Thursday: Letting the Dead Bury the Dead
Read Matthew 8:18-22. What is Jesus saying to these men here about what it means to follow Him?
First, in Matthew 8:18-22, we see two men approach Jesus with the desire to be His disciples. Both are sincere; and yet, both seem to be held back by something. Jesus, who knows all our thoughts, goes straight to the heart of the matter.
Image © Kim Justinen from GoodSalt.com
He questions whether the first man is really willing to give up everything—including his own bed!—to follow Him. This does not necessarily mean that a person will lose all earthly possessions if he or she follows Jesus but simply that a person needs to be ready to do so.
Jesus then asks the second man whether he’s truly willing to put Jesus ahead of his own family. At first glance, His words to the second man seem very harsh. All the man wanted to do was bury his father. Why couldn’t he do that first, and then follow Jesus, especially when in the Jewish faith it was considered part of obeying the fifth commandment to ensure that one’s parents were properly buried?
However, some interpreters argue that the man’s father wasn’t yet dead, or even at the point of death; instead, the man was basically saying to Jesus, Let me get everything with my family all worked out, and then I will follow You.
Hence, Jesus’ response.
Another call to discipleship is found in Matthew 9:9-13, with the call to Matthew, a despised tax collector. Jesus knew the man’s heart, which was obviously open to truth, as his reaction to the call showed. Jesus surely knew what reaction His calling someone like Matthew would bring, which it did, as the texts reveal. From our perspective today, it’s hard to see just how upsetting to the status quo the call to someone like Matthew would be to the people back then. What we see here is another example of just how universal the call of the gospel really is.
| Read Matthew 9:13. Though the context is different, how does the principle apply even today, even when we substitute the idea of animal sacrifice with the sacrifice of Jesus? That is, how can we be careful that we don’t let religious beliefs or practices, no matter how right, get in the way of doing what really matters to God? |
(16)
When Jesus calls us , he wants us to come in Faith. We are to drop everything & follow him.The disciples did.They obeyed & followed him in faith and all stayed with him up until the point of his crucifixion. Judas denied him & sold him for 30 pieces of silver. Peter on the other hand stayed with him until the end but denied him in the final hours of his weakness in the garden of Gethsemanie.We as professed Christians need to follow the principles laid down by our Lord, once we have accepted him in baptism.So often we accept Jesus as Lord but we fail to commit wholeheartedly.This man said to Jesus that he had to bury his father.Hence the response from Jesus.Jesus knew that he was not commited.WE as SDA'a need to pray for change & commitment to spread the gospel of salvation to the world , so that the end will come. The work will not be completed because there is always something that needs dong before we will commit fully.This change in us has to be on an individual basis.
Is dropping everything and following Jesus a realistic plan today?
What does it really mean since Jesus is not here on Earth to follow or walk with and obey his specific directions and plans on a moment to moment/daily basis?
How is one supposed to react to the often heard phrase/cliché.."total surrender"?
There are about 1000 minutes every day in a person's waking schedule.
Think of someone who works 8 hours a day and has 8 hours left over. What are they supposed to do?
What is the retired person supposed to do with their 1000 minutes each day?
1000 minutes of bible study, prayer and outreach...each day? Is that realistic to ask of church members/believers?
Jesus got up early each day to pray . Did the disciples always stay with Him even then?
So often, completely follow or totally surrender implies that listeners must stop this and that activity every day. What activity is the person, who makes the call, suggesting that one does with that spare time?
Are burdens being laid on listeners that are not practical?
Are these idealistic goals ever really thought out?
Jim, as we all are different in personality, thinking, appearance, character and DNA, so is God's call on each of our lives. His call on your life may be quite different from that of any other of us in this conversation. What is important is that each of us distinctly recognizes when God speaks and what He is saying to us individually. If God had made the call to Jonah or to you, for instance, that He did to Abraham, what might have been the result? The bible does record where Jesus called all the disciples to follow Him, except Judas. We can trust His omniscience on this one.
Sometimes we gain the impression that following Jesus means going something big. But many times Jesus calls us to do ordinary things well. Parenting, teaching, accounting, and so on. I used to say to my students that if God has given them the task of writing computer programs, heaven forbid that they should stoop to being a minister. Following Jesus is more about "why" we do things and less about what we do. We can serve God faithfully as a storeman and packer!
