Sermon July 12, 1998 Fit for the Kingdom based Luke 9:62

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

But Jesus said to him, no one who lays his hands on a plow and looks behind is suitable for the kingdom of God.

Introduction

When you are driving in the farm field for planting, tilling, or harvesting, it is important to drive straight according to the rows. I first learned this from a seventh grade student whom I had in confirmation instruction during my vicarage. This youth had the habit of helping his grandfather with the field work, but shared with me how his grandfather was critical of his driving. If you don't drive straight down the rows all sorts of problems result.

Jesus must have known the same lesson which He gave in our text to illustrate His point. If you put your hand to the plow but then you turn your head around, you are not of much use.

Many people have trouble when they are not focused on the path they are plowing. Have you ever tried to drive your car while looking out the side window. Looking out the back window would be even harder. You can't drive a straight line if you are not looking where you are going.

Bidirectional Plowmen

This subject comes up with our Lord over three different would-be followers. They wanted to follow Christ, but they also wanted to do other things at the same time. They were willing to grab on to the plow, but they had their heads turned back toward other interests. Christ needed to deal with these "bidirectional plowmen."

The first comes up to Christ and offers to follow "wherever you go." This plowman must have had his mind on the comforts of the world, however, at the same time he expressed interest in following Christ. Therefore, Jesus says He doesn't have a place to lay His head. In other words, it is not going to be a comfortable ride. Jesus strikes this plowman with the reality that being a disciple involves bearing a cross, enduring suffering, and making sacrifices. If you want to follow Me, Jesus would say, you better not be looking back for the comforts of the world. This plowman was sent on his way with the Law pointing out his own sinful desires for worldly comforts.

The next follower is one who is called by Jesus. He approaches him and asks him to "Follow me." His reply is that he needs to bury his father first. Jesus' reply back is "Let the dead bury their own dead..." This precise reply of Jesus' came as a result of Jesus' power as God to know all things, including this man's thoughts. What are we to make of it, however? Was Jesus suggesting that we not be concerned about burying the dead? Probably not. I would suggest one way for Jesus' reply to make sense is if this man's father was not yet dead. He may have been elderly and approaching death. When Jesus asked the man to follow Him, the man was more concerned for caring for his dying father.

But what of the spiritual state of his father. If he were not a believer in Jesus, then Jesus would consider him dead, that is spiritually dead. So, the meaning of Jesus' statement would then be that the spiritually dead should bury the dead. After all, when physical death reaches the unbeliever, their future is sealed. They have no further opportunities to believe. Therefore, rather than worrying about the physically dead, we ought to worry about the spiritually dead. We ought to worry about those who still have the potential of eternal life. How about this plowman's father? If he were yet living, then this man ought to be witnessing to his father, and sharing the good news of Jesus. This is what Jesus directs him to do when He says, "...you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." This man was sent away with the message of his own sinfulness at not proclaiming the Gospel above all things. He heard the Law from Jesus pointing out his own sinful distraction away from the primary task we should all be about, witnessing to others.

The third plowman was ready to follow Jesus, but he kept looking back to those at his house. He wanted to say good-bye to them. His focus was not on the task at hand. Rather, his attention kept looking back. The Law comes from Christ, to point out his sinfulness in failing to put God first. For this man, first came the tending to the family, then the Lord.

All three plowmen were bidirectional, with their hand on the plow going in one direction, but glancing back in the opposite direction. Jesus said they were not fit for service in the kingdom of God because of this. Jesus desires disciples and followers who are dedicated to their work. He doesn't want part time Christians. There are no vacations from the Lord.

Elisha

The calling of Elisha as a prophet in our Old Testament lesson today provides a nice complement to our text and Gospel lesson. God told Elijah the prophet, in one of his more discouraged moments, that he must call and anoint Elisha to succeed him as prophet. I don't know if this cheered up Elijah or not, but he seems to simply be obedient to the Lord's request.

