aBible.com     

Luke 9:62 - All The Way With Jesus.

Luke 9:62: All The Way With Jesus.

Luke 9:62 (KJV) And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his 
hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. 

WORD STUDY

Looking back: The attitude of a person who has made a decision 
but does not live up to it ("keeps looking back"). [UBS Translator 
Handbook Series] 

CONTEXT 

Luke 9:57-62: The Cost of Following Jesus. [NIV, NLT]

   COMMITMENT (Luke 9:57-62). Many in Jesus day volunteered 
or were called to discipleship. But many fell short of commitment. 
   There was THE EAGER DISCIPLE (v. 57) who volunteered to 
follow Jesus anywhere"till Jesus warned that discipleship might be 
uncomfortable.  
   There was THE RELUCTANT DISCIPLE (v. 59) who, when commanded 
to follow, wanted to wait until his father had died and been 
buried! Jesus rejected the excuse. Go and proclaim the kingdom of 
God. There is no evidence that this reluctant disciple obeyed. 
   There was also THE SOMEDAY DISCIPLE (v. 61), who wanted only 
a little time. Just to say good-bye to the home folks. Then, 
someday soon, he would follow. This too was unsatisfactory. 
   You see, what Jesus seeks is THE NOW DISCIPLE (v. 62). Jesus 
wants the person who will put his or her hand to the plow and, without 
looking back, move straight out to do Gods will. [Victor Teachers 
Commentary] 

COMMENTARY

   The picture of a person putting a hand to the plow and 
looking back can be compared with Elijah's call of Elisha in 1 Kings 
19:19-21. Elisha was called to be a prophet right in the middle of plowing 
a field -- and he never looked back. In fact, he slaughtered the 
oxen so that they would not even be a temptation to return. Elisha 
then moved wholeheartedly into the ministry to which he had been 
called  
   Jesus explained that service in the kingdom of God was of 
such vital importance that his followers must make it their top 
priority What does Jesus want from his followers? Total dedication, not 
halfhearted commitment. His followers must accept the cross along with the 
crown, judgment as well as mercy. They must count the cost and be 
willing to abandon everything else that has given them security. Nothing 
should distract them from service for the kingdom. (Life Application 
Commentary) 

   Few invitations lead with warnings of the difficulties 
involved, but Jesus was always realistic with potential followers. The 
Kingdom is not for people who want a comfortable, easy life. It's for 
people who want a meaningful life anchored in truth. And to pursue that 
kind of life necessarily involves coming up against all its 
contradictions, both internal and external, many of them hostile. So the 
follower of this King should be prepared for some hardships, free from 
distracting obligations, and clearly focused on the goal. Looking back is 
not an option. 
   Jesus presented a picture to make His point. A farmer doesn't 
pull the plow; the ox handles that. The farmer guides the plow, and 
the only way to guide something in a straight line is to look 
forward while doing it. If the farmer turns around and looks behind, the 
furrow will be crooked. That's not the best way to work a field. The 
farmer won't cease to be a farmer; he just won't be a very good one. 
He'll need to learn his craft a little better to really be fit for the 
job. 
   Jesus isn't telling potential followers, "Suffer hardship or 
don't bother coming at all. But to experience Kingdom life the way 
we are designed to experience it, we'll have to be single-minded 
about it. The Kingdom isn't about what already happened; its about 
what is to come. And we'll need to keep our eyes looking ahead if we 
want to see it well. 
   Too many Christians are weighed down by the things in their 
past - or by the peripherals and distractions going on around them. 
Focus forward, diligently looking to see what God is doing and how you 
can be a part of it. Know that it requires constant attention and 
may involve hardship. Those who are looking for a comfortable life 
will find the Kingdom uncomfortable for now. But when you gaze into 
God's plan, everything else fades into the background. Focus brings 
clarity. And it brings the Kingdom into view. [The One Year Heaven On 
Earth Devotional by Chris Tiegreen] 

Stay Focused on Gods Plan for Your Life
   I have met thousands of people whove told me they want to 
be used by God but who will never be used by God. Why? Theyre 
too busy. Theyve got their own agenda going. Theyve got their 
plans and dreams and ambitions, and they dont have any time! In the 
midst of their busyness, they try to carve out a little sliver from 
the pie of life and say, Ill give this to God. But it 
doesnt work that way. 
   If youre serious about being used by God, you have to say, 
Lord, what do I need to let go of? What do I need to cut out? What 
barriers are holding me back and keeping me from running the race you 
have for me? 
   Lots of different barriers will hold you back from Gods 
plan for your life. One of the biggest categories: distractions. 
Jesus said in Luke 9:62, Anyone who lets himself be distracted from 
the work I plan for him is not fit for the kingdom of God (TLB). 
   Here are a few of the many things that could distract you 
from your life mission: 
   	The expectations of other people. Youve got to decide 
whom youre going to please first in life. You can only have one 
number one. 
   	Hobbies. Theres nothing wrong with these things. But 
if they distract you from the most important things, then you need 
to let go of them. 
   	Your past. Maybe you refuse to let go of your past - 
whether its guilt or resentment or grief. But if youre stuck in 
the past, you cannot get on with the present, and you certainly 
cant get on with Gods future for you. Your past is past. Its 
over! You need to let it go. 
   What do you need to let go of? The Bible says in 1 
Corinthians 10:23, Everything is permissible, but not everything is 
helpful (HCSB). What does that mean? It means this: A lot of things 
arent necessarily wrong; theyre just not necessary. Life often 
means choosing either Am I going to do something good? or Am 
I going to do whats best? 
   If the Devil cant make you bad, hell make you busy. 
Hell get you so busy that you dont have time for the important 
stuff - time alone with God, ministry, and mission. 
   You need to simplify your life and eliminate distractions so 
God can use you. Dont try to do it all. Do what matters most! 
   	What are the most important things in your life?
   	Think of some of the good things that youve put first 
in your life. How have they distracted you from the most important 
things and from Gods mission for you? 
   	Why are we so easily distracted by seemingly good things 
that are not Gods best for us? https://pastorrick.com/devotional/ 

