Something Needs to Change by David PlattSample

Day 8:  Something Needs to Change

Today we come to the end of our journey. Through our time together we’ve considered big questions and asked God to work in and through us for the sake of His glory in all nations. In light of urgent physical and spiritual need and for the sake of the two billion people on their way to a Christless eternity, something needs to change about the way we live. 

In this passage, three people approached Jesus and had the opportunity to follow Him, but they all turned Him down, unwilling to pay the cost. Jesus calls us to choose what’s best for the kingdom of God instead of what’s best for us. Once we realize what’s at stake, we no longer have room to hesitate in our calling. 

Although the first man who approached Jesus said, “I will follow you wherever you go” (v. 57), this man likely believed Jesus was just another teacher whose disciples followed them around and learned at their feet. He clearly hadn’t counted on Jesus’ response. Following Jesus is much more than an opportunity to come and learn. People who follow Jesus must live with an open hand and must be willing to let go of whatever keeps them from obeying Jesus.   

In this second encounter, Jesus approached a would-be disciple and extended a call to follow Him. The man responded by asking for a seemingly reasonable exception: he claimed that he needed to bury his father. In Jewish culture, burial of the dead was a religious duty to be attended to immediately. To leave this task unfinished would have been unthinkable. Jesus wasn’t being callous; rather, He was underscoring the urgency of His calling. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, there’s no time to maintain the status quo; there’s no time for delay.  

Finally, another man approached Jesus and made another not-so-unreasonable request: to go and say goodbye to His family. After all, Elisha did this when he went with Elijah (see 1 Kings 19:20). However, following Jesus is a much more serious matter than following Elijah. Hidden in the request was reluctance that Jesus noticed. Disciples of Jesus must not be reluctant when He calls them forward.    

People who don’t know the Lord are entering eternity every day. We simply can’t go on with life as usual. We must live with urgency and gospel purpose. We don’t have time to sit back and relax. If we aren’t careful, we can settle for monotonous spiritual motion, living week by week unconcerned about the mission God has given us. Something needs to change.