Some of Jesus’ directives seem excessively strong. As we read them, let’s remember that they are contained in books called the “Gospels.” The good news of the Gospels is that each one contains the story of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
God knows we can’t fully follow Jesus, even if we try our hardest. So, He provided grace, forgiveness, and a fresh start for us when we fail.
As Jesus was leaving Capernaum, He was approached by two would-be devoted followers who needed to count the cost of discipleship.
Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side.
A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.”
Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:18-22)
The first man wanted to follow Jesus, but he learned that Jesus didn’t provide 5-star accommodations for the people who traveled with Him. I don’t know if I have ever had 5-star luxury at any time in my ministry, but thankfully, I’ve only had to sleep on the ground one time.
On a couple of occasions, I was the camp pastor at a boys’ camp in Louisiana. A group of boys who were one step away from juvenile detention were some of the campers. They were so rowdy that their counselors left, and the boys were going to have to go home if they couldn’t find a replacement. They asked me to be their counselor, and I agreed.
I agreed to be their counselor on the worst possible night: we were scheduled to sleep outside and actually camp. The boys were great, though. They treated me like royalty, set up my tent, and acted like choirboys on their best behavior.
Everything was great—with the exception of the ground. It was hard and lumpy. I didn’t have a cot or an air mattress. In fact, I just had a pillow between my head and the ground. I am thankful that this is the only time following Jesus has meant sleeping on the ground for me. Whenever I have trouble sleeping now, I remind myself that Jesus never had the kind of sleeping luxuries that I have.
Burying a Dead Father
The second instance is more difficult to understand than sleeping on the ground. Did this man’s father just die? And did Jesus really tell him to follow instead of taking care of his father’s burial?
When we understand Jewish customs, the answer becomes clearer. If the man’s father had just died, he would not have been out on the road talking to Jesus. His role would have been to take care of his deceased father and his other family members.
The man was actually asking Jesus if he could delay his discipleship until he had seen his father through old age and death. That is like a young person telling the Lord, “I want to follow you, but first, let me sow my wild oats a little before I settle down.”
Gift and Demand
A theme running the length of the Bible concerns itself with “gift and demand.” Simply stated, this theme reveals the fact that God always gives before He makes a demand.
Before I faced the demand of sleeping on the unforgiving ground of a Louisiana camp, I was given the joy of having a group of boys go out of their way to make my experience as good as possible.
Nearly ten years before my memorable encounter with a night on the ground, I was given the gift of a relationship with Jesus.
Two thousand years before I began a friendship with Jesus, He slept on the ground nightly and experienced the agony of the cross to make friendship with humans possible.
Truly, Jesus had abundantly given to us before making His first demand.
Because of His gracious love, we would do well to respond to His demands with more than half-hearted devotion. He deserves our very best.
There will be times when we serve Jesus gladly, and other times we will serve Him like a little child—kicking and screaming all the way. Unfortunately, there will also be occasions when we completely turn our backs on Him.
The good news is that Jesus is gracious. He treats us like a child learning to walk. When we fall, He will pick us up, dust off our knees, give us a hug, and tell us to try again.
That being said, after all Jesus has done for us, shouldn’t we do our best to fully follow Him in every way?
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 