To Follow or Not To Follow, That Is the Question
Elaine Poproski Download: Audio
Click here to read the Sermon.
Scripture: Luke 9:51 – 62
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. Read more…
Looking to Sunday
by Elaine Poproski
This afternoon I’m sitting in Walmer’s Theatre, where our new library is looking more and more inviting, the temperature is cool, and the memory of gathering together around the Communion Table last Sunday continues to make me smile. I hope those of you who were here last Sunday will come back and I hope some of you who were unable to be physically present will give it a try this week. There really is something special about gathering with other people in a shared space to worship God together. As thankful as I am for Zoom, it simply cannot compare to being together physically.
When we gather this Sunday, we will sing together, we will pray together, and we will reflect on Scripture together. This Sunday we’ll be reading from Luke’s Gospel about some people who thought they wanted to follow Jesus and some other people who didn’t want to follow Jesus. None of them knew what following Jesus meant. You can read Sunday’s passage ahead of time; it’s at Luke 9:51 – 62.
This is one of those passages in the Bible that’s easy to skim over and ignore. I don’t think we do that because it’s simple or because there’s nothing in it for us. I think we’re maybe tempted to skim over this one because it’s very hard. Jesus invited a man to follow him, and when the man said “sure, but let me bury my father first,” Jesus moved on without him. Jesus invited another person to follow him, and he also said, “sure,” but he wanted to say goodbye to people before he left. So Jesus moved on without him. This is really harsh. Jesus’ words in this passage are uncompromising and carry no hint of the compassionate Jesus we love to read about in the gospels. On Sunday we’re going to reflect on this harsher version of Jesus. We’re going to be invited to consider how his words to those he invited in these verses, resonates with us. After all, we have all received that same invitation to follow from Jesus. We continue to receive that same invitation to follow, from Jesus.
As you prepare for Sunday, perhaps spend some time reflecting on what you understand following Jesus to mean. Maybe put yourself in the shoes of those nameless people from Luke 9:51 – 62 and imagine your response to Jesus and his response to you.