SACRIFICIAL COMMITMENT

Luke 9 – a narrative

ENERGETIC companies sometimes advertise themselves as those who work harder than their competitors. They see it as having a competitive edge to gain an advantage.  

Jesus’ disciples are not to be competitive over achievements and status (vv 46-50). They do, however, face a stiff challenge to work harder and go further than anyone in a non-Christian frame of mind would normally consider possible or desirable.

This chapter stresses sacrificial commitment. The twelve are to travel light on their mission (vv 3,4; cf. 58). The poor cannot receive the gospel as good news from people who roll up in stretch limos. The disciples must take on the principle of incarnation which Jesus had embraced.

His call to everyone to “take up the cross daily” (23-26) is the offer of a one-way ticket. There’s no return to the old ways of life (vv 24,25). Paradoxically, we will lose our spiritual well-being (and by extension our general well-being) by clinging to the old life of self-interest. It is a clear message for all to understand.

That is hard. It is to resist the spiritual and emotional equivalent of the physical survival instinct which fights for life when faced with the prospect of extreme danger to life or of imminent or impending death. Committing oneself to Christ is not the same as choosing between equally valid options of joining a golf club or squash club. It’s more like choosing to work for a pittance in a Third World country rather than stay at home and become unhealthy and being unconcerned with anything of a healthy lifestyle.  

The recently bereaved man (vv 59,60) and the one who wanted to say goodbye (vv 61,62) may have been approaching discipleship equivocally. Jews were always respectful of the deceased and supportive of families. Jesus would not have been harsh and callous. He simply stressed that his mission takes priority over everything, however valid the argument might be.

Most of us want to have our cake and eat it, which isn’t possible in Christian discipleship. Later, Luke repeats the challenge, unique in the Gospels, to count the cost before following Jesus (14:25-35). The evangelist’s message here is of the high standards Jesus has set for Christian discipleship.