No Excuses

Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. ¹⁹A scribe then approached and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ²⁰And 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.” ²¹Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ²²But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Matthew 8:18-22

The ministry of Jesus drew crowds everywhere he went. He healed the sick, the blind, the deaf, and the diseased. He fed multitudes, taught with authority, and cast out demons. People noticed and told others, and in a short amount of time there were huge crowds everywhere Jesus went. Some came for healing or a miracle, others came because they believed God was at work, and others came to see the show. There were also those, after meeting Jesus, who were ready to follow him, or so they thought.


Jesus hand-picked his disciples and invited them to follow him. Those chosen immediately left their lives behind and followed. In this story, two people ask Jesus for permission to follow. In the first instance, Jesus tells the scribe that if he follows Jesus he will be homeless. Scribes were respected members of society and religious leaders. The idea of an itinerant ministry with no home would have been a big change in lifestyle for the scribe. The second potential follower of Jesus wants to first bury his father and attend to his family obligations. Jesus saying "follow me and let the dead bury the dead" comes across as extremely harsh but highlights the ultimate priority that discipleship entails.


Jesus calls each of us into a life-changing relationship, whereby our lives are transformed by God's amazing love and grace. We are given the gift of salvation as a free gift, but we are also given an invitation to live our lives as disciples. To be a follower of Christ, God has to be in first place. There are no excuses with God and God cannot be fooled. God wants our whole heart not leftovers. This requires ordering our life in new ways and establishing priorities that put faith first.


As a pastor I know how busy the lives of the people I serve are. We are busy and have many important responsibilities and tasks to attend to that establishing discipleship practices can seem like another thing on an already long to-do list. I know it and I get it. But the truth is God is not impressed with how busy we are. God is not rewarding us for our efficiency or effectiveness at accomplishing tasks, however God pleasing they might be. No, God has already made a decision about us. We are unconditionally loved by the creator of all things. Our relationship with God is made whole through Christ and we are children of God. No amount of busyness or productivity will change God's mind about you.


What God desires is to set us free from our burdens and to live life abundantly. Life with and for God shifts our priorities and messes up our "plans," but also opens us up to something so much deeper and transforming.Discipleship is not easy. It is costly and countercultural, but it can set us free to be who we were created to be.


Prayer: Lord, help me to move past my excuses and follow you more fully. Help me to prioritize my time and actions to keep you in first place. In Jesus' name, AMEN.