CANDIDATES FOR DISCIPLESHIP
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. Luke 9:57-62
B. These events in the life of Christ are often overlooked by
many, but they should not be. They can furnish important
lessons for us.
C. We will label these three candidates for discipleship as:
1. The impulsive candidate.
2. The procrastinating candidate.
3. The wavering candidate.
D. Let's examine these and see if we can gain some profitable
lessons.
I. THE IMPULSIVE CANDIDATE. Luke 9:57-58
A. This one was enthusiastic about following Christ. He said,
"Lord, I will follow you wherever you go."
1. Many people are like this. They have good intentions,
become very enthusiastic, but for various reasons, soon have
a burn-out and quit.
a. Their enthusiasm is very short-lived. They fail to have
long-term commitment in doing God's will.
b. They are like the seed which fell on stony ground. Mark
4:16-17
B. Look at Jesus' answer. "Foxes have holes and birds of the air
have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
1. Jesus is showing the man that following Him will be
difficult, because He doesn't have as much as a place to
sleep at nights.
a. Jesus is emphasizing the cost involved in being a
Christian. He wanted him to be aware of the sacrifices
and hardships.
2. Luke 14:26-33
a. Jesus prepared His disciples for hard times ahead. Matt.
10:21-22; John 16:1-4
b. Many people see the reward but not the struggle. There
can be no crown without the cross.
c. Jesus also would have his disciples avoid criticism.
Luke 14:28-30
(1) The person who starts to follow Christ but turns
back into the world is criticized by both the world
and the people of God.
(2) Even the world does not like a weak person. Both
Christians and the world admire the bold and the
strong.
d. Christ pleads for all to accept his call, but He wants
them to first count the cost. He does not want weak or
lukewarm disciples. Rev. 3:15-16
II. The second man: THE PROCRASTINATOR. Luke 9:59-60
A. This man unlike the first, did not volunteer to follow Jesus
but was urged by Jesus.
1. Jesus said, "Follow me." He urges all to follow Him. Matt.
11:28-30; Rev. 3:20; 22:17; Matt. 22:1-5; Luke 14:16-24
a. The Lord's invitation is couched in very beautiful
poetical words.
b. Let us not make light the Lord's precious invitation.
B. The man said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."
1. This man was concerned about the wrong burial. Being
buried with Christ is the burial all should be truly
concerned about.
2. His response implies his intention to follow Jesus later.
3. This man was delaying following Christ and was using
burying his father as an excuse.
4. Many are like this today. They have all good intentions of
serving God, but not now. Thus, they give all kinds of
excuses for not doing God's will now.
C. Notice Jesus' reply to him: "Let the dead bury their own dead,
but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
1. In other words, "Let the spiritually dead bury the
physically dead."
2. Burying the dead is important, but others can do that.
a. It has been my experience that the people of the world
are usually very diligent in taking care of those
affairs.
3. Jesus did not teach people to forsake responsibilities to
family, but he often gave commands to people in light of
their own inward needs. This man was putting family first.
a. Jesus was able to look into the heart of the rich young
ruler, and know exactly what he needed. Mark 10:21-
22
4. Procrastination keeps us from doing what we ought to do.
a. People put off obeying the gospel and becoming a
Christian.
b. Members of the church put off attending, praying,
studying, visiting, aiding those in need.
c. Jesus would say, "Follow me. Don't use the less
important things of the world as an excuse. Let the
world (the spiritually dead) take care of mundane things
of this life, but you follow me."
5. Jesus said, "...But go and preach the kingdom of God."
a. Thus, an important part of being a disciple is teaching
the Word of God.
b. We all are evangelists. We are the servants who compel
others to come into the kingdom. Luke 14:23
c. We sing forth the praises of Him who called us out of
darkness. 1 Pet. 2:9
III. The third person: THE WAVERING CANDIDATE. Luke 9:61
A. Like the first man, he volunteered.
1. Like the second man, he also had a problem. He said - Luke
9:61.
2. Jesus replied - Luke 9:62
a. Anyone plowing a straight furrow must keep his eyes
fixed on an object ahead.
b. There is a similar illustration handed down from early
pioneer preachers. They said, "When one crosses a
swollen stream, he must keep his eyes focused on a rock
on the other side. Don't look at the rushing water for
you will loose balance and be swept away. Just keep
your eyes on the rock and steadily walk across." The
application was: One must keep His focus on Christ.
B. The man of our text had his eyes in the wrong direction.
1. If he had gone back to bid farewell to his family and
friends, they probably would have discouraged him from
following Jesus.
2. Anyone who looks back to his former interest, will not be a
devoted disciple.
C. We must keep our eyes on the heavenly goal.
1. We must keep our minds on things above, not on things on
the earth. Col. 3:1-3;1 Pet. 1:13
2. Our attention must be focused on following Christ. We must
be "single minded" in following Him.
a. Luke 17:32 - Lot's wife no doubt still had interest in
the things of her home. She lacked faith in the things
God had said by His angels. Gen. 19:26
3. Again, the Christian must have singleness of commitment to
Jesus Christ. We must not "look back" to the things of this
world.
4. Devotion to Christ must reign supreme, before family,
worldly interest, or self.
a. With our focus wholly on Jesus, we will not allow
anything to distract us from following Him.
Concl.
A. These three men called Jesus "Lord," but it is doubtful if any
of them went on to be true disciples.
B. The three illustrate vital conditions which must be met in
order to follow Christ.
1. Luke 9:57-58
a. We must count the cost and pay the price. Let us not
have short-lived enthusiasm, but serve with dedication
and commitment for the long term. We know that
difficulties and hardships will come, but we will run
with patience the race that is set before us.
2. Luke 9:59-60
a. Some things in life are important, but none are as
important as serving God. Nothing should take
precedence over our service to the Lord. We will let
worldly people take care of the mundane of this life.
We are ready evangelists of the gospel of Christ.
3. Luke 9:61-62
a. Let us keep our eyes focused on the heavenly goal. We
will not give family and friends opportunity to
discourage us. Our devotion to Christ reigns supreme.
We serve Him with gladness and singleness of heart.