The 'why' reveals the motive.... The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies.Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit have become partakers of divine nature and in all their habits and practices they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ..... 6BC 1101
Matt 8:18-22,Jesus directs the positioning of the boat and meets a scribe that is apparently part of the crowd, and they seemly blurted out a challenge of sorts. "Teacher, I will follow you where ever you go". Why do you think someone like that would say that from out of nowhere? The scribes were learned and possessed a certain amount of knowledge and respect. It sounds much like a boast even a dare so to speak. Flattering remarks. EGO, Jesus has the right answers. The situation is not a generalization. It has to do with the choices that we make. How we are led and by Whom.
I understand "total surrender" to mean that one is ever ready for the call to do the master's will.In Mathew 25:35-41 Jesus defines various calls that may be made on us.When the cock crowed the third time and Peter made eye contact with Jesus,Peter realized that he had not totally surrendered.When Zachaeous was called to come down from the sycamore tree his actions thereafter showed that he had totally surrendered to the call of the Master.In Colosians 3:23 we are told that whatever we do we do as to the Lord God and not to man, an example of surrender
The lesson this week shows us that Jesus was more interested in our spiritual life and our eternal life.
Jim your reply is very much like the man who said that he has to bury his father first before he can follow Jesus. Our spiritual life and change of heart is what Jesus wants. The disciples left everything and followed him. The way we become changed is by beholding. We follow Jesus by his teachings. We live out his teachings in our everyday life. The attitude that we have to one another in the church, in the street, to our neighbors all can be different if we remember that at our baptism we took on the mantle of Christ.We can all further the kingdom for others by the way we live our lives.
I concur with Otieno Okun's regarding surrendering our lives wholly to Jesus.Following Jesus is not always an easy or comfortable road. Often it means great cost and sacrifice, with no earthly rewards or security. Jesus didn't have a place to call home. You may find that following Christ costs you popularity, friendships, leisure time, or treasured habits. But while the costs of following may be high, the value of being Christ's disciple is an investment which lasts for eternity and yields incredible rewards.
Jesus was always direct with those who wanted to follow Him.He made sure they counted the cost and set aside any conditions they might have for following Him.As God's Son, Jesus did not hesitate to demand complete loyalty. The decision to follow Christ should not be put off, even when an important event is at hand. Nothing should be placed above a total commitment to living for Christ.
I seem to be like the second man when it comes to the way I do my things in regard to the gospel. The problem is that there seems to be something about family that always holds us back. We seem to live and sweat for family and sometimes even the extended family. But i also like the saviors' way of looking at us. He looks at the heart and easily judges those who are ready or not. The point here might be that we need to be ready with our hearts, then He will surely use us the way He wants. I think total surrender really is about that! Our readiness to be used if called upon
The call to discipleship involves a cost. If we want to follow Christ, we must be ready to sacrifice all our passions,worries,problems and desires to our master and adhere to his call.Great reward follows our calling and that is what we must endeavor to seek for rather than focusing on the short term pleasures we find in our world. we shouldn't also look at the state we find ourselves in but just focus on the purpose of our calling. Christ has the power to change our evil minds and hearts and transforms us the purpose for which he is calling us to be his disciples
To surrender to Jesus is to let him win, not sin.
Jacob fought a fight with a Stranger, who was stronger than him. Just when we realize that we are weak, unable to fight, and tell Him that it is fine, that we surrender, it is His chance to work in our lives.
It is in fact a win-win battle, because in the end we can claim his blessings to accomplish His will by saying "I will not let you go, if you do not bless me".
"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:10
So, I think that dropping everything and following Jesus is still a realistic plan today.
We should be ready for the call at each moment.
What's being left out in the foregoing comments is the role of the holy spirit in changing our priorities and ensuing actions....whether that be the use of our time or evangelism. Phil 2:13 is foundational in total surrender...if there is such a word. Such totality is learned in the process of discipleship as we see in the lives of the 12 disciples.
