Dead to Me
Let those who are spiritually dead, tend to those who are physically dead.
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:51-62
Those who are alive in the Spirit, will want to choose Jesus above all else. Everyone else is dead.
It sounds harsh, like Jesus is saying you are dead to me. But I think he is tired. He is constantly bombarded by those who need help, wanting him to heal them, so much so, that he has no time to rest.
And then he encounters the hesitant ones who have not made up their minds.
What, he asks them, do you think is more important than following me?
We can ask ourselves the same question. What is the most important thing we can do with our lives? Maybe we are committed to following, but we have other things we want to accomplish first, like have a career, spend time with the family, achieve some success.
We like to have it all, to have our lives and have a meaningful relationship with God as well, but do we ever stop to think what God finds most meaningful for us to be doing?
Jesus challenged his disciples to think beyond themselves.
Some could. Some could not.
And those who could not were dead.
More to come...