Follow Me

Follow me. The challenge is to you and to me: Will I follow Jesus as my Lord? These are not only ancient words written two thousand years ago, but the Living Word, and a call for each of us today. Am I willing to willing to give up everything in order to follow Jesus, to be a Christian? And this is not just the tangible things like family, possessions and things, am I willing to give up everything?

So often we answer “yes, of course!” But I think it’s easy to say “yes” when I’m nice and comfortable in church on Sunday morning. Am I willing to give up my self-centeredness? Am I willing to give up gossip? Am I willing to give up revenge even when others hurt me? Am I willing to dedicate my life to the poor, even if they fail to show gratefulness for my work? Am I willing to have Love as the standard by which all relationships, decisions and choices are based? Now, Jesus always accepts us just as we are, but He invites us to follow Him now, in the present moment, not just when we “think” we are ready.

As the gospel opens today, Luke points out that Jesus is about to begin his “longest journey,” to go to Jerusalem for his passion. Luke has Jesus constantly on journeys, right from the moment of his conception. All the time, Luke is preparing his readers for the GREAT JOURNEY which begins in today’s gospel.

This journey starts in chapter nine, and continues until chapter nineteen. It occupies fully a third of Luke’s gospel, because it is a journey that each one of us must take, if we are serious about being a disciple of Jesus. And do not worry about how to take this journey, Jesus will be teaching us for the next ten chapters! Luke’s gospel will teach us to be disciples, if, we begin with the “yes” to Jesus words, “Follow me.”

In Luke, the words “retreat” or “defeat” will never be mentioned. At all costs, we must keep on the journey. Even if we stumble and fall, like Jesus, we are called to stand up and move forward once again. Perhaps we call this “holy determination:” the conscious choice to be a disciple in all areas of our lives, at all times. This is the determination of Elisha to follow the prophet Elijah. This is the determination of Jesus, as he sets out to Jerusalem. Everything from this point on takes it’s meaning from the passion, death and resurrection.

In Jerusalem Jesus will reveal the whole purpose of his life: to show that Love is the ultimate power—even power over death.

Luke shows us how Jesus began his life with signs and miracles in Galilee. The he lets go of all of this as starts to Jerusalem. This is the profound paradox that is the heart of Christianity: Jesus freely gives up his power of signs and miracles…even as his loving makes him more and more vulnerable and seems to lead to his defeat. But this love for others, releases the power of God—a power that conquers death and surpasses all of the power, healing and miracles in Galilee. This is why Jesus refuses James and John to “call down fire from heaven.” From this point forward, the only power of Jesus, is the overwhelming power of love.

But now we return to the beginning: “Follow me.” Before you answer, we have the words of Jesus to three would-be followers.

To the first, Jesus says, “before you follow me, count the cost.” No one can ever say that Jesus calls disciples on false pretenses. He left no doubt or question about the cost of being his disciple.

To the second, the words sounds harsh, but in all probability, the man’s father was not dead or even dying, he was just wavering on his decision. Jesus urges us to act at once when our hearts are stirred.

His words to the third person state a truth no one can deny. There are many whose hearts are always in the past, “the way things used to be.” The Christian must always be on the journey forward. To this last person Jesus did not say “follow” or “return.” He just made it clear that either you follow him with your whole heart…or don’t begin the journey, and left the man to make his own decision.

Now, what about you? Today you hear the words of Jesus, “Follow me.” Are you willing to give up your past? Are you willing to change your life so that Love is the center of all you do? Are you willing to travel with Jesus, to Jerusalem, where seemingly powerless Love, will ultimately conquer loveless power?

Jesus says, “Follow me.” Respond carefully.

"And you, who do you say I am?"

Luke 9,18-24

“And you, who do you say that I am?” This is one of the most crucial and important moments in the life of Jesus. He asked this question to his disciples, just as he was getting ready to head toward Jerusalem, the cross. Up until this point in Luke’s gospel, Jesus had preached about his Father, described Love as the standard, healed the sick, and performed miracles. He was acting much like other prophets, holy persons, and teachers of the time. But now, this was to change.

Jesus knew that he was going to the cross. The Son of God, Jesus, would destroy death forever, unite all people once and for all to the Father with a new covenant of Love. And he wanted to know before he went to the cross, if there was anyone who had really understood his mission. Was his life a success or failure? If there was any realization, however incomplete, it meant that he had lit a flame in human hearts that nothing could ever put out. How Jesus’ heart must have sailed when Peter proclaimed, “You are the Christ, the Messiah!” When Jesus heard this, he knew that he had not failed.

The disciples you see had grown up against a background of thought which expected from God a messiah that would be a conquering king who would lead to world domination. The people of Israel would no longer be oppressed and enslaved by others. But Jesus had to teach them that God’s anointed one, the Christ, had come, to die upon a cross. His way would not be of conquering domination, but the power of self-giving love. He had to take their ideas and expectations of God and of God’s purposes and turn them upside down. The disciples understood Jesus, now they had to learn what that discovery would mean.

Jesus began by asking what others were saying about him, and then suddenly he changes, and asks them, “Who do YOU say that I am?” You see, it is never enough to know what other people say about Jesus. It might be possible to pass an examination on what has been said and thought about Jesus, or to read every book about theology, or have diplomas and certificates and degrees, and still not be a Christian. Jesus must always be our own personal discovery. Something that happens in the mind as well as the heart. To everyone here, Jesus comes not asking, “Can you tell me what others have said and written about me?” but, “Who do you say that I am?” Christianity does not mean reciting a creed. It means knowing a person, the person of Jesus.

Jesus then said, “I must go to Jerusalem and die.” It is important to look at the times in Luke’s gospel when Jesus says “must.” “I must be in my Father’s house.” “I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom.” “Today, tomorrow and the next day, I must be on my way.” Over and over again, Jesus told his disciples that he must go to the cross.

The way of the cross, is the way of discipleship. Being a Christian is not about power, control and domination, being a disciple is about the giving of self in love.

“And you, who do YOU say that I am?” How you answer that question will determine whether you are a good student with correct answers for an examination question, or a disciple of Jesus Christ...a Christian.