On The Way With Jesus | Sunday, March 29, 2026

Amen, amen. Praise the Lord. Thank you, Anthony and team, for leading us this morning. Good morning, Cross Connection Church. It is so good to see you all here. You can have a seat this morning if you'd like.

As I'm sure you are well aware, today is kind of a big day in the Christian calendar. Maybe you received one of these little palm branches turned into a cross when you came in this morning, which serves as a reminder of what this day signifies. However, I never want to take it for granted that everyone knows exactly what this is all about when we celebrate Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday is the remembrance and celebration of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem during the last week before Passover, when He would be offered up as the Lamb, the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. At the beginning of Christ's ministry, when He was baptized by John the Baptist, John proclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday 2,000 years ago, the people proclaimed Him king. They hailed and praised Him, saying, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." They were effectively recognizing who He actually was. This day is important and significant in the Hebrew calendar, not just because of what we celebrate it as, but also because 1,400 years before Christ, when Moses went to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let my people go, it was through a series of ten plagues that ultimately led Pharaoh to relent and release the children of Israel from their bondage and slavery.

The last plague was the plague of the destroying angel, which went through and took the lives of the firstborn sons of all of Egypt. The children of Israel were instructed to take a lamb from their herds on the tenth day of the month of Nisan, which is this very day we are celebrating today in Hebrew culture. This is the tenth day of Nisan, when the lamb would be selected, inspected over a series of days, and then sacrificed at sundown on the fourteenth day of the month.

So, when Jesus came into Jerusalem, it was essentially like the selecting of the lamb, and He is that Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. He was coming into Jerusalem to fulfill all that the Scriptures had foretold.

Prophets and the law had foreshadowed and looked forward to what is taking place on this day that we're thinking about today. Now, because this is Palm Sunday, that means that next Sunday is Resurrection Sunday, Easter. I just want to let you know that next Sunday, this service, the second service, might be a little bit packed. So, if you don't have kids, you might want to consider coming to the first service. I know it's very early, but you might want to consider coming to our service at 7:30 next week, or come to the later service, because I think this one might be a little bit crowded. Just keep that in mind.

Today is Palm Sunday, but that's not where we are in the story of Jesus that we are considering together in the Gospel of Luke right now. We are still in the ninth chapter of Luke. If you've been with us, we have been in the ninth chapter of Luke for about ten years at this point. It's actually only been five weeks to today. However, this section of Scripture is where we're going to be today because I think it plays an important role in the story of Christ's triumphal entry as we will see as He moves toward Jerusalem.

What is happening here in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9, is at least weeks before, and maybe months before, the event that would take place on Palm Sunday. But what happens here in Luke chapter 9 is important in the storyline leading to Palm Sunday and the triumphal entry because the long march toward Jerusalem begins here. The long path to the cross for Jesus, which would happen on Mount Calvary, or what is referred to in the Scriptures as Golgotha, the place of the skull, starts on another mountaintop that we considered together a few weeks ago in Luke chapter 9.

The mountaintop in the northernmost portion of the nation of Israel, I believe, is probably Mount Hermon, which is the mountain at the border of Israel and Lebanon, both today and 2,000 years ago. This whole journey to Jerusalem begins when Jesus is on that mountaintop with Peter, James, and John. If you were with us three weeks ago, you might remember the story where Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up onto the mountain to pray. While He is praying, they are sleeping, but they are awoken by this glorious appearing, if you will, of Christ.

In the fullness of His glory, He is manifested before them, and they see the glory of Christ. Standing with Him are two very important figures from the Old Testament: Moses, who is the representative of the law, and Elijah, who is the representative of the prophets.

It is fascinating because Moses and Elijah had an encounter with God on another mountain, far away to the south in Arabia, called Sinai or Mount Horeb. It was on Mount Sinai that Moses received the law and ultimately brought it to the children of Israel, which is why he becomes the representative of the law. It was also on that very same mountain, in a cave, where Elijah had an interaction with God, hearing the still small voice of God in great power.

