Memory Verse: Luke 9:62
Life Application: Don’t look back in you walk with Jesus.
Bible Text
Luke 9:57-62
Genesis 19:14-17
Genesis 19:26
Hebrews 12:1-3
Luke 3:8-9
John 3:16-18
We must never look back in our walk with Christ. No matter what happens we must determine in our hearts that we will follow Jesus and bear fruits of repentance.
Following Jesus Is Not Always Comfortable.
Comfortable means relaxed, feeling comfort or ease, without problem, and with enough of something to stave off worry.
Luke 9:57-58 NKJV
“Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, 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.”
This person had not really thought about what it would cost him. He got caught up in the excitement of everything going on around him and said that he wanted to follow Jesus, however his heart was not really committed. When problems, hard times and trials came this person would not have been able to endure. Following Jesus will cost a person and it is not without problems. However, there is a great reward for those who commit to it.
Following Jesus Is Not Always Convenient.
Convenient means making life easier, useful or suitable, because it makes things easier and does not involve much effort or trouble.
Luke 9:59-60 NKJV
“Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”
Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”
Jesus gave this person an invitation to follow Him. This person knew that it would cost him to follow Jesus, but he allowed other concerns to come before God. It was not convenient for him to follow Jesus at that moment. He wanted to do something else first. Following Jesus is not always convenient and it takes effort.
Following Jesus Is Not For The Distracted.
Distracted means preoccupied, showing a lack of concentration, anxious, or unable to think clearly or act sensibly.
Luke 9:61-62 NKJV
“And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
This person said they would follow Jesus but they were distracted by people. If we want to follow Jesus we must focus on Him and what He has set before us. We cannot allow our focus to be on things of the world or become preoccupied with the things of this world.
Lot’s wife was distracted by what she was leaving behind. When Lot’s wife looked back it implied that she was reluctant to leave what was behind.
Genesis 19:14-17 NKJV
“So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”
Genesis 19:26 NKJV
“But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
As a person is plowing they focus their eyes on a point at the end of the field and steadily move toward it. They do not focus on what is behind them. If a person tries to plow while looking over their shoulder their rows would be crooked and it would be difficult to work in the field.
Luke 9:62 NKJV
“But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Following Jesus Takes Commitment.
According to Luke 9:62, God is serious about our commitment to follow Him.
Luke 9:62 NKJV
“But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
We must be loyal, devoted and dedicated to Him. We cannot follow and serve Him just when it’s easy or when we feel like it. As we follow Jesus we must focus our eyes on Him and steadily move in His direction. We must not focus on what is behind us. No matter what happens or comes our way we must look to Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-3 NKJV
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”
Fruits Of Repentance Are Vital.
We must bear fruits of repentance if we desire to make heaven our home. Repentance is a daily, not a one time, experience. When we truly repent and are saved we will see sin the way that God does. We will have a change of heart and direction. Repentance is a turning from sin to God; changing my mind concerning sin, God, and myself.
Luke 3:8-9 NKJV
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
If we do not bear good fruit (fruit of repentance) we will eventually be cast into eternal darkness (the lake of fire) and away from the presence of God. It is not God’s desire that any perish but that all come to repentance.
John 3:16-18 NKJV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Review
1. Some people get caught up in the excitement of everything going on around them and say that they want to follow Jesus, however their ___________ was not really committed.
2. Following Jesus will __________ a person and it is not without problems.
3.There is a great _____________ for those who commit to following Jesus.
4. Some people allow other ________________ to come before God.
5. Following Jesus is not always convenient and it takes ____________.
6. If we want to follow Jesus we must ____________ on Him and what He has set before us.
7. We cannot allow our focus to be on things of the ____________ or become preoccupied with the things of this world.
8. As a person is plowing they focus their eyes on a point at the end of the field and steadily move ____________ it.
9. A person plowing does not focus on what is ____________ them.
10. What happens If a person tries to plow while looking over their shoulder?
11. God is serious about our ____________________ to follow Him.
12. We must be loyal, devoted and dedicated to __________.
13. We cannot follow and serve God just when it’s ________ or when we feel like it.
14. As we follow Jesus we must focus our eyes on Him and steadily move in His ______________.
15. We must not focus on what is ____________ us.
16. No matter what happens or comes our way we must look to ____________.
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