He went and found Elisha plowing a field with 12 pairs of oxen. That seems like a large number. Perhaps he was dealing with rocky ground or soil compacted beyond our experience today. Twelve teams of oxen were pulling a plow. This had to be quite a task to get them working together and to keep them going in the row. Elisha had to be focused on his task. In the Hebrew behind our English it says the Elisha passed by Elijah when Elijah took action. We can well imagine that Elijah didn't want to stop these 12 pairs of oxen once he had them going. Elijah just has a moment when Elisha is passing by. So Elijah grabs his attention by throwing his coat around Elisha.

It certainly did get Elisha's attention. He let the oxen go and ran back after Elijah. It must not have been an ordinary coat the Elijah threw around Elisha, but probably it was the garment or uniform of the prophet. Elisha knew it meant he was to take over for Elijah eventually. He was chosen. He was anointed.

At first, Elisha shows great dedication. He lets the oxen go and drops the task he was about, and switches to what God wants him to do instead. Then he shows some of the same weakness the would-be followers of Jesus showed in the Gospel reading. He says he is willing to follow Elijah after saying good-bye to his father and mother.

Elijah gives him permission. He says, "Go back. What have I done to you?" Taking this words at their simple meaning, we would say that Elijah feels he has not obligated Elisha to follow yet. He has done nothing yet to Elisha that would prevent him from going back.

Yet, pondering this more, Elijah's statement seems troubling. He has done something to Elisha. He has anointed and chosen him. By throwing his uniform around Elisha, Elijah has done something which should obligate Elisha. Perhaps, then, Elijah was being sarcastic. We can't really tell if there is a sarcastic tone in the English or the Hebrew behind it. Yet he could be saying he really has done something to Elisha.

Elisha does go back. In the process, however, he shows his dedication to his new calling. In saying good-bye to his parents, Elisha kills the oxen he was using, and cooks the meat using the wooden implements with which he was plowing. He gives up his old way of life and prepares to follow Elijah whole-heartedly. He is not going back to farming.

The Row We Plow

As we consider these plowmen, these prophets, disciples, and followers of our God, we are wise to reflect on ourselves. How is it that we do at following the Lord? Do we put our hands to the plow and keep going straight in the direction God gives us? A little reflection reveals that we don't plow a very straight row either. We are constantly turning back and looking over our shoulders.

This is our sinful nature at work. As the Epistle said, "the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature."

Each of us has different distractions in this life which keep us from focusing fully on the Lord. For some, worldly comforts are a distraction. They worry about their shelter and food. They are distracted with their jobs and money. They focus on entertainment. They worry about their appearance. They focus on their health. Various worldly affairs keep others from looking ahead. Things that matter for this life only seem to take priority over tasks of eternal importance. All of us have our distractions. All of us fail to look ahead, toward the goal of our Savior Jesus and the eternal life He promises us in heaven. Our plowed rows are not straight. And we are not fit for service in the kingdom of God.

The Master Plowman

It is to our benefit that we have someone else who plowed our way to heaven. This master plowman, Jesus kept a straight row. He didn't turn around, but rather kept His eye on where He was going. The Gospel reading today points out this devotion of Jesus. He "resolutely set out for Jerusalem," says the beginning of the reading. It literally says that He set His face toward Jerusalem. Physically, Jesus kept Himself facing Jerusalem. This is how the people of the Samaritan village could tell that Jesus did not really have business there, and so they did not welcome Him. Rather, Jesus' business was in Jerusalem. His business in Jerusalem was to go to the cross for us. This business is what the Gospel of Luke from our reading onward builds up toward. Jesus is plowing with one goal in mind, and He doesn't look back. On to Jerusalem. On to be arrested, suffer and die for someone else's sins. For our sins. Jesus was fit for service in the kingdom of God, and His service was to die for all people.

This is to our benefit. Jesus died for our sins. He brings us forgiveness. Though we are not fit for service in the kingdom, Jesus transfers His "fit-ness" to us. Though we don't deserve to go to heaven, Jesus sacrificed so that we can go there.

For each of our failures at keeping our eyes on where we are going, Jesus forgives. For all the times we put the hand to the plow, but look back, Jesus cancels. When we are distracted by the comforts, events, and trivial things of this life, Jesus deletes our sin. Though we are not fit to plow our own way to heaven, we have one who takes us there. He showed unswerving dedication to His task of giving His life for us. Let us follow the one who paved the straight path for us, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.