Now, Moses and Elijah meet with Jesus on the mountaintop, Mount Hermon. The text of Luke chapter 9, verse 31, says that they are having a conversation with Jesus about something very specific. They spoke with Him about His decease, as it is translated in many English Bibles, which refers to the decease that He would soon accomplish at Jerusalem. The word "decease" there is the Greek word "exodus," which is fascinating because Moses is told by God to go and bring the children of Israel their exodus out of Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus. Now, Moses and Elijah are having a conversation with Jesus about His exodus that He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

What this indicates is something quite important for us to recognize when we look at the horrible events that we will remember this Friday as Good Friday. It is a strange name for it, considering the horror of what took place. However, when we remember that event, we need to remind ourselves that what happened on Calvary 2,000 years ago did not take Jesus by surprise. It is not as if Jesus just happened to offend the wrong people or upset the wrong crowd, leading to the events of Good Friday. No, He came to accomplish that task, and that is what He is discussing with Moses and Elijah on Mount Hermon, during the Transfiguration.

The path to the fulfillment of that task, which takes place on Good Friday, begins when He is having that conversation with Moses and Elijah. From Luke chapter 9 all the way through to the time of the crucifixion, which does not even happen until the end of Luke chapter 22, there is a lot of space. With the speed at which we go through the Bible here, we will probably not get there by Easter, just so you know.

Which is next week. From the Mount of Transfiguration to the cross is a very long section in the Gospel of Luke, and this is all in the area of the journey to Jerusalem. From that passage, the Mount of Transfiguration, we come to this passage today.

If you would take out your Bibles and stand with me, open to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 9. Turn to about the middle of your Bible, start turning to the right, and you'll find the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, then Luke. We made it through verse 50 last week, and we're going to pick it up with verse 51 this week. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, and we read this:

"Now it came to pass when the time had come for him to be received up that he, Jesus, steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers before his face, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for him. But they, the Samaritans, did not receive him because his face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when the disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, 'Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven to consume them just like Elijah did?' But he turned to them and rebuked them and said, 'You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.'"

God, I pray as we consider this text this morning that you would take that word we read and plant it deep in our hearts. You did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them. Thank you that you understood and knew the purpose for which you came and stayed on the path toward the fulfillment of that purpose.

Sometimes we can find ourselves off the path, failing to realize just what it is that you are doing. Yet you've called us to be a part of your mission and your purpose. I pray that today you might remind us with this passage and that you would continue the work you are doing, teaching us to be more like you. Transform us by the renewing of our minds so that we may show what is your good and perfect will in this world.

Lord, I ask that you would make us more like you as we allow your word to be planted in our hearts and as your Spirit works his sanctifying work in us by your grace. God, do the work in us, we pray. We ask this in Jesus' name.

And all those agreed said, "Amen." You may be seated. The time has come in this story of Jesus, here in this passage. The text says it is time for Him to be received up. This is a key point, a turning point in the gospel narrative in Luke's gospel.

As I've been sharing over the last several weeks, Luke chapter 9 is a turning point in the story because now Jesus is beginning the long path towards Jerusalem. To be very candid with you, it is going to be a very long path. I'm sure you'll notice this even if you're new to the church; I have a tendency to move rather slowly through the Scriptures. As I said, it has taken us six weeks to get through the gospel of Luke chapter 9. That's not only because I'm slow; it's also because Luke is kind of wordy. I don't know if you've noticed, but his chapters are really long.

The challenge with that is that we are here at Luke chapter 9 finishing it up, and the resurrection, the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ do not happen until chapter 22 and onward. So, it's going to be a little while until we get to that point. But though we are moving slowly through this passage, the whole point of this is that we might meet Jesus a little bit more fully and get to know who He is.

In this passage, He says to His disciples, "It's time. It's time for us to go to Jerusalem." He knew the time. He knew that it was time for Him to be received up. To be received up here connects us back to that word from Moses and Elijah as they spoke with Him about His exodus that would soon be accomplished. The idea of Him being received up and the idea of His exodus are connected to everything that takes place in this Passion Week that we are thinking about.

It includes His triumphal entry. After the children of Israel selected the lamb for the Passover on the tenth day of Nisan, the next several days were spent inspecting the lamb to ensure that it was without spot or blemish, that it would be a good enough sacrifice for the Passover they were going to offer. The same thing happens with Jesus, the Lamb of God. He comes into Jerusalem, and they proclaim, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."

Then, for the next several days, as you follow the gospel narrative, He is being questioned by the religious leaders, by the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes, and the Herodians. They all come and ask Him their questions to inspect Him. Ultimately, by the end of the week, He is offered as a sacrifice.

