spirit you are of.” – they were ignorant of their rationale and disposition of soul & mind.

THREE INFLUENCES OF MIND:

Ro. 8:5 – For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

1. Fleshly/Natural (minds the things of earth) –

• Lk. 12:29 – doubtful or anxious – do not seek what you should eat or…drink, nor have an anxious mind.

• Ro. 7:23 – propensity to sin; But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

• Ro. 8:7 – rebells against God; Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

• Ro. 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

2. Devilish (influenced by Satan) –

• Matt. 16:23 – Be He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

• Gen. 3 – Devilish thoughts will cause you to question what God really meant to promote disobedience to His commands/instructions.

• Thoughts can enter your mind in unguarded moments: Peter didn’t want Jesus to talk about death; Eve was curious about the tree of life.

3. Heavenly (set on things above) –

• Ac. 17:11 – readiness to search the scriptures; These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

• Ro. 12:16 – humble; Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion!

• Phil. 2:3-8 (READ) – have the mind of Christ = humble; Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

o Humility willingly takes up the cross to deny ourselves, to be like Jesus.

• Mt. 16:24 – Jesus said to His disciples: If anyone wants to become My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. – Deny means to abstain from natural desires.

The Cost of Following Jesus:

Lk. 9:55-62 – (READ)

• Know what spirit you operate in, your own, devilish, or heaven’s – v. 55

• Move in compassion to save (sozo) others from destruction by bringing them to Jesus– v. 56

• Take time to count the cost of; don’t be too quick to say “yes” – v. 57-58

• Examine your excuses: using future family responsibilities as a loop-hole – v. 59-60

• Looking back instead of forward (saying farewell) – v. 61

• V. 62 – Any of these excuses make us unfit (not positioned well) for the Kingdom (rulership) of God.

Conclusion: Following Jesus requires we know ourselves and submit our attitudes and mindsets to the scrutiny of the Spirit and then humbly follow Him by imitating His responses to life’s circumstances.