ESOCS Devotional 7 August 2023
MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:60 NKJV
TEXT: LUKE 9: 51-END (KJV)
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
John MC Neil, who preached along a famous American preacher, D.H. Moody was scheduled to begin a series of meetings in England.
He was told on a day the meeting was to commence that his father was dead. They told him to cancel or postpone the services that everyone will understand. John replied, “This same Jesus told me and seemed to say, “Now I have you. You go and preach the gospel to those people. Would you rather bury the dead or raise the dead? And I went to preach.”
Another example closer to us is when late Super Apostle General Bodunrin of blessed memory was in the middle of a full service and he was informed that his child was dead. He refused to be distracted but told them to carry the child by the altar. At the end of the service, the child sneezed and opened his eyes. The whole congregation stood, praising God Almighty for such wonderful act.
From these introductory stories, you definite will start understanding what Jesus meant by the statement above. “Let the dead bury the dead”. You have to urgently reach out to those that spiritually need to be reached urgently before they are destroyed by the wickedness of this world. The call of God is urgent and need not be postponed, delayed or put off to another opportunity because they may not be again. The call of Jesus Christ in this instance was so urgent and so required urgent response which was not forthcoming because of mortal blindness which veiled his understanding to that urgent response required.
However, the man he asked to follow him excused himself for something and for some reason! Maybe his priority was first to go and burry his father, first to secure his in heritage. He was hesitant because he lacked knowledge of how important the call of Jesus was, in his life and also all human in general this is further supported by Hebrew 3:15 “As has been said today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart has you did in the rebellion. In essence, Jesus was pointing to the fact that the cares of his world are dead things and so must not be held dear to our heart but should be left to go. We must therefore release from our heart because they are all vanities. Vanities because they are materialistic.
Spiritually dead people are tired down by the care of this world and in that manner exhibit the pride of life which must be jettisoned for us to be able to respond to the urgency of the gospel. The whole essence is to be discipled and also make disciple of many to Gods glory.
- Giving priority to the things of God anytime they call becomes very important to our life at all times.
- Heavenly father do forgive me for being tired down with the glittering of the world giving little or no attention to the Eternity that matters through Christ our LORD. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Judges 15:1-8; Jonah 1:1-16; Luke 9:51-end; Acts 27:9-26
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ESOCS Devotional 7 August 2023
