"Jesus Says, 'Focus On Following Me!'"

Sermon on Luke 9:57-62

Weekend of September 27, 1998

Saint Mark's, Watertown

Pastor Karl Walther

Introduction: Importance of Focus, Concentration, Single-mindedness

Jesus said to his disciples -- and he says to us! -- "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Amen.

Dear fellow followers of Jesus:

You've got to admire focus, concentration, and single-mindedness in a person. Think of that for a moment. In any area of life, the best performances begin with focus, concentration, and single-mindedness.

That's true in sports, isn't it? I mean: Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are strong men, but in large part it's their concentration that gets the ball over the fence. Likewise, a guy like Joe Montana in the past, or a guy like Brett Favre at the present time: they're talented athletes, but in large measure it's their concentration that enables them to run the two minute drill well at the end of a half. Or consider basketball: basketball's best performer, Michael Jordan, is famed for his concentration when he gets in his zone.

But all of this is true in other performances, too. Actors take time to concentrate on putting on their stage face before a performance. Musicians concentrate well enough never to miss a word or a note. Politicians must have enormous concentration while making a speech-- not to mention an even greater degree of concentration while sidestepping reporters' questions!

And you yourselves have found focus, concentration, and single-mindedness to be important, too. Students, isn't writing a good test especially a matter of concentration? Workers, don't you do your best work when you're concentrating hard? Parents, doesn't good parenting take long term concentration?

Theme: Jesus Says, "Focus On Following Me!"

And if all of that is the case, doesn't it stand to reason that our Christian lives deserve our utmost in focus and concentration and single-mindedness? Really, that's the point of God's Word to us today. In God's Word to us today: JESUS SAYS, "FOCUS ON FOLLOWING ME!" And Jesus is calling you to follow him apart from earthly comforts, apart from matters of life and death, apart from family issues. Jesus is calling you to follow him with focus, concentration, and single-mindedness.

Text: Jesus Called the People Of His Day To Follow Him

Well, let's begin with some background.... It was getting to be late in Jesus' ministry-- about a year before his departure from the earth. Just a few verses before our text, in a section of Scripture Pastor Kell preached on last week, we read that: Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. There Jesus would suffer and die for our sins-- and rise to life to declare us forgiven. It was on the way to Jerusalem that Jesus met three people-- about whom God's Word to us today tells us....

° It begins: As they were walking along the road, a man said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go." The man was volunteering, "Lord, I will follow what you're teaching me." And in those days, that probably meant too, "Lord, where you travel, I myself will go."

No doubt Christ was pleased. But he also wanted this man to know what he was getting into. And so we read that: Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests (even wild animals have their earthly home) but the Son of Man (Jesus' favorite designation for himself)-- the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

That's point number one today: Jesus was calling this man to follow him-- even apart from earthly comforts.

° Now, part two of the story-- we read that: Jesus said to another man, "Follow me." This was no volunteer. However, he had Christ's own personal invitation.

But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Now, that sounds (at first) like a reasonable request, until you realize that this man's father wasn't even dead yet. You see, in those days if your father had died -- if anyone close to you died -- you immediately mourned, for sanitary purposes you buried the body that day, and you remained at home in mourning for some time. The upshot of it is that this man was saying, "Sure, Lord, I'll follow you-- later: say, after Dad passes away."

In reply: Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Oh, it's not that Jesus was unsympathetic to the man. It's just that proclaiming the kingdom of God: God's New Testament saving, ruling activity through the Gospel of Christ-- proclaiming the kingdom of God takes precedence even over life and death issues.

That's point number two today: Jesus was calling this man to follow him-- whether in life or in death.

° And then part three-- we read that: Still another said to Jesus, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Here was another volunteer; Jesus didn't draft him. But this was a volunteer with a stipulation, "Lord, I'll follow you-- in second place, because my family takes first place."

Well once again, a warning was in order: Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." It's a funny picture -- isn't it? -- a farmer trying to plow forward while facing backwards. It's an impossible picture!-- just as much impossible as someone trying to pursue Christ while assigning an even higher priority to his family.

And that's point number three today: Jesus was calling this man to follow him-- even apart from family matters.

Application: Jesus Is Calling You To Follow Him

So: focus, concentration, single-mindedness do you see how those were the things the Lord was commending to these men? "Focus on following me," Jesus was saying to the first man, "apart from earthly comforts." "Focus on following me," Jesus said to the second man, "whether in life or in death." "Focus on following me," Jesus said to the third man, "apart from family matters."

