Advent - Luke Chapter 9

This is part of a series exploring Luke’s Gospel for the Advent season. One chapter a day for the first 24 days of December. (We’ll see how we go!) I hope you enjoy and that you know God near this season :)

- Jeff

Luke 9:57-62 present a stark challenge. I don’t feel comfortable with it. (Maybe that says something about me.)

Sometimes it’s easier to give up - or it might seem like it at the time. The exhortation from Jesus in verse 62 sounds very tough.

Perhaps the scariest part, though, comes earlier, in verse 57. The would-be follower of Jesus is super-willing: I will follow you wherever you’re going.

Oof. At what cost?

1. No comfortable place to live (Luke 9:58)

2. No higher loves - a different set of priorities (Luke 9:60)

3. No turning back (Luke 9:62)

Not easy.

If you turn over to the next chapter (Luke 10), Jesus appoints seventy to go ahead of Him to the places where He was going. Two things here:

1. He sends them ahead of Him. Yes, we are called to follow Jesus; but are we happy to go where He sends us? Like John the Baptist, preparing the way of the Lord is a high calling.

2. Seventy were willing to go. You’re not alone in this.

So, even in a challenging passage there’s encouragement for us. Sometimes we just need a little nudge.