First, Let Me Bury My Father

Not too many years ago I wanted to write a book. I had a plot, a title, and a cast of characters to bring it all to life. I was excited about the idea. But, there were many things going on in my life at the time. Some of them had a legitimate urgency attached to them.

So, I made a list of things I would need to get done before I started my book. I came up with a list of eleven different things that I needed to get finished before I started my book. Disappointingly, while I was ‘something less than whole-heartedly’ trying to get those eleven things off my plate, others kept finding their way onto it.

If you’re wondering, I actually did get my book started, about eight years later. If you’re wondering, I haven’t finished it yet. Had I started writing with the fervor that I first felt when I got the idea, it would have been finished easily in a couple of years. Currently, I’ve got eight chapters finished and haven’t written a chapter in about two years. Obviously, this approach is not the kind of approach that works for bringing a project to a satisfactory completion.

This approach is also not the kind of approach that is going to bring a satisfactory completion to a Christian life either. God does not appreciate such an approach to Him. Luke related the following story to us in Luke 9:59-60, “Then He said to another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” When a second man made a similar request, Jesus summed up His response to this attitude in verse 62, “No man having put his hand to the plow , and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Some of the things that Jesus said seem harsh to people living today, as they probably did to the people to whom they were spoken. (Although I believe Jesus was using the man’s statement about his father as a metaphor for things we allow to pull us away from Him. ) I think we all must agree that Jesus intends for people to know that following Him is not a game. He was not playing around. He was the Son of God come down from Heaven and He was committed to giving His life on the cross. He was worthy of telling people who only half heartedly committed to Him that they were not fit for the kingdom of Heaven. And that is not all He had to say about this matter.

In Matthew 10:37-39 He says,”He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Jesus says in no uncertain terms that there are people who are not fit for the kingdom of God and who are not worthy of Him. Do you want to be one of those people? Are you one of those people?

“Those” people Jesus is speaking of here are not people who are indifferent to Him and His kingdom. Nor is it those who are actively working against Him and His kingdom. To be sure, He addresses such people and makes their fate clear in other places.

In the verses given above Jesus is talking to and about people who believe in Him, and accept Him, and have a willingness to follow Him, but are not willing to make a serious commitment. It is to such people that He says. “You are not fit for the kingdom of God and you are not worthy of Me.”

Of course, the fact is that none of us are worthy of Christ, and none of us would be fit for the Kingdom of God without God having graciously bestowed His righteousness on us through the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. I think what Jesus is saying is that some of us, even after Christ gave His life and God would gladly give us a righteousness not our own, but His, - even after that, some of us - are still not able to be fit for His kingdom because of our attitude.

Are we like the church in Laodicea? “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish that you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ - and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked - I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments that you may be clothed , that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and annoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” Those are the words that Jesus spoke to the church in Laodicea.

The Laodiceans believed in Christ. They acknowledged who He was and had, somewhere floating around in their mind, the intention of serving Him, but they weren’t committed to the idea. They had a “yeah, well, OK” attitude.

“We see what we’re supposed to do, so we’ll try (a little) to get it done. But you have to understand, our kids have got games on weekends, sometimes during the week. They’ve got to get their homework done and that won’t happen unless we miss church on Sunday night and midweek, what with the sports teams and other activities they’re involved in. Also, we’ve got some family trips and vacations planned and they’re just chock full of things that make it impossible for us to worship during those times. But, at home, we’ll be there on Sunday mornings, and we’ll sing and commune and give and such. We may not make it in time for class, but we’ll be there. You can count on us. I mean, church is a big deal to us.”

Jesus says, “You say you’re rich, but you’re poor. You say you have everything you need, but you’re wretched, miserable, blind and naked.” Jesus says, “You’re not fit for the kingdom of God, you’re not worthy of me, and you make me vomit, and what I vomit out is you.” Jesus actually says that about some people. There He goes being harsh again.

He’s just truthful, and sometimes that hurts. But it is reality. These people said they were going to follow Jesus, but they meant after the ballgames were over, or when there were no other activities to get in the way. They meant they would follow when there were no other things going on that they would rather do, and apparently there are some things they would rather do.

Jesus spoke some very important words of help and encouragement to the Laodiceans. A few paragraphs before this one it was pointed out that none of us have sufficient righteousness to be fit for God’s kingdom, but that out of God’s grace and mercy and love, He provides His own righteousness to us through the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. When Jesus counsels the Laodiceans, who think they have it all, to buy white garments from Him that the shame of their nakedness won’t be revealed, they are naked in that they have no righteousness of their own. The white garments with which He can clothe them are the righteousness that He can provide. They need to doctor their eyes so that they can see the truth of their situation and not believe a lie that may seem pleasant but is not real.

When John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, Stephen, and others put their hand to the plow, they didn’t look back thinking how it might be easier. They faced forward and moved straight down that row even though it meant their death. And that meant their salvation.“Be thou faithful to the point of death and I will give you a crown of life.” Rev. 2:10.

To turn back, to want to hang on to things that would hold you back from moving forward with Jesus makes you unworthy of Jesus. He died for you. It makes you unfit for the kingdom of God. It means God’s righteousness does not apply to you. You are naked. You have no righteousness of your own. It means Jesus will vomit you out of His mouth.

Here are a few suggestions for a positive change in your Christian life. Be faithful in your attendance at worship. Don’t miss because it makes your life easy. Go to extra events: fellowship meals, men’s breakfast, church work days, ladies’ lunch, benevolent volunteer days, etc.. Give to good works beyond the offering (and give to the offering as well.) Set a time for Bible study at home and do it. Study, don’t just read (but also read.) Pick at least one positive thing you can do on your time and prioritize it. Some examples would be: mailing encouraging cards to church members (and others) who are ill or struggling on a weekly basis, randomly mail similar cards to church members just because. Employ Biblical principles in your dealing with others and let them know you’re trying to be a servant of God. Guard your language and what you say about others.

Above all that love God, Jesus, His word, His church. If you accomplish that one sentence, everything else will fall in place. Loving God as He desires is probably our biggest failing. Then. after all the above, go bury your father.