God doesn't necessarily call us to immediately leave our jobs, studies, professions or other practical living activities to "follow Him", but we are to live each day as unto the Lord, whether at work, school, church or at play. Our ideal is to become like Jesus for we are His representatives to the world. Hence, our daily meditation must be "Be like Jesus this my song, in the home and in the throng, be like Jesus all day long, I would be like Jesus." I think we need to cultivate a keen sense of God's presence and recognizing His voice, and ever be at the ready, for any duty He assigns, wherever that may take us.
As we get closer to the end, we will be called upon to make greater sacrifices for God's cause. This could mean selling our houses, cars, land or other assets to help the last message to quickly spread. Even as we read God's warnings of the imminent end of the world (Matt:24), Ellen White counsels: "We are living amid the perils of the last days. Those who are perishing in sin must be warned. The Lord calls upon every one to whom He has entrusted the talent of means to act as His helping hand by giving their money for the advancement of His work. Our money is a treasure lent us by the Lord, and it is to be invested in the work of giving to the world the last message of mercy." --This Day With God, p 152.
As Jesus tested the two men's motives for, and readiness to follow Him, we too will be tested on whether we are fully committed, 100 percent ready for anything that may befall us or be demanded of us. This means yes to Jesus' call: "if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me" (Luke 9:23; Matt. 16:24). Jesus assured His disciples also, that anyone who loses his life for His sake will find it. (Matt 16:25). This promise of eternal life is our to claim as well if we make God's cause our utmost priority.
Jesus said "wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also". This a case of priorities, what is your goal? what is your consuming passion? what do you think about most? for as you think in your heart, so you are, our outward expression indicates what is in your heart. So to follow Jesus means to be preoccupied with emulating Him and developing His character so people will be inclined to think "yes, this person has been with Jesus for his actions testify to the verity of his speech" By their fruits you shall know them.
To you Claudette, I say, bless you and may the Lord strengthen your ministry. For when I first joined the church, music from the hymnal was everywhere! These hymns are inspired by the Holy Spirit and have His Power in them to amplify the Scriptures, and draw people to Christ. Sadly many churches these days seem to substitute repetitious choruses which are generic and non specific and do not preach our distinctive message. We are letting satan dilute the power of the gospel and the essential truth it contains for doctrinal saving Grace.
I say AMEN! to that John. You know John, not many of us appreciate that the singing of the sacred hymns in worship, is of equal importance as the spoken or written word. In bible times, one whole tribe was assigned the duty of meticulously preparing the music for every single occasion of worship to the Great and Mighty One, the Giver of the gifts of singing and skillful playing of instruments and this required serious training. We need to take God seriously regarding the instructions He has laid out for our worship services to Him, giving diligent study of what the music of heaven is like. Many a soul has been won to Christ through the melodiously, spirit-filled singing of the hymns and spiritual songs.
Total Surrender is a personal experience between me an my God
How am I able to have ears, how to tell that God has spoken is speaking or is silent. when we listen to his call the next step is to achieve the above. walk with him dine with him know him deeper delight in him speak as if he is physically next to you. when my surrender is tested i some times become week and fail to pray so i just speak to him as he is next tome we need to fill him. May God lead us home safely
Sunday Touching the untouchable
here we see Jesus fully expressing his powers and authority over sin and showing the world that he does not only come to heal but to deliver man from sin,He also want people to know that he has come to save sinners not righteous
Of all the people Jesus met, how many were asked to leave everything and follow Him? Had all been called to do this, who would have collected taxes? Who would have caught the fish, planted and harvested the fields, picked the olives and grapes, or tended the sheep? The call comes to all in various ways for specific purposes. Paul labored and preached while other apostles were freed from every concern but study, prayer and watching over the flock of the Lord.
Following Jesus is our highest obligation and calling in this life. No other earthly matter should impede our effort to surrender every other consideration that we might follow faithfully wherever Jesus would lead us.
What everyone can leave behind is the service of self. How many ways do we live for self that takes us beyond necessity into some level of extravagance? How much time/means for personal amusement while others lack basic essentials? If we surrender our self-indulgence and inquire of our duty, God will show us how to serve Him in our area of influence.
Robert, I always thought that when Jesus asked the rich young ruler to leave all to follow Him, He asked of Him no more than He asks of each of us. I agree with the lesson author that 'This does not necessarily mean that a person will lose all earthly possessions if he or she follows Jesus but simply that a person needs to be ready to do so." In other words, we need to give up all in our hearts. If we have given up all in our hearts, there will be no problem if we are asked to do so in real life.
