Embracing the Call to Follow Jesus
In Luke 9:61-62, there’s a conversation that, at first glance, seems almost like a casual exchange, but as we dig deeper, we find a powerful message embedded in it. A man approaches Jesus with a sincere desire to follow Him, but with one condition: “Lord, I will follow you; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.” On the surface, it seems harmless. After all, who wouldn’t want to say goodbye to their loved ones before embarking on a journey? Isn’t it respectful, even loving, to want to make sure your family is well taken care of before leaving them behind?
But then, Jesus responds in a way that feels almost harsh at first: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” This seems severe; why would Jesus respond this way to a man who is simply trying to be considerate?
The answer lies in understanding the metaphor Jesus uses. To understand what He means, we need to step back and look at this from the cultural and historical context of the time. In ancient Israel, plowing a field was no small task. It wasn’t something you could do absent-mindedly or without focus. Plowing demanded total attention, focus, and effort… still does in my book. A plowman couldn’t afford to glance over his shoulder at the past while trying to plow a straight row. If he did, the lines would be crooked, the work would be inefficient, and ultimately, the harvest would be poor. The focus had to be ahead. There was no time to look back.
Jesus’ use of this metaphor is brilliant. He is not just speaking to the man in front of Him, but to all of us. He’s making it clear that following Him requires total focus, total commitment. This isn’t about a casual commitment. It’s not about choosing Jesus only when it’s convenient or when it fits into our plans. Jesus is calling for a radical commitment—a commitment that leaves no room for looking back at what’s behind us.
To follow Jesus is not just about moving physically from one place to another. It’s about a whole-hearted, unwavering commitment to the task He’s called us to. The man in the story may have had good intentions, but his heart was divided. He wanted to follow Jesus, but his attachment to his past, to his home, to his family, was still too strong. He was still holding on to the comfort of what he knew. Jesus’ response is a challenge to him, and to all of us, telling us that if we’re going to follow Him, we can’t keep clinging to the past.
Let’s pause and think about what Jesus is really saying here. This is not a casual invitation. It’s not about being a fan of Jesus or just admiring His teachings from a distance. Following Jesus is a total life decision, one that requires a surrender of our own plans, our own comforts, and yes, sometimes, even our relationships. The kingdom of God isn’t something we can enter into while still holding onto the things that pull us back. To follow Jesus, we need to leave the past behind, much like a plowman has to focus on the straight row ahead. There is no room for distraction, no room for hesitation.
In the original Greek, the word Jesus uses for “looking back” (ἐπιστραφείς – epistrapheis) has a connotation of turning away from the path, of reorienting oneself toward something behind, something that distracts from the journey ahead. It’s not just about a quick glance over the shoulder; it’s about a deliberate turning away from the course you’ve set, choosing to go back to something that is no longer part of your journey. This is important. The word isn’t passive. It’s active. The man wasn’t simply thinking about going back home. He was actively considering it. This is why Jesus’ words are so powerful.
When Jesus talks about putting our hand to the plough, He’s talking about the work of the kingdom. He’s not asking for a casual, part-time commitment. He’s asking for everything. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This is the kind of commitment He’s talking about here. Deny yourself. Take up your cross. The cross wasn’t just a symbol of suffering, it was a symbol of complete surrender, of choosing to die to self. And to follow Jesus means to live this way. It means choosing Him above everything else, even the things that we might hold dear.
And that’s where it gets tough. The man in the story didn’t want to give up everything. He wanted to follow Jesus, but he still wanted to hold on to his past, to his family, to his home. And who can blame him? Those are things that give us comfort. Those are the things that make us feel secure. But Jesus is telling us that we can’t follow Him with one foot in the past. We can’t be half-hearted in our commitment. We can’t move forward with Jesus while still longing for the past.
What does this look like in real life? It might mean walking away from relationships that are holding us back from fully pursuing God’s calling. It might mean leaving behind a career or a lifestyle that isn’t aligned with what God is calling us to do. It might even mean making tough decisions about where we live or how we spend our time. It’s not easy. But Jesus is clear: the kingdom of God requires a commitment that looks ahead, not behind. It requires us to put our hand to the plough and never look back.
Jesus wasn’t asking the man to be rude or disrespectful to his family. He was asking for total commitment. The man’s attachment to his family was not a sin in itself, but it was distracting him from the call of God. And in the same way, our attachments to the past’, whether it’s people, places, or things, can distract us from the work God has called us to do. We have to be willing to leave those things behind if we’re truly going to follow Him.
In our modern world, the pull of the past can be even stronger than it was in Jesus’ time. We live in a world that constantly reminds us of what we’ve left behind; whether it’s social media, old friendships, or even the material comforts we’re used to. There’s always something pulling at us, trying to bring us back to what we knew before. But Jesus is asking us to look ahead, to keep our eyes fixed on Him, and to trust that the future He has for us is far better than anything we could cling to from our past.
The kingdom of God is a forward-moving force. It’s not static. It’s not about holding on to the things that make us feel comfortable or secure. It’s about embracing the unknown, the future, with faith and trust in the One who holds that future. Jesus is inviting us into that future. But in order to step into it, we have to leave behind the things that keep us from fully embracing it.
Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. It’s not a casual decision. It’s a radical one. It’s about making a choice to deny ourselves, to let go of the things that hold us back, and to move forward in the work of the kingdom. It’s about being fully committed to the call, not distracted by what’s behind us. And it’s not always easy. It’s hard to leave behind the familiar. It’s hard to let go of things we’ve known our whole lives. But Jesus promises that the kingdom is worth it. The life He offers is worth it.
When we choose to follow Jesus, we’re not just choosing a new way of living, we’re choosing a new way of seeing the world. We’re choosing to look ahead, to trust that God’s plans for us are far greater than anything we could plan for ourselves. We’re choosing to be part of something bigger, something eternal, something that will never fade. The kingdom of God is a powerful, moving force, and we are invited to be part of it. But in order to be part of it, we have to commit to it fully.
The call to follow Jesus is urgent. It’s not a suggestion, it’s a command. Jesus is calling us to put our hands to the plough, to commit fully to the work He’s given us. There’s no time to look back. There’s no time to hesitate. The kingdom of God is before us, and it’s worth everything we might have to leave behind.
So, are we ready to follow Jesus without looking back? Are we ready to commit fully to the work of the kingdom? The future He has for us is bright, filled with purpose, direction, and joy. But we have to trust Him and let go of the past in order to step into that future.
And THAT, is….
image generated by chatgpt at my direction