The following is from Life, Letters and Sermons of T.B. Larimore, pg. 147,148

It is human to stand with the crowd; divine to stand alone.  It is man-like to follow the people, to drift with the tide; God-like to follow a principle, to stem the tide.  It is natural to compromise conscience and follow social and religious fashions for the sake of gain or pleasure; divine to defy fashion and sacrifice both gain and pleasure –worldly glory, too- on the altar of truth and duty.

“No man stood with me, all men forsook me,” wrote the battle-scared apostle Paul describing his first appearance before Nero, to answer for his life for believing and teaching contrary to the Roman world.  Loyalty and truth have been out of fashion since man changed his robe of fadeless light for a garment of faded leaves.

Noah built and voyaged alone.  His neighbors laughed, doubtless, at his strangeness and perished in style.  Abraham wandered and worshipped alone.  Sodomites smiled at the simple shepherd, followed the fashion and fed the flames.  Daniel dined and prayed alone.  Elijah sacrificed and witnessed alone.  Jeremiah prophesied and wept alone.  Jesus lived and died alone.

Of the lonely way his disciples  should walk, he said, “strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  Of their treatment by the many who walk in the broad way, he said,  “If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”  

The church in the wilderness praised Abraham and persecuted Moses.  The church of the Kings praised Moses and persecuted the prophets.  Caiphas praised the prophets and persecuted Christ.  The church of the popes praised the Savior and persecuted the saints.  And multitudes now, both in the church and in the world, applaud the courage of the patriarchs and prophets, the apostles, and martyrs; but condemn as stubbornness, ignorance or foolishness, like faithfulness to truth and duty today.

Wanted, today:  Men and women, young and old, who will obey their convictions of truth and duty at the cost of fame, fortune, friends, and life itself.
 

And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:61-62)

Tucumcari, New Mexico is situated on a well traveled highway that connects the east with the west.  While I lived there my office was just few blocks from old Route 66.  It was quite often that a transient would knock on the door of the church building looking for food and gas money.  “Well”, I said to one beggar, “the local church is only authorized to help saints from its treasury.”  His next question should have been anticipated:  “What does it take to become one”?

We do ourselves and others a great disservice when we fail to clearly spell out the high cost of following Jesus.  Churches might have fewer people, but those they have will really be pledged to Christ.  Jesus never invited anyone to follow him under false pretenses.  

In the context we have three possible followers of Jesus.  The first candidate (Luke 9:57,58)  made a hasty promise:  "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."   Here is a man of impulse who never really counts the cost.  The Lord reminds him that there will be no guaranteed reservations at the motel.  Following Jesus does not assure the comforts of the world.

The second one (Luke 9:59) wants to join the Lord after he has first buried his father.  Jesus points this would-be disciple to the urgency of preaching the kingdom.  We must cease upon the opportunities when they present themselves.  When a conflict arises between human ties and Christ, He claims first place.

The third candidate wants to first go bid his family good-bye.  He wants to be a disciple without the sacrifice.  He was not motivated by the importance of the mission.

Consider Jesus’ reply to this third candidate:  "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  Success in discipleship first demands our full concentration.  To take our eyes off of the task ahead may result in a crooked furrow.  Many worldly things easily distract us from our most important work.  We must have a steadfast eye.  We must contribute all of our strength and energy to His cause.

Jesus is worth the very best we can offer.  Our work is clearly laid out for us.  “I have decided to follow Jesus.  No turning back.  No turning back.”

By George Slover 

 

Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:59-60)

The advertising slogan of a well known insurance company is:  “Life comes at you fast”.  Indeed it does.  It always amazes me at how quickly the week ends only to start another.  The months and years pass by so fast.  Our lives are so full of activities- school functions, ball games, vacations, and civic duties.  It is hard to find time for God.

God must be first in our thoughts.  Connecting with God is a prerequisite to a successful walk with him.  Do you engage in daily Bible reading, meditation, and prayer?  (Psalm 1;1,2)  Is a daily devotional at the top of your list?  Do you give time to spiritual thoughts only when it does not crowd other things out, or is the rule of God the passion of your life?

God must be first in your decisions.  Life is full of decisions such as what kind of career will I pursue, where will I live?  Band, athletics, speech, drama, and homework all compete for the time of our children.  All of these are important to the development of the child, but none of them as significant as learning that God must come first.  When I choose a place to live which is more important – living in a popular neighborhood or living closer to my spiritual family?  I’ve seen so many disciples choose the neighborhood over the spiritual family and before long God is forgotten.  

God’s family must be the first of your associates.  God chose the local church as the organization through which to accomplish his collective work.  He knew that his people would need spiritual oversight, accountability, and encouragement.  A truth loving, service oriented church is vital to our spiritual growth.  Our society is full of para church organizations that compete with the local church.  These organizations include so-called “spiritually minded” folks that subscribe to the “salvation by faith only” doctrine and other denominational doctrines.  It concerns me when brethren make stronger connections to these organizations than they do with God’s people.  

God’s image must be reflected in our character.  Everyday we live and breathe and work with worldly people.  The selfish attitudes and value system of the ungodly are imposed upon us.  God saved us from sin to serve, not to be served. (Mt. 20:28)  We are to be noted for kindness and gentleness, but if God is not first, it is easy to imitate the rudeness and crudeness of the world.

Life does indeed come at us fast and before we know it – life will be over.  God has a life policy that insures much better promises than anything the world offers.  For that reason it is absolutely essential for us to make time for God.

By George Slover 

 

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)Then the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded-to the king's satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king's signet ring. And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions. (Esther 3:12-13)
 
During the days of Xerxes, king of Persia, a decree was issued that on an appointed day all of the Jews would be killed.  This was done according to the counsel of Haman, the king’s jealous, power – hungry prime minister.  According to Persian custom such decrees were deemed irrevocable.  No one including the emperor himself would remove it.  Thus, in the early phases of this story it appears that the Jews are doomed to die.  However, by the God’s providence, the Jews are spared from this slaughter by another irrevocable decree (Esther 8:10-14).  This second edict was heralded throughout the empire, that the Jews would be permitted to protect themselves from their adversaries.  This new decree provided a way of escape for the Jews.
 
Like those messengers of the Persian Empire, God has employed his messengers to herald two irrevocable principles.  The first was plainly stated by Ezekiel:  "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (Ezekiel 18:20)  This principle not only applies to those in prisons for some heinous crime, but to every person that is accountable to God.  (Romans 3:23)  God, being infinitely holy, will not lower his standards!  Thus, sin separates mankind from God.
 
Thus, God has issued another irrevocable decree.  It was stated well by the author of Hebrews: “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him..." (Hebrews 5:8-9) God is heralding to the sinner a message of reconciliation through his Son!  It is offered to anyone who will obey the Lord (Acts 2:37,38).
 
The Jews in Esther’s day recognized both a decree to destroy them and a decree to save them came from the same king!  We too must believe that the King of kings is on our side.  So, “be reconciled to God.”  (II Corinthians 5:20)
 
By George Slover