I would also like to suggest that "giving up all" does not necessarily refer to possessions. Some of us cling more to less tangible assets.
Let me illustrate from my own experience which has led me to believe that even those of us who have apparently been "good" all of our lives need to come to the realization that we are sinful through and through and can only be saved by the grace of Christ.
I was in my mid-twenties and had been a pastor's wife for a few years when God brought me to the place of being ready to "give up all." Most of my life I had been used to being a leader in the family (first-born), in school and in the church. But I was up against a situation where it seemed God was not hearing me. So in desperation I asked God to show me how I needed to change, rather than asking Him to change others. It was as though God said, "Now that's what I was waiting for." And I was overwhelmed with the realization that all the "good" I had done in my life was shot through with self-interest. There was nothing really "good" in me, and my only hope was in Jesus Christ. Although I felt I had been converted before, I had never felt the depth of my depravity before (compare Job 42:6), and I threw myself wholly on the mercy of Christ. And I gave up what was most important to me - not possessions, but my whole personality and way of dealing with life.
I had been teaching Sabbath School and leading out in various ways, and I remember clearly saying to God that if He wanted me to be a quiet little church mouse and not speak up, that's what I would be. It felt like dying. (And from my experience I believe we must all come to this point of dying before we can live the new life.) And although I did not hear an audible voice from God, I did sense Him distinctly speaking to me, "That's what I needed to hear from you. With that attitude, I can use you." And use me He did. That doesn't mean that I made no more mistakes. It doesn't mean that I never again allowed self to get in the way, but ever since then, I've known where I need to go to meet God again - to the foot of the cross, the place of surrendering all - whether it be material goods, reputation, personality, position, etc. etc. Everything that is meaningful to me.
That's why I believe that God asks each of us to give up all. And when we surrender all, He gives back so much more. I have experienced and do experience Isa 12:3,
"Therefore with joy you will draw water
From the wells of salvation."
The joy of the Lord is, indeed, my strength. (Neh 8:10)
To all who are reading this, I say, Do not be afraid to surrender all to follow Jesus. He may or may not ask you to give back what you surrender to Him. But whatever He does, it will be well worth giving up all because He gives joy in full measure. (John 15:110
From Thursday lesson l get tht, wen u decide to follow Jesus u are suppose to be committed & Let us not value the earthly things but Let us value things that will give us entenal life, for we are not of the earth but of the heavenly kingdom which is to come
Desire of Ages p 293 - Judas was the scribe/person that Jesus said..."The foxes have holes...."
Good point. Jesus of course knew Judas through and through, but chose to allow him into His inner circle anyway because the other disciples wanted him and his talents and abilities so badly. Nevertheless, this obviously did not prevent Jesus from plainly warning Judas that a connection with Him would fail to bring about the worldly advancement which he was hoping to obtain. If Judas did not desire to attain to a genuinely spiritual advancement through his connection with Jesus, that connection would profit him nothing. Sadly, we all know how the story ends.
Thanks to all who replied about "total surrender".
How did you all do with your 1000 minutes each day?
Our God Is Great And Wonderful,he has Declared Openly That This World Is Not Save For Us To Enjoy,therefore Let Us Cling To God.
Wow! My eyes were open to the comments. It’s amazing how God works. All I did was I googled a question reference to letting the dead bury the dead to see what it meant. And I wanted to share with a friend of mine; we both didn’t know the meaning of that verse. I now understand what it means. I have a clear understanding; I can share it with her. We should put God first, be still, listen to His soft voice, surrender all to Him -- our sins -- let go of pride, hate, backbiting, gossip, etc., etc. We need to love one another, be kind, be humble, be long-suffering, respect each other, be nice, etc., etc. By our fruits of the Spirit people will and can see Jesus in us. Continue to spread God's true gospel.
Jesus is on His way; this world soon will be over. A New Jerusalem is coming; be ready at all times. Pray without ceasing and study God's word daily. Leave everything at the foot of the cross.
Blessings to all, and thank you kindly. May God bless each one of you and your family. I hope that you all are still in the Faith of Jesus Christ. 🙏