ILLUSTRATIONS

   In today's Scripture, Jesus said, "No one who puts a hand to 
the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." 
It calls to mind the historical account of the Spanish 
conquistadors. In 1519, Hernan Cortes and a small army left Cuba and set out on 
a great conquest to find gold. To convey the seriousness of the 
mission, when Cortes landed at Veracruz (Mexico), he ordered his men to 
deliberately scuttle the ships that had brought them to land. There would be 
no "exit strategy - no turning back for the Old World. Their 
destiny was now the New World. 
   The lesson for believers is unmistakable. We need to be just 
as committed about leaving our old world, old priorities, old 
habits, and old lifestyle choices. When Jesus asks us to follow Him, it 
means not even looking back. What do you need to destroy to make good 
on your radical commitment to Him? 
   Lord, I don't even want to look over my shoulder to see if 
I've scuttled my ships. Today is all that counts. You have called me 
to take up my cross daily and follow You, and that is what I seek 
to do. Holy Spirit, please give me a forward focus today, making 
the most of every opportunity You place before me. [A Spectacle of 
Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby] 

   My four-year-old grandson is an avid bug catcher! He spends 
hours in the rock garden turning over every stone, looking for 
roly-polies or other tiny, bug-like creatures. He's extremely focused, and 
should one of us wander into the yard while he's bug hunting, he's 
happy to enlist our help with his mission.  
   As I noted my grandson's devotion to bug catching, I realized 
an important truth: If we're not willing to turn over every stone 
in our search for wholeness, we may miss some of the treasures God 
has waiting for us. He loves to reward our hard work with unexpected 
blessings, but we won't find them unless we are searching diligently. 
   Its not enough to just get by. To find true peace, 
healing, forgiveness, courage, and all the rest that wholeness provides, 
we must stay focused and dedicated at all times. We have to be 
willing to use all the resources God has provided and call on every 
person we know to help us. We have to be all in. Like my grandson, we 
have to turn over every stone. 
   Heavenly Father, put a passion and fire in my heart to fully 
commit to You and find every unexpected blessing You have for me. In 
Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by John & 
Johnny Baker] 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

   Jesus couldn't have made it any clearer. The words "follow 
Me" carry a strong and serious sense of mission. Today, though, in 
our age of easy believism, when Jesus says, "Follow Me," we imagine 
He is saying, "Try it out. See how it feels. See if it works for 
you. Give it a thirty-day, no-risk, free trial." In other words, 
though most of us wouldn't admit it, we follow Him incrementally, in 
little flashes of fervency. We're not really all in. This week, look 
through the gospels and study how seriously Jesus conveyed a call to His 
followers. Then shed any and all trappings of your old way of living. 
Disentangle yourself from every bad habit, and then turn and follow your 
Lord. You are a follower of Jesus, so don't look over your shoulder at 
what you might be leaving behind. The path ahead is so much brighter 
and better with Jesus leading the way. 
   Lord, today is all I have. I can't make up for not following 
You yesterday or last week. And I wouldn't presume to boast about 
how I will follow You tomorrow. Today You are saying to me once 
again, "Follow Me," and I am faced with the choice all over again. I 
choose, dear Lord, to follow wherever You lead. [A Spectacle of Glory by 
Joni Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby] 

   Follow Me" is still Christ's word to men.... It is his 
universal call to men, a call in which He claims authority, and assumes 
ability to guide, and lead, and deliver; a call in which He insists that 
those who come after Him must believe in Him and demonstrate their 
belief by obedience.... 
   But there are difficulties in the way. There are those . . . 
who are supremely conscious of their own need of just that which He 
claims to be able to supply, who, in their deepest heart intend to 
follow Him, but . . . "I will follow Thee, Lord; but.... " And the 
following never begins. 
   My message . . . is that the claims of Christ are such that 
everything which comes after the "but" needs to be resolutely put out of 
the life. There can be nothing after such a "but" as that, which 
warrants the halting of a soul.... That which comes after that "but" is 
that against which you must fling all the force of your resolve; for 
the ending of it, the putting away of it, you must bring to bear 
your own will and choice, and henceforth say to Him: "I will follow 
Thee, Lord." G. Campbell Morgan [Spirit Filled Life Devotional SB] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20080522-0856.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo [old, but one of the best] 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782

Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE

Musical Devotional On Christian Living: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/

ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK 

Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657  

Last Day Prophecy: His Other Sheep by Pastor Gerald Babanezhad: 
https://vimeo.com/162267518