LUKE 9:51-62

51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.

53 But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 

55 But he turned and rebuked them. 

56 And they went on to another village.

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”

62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

He who hesitates is lost.  That’s something my father always used to say.  Come to think of it he usually said it when we sat down at the table for supper.  He who hesitates is lost. Do you ever say that? It’s very similar to the motto that was made famous in the movie “Dead Poets Society.” Early on in that movie Robin Williams turns to his students and says, “Carpe Diem…Seize the day.”  In other words don’t be a person who procrastinates.  Don’t be a procrastinator when a decision needs to be made or a dream needs to be followed or a problem needs to be tackled.

The best thing you can do is follow the example of the little old lady who picked up the phone one day and called her local hospital.  “I hate to bother you,” the little old lady said in a sweet and gentle voice.  “But would it be possible to speak to someone who can tell me how a patient is doing?”  The little old lady’s sweet and gentle voice reminded the receptionist of her own grandmother.  “Well,” she said, “we’re not supposed to give out any patient information but I’ll see what I can do.  What’s the patient’s name and room number?”  The little old lady thanked her and said, “Norma Findlay, Room 302.”   The receptionist then put the little old lady on hold and called the nurses’ station on the third floor.  A few minutes later she came back and announced, “I have good news for you.  Norma’s nurse just told me that she’s just fine. All her tests came back normal and her doctor is going to let her go home tomorrow morning.”  The little old lady was thrilled.  “That’s wonderful,” she said.  “I was so worried.  Thank you and God bless you.”  “You’re welcome,” the receptionist said. “Is Norma your daughter?” she asked.  “Oh no,” the little old lady replied.  “I’m Norma Findlay in Room 302.  Nobody tells me squat.”

Carpe diem.  Seize the day.  After all, he who hesitates is lost.  In other words don’t be a person who procrastinates; and that’s especially true when it comes to following Jesus. Do you ever procrastinate when it comes to follow Jesus? Unfortunately, some people do. Just look at the three would be disciples who came to Jesus after he announced that he was going to go to Jerusalem.

By the way, the fact that Jesus “set his face” to go to Jerusalem proves that he wasn’t a procrastinator.  Jesus knew that he was going to be crucified when he got to Jerusalem but that didn’t stop him from going to the Holy City.

Maybe that’s why Jesus wasn’t willing to cut those three would be disciples any slack when they came to him.  When the first would be disciples said he wanted to follow him, Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”  In saying that, Jesus was letting the would be disciples know that he, Jesus, was a marked man.  Jesus had nowhere to go where he could feel safe and secure.  In saying that, Jesus was also letting the would be disciple know that if he followed him he, the would be disciples would also be a marked man. After hearing that the would be disciple changed him mind and decided not to follow Jesus.

The second would be disciple also said he wanted to follow Jesus but he needed to go and bury his father first.  Instead of encouraging him to do that Jesus told him to let the dead bury the dead.  Now I’ve got to tell you that that isn’t as harsh as it sounds.  That’s because it wasn’t as if the man’s father had just died.  Don’t forget. Jewish tradition says that when someone dies you have to bury the person within 24 hours.  So, if his father had just died the would be disciple wouldn’t have been standing there talking to Jesus.  He would have been off somewhere making the arrangements to bury his father.  No, this is what the would be disciple was really saying: “I want to follow you Jesus but not yet. I’ll follow you after my father dies.”

The second would be disciple was also a procrastinator and Jesus called him on it.  Jesus did the same thing with the third would be disciple.  He’s the one who had to go home and say goodbye to his family.  Jesus knew though that if he did that there was a chance that he would never come back.  That’s why Jesus said, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

So, Jesus met not one, not two, but three procrastinators that day and the message here is clear.  When it comes to following Jesus don’t be a person who procrastinates.  Sometimes though you end up doing that without even realizing it.  For example, Jesus said, “love one another even as I have loved you.” but then there’s that heart to heart talk with your sister or friend or neighbor that you’ve been avoiding.  Jesus said that when someone sins against you, you have to forgive that person seventy times seven times but then there’s that grudge that you’re holding on to. Jesus also “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  Just look at all the people though who take a vacation from God when the summer rolls around.  Jesus also said, “Do not store up for yourself treasurers on earth where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in an steal.”  Just look at all the people though who are addicted to their high tech gadgets and gizmos.  Just look at all the people who stood in line this past week because they had to be one of the first to have the new iPhone.

When it comes to money and material things and following Jesus let me give you a little pop quiz. Suppose it’s the middle of the summer and you’re getting on a train.  While you’re doing that one of your sandals slips off your foot and lands on ground.  The train is already pulling out of the station.  So, there’s no time to retrieve the sandal. What do you do?  I think a lot of people would panic. I think a lot of people would hollar, “Tell the conductor to stop the train so I can get my sandal.”  It’s to late for that though and when it becomes clear that the sandal is gone for good I think a lot of people would feel upset, sad and angry. By the way, you can call that the USA Principle.  In this country we’ve become so possessed by our possession that when we loose them we feel upset, sad and angry.

This hypothetical scenario actually happened many years ago to Mahatma Gandhi. His reaction though was very different. He didn’t get upset or sad or angry.  Do you know what he did?  He calmly took of his other sandal and threw it onto the ground next to the first sandal.  When someone asked him why he did that he replied, “Now the person who finds the first sandal will have a pair that he can use.”

When it comes to money and material things Jesus doesn’t want you to follow him tomorrow or a week from tomorrow. Jesus doesn’t want you to wait to follow him when it comes to forgiving someone or helping someone or making some changes in your life.  Jesus wants you to follow him now because he knows that if you follow him he will lead you to a much better life.  He’ll lead you to a life full of grace and goodness, a life full of happiness and hope, a life where you begin to see what’s really important.

He wants to lead you to a life that was pictured in a poem that I heard someone read recently at a funeral.  The poem is called “Dust If You Must” and it goes like this:

Dust if you must, but wouldn't it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not always kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.

When it comes to following Jesus it’s true.  He who hesitates is lost.  She who hesitates is lost.  They who hesitate are lost.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

June 27, 2010