Our place in the story is significant. All of the Old Testament points towards Him. It foreshadows the event that is taking place. The exodus of Jesus, His being received up as we see in this passage, speaks of His triumphal entry. It also speaks of the inspection of Him by the religious leaders during that Passion Week, His last supper with His disciples, His arrest, the betrayal by one of His own, Judas, and then the trial, the condemnation, and the beating when they flogged Jesus. Following that, we have His crucifixion, His burial, His resurrection, and His ascension. The time has come for all of that to be accomplished.

What was the purpose of all this? Why was this taking place? This is the work for the whole redemption of humanity. Every single person in this world, whether they read and believe the Bible or not, recognizes in their soul that the world is not as it ought to be. There is a sense in every single one of us that things ought not to be the way they are. When we see the brokenness, the horror, and the sinfulness of this world, something in us tells us that is not right.

This is the reality because when God created everything in Genesis chapter 1, He looked at the creation that He had made and said, "It is good." Seven times in the opening chapter of the Bible, God declares over His creation, "It is good." But it didn't remain that way. Because of the deception of the serpent, the devil, and the rebellion of man as a result of that deception in Genesis chapter 3, sin has entered the world. Death through sin has spread to all humanity.

In the same way that the children of Israel were in bondage and slavery in Egypt, humanity is in bondage under sin and death. To release us, that we might experience our exodus from that bondage of sin and death, Christ had to come. He had to come to fulfill all of these things that are taking place, so that ultimately He might restore all things as they are meant to be.

This whole work that Jesus comes to fulfill, which is pictured for us in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, was spoken of by the law and the prophets. That is why Moses and Elijah show up in this passage; they are all looking forward to Jesus. They foreshadow His coming. This work that Jesus came to accomplish was God's plan from the beginning. Revelation 13:8 calls Jesus the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Therefore, now at this point in the Gospel of Luke, the hour has come, even if it is going to still be a long process.

We get to chapter 22 when it actually takes place. But at this point, we just read in verse 51 that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. There's a beautiful passage of Scripture that we will talk about on Friday. In the book of Isaiah, which was written some 700 years before Jesus, Isaiah chapter 53 talks about the suffering servant who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. Some of you know that passage and have read it before. We'll look at it on Friday.

Just before that, in Isaiah chapter 50, that same suffering servant is pictured as setting His face like flint towards the task. That's the idiom that is used: He set His face like flint. Here we have the idea that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. What does that mean? It means that nothing is going to deter Him from this path. This is the purpose for which He came. There is not going to be anything that distracts Him or interferes with this. He is not going to be discouraged or dissuaded from it. Jesus is on a mission. He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.

The steadfastness of Jesus, here in Luke chapter 9 and in other places as we continue to go through this section of Scripture, is going to provoke some issues. This is true in any person's life. When a person determines, "I am going in this direction and nothing is going to dissuade me from this direction," it means they say no to a lot of other things. When you say no to people, they generally do not like it. How many of you remember when you were training your little kids, when they were just beginning to learn, and you said no? They would get that sour look on their face like, "I hate that word." We have hated that word from the time we were two.

So, Jesus is on a mission, and it means He is going to say no to a lot of other things. That no is going to bother some people. In this passage, we will see that it provokes some issues, but it is also highly instructive. Along the way, we will learn this: Point number one, Christ's determination upends the expectations of both sinners and saints. He has a plan; He has a purpose. That plan and purpose of Christ sometimes challenge our assumptions or our expectations. The longer you walk with Jesus, the more you will see this to be a reality. There have been more than a few times in my life where God's plan differs from mine. Can I get an amen?

Christ's determination sometimes upends the expectations of both sinners and saints. Jesus steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and therefore, verse 52 states that he sent messengers before his face. This is what often happens in both the ancient world and today when a leader is on the move. For instance, if the president is going somewhere, weeks or months before that president travels in that direction, they send an advance team ahead to prepare everything. Everything gets sorted out. In ancient times, it was no different. If a king was on the move, they would send a team of ambassadors to go ahead and make straight the way.

This is part of what John the Baptist was doing. It is prophesied of his coming in Isaiah chapter 40 that he would come to make the way straight. The herald would go ahead of the king and announce, "The king is coming, make ready." This is exactly what Jesus is doing here. He takes his disciples, not just the twelve we know—Peter, James, John, Bartholomew, Thomas, and others—but also a larger group identified in Luke chapter 10 as the seventy. He sends this group ahead to prepare the way.

