I WILL FOLLOW YOU WHEREVER YOU GO
SUNDAY 06
“Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, ‘Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.’”
Matthew 8:19 (NKJV)
READ: Matthew 8:18–22
In our text we could see how a scribe came and said to Jesus that he wanted to follow Him wherever He went.
Now, Jesus‘ answer was, in verse 20, FOXES HAVE HOLES AND BIRDS OF THE AIR HAVE NESTS, BUT THE SON OF MAN HAS NO WHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD.
The answer given to the scribe by Jesus was indirect. Jesus did not actually tell him not to follow Him, but indirectly
told him, would he be able to pay the price?
It was like when the two sons of Zebedee were asking for a place in His kingdom, that one should be allowed
to sit at His right hand and the other at His left hand in His kingdom (Matthew 20:20–23). Jesus answered them with a question, would they be able to drink the cup He was about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism He was baptized with? (Matthew 20:22)
In other words, would they be able to pass through what He had passed through and what He will still pass through?
The answer given to the sons of Zebedee was similar to the one given to the scribe in our text in the passage; it
means would the scribe be able to bear it without having a place to lay his head, where he could call a house to sleep?
The work of ministry is demanding! You would have to put all, the best of you; especially at the initial stage, if you are pioneering a new work or ministry.
You would have to pay whatever price the work may demand. Ministry work is a work that does not have a closing time for the day. You start your day early even before others wake up for the day’s work (Mark 1:35), and the closing time is based on the demands of the assignment given to you. In other words, Jesus was indirectly asking the scribe if he would be able to bear that—not having a place to lay his head, or a house to reside in?
There was another person simply referred to as another of His disciples, who requested to go and bury his father, but Jesus said he should leave that for others to do, he should keep following Him (Mark 8:19).
Now, the answer Jesus gave to this other disciple was direct and precise, He was unambiguous about it. Jesus plainly told him to keep following. Could it be that burying one’s father is not all that important to Jesus? Now, it does not mean burying your father is not important to Jesus, but it is about priority. Jesus was trying to teach that, if there is a need in your family that needs your attention, even as close as your father, you should attend to the things of God first. Of course, there would be others in his family who could do the burial even if he was not there.
Being out on a mission assignment for soul winning should not be cancelled or snubbed because you want to attend
your father’s burial. If you are on a mission field and you heard that your father is dead, it does not mean you have to abandon whatever you are doing and be rushing down home. The message is, you should love less whoever in your life, no matter the endearment (Luke 14:26).
Jesus should be your ultimate priority. Your love solely should go to God through Christ Jesus. You do not relegate the assignment or the ministry given to you by God to the second place, because you want to bury your father. No matter how important the function in your family is, the assignment of God should be the first in order of importance in your life and agenda (Matthew 22:37).
Whoever in Christ is a new creation old things have passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17). Whoever lives in pleasure is dead while living (1 Timothy 5:6). Whoever is not in Christ, or whoever is not reborn, is dead while living. Jesus said the other disciple should leave the dead to bury the dead.
In other words, other relatives of the other disciple were referred to as the dead to bury the dead, the father of the disciple. You should know that you are different from other relatives of yours after you have been reborn. In the sight of God, those who are yet reborn are dead while they live according to 1 Timothy 5:6.
Someone who is living in the sight of God is someone who had a relationship with Him through Christ Jesus. Those
who are yet to reborn or reconciled with God are dead while they live. If I may ask; Are you alive or dead while you are still living? Whoever is not born-again is dead while living! Thus, take a step today, be reborn, tomorrow might be too late: (2 Corinthians 6:1,2).
Peace.
Reflect:
• When you said you would follow Jesus anywhere, did you count the cost?
• Is there a place Jesus is leading you now that your comfort is resisting?
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