If you pause and chew on it a bit, it’s actually kind of chilling. They are words spoken by Jesus which, seems to me, might be considered among Jesus’ more harsh words. They hit as kinda’ judgy. After all, declaring someone “unfit”? Well, that just seems unfitting for the One who also said, “Come to Me, all . . . ” (Matt. 11:28). Here, you read them. What do you think?

Yet another said, “I will follow You, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

(Luke 9:61-62 ESV)

“I will follow You, Lord.” Check! Very good. Way to pray the prayer.

“But first, let me go say my good-byes to my family.” Sounds reasonable. But nope! Buzzer rings! Big red cross appears! Not fit for the kingdom of heaven. What?!? Not leaving such a good taste in my mouth. What’s going on here?

Well, this is the third of three “following Jesus” stories recorded by Luke. The first guy (gal?) volunteers to follow Jesus — I’m in, Lord! He says, “I will follow You wherever You go” (9:57). To which Jesus replies, in essence, I’m not so sure you’ve really grasped what it is to follow Me. For, “foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (9:58). Does your “wherever” include “nowhere”?

The second “follower” is called of Jesus. “Follow Me” the Master says. This guy (gal?) is in but with a “but first” request — a request that seems kind of legit. “Let me first go and bury my father” (9:59).

Jesus sees something amiss here (maybe the guy’s (or gal’s) dad isn’t even dead yet). Regardless, the “but let me first” condition seems incompatible with the “Yes, Lord” response. Yes Lord, . . . but let me first. So, Jesus says, no, let the dead bury the dead. “As for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (9:60). Priorities, man. Go first. Seek first (Matt. 6:33). Proclaim first the kingdom of God.

And then we get to the “unfit” guy (or gal). The one who, like the first guy, volunteers and like the second gal, has a “but first let me” condition. The one who puts their hand to the plow and looks back.

The one who is in, but just mostly in. The one who’s running the race but who, rather than pressing on with eyes only for the prize at the finish line (Php. 3:14), finds themselves looking back over their shoulder wondering if they’ve left something precious back at the starting line. The one who’s presented their body as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1) but keeps wanting to scoot off the altar. The one who — way too close for comfort — is way too often kind of like me. Though I love to sing, “No looking back”, sometimes I find myself . . . well, looking back.

But Jesus says, I want guys, I want gals, who are all in. I encountered the biblical language for it earlier this morning in my 1Chronicles reading as David prayed for his people and for his son.

O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of Your people, and direct their hearts toward You. Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, performing all . . . ”

(1Chronicles 29:18-19a ESV)

Hearts directed to God. Whole hearts ready to follow in all His ways. Those are kingdom hearts. Fit hearts. All in hearts. Not half-hearts. Not ‘but first me” hearts.

So how “fit” am I for the kingdom? Not too fit — if it solely comes down to whether or not I, on my own, am fully in. But really, absolutely, positively, unalterably fit if I’m all in because I’m wholly in Christ.

While I want to be whole-hearted, Jesus actually is whole-hearted and without wavering. And I am in Him. So much so that it’s no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me (Gal. 2:20). His whole-heartedness is my whole-heartedness. His absence of “me first” is credited to my account even as I continue to battle with the old man who constantly wants to say, “Yes Lord, but let me first . . . “

So, yeah. These words can be kind of chilling and judgy if it’s just about my ability to gut out whole-heartedness or my self-discipline to keep from looking back. But to know that I am fit for the kingdom because Jesus is fit? To know that I am fully in because Jesus is fully in? To be in because I’m in Christ? Well now, that sends chills down my spine, too — but for a very different reason!

So, let’s go ahead and declare, “I have decided to follow Jesus!” Grab the plow! No looking back . . . mostly . . .

O, what a Savior!

What amazing, abounding, and unfailing grace.

Only for God’s glory.

Amen?