If you look at these verses at a glance, it may appear Jesus is almost being unreasonable in his response to these two individuals; however, it only takes a little digging to determine how weak the two arguments are and how serious the decision to follow Jesus really is!!

[Luke 9.60-62]

60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet 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 his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Some scholars believe the first man mentioned in verse 60 was NOT asking for a day or two to dig a grave and bury his father; but was asking instead to take care of his father until he died before he would commit to follow Jesus. Does this explanation give you more insight into the issue at hand?

+ On the contrary, some scholars believe the first man mentioned in verse 60 WAS asking for only a day or two to dig a grave and bury his father; an EXTREMELY important task for son to do for his father in Jewish culture. Does this explanation give you a different insight into the issue at hand?

+ The first individual may have been asking for an undeterminable amount of time before he would make the decision to follow Jesus. The second person is only asking for a few minutes. Then why do you think Jesus answered the way He did?

+ What would happen if someone looked behind them while they were plowing? What does it mean “to look back” in verse 62? What does it mean to not be “fit for the kingdom of God”?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ “If Jesus isn’t the Lord OF all, than He isn’t Lord AT all”!!!

I remember hearing this adage early in my Christian walk. This does NOT mean you are not a born-again believer in Jesus if you occasionally fall into sin or even struggle in certain areas of your life; however, it does point out that our attitude and conviction should be of TOTAL surrender to Christ in ALL matters.

Jonathan Edwards said this: “The seeking of the kingdom of God is the chief business of the Christian life.” It’s not a secondary endeavor. It’s not a postscript to your devotion. The overwhelming majority of people who claim to be Christians follow Him with no more than half their hearts. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to have the following of Jesus Christ be that which defines who you are as a person. (R.C. Sproul from Luke: An Expositional Commentary)

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?