Jesus begins his journey in the northernmost tip of the nation of Israel, heading south to Jerusalem. He makes his way through Galilee and continues south, following the River Jordan, which means he would pass through the region referred to as Samaria. He sends his ambassadors ahead, instructing them to make ready for his arrival. As they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans. Although the village is unnamed, it is highly likely that it is the well-known town of Shechem.

They go to prepare for him, but the Samaritans did not receive him because his face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. Some of the most religiously faithful Jews in Jesus's day would avoid going through Samaria, much like I try to avoid driving through Los Angeles when heading north. To the people of Israel, Samaria was like no man's land because the Samaritans and the Jews harbored a bitter enmity for many years.

Centuries ago, the Jews viewed the Samaritans as half-breeds and theological rivals. The Samaritans, in turn, saw the Jews as hostile traditionalists who despised them. This mutual disdain led to a deep-seated animosity between the two groups. In fact, during the first century in Israel, the Jewish people would use the term "Samaritan" as a curse word to express their disgust. There was even a time when they referred to Jesus as a Samaritan, highlighting their hatred for the Samaritans.

The origins of the Samaritans can be traced back to the 8th century BC when the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel. The capital of this kingdom was Samaria. The typical pattern of the Assyrians during this period was what I refer to as the Assyrian relocation program. They would conquer a group of people, divide them up, and scatter them throughout the empire to absorb them into other cultures, effectively erasing their own.

When the Assyrians took over the northern region of Israel, they brought in people from Syria and Lebanon, relocating them to the area that became known as Samaria. These newcomers intermarried with the local population, which led to a significant cultural transformation. While there remained some residual elements of Judaism among the Samaritans, these were intertwined with various pagan and cultural views from other regions.

By the time of Jesus, many hundreds of years later, the Samaritans identified somewhat with Jewish figures such as Moses, Elijah, and the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, their practices differed significantly. The Jews worshipped in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, while the Samaritans worshipped near Shechem on a mountain called Gerizim. I had the privilege of visiting the ruins of the Temple of Gerizim just a few months ago. Typically, this site is not included in tours of Israel because it is located in an area known as the West Bank. This is the same region where Jesus, early in the Gospel of Luke, met the woman at the well.

Jacob's Well, located outside the city of Shechem, was the site of a significant conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman. This dialogue highlights one of the conflicts between the Samaritans and the Jews. The woman points out that Jews worship on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, while Samaritans worship on Mount Gerizim. Effectively, she is asking, "Who's right? If you're the Messiah, come fix this whole thing."

In that passage of Scripture, it is fascinating to note that the people of Shechem initially welcomed Jesus, but this time they do not. Why? Because he is on his way to Jerusalem. They express their desire for him to stay, saying, "No, we don't want you to go to Jerusalem. We think you should come here and show us that we are the right ones." However, Jesus' determination challenges their expectations of what he ought to do.

Previously, Jesus was welcomed by the people of Samaria, but now they reject him. This marks the first rejection of Christ in the Gospels, and we will see this theme continue as we progress through the text. Jesus did not meet their expectations, so they refused to receive him when he came to their town. This challenges us because I guarantee that if you follow Jesus, you will reach a point where you realize he does not meet your expectations. This can put you in a difficult position.

I noted this when we were in Luke chapter 7, as John the Baptist experienced a similar situation. Like most faithful Jews in the first century, John believed the Messiah was coming and expected him to arrive as a conquering king and a powerful politician who would overthrow Rome's occupation of Israel and exalt Israel above all nations. This was the hope of many, including Jesus' closest and most faithful friends and followers.

However, John found himself in a challenging position. He was in jail, facing execution, and while there, he sent two of his disciples to Jesus, asking, "Are you the Messiah, or should we be looking for someone else?" This question arose because John's circumstances were not what he had expected. Jesus' response to John is challenging for us as well. He informs John that his plan is different from what John had anticipated.

Blessed are you if you're not offended with me. You see, sometimes as we walk with Christ, we come to the realization that God's plan is different from our plan. I don't know if you've ever experienced this, but I certainly have. There have been a few conversations, which we call prayers, that I've had with Jesus where I let Him know, "This is not how you're supposed to do this." Has anybody else ever done that? If you want to be honest, this is not the way. Just so you know, I know You're all-knowing, but maybe You didn't know this: blessed is he who is not offended because of me.

