Our paragraph topic is: (Sacrifice to follow Christ) Part 2.
We continue our discussion on this topic of Miracles under the heading of sacrifices to follow Christ. As we talked about before the word has gone out and the crowds have gathered to where Christ is preaching. He has given orders to his disciples that they are going across the sea. All kinds of people are coming out of the woodwork to see him, to follow him, to question him, to take advantage of him, to marvel at him, to ridicule him. And we can be assured that those who would do him harm, those who have evil intentions against him, those who are possessed of evil, are out to see him also.
So under this guise many people are saying things to him. Those wannabe groupies have come out also. One groupie has said to him, Lord I will follow you wherever thou goest. In these verses another groupie tells him the same thing but with a contingency. He says, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Christ in return says something that is well worth remembering. He tells this disciple: "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." Christ calls those who are not following him dead. Those who do not hear his words he calls dead. Those who are not witness to his miracles he calls dead.
This must have been a shock to those who heard it. The disciple who asked this question was asking permission of Christ to take a leave of absence. He was asking Christ if he could be excused for this reason, to bury his father. Christ, in his response, did not give recognition to the disciple's excuse. He did not say to him it is a good reason for you to leave, to bury your father. Christ said to the disciple that he did not have a valid reason to leave. In his words he told the disciple that there was no reason for him to leave. His father was already dead and those that are already dead would bury him. And that statement infers that the disciple was alive but the others were dead.
How often do we hear excuses to following Christ? I don't have enough time. I am too busy to go to church. I don't read the bible because it is to difficult to read. I often told myself, many years ago, that I would take time out to read the bible when I was settled enough and had the time to spare. I look back on those times and think how foolish I was in making such an excuse. My life was in the world and I did not know it. My life was focused on living in the world and I did not know it. My life was set on being successful in the world and this was what I knew. My life was the world and as a result my life was dead.
I had no life. It was full of drugs. It was full of lust. It was full of selfishness, I only wanted for me and only me. It was full of desire for the world and greed. And I was dead. I came to a crossroads in my life I had to make a decision as to which direction to take. I was out of control and needed help. I asked God for help and he reached out and took my hand and led me. He turned my life around and provided for me when I could not provide for myself. He opened small doors for me when my ego and selfish pride demanded that I fight for bigger doors to be opened. He led me with baby steps keeping me on the path that leads to him.
Today I have life in me. Today I have joy. Today I have peace. Today I trust in his wisdom for me and I know that he provides for me. What excuse do you have today? What excuses do we use to not follow Christ? Why do you not follow Christ? Why do you not hear his words everyday? Why do you not have life within you? Are you dead? Let the dead bury the dead!
We continue our discussion on this topic of Miracles under the heading of sacrifices to follow Christ. As we talked about before the word has gone out and the crowds have gathered to where Christ is preaching. He has given orders to his disciples that they are going across the sea. All kinds of people are coming out of the woodwork to see him, to follow him, to question him, to take advantage of him, to marvel at him, to ridicule him. And we can be assured that those who would do him harm, those who have evil intentions against him, those who are possessed of evil, are out to see him also.
So under this guise many people are saying things to him. Those wannabe groupies have come out also. One groupie has said to him, Lord I will follow you wherever thou goest. In these verses another groupie tells him the same thing but with a contingency. He says, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Christ in return says something that is well worth remembering. He tells this disciple: "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." Christ calls those who are not following him dead. Those who do not hear his words he calls dead. Those who are not witness to his miracles he calls dead.
This must have been a shock to those who heard it. The disciple who asked this question was asking permission of Christ to take a leave of absence. He was asking Christ if he could be excused for this reason, to bury his father. Christ, in his response, did not give recognition to the disciple's excuse. He did not say to him it is a good reason for you to leave, to bury your father. Christ said to the disciple that he did not have a valid reason to leave. In his words he told the disciple that there was no reason for him to leave. His father was already dead and those that are already dead would bury him. And that statement infers that the disciple was alive but the others were dead.
How often do we hear excuses to following Christ? I don't have enough time. I am too busy to go to church. I don't read the bible because it is to difficult to read. I often told myself, many years ago, that I would take time out to read the bible when I was settled enough and had the time to spare. I look back on those times and think how foolish I was in making such an excuse. My life was in the world and I did not know it. My life was focused on living in the world and I did not know it. My life was set on being successful in the world and this was what I knew. My life was the world and as a result my life was dead.
I had no life. It was full of drugs. It was full of lust. It was full of selfishness, I only wanted for me and only me. It was full of desire for the world and greed. And I was dead. I came to a crossroads in my life I had to make a decision as to which direction to take. I was out of control and needed help. I asked God for help and he reached out and took my hand and led me. He turned my life around and provided for me when I could not provide for myself. He opened small doors for me when my ego and selfish pride demanded that I fight for bigger doors to be opened. He led me with baby steps keeping me on the path that leads to him.
Today I have life in me. Today I have joy. Today I have peace. Today I trust in his wisdom for me and I know that he provides for me. What excuse do you have today? What excuses do we use to not follow Christ? Why do you not follow Christ? Why do you not hear his words everyday? Why do you not have life within you? Are you dead? Let the dead bury the dead!
