Scripture Reading:
Luke 9:51-62
51 As the time approached for him to be
taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on
ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;
53 but the people there
did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James
and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from
heaven to destroy them[b]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples
went to another village.Luke 9:51-62
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Message:
In today’s scripture we see Jesus’ forgiveness towards those who treat Him ill and do not welcome Him. We also are shown how to put God first, and we can see how much of a challenge it truly can be. These lessons teach me a number of different things. First of all we are to treat everyone with kindness even if they are not kind to us. If they reject our Lord, we are to love them and pray for them rather than condemning them. That is the best way to show that we love Jesus.
Jesus must be a first in our
lives, and therefore takes priority over everything else. Loving Jesus is shown
through loving others. While it can sometimes be difficult, love and kindness
is the path to follow. So, why would Jesus be upset that a man would request to
bury his father prior to following Him? The study of scripture reveals that the
man wanted to claim his inheritance prior to following Jesus and that it wasn’t
about burying his father who had died, but was about waiting for his father to
die so he could claim his portion of the money. Greed for money was first on
this man’s agenda.
What is your priority today? What
are your focuses in life? Is Jesus at the top of the list, or are other things
higher up? Take some time to reflect on your life, in what ways can you walk
closer to God?
Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for loving us even when we fall short of Your call. Help us to follow you always with our whole heart. Let us love others as You have shown love to us. Forgive us when we sin, and help strengthen and guide us so that we may walk in Your ways and follow Your call. Amen.
Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for loving us even when we fall short of Your call. Help us to follow you always with our whole heart. Let us love others as You have shown love to us. Forgive us when we sin, and help strengthen and guide us so that we may walk in Your ways and follow Your call. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Closing Hymn
381 Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh381.sht
Closing Hymn
381 Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh381.sht
May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you,
and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and
give you peace." Amen.
Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God
Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God
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