The Samaritans did not receive Jesus because their expectation of Him was different from what He was now doing. As a result, they responded to Him rather coldly. However, greater than the cold response of the Samaritans is the fiery disposition of Jesus's disciples towards them. Look at this in verse 54: when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven to consume them just like Elijah did?" It's no wonder that these two guys are referred to in Matthew 3:17 as the sons of thunder. They were eager, saying, "All right, Jesus, here's the time."

I've pointed out a number of times in our study through the Gospel of Luke that Jesus had three disciples He kept really close to Him. Some people think He kept them close—Peter, James, and John—because they were His favorites. However, it might have been more about keeping them on a short leash. James and John come to Jesus with great intensity, asking, "Do You want us to destroy them, please?" Just imagine the reasoning going on in their minds at this moment. They assume that He's going to say yes. It's remarkable that there's something in them that tells them He might just say, "Go for it, boys. Let's check it out."

Notice they say, "just as Elijah did." Now, let's backtrack a little bit. Just before this, James and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus and Elijah. They had just seen Elijah, so he was fresh in their minds.

In 2 Kings, I believe chapter 1, there is a conversation about Elijah and something that took place in Samaria. Elijah is on the run because he has upset some politicians, and he is hiding out in Samaria. The king of Samaria sends a detachment of soldiers to track him down, arrest him, and bring him back to be executed. When the soldiers show up, they ask, "Are you Elijah?" He affirms that he is. They respond, "Alright, we're here to arrest you," but he replies, "Nope, you're not." He then calls down fire from heaven and destroys them.

What must that have looked like? I mean, is there not a guy in this room who isn't thinking, "Huh, fire from heaven, say? That could be fun." James and John were thinking that too. It didn't just happen once; it happened twice. The king of Samaria sent another detachment of soldiers to arrest Elijah, and sure enough, the same thing occurred. He called down fire from heaven, not once, but twice.

Now, James and John had just seen Elijah, and as they were passing through Samaria, no doubt they were having a conversation about that story they learned when they were little kids in shul about Elijah calling down fire from heaven. They were thinking, "Man, that sounds like fun. I wonder what that would have been like. That's awesome." So, James and John thought to themselves, "This is a really good idea. We should bring this one to Jesus."

Listen, we will also experience rejection while walking with Christ. How do you respond? Our inclination is indignation. That is what we find in our flesh. When we are treated poorly, and sometimes we will be, we feel vindicated in our anger. Something in James and John made them think that Jesus would validate that, that he would say, "Go get it, boys."

But as I said, Christ has a way of upending our expectations. Point number two: Christ's response to injustice always challenges my natural inclinations. Jesus's response to many things challenges my natural inclinations. His response to this world reveals to us who God is and how God acts.

Instead of rebuking the cold reception of the Samaritans and sending his ambassadors, James and John, to call down fire, notice what Jesus did. In verse 55, he turned and rebuked James and John. He said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." He didn't rebuke the Samaritans; he rebuked James and John. "You don't know what manner of spirit you are of." This begs the question: what manner of spirit were they of?

Jesus had taught them, "Blessed are the peacemakers." He did not say, "Blessed are the vindictive incinerators." He had instructed his disciples back in Luke chapter 6 to love their enemies, do good to those who hate them, bless those who curse them, and pray for those who spitefully use them. Do James and John seem to be of that spirit, or of a different spirit?

The most famous verse in the Bible is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him would not perish, but have everlasting life." Do you know the next verse, verse 17? "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." So, he says to his disciples here, "You don't know what kind of spirit you're of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy man's life, but to save them."

What does the spirit of God look like? Paul tells us some great things in Galatians chapter 5. The evidence of God's spirit is love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. Those are some of the things that are connected to the spirit of God. Do we see the spirit of God—love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control—in this call to "let's call down fire from heaven on them"?

I'm sure it will be really hard for you to believe, but love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control are not really descriptive of me and my nature. I know, shocking. But I need to be that. Contrast that with Galatians 5:22.

In John 8:44, Jesus addresses a group of murderous individuals who wanted to destroy Him, saying, "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning." When the desire for vindictive retribution rises up in me—and to be honest, it does—I have to be really careful. There are some pretty carnal ways that I can try to justify that feeling as being righteous anger at injustice. Obviously, I feel justified in being angry.

