Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” 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.” Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matthew 8:19-22)

Follow Me Requirements

Jesus lived a very austere life. He was born to a poor family from Nazareth and was known as the son of a carpenter. Nazareth was a town of no significance. When Jesus began His ministry, He owned no land, held no position in society, and did not come qualified with an education common only to the fortunate few. In the three years of His ministry, Jesus traveled around Israel with His disciples depending on the care of others like Mary Magdalene, Joanna (the wife of a steward of Herod), Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. It was a hard life.

Multitudes in the thousands followed Jesus. The man from Nazareth had many disciples, twelve of whom were chosen to be His apostles. Jesus would travel throughout Israel as far north as Tyre and Sidon to Bethany near Jerusalem. A scribe approached Jesus and proclaimed he would follow Him wherever He went. The motive of the scribe is unknown but suspicious. Did he want to declare his allegiance to Jesus for worldly gain? Did he have self-confidence that made him unsuitable for discipleship? Jesus’ answer lends to understanding the heart of the scribe. Following Jesus came with a cost. The Lord sought no earthly gain or fame. He had no place to call His own; although He owned everything in the world. Jesus did not have a home on earth.

Another came to Jesus wanting to follow Him but with conditions. Again, a heart desires to follow Jesus but only as life permits opportunity. The man asked permission to bury his father before committing to discipleship. In the days of Jesus, when a person died, they were buried the same day. A period of mourning for three days would follow, allowing family and friends to visit and comfort the family. Before the fourth day, the grave was sealed as the body began to take on physical manifestations of decay. The man asked Jesus to give him time to mourn for his father, and then he committed himself to Jesus.

The Lord was not being unkind or inconsiderate to the one seeking to bury his father. There was nothing more that could be done for the father. The three days of mourning were customary but unnecessary as the body could be buried and life returned to its normal activities. Following Jesus took the heart of a man committed to the Lord first without the world’s attachments. Family was important, but the work of the Lord was of greater importance. Jesus reminded the man in a gentle manner that following the Lord was sacrificial. The love of parents, siblings, spouses, or children could not be more important than the life of discipleship. To follow Jesus demanded full allegiance to the cause and work of the Lord.

Two men came to Jesus, desiring to be His disciples. What they did not count on was the cost of discipleship. The life of a Christian is the most wonderful and rewarding experience anyone can have. There are innumerable blessings, both physically and spiritually, that come from the hand of God freely. Desiring to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is the highest calling anyone can long for. Like the two men who approached Jesus, discipleship is also a discipline requiring a cost to be paid. The life of a Christian can be difficult. Living righteously in an unrighteous world is conflict. The carnal flesh and the spiritual heart are not compatible. If someone has followed Jesus and has never been challenged because of their faith, they have not been following Jesus.

The Christian life comes with a cost. Family is important, but it is not the priority. Allowing family matters to come in between service to God destroys the unity of the spirit. There are requirements to follow Jesus. It takes a dedicated heart to grow and learn in the knowledge of the grace of God. There will be times when hard decisions must be made for the glory of God. A Christian must live separate from the world. To follow Jesus is to put Jesus first – in everything. No exceptions. Are you ready to follow Jesus? It leads to the throne of God.