And Jesus says exactly the same to you and to me....

• First of all, to those of you who are not yet Christians, Jesus says: "Focus on following me!"

"Focus on following me!" Jesus invites you. "Confess your sins. Don't hide them any longer. Admit your lying is wrong. Admit your lust is wrong. Admit the way you've treated others is wrong. Admit the way you've treated me is wrong. And realize that it's always been this way. It's always been this way because you were always sinful."

And then, "Focus on following me!" Jesus says. "I came to do right where you did wrong. And I came to suffer wrong to make you right. The Christmas you celebrate every year-- that was me, beginning my perfect life in your place. The Good Friday you observe every year-- that was me, suffering in full all of God's punishment for your sins. The Easter you celebrate every year-- that was me, saying, 'This is the eternal life after death I am giving to you.'"

"And now, you-- follow me! And my servants, the pastors, can tell you how."

• Okay, now that you're all Christians, let me address you who are Christians-- but your Christianity is something you pigeon-hole or compartmentalize: into Christmas and Easter, or into attendance at church once or maybe twice a month and for funerals.

"Focus on following me!" Jesus says, "not just December twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth and once in March or April, not just a time or two a month and on special occasions, but every week. In fact, you need me day by day," Jesus says. "You've got to read my Word, maybe ten or fifteen minutes in the morning, as you read a chapter or two from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, and then go on from there. Or maybe you've got kids. Don't fail to read them a Bible story every day. Or maybe it's hard for you to read. Well, get audio tapes -- or there are even video tapes -- from the Bible book store. One way or another, you've got to get my Word!" Jesus says.

And then, "Focus on following me!" Jesus says. "Rejoice that your name is written in heaven-- even if you're facing earthly death. Rejoice that your name is written in heaven-- even if you're facing family strife. Rejoice that your name is written in heaven-- even if you're lacking earthly goods."

"Focus on following me!"

• And now let me address you Christians who have learned of the Lord through his Word and to whom the Lord has long made himself known.

To you, too, Jesus says, "Focus on following me-- all the time! Are you rather shut in?" Jesus asks. "Pray to me unceasingly! Are you a retiree?" Jesus asks. "Use your time, full time, to benefit me and others! Are you a worker? Work at your job, as if you were working for me-- because you are. And treat your customers as you would treat me -- because you are treating me. Are you a parent? Treat your child or children exactly as I have treated you. Are you a husband or wife? Love your spouse as I have loved you. Are you a student? Study as if I were the teacher-- and in many ways, I probably am! Are you a child? Listen to your parents as if you were listening to me-- and you are!" That's what Jesus says.

"And don't let lack of earthly comfort get in the way," Jesus says. "And don't let family matters get in the way. And don't let life or death interfere," Jesus says. "Simply, certainly, follow me!"

Conclusion: Jesus Gives You Good Reason To Follow Him--

With Focus, Concentration, Single-mindedness

You see, then, following Jesus: with focus and concentration and single-mindedness clearly that's what Christ is calling upon us to do.... But what a bunch of work! Why go through with it? Why not settle back into our complacency?

Well, return with me for a moment to God's Word to us today....

° That first man-- he volunteered, "Lord, I will follow you wherever you go." And you remember that Jesus replied: "I have no earthly place to lay my head." But think of what Jesus could have added. He could have said, "I have no earthly place to lay my head, and I can't offer one to you. But through me, heaven is yours. And that's an eternally comfortable resting place. So, follow me!"

° And that second man-- Jesus invited him, "Follow me." And when he wanted to excuse himself to bury his father, Jesus cautioned, "Let the dead bury their own dead, you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." And think of what Jesus could have added. He could have said, "You may miss your father's transition from life to death. But in your own, in your own transition from life to death, I myself will lead you. I will lead you across that unknown chasm. And I'll never let go of your hand. So, follow me!"

° And that third man-- he volunteered, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." That's the one Jesus warned: "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." But think of what Jesus could have added. Jesus could have said, "I may be calling upon you to leave your family. But think of the family I am bringing you into. God himself is your providing, protecting Father. I myself am your rescuing big Brother. And the Spirit now dwelling within you is Holy. So, follow me!"

Friends: follow him! The way Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa hit the ball-- follow him! The way Brett Favre pitches passes or Michael Jordan shoots hoops-- follow him! With focus and concentration and single-mindedness, follow Jesus! Amen.

Jesus explained: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." That's Christ's promise to you! Amen.