And listen, you should be angry at injustice. God is angry with sin. This is often highlighted by Bible teachers and theologians as a form of righteous anger. But what is righteous anger? It is anger that is directed for the right reasons but responds in the right way. That is the challenge. What is the right way? Is it to call fire down on these people and destroy them? Clearly, James and John's response was not the right way.

Therefore, point number three: Christ rebukes the spirit that confuses vindictive zeal with righteousness, especially when He sees such a spirit in His followers. Sadly, sometimes that spirit is within us. It is a part of my flesh that remains after salvation—this vindictive zeal. We can try to justify it, but as James the Apostle said, "The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Not only does Jesus rebuke the sons of thunder, but He also reminds them of His mission. This is really important because sometimes I need to be reminded of the mission of Christ. He states, "For even the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." This is one of those places where we have the explicitly stated purpose of Jesus. It shows up multiple times in the Gospels, where He articulates His mission.

Sometimes, Jesus needs to remind me of His mission because the church, for centuries—millennia, I would say—has a tendency to stray from God's mission and start doing things in the name of Jesus that are not necessarily aligned with His mission. So, what is His clearly articulated mission? Some of you are in business environments where you spend a lot of time in meetings coming up with...

A purpose statement encompasses the mission, the vision, and the values. Jesus has an expressly stated purpose statement, which shows up in various places. For instance, He said, "I did not come to destroy men's lives. I came to save them." Another passage that reflects this is found in the theme verse of the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke chapter 19, verse 10. There, Jesus states, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which is lost."

In the theme verse of the Gospel of Mark, Mark chapter 10, verse 45, it is written, "The Son of Man came to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." One of my favorites is in the Gospel of John, chapter 10, where Jesus says, "The thief has come to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly." These are the explicit purpose statements of Jesus: "I did not come to destroy. I came to save."

After Jesus reveals His mission again, or reminds James and John of it, He emphasizes that they are not there to call down fire from heaven. Following this, it is noted that they went on to another village. This action aligns with what He instructed His disciples at the beginning of Luke chapter 9: when someone does not receive you, shake the dust off your feet and go to the next place. There is no need to engage in an argument.

This teaching is particularly instructive and helpful because you will encounter family members, co-workers, friends, and neighbors with whom you will share the good news of the Gospel. Some may shut you down, saying, "No, I don't want that. I'm not interested." The temptation will be to insist, "No, you have to listen to me now." However, God advises us to shake the dust off our feet and move on to the next person. Jesus was not received, so He moved on to the next village.

As they journey through this next portion of Luke chapter 9, we will see three important and instructive interactions that Jesus has. He has just been rejected, or at the very least, not well received by the people of Samaria. Now, as He continues His journey to Jerusalem, He will face casual rejection and will not be openly welcomed by three more individuals. The theme of this passage is clear: people are given the opportunity to receive or reject Jesus, and they ultimately decide whether or not to do so. At Shackham, they chose to reject Him.

Him, because he wouldn't do what they wanted. And now we see this. Look at verse 57 of Luke chapter 9. Now it happened, as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

Then to another, Jesus said, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go bury my father." Jesus replied, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go preach the kingdom of God." Another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." Jesus said to him, "No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of heaven."

Three quick snippets here are kind of easy to pass over. We have to be careful when we come to these passages where it's like, "I've read this before, I know this passage, there's not much there." The temptation to just move on and jump to the next section is something we must resist. There is some context that we should consider here, which is important.

The context is this: just before this, in Luke chapter 9, verse 23, Jesus has said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me." That's the context of this. He is on His final journey to Jerusalem, to the cross. He has steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. Nothing is going to dissuade Him, deter Him, or distract Him from that. He knows that His decease, His exodus, is facing Him. He knows what awaits Him; He is not going to be surprised by it.

In this context, someone says to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go." Now, how do you respond to that kind of person? I mean, this is the kind of person we're always looking for, right? Someone who says, "Pick me, pick me, I want to follow You, Jesus." We would think, "Well, here, let me talk to you about the four spiritual laws and let me lead you into a prayer." This is the exact kind of person that you want.

Instead of saying, "Hey, come along, let's go," what does Jesus do? He discourages him. "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." You look at this and say, "What is He doing? Doesn't He know how to close a sale? Why is He..."

