You Go And Proclaim The Kingdom

   As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
   Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
   He said to another man, “Follow me.”
   But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
   Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
   Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
   Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

                                                                                    Luke 9:57-62 NIV

"Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go.." That sounds kind of harsh, doesn't it?  The reality is that if we are really going to follow Jesus and proclaim the Kingdom of God we will have to give up a few things in this world. 

As a minister to the people, Jesus moved around a lot. He had no home; other than his mother's home and the homes of friends. As he traveled from place to place his ministry; his preaching; his teaching, was not about clinging to things of this world. It was about proclaiming the kingdom of God. In order to follow Jesus there will be at least a few worldly things we may have to leave behind. Those things might be fancy homes or cars. Those things might not even be things; but, people. We may have to leave behind family and friends. That may because we are called to a different location than where they are at. It might also be because they turn away from those who would follow Jesus. We may suffer loss in this world as we proclaim the Kingdom of God. We will have to change our priorities as we set out to follow Jesus.

But, those losses; those sacrifices, which we might have to face have been faced by multitudes of Christians before us and who are with us now. How much time did Paul spend in prison? Prison was his home for a lot of his ministry. Jesus was a wandering preacher who gave his very life; his last breath as man, so that all who believe in him might live eternally in that Kingdom that we are called to proclaim. And, what about the Father? His Father, our Father, gave His only begotten Son to suffer and be executed on the cross as an atonement for ours sins that we might live eternally in His presence; in His Kingdom.

Following Jesus is an awesome gift; a great privilege. But, it is not about gaining things in this world. It is about the promise of eternal life in the presence of God Almighty, in His Kingdom, beginning today!

Follow in the footsteps of Jesus and live life in the presence of God! Live life most fully!

God's Peace - Pr. J