Matthew 8:20-22

 20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 21 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Good morning. I pray today’s passage compels you to examine your walk with Jesus and your dedication to following him more closely. 

So here we see Jesus and his disciples preparing to get into a boat and cross the Sea of Galilee. Before they can leave, two onlookers approach Jesus. The first mentioned in the prior verses was a scribe (a religious teacher of the law). As a group, they were often in conflict with Jesus. This one, however, declared to Jesus that he would follow Him wherever He went. 

Now, Jesus presents a truth about himself and the cost of following him by using an illustration that puts things into perspective. Jesus implies that following him might not make you rich and famous, nor is it going to be easy. Rather, Jesus warned the man about just one of the many difficulties of following him. It would be a permanent road trip, and things might sometimes be difficult. I think those who have been following Jesus for some time can agree it’s not easy at times. 

But as followers of Christ even though it might be challenging at times, we should have one goal that trumps every agenda in our lives: how close and dedicated we can be in our walk with Jesus. See, every other religion in the world is based on their own doings and righteousness, so they must work to be enough for God. On the other hand, Jesus is more than enough, and we can be close to God by going only through Jesus. See, he is our avenue to the Father, and through following and living for Jesus, we find our purpose, calling, and very reason for being. Although at times it may not be easy, as Jesus explains, to follow him, your best life is found the closer you get to Jesus. You were created to follow Jesus, no matter the cost. 

Many Christians today have toyed with the idea of following Jesus, but when the realities of what they might have to give up or endure become a reality, they shy away from the cost, just as this scribe did. The rewards of following Jesus far outweigh the cost, and many people never take the leap to follow to truly discover this. Don’t let that be you; press in and cling tight to Jesus. No one has ever regretted making this decision. 

– Tyler