Doing this? Well, he's doing this for the same reason that he told his disciples a few verses before: "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." This is like Luke 9:23, version 2. He's setting the bar and setting expectations. Why? Because sometimes Jesus does things outside of our expectations. He's clarifying the cost. I love this about Jesus; he is brutally honest. You follow me, it might require everything. He's clear and honest.

Have any of you ever sat through one of those timeshare vacation meetings? My wife and I are suckers for these things. Once they know that you're a sucker for these things, they call you. I probably get a call every quarter from Hilton or Marriott. It's like, "Oh, I should listen to this one." They say, "Hello, we have an exciting opportunity for you." Oh, where do you have an exciting opportunity for me? Are you going to send me to Hawaii?

We have gone, I have to be honest, I don't know, four times? I have no idea. We sat through the 90-minute presentation, but it's never 90 minutes. What do they do? They sell the awesomeness of all these amazing places that you can go to and how great it's going to be. They say, "Listen, you spend so much on your vacations all the time, and here's what you could do with us. You could go to this place, and this place, and this place. All you have to do is talk for three minutes in our three hours about the cost."

But Jesus doesn't do that. He leads with the cost. It could cost you everything. Now, that's not saying that it will cost you everything, but it could cost you everything.

Point four: Christ is clear and honest because he desires faithful and not fair-weather followers. However, when you are clear and honest, as Jesus is, you're going to be rejected or at least not well received. Then he said to another, "Follow me." But he said, "Let me first go and bury my father." Now, that would seem like a perfectly reasonable response, yes? I mean, you would expect what heartless sort of...

An individual might say, "No, you can't go to your father's funeral." However, we need to read between the lines of what's going on in this passage, as there are a few important things to consider.

First, in Jewish culture, both then and now, they bury a deceased individual the same day. This indicates that this man's father is not dead yet. When he says, "Let me first go bury my father," he is essentially saying, "Let me follow you on my terms."

Focus on three words in this passage that are fundamentally important: "Lord, me first." Can I suggest that those words do not go together well? "Lord, me first." If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. The call to follow Christ is a challenging, all-or-nothing call. Therefore, "Lord, me first" does not work at all.

I'll never forget, about 11 years ago, I came up with a business idea and had the opportunity to pitch it to a venture capitalist. During the meeting, I shared my business idea with him. At the end of the meeting, he said, "This is a great idea. I'm very interested in investing in this." Then he asked a question I'll never forget: "Are you ready to quit your job and come do this 100%?" I was taken aback; I didn't expect that.

Now, it would be obvious to you what decision I made, considering I'm standing here 11 years later. But that question was a challenge. It's the same thing happening here: Are you ready to be all-in? Because that's what it requires.

Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that every person who follows Christ will lose their life, but they must say, "I'm going to put you first." "Lord, me first" does not work when Christ is considered. There is no "Lord, me first." Christ is to be first and Lord of all. When we establish that proper ordering and avoid disordered affections, everything else falls into place.

into the right place. Now, Jesus is not teaching here that we are to despise our families. He is rather teaching that no earthly relationship, duty, or attachment can be placed above Him. If He is Lord, then He is first. And if He is first, then everything else must take its place beneath Him, even the closest of family relationships.

The man wanted to know Jesus, but he wanted to do it in his way, or he wanted to do it later. He wanted the kingdom on his terms. He wanted Christ, but not the surrender. The question is not whether family matters to Christ. The bigger question, rather, is whether anything in your life has quietly taken the place that belongs to Christ alone. When something takes the place of Christ in our lives, that is called an idol.

Finally, in verse 61, another also said, "Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go bid farewell to those who are at my house." Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom." Notice the words are the same: "Lord, me first." We don't only see it twice in this passage; we see it in ourselves all the time. That same spirit is there in me: "Lord, me first."

This final "Lord, me first" comes from one who says, "I have to tend to some other things before I come follow you." There are priorities that are ahead of you in the call and in the work. Jesus has set Himself steadfastly to a task that is going to be the most difficult task that anybody could ever face. He is exemplifying what He is calling us to, and we say, "Lord, me first." He says, "No, that doesn't work." His response is amazing: "No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of heaven."

I remember when I was a kid and my dad was teaching me how to mow the lawn. Some of you might remember this. He said, "You want to keep the rows straight." So what do we do? We look at the row, look back, and make sure the row is straight. What will happen if you're doing that? The row will never, ever, ever, ever be straight. You have to pick a target off in the distance. What did Jesus pick when He was on Mount Hermon? He set Himself towards Jerusalem, and nothing would deter Him. That is what He calls us to. No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom.

Plowing and looking back is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. This saying of Jesus reminds me of a story in the book of Genesis, which you may have read before, about a man named Lot and his wife. Destruction came to the town they lived in, Sodom. But God redeemed and rescued them from it and told them they needed to escape before destruction and judgment came upon the sin of that city.

As they were fleeing, it says that Lot's wife stood and beheld the city longingly, which is how the language is presented to us in the Hebrew. She was turned into a pillar of salt, which is fascinating. I am also reminded of the story of the children of Israel after they left Egypt. During their wilderness wanderings, many of them were longingly remembering back to Egypt and the leeks and the onions of that land. They would say, "Oh, the leeks and the onions!" Yes, they were in slavery, and yes, they were commanded to kill all of their male children, but they had leeks and onions. The spices of the old life were so good.

No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven. Paul the Apostle, in Philippians chapter 3, exhorts us to forget those things that are behind and to reach forward to those things that are ahead, so that we may press on to lay hold of the prize for which we are saved and rescued.

Point number five: Christ exemplifies and calls us to a determined resolution. He does not call us to something that He Himself was not fully focused upon. He is not sitting up in the grandeur of heaven, talking down to us and saying, "You better get your lives in order and get focused on the task." No, He is down here in the muck and the mire, and He set Himself towards Jerusalem. He exemplifies and calls us to that. He knew what lay ahead. He knew the rejection, the trial, the passion, the suffering, and the death, and nothing would discourage Him from that task. His face was set like flint towards it, and He calls us along the way to join Him in this.

There is no place in the call of Christ for half-hearted followers. But here's the challenge, and I have to be honest with you because I really wrestle with that. There is no place in the call of Christ for half-hearted followers, and I wrestle with that because I know myself. Sometimes, I find myself in the quietness of my own heart wondering.

Lord, am I fully given over to You, or am I a half-hearted follower? I sometimes don't even fully know. I don't know about you, but I've wrestled with that thought. I was thinking about this again this week as I prepared for this message. I'm giving this exhortation to you to be fully committed, determined, and resolute in following the Lord. Yet, I know that in me there can sometimes be a divided heart. So how do I reconcile that?

I was reminded of my favorite passage of Scripture: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to do His good pleasure." God, I want to do what You want me to do, but I know I fall short of that so frequently. And God says, "I'll work in you to will and to do My good pleasure." So, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

I've asked the question many times, and I will ask it many times more: Who's working, God or me? The answer is yes. Oh Lord God, work in me to will and to do Your good pleasure. That's my prayer. I hope you might consider that prayer for yourself as well.

I don't always know my own heart. In Jeremiah, the prophet said, "The heart of man is desperately wicked. Who can know it?" I don't always know the fullness of the brokenness of my own heart, but I say, "God, would You work in me to will and to do Your good pleasure?" Let me tell you something: that's something God can work with.

When we say, like Peter will later on in the story, "Though everybody deny You, I will die with You," we don't even know our own hearts. Jesus says to Peter, "Before the sun comes up, you're going to deny Me three times." Peter insists that would never happen, and then three times later, he finds himself saying, "I don't know the man. Leave me alone." He went and wept bitterly.

And you know what Jesus did after that story was over? He graciously restored Peter. Do you know how Peter would ultimately die? Crucified upside down in Rome. Why upside down? Because he would say, "I don't even think myself worthy to be crucified in the same manner as my Lord, so crucify me upside down." How could he do that? God worked in him to will and to do His good pleasure.

No, the Lord will probably not call you to be crucified. Thank You, Jesus. But He does say, consider...

The cost is to come, follow Me. Take up your cross and follow Me daily. Lord, help us. Amen.

Let's stand and close in prayer. God, thank You for this passage of Scripture. Would You help us to not only understand the details of it but also to apply it in our lives? God, work in us today and this week to will and to do Your good pleasure. Show Yourself mighty in our lives and on our behalf, and help us to learn to trust in and rely upon You fully and completely.

Jesus, I thank You that You are so gracious and so good towards us. Would You help us to rely completely upon Your grace? For we ask this in Jesus' name, and all those that agreed said, Amen.