Many years ago, we had guests in our home when our first born was only a few months old. Our home visit got a late start because we didn’t meet up until after an evening church service. Our friends were of the grandparent age and were lovin’ on our daughter. They were holding her, rocking her, and paying all kinds of attention to her. It was very sweet for the first 2 hours. But then the third hour of their visit came, and it was now approaching 11 PM. I had to go to work the next day, and we were both pretty tired from a day of ministry at church. Our daughter needed to be fed and put to bed more than an hour ago…and they just could not seem to understand the lateness of the hour. How do you graciously say it is time for you to leave? “Boy, if I were somewhere right now, I would be going home.” Or how about, “this has been such a nice time…you should come back again some time when you can’t stay so long!” Or maybe, “well folks, it is past our bedtime. We are heading off to bed now, please lock up when you leave?”
Ugh. Do you know when it is time to leave? I’m not referring to your social gatherings in your friend’s home. I refer to the reality of needing to leave the busy schedule of your life for rest or for time to follow Christ with full abandon. Our late-night visitors had personal motivations that conflicted with our own motivations. Sometimes our personal motivations to follow Jesus conflicts with our calling. It is vital to understand our true motivations for following Jesus. Today we will continue studying Matthew 8 and see three different types of disciples (or followers of Jesus Christ).
The MOTIVATED Disciple (8:1, 18)
What motivates you to follow Jesus? Multitudes surrounded Jesus at the beginning of chapter 8. Matthew 8:18 repeats the understanding of multitudes surrounding Him, but this verse also gives the Lord’s instruction to depart – to step away from the crowds and evaluate motives. No doubt, many of the crowd were following Jesus to simply see the next great thing Jesus would do…perhaps they even hoped they would personally benefit from a miracle. Jesus is about to explain that following Him had less to do with what I get from Jesus and more to do with what I give to Jesus or give up for Jesus! This type of motivation is rooted in the love of Jesus.
Matthew 8:18 seems like a verse that is simply the “transition scene.” However, there is a cultural significance here. Take note of these 5 observations:
RETREAT: Jewish culture of the time often saw religious leaders looking for crowds of people to follow them and thereby legitimize their teachings. Jesus makes a countercultural move and retreats from the crowds. This choice CLARIFIES THAT JESUS CHRIST’S MISSION WAS NOT ABOUT POPULARITY OR CROWD APPEAL. His mission was the obedience to the will of the Father who sent Him.
MOTIVATION: The people were often following Jesus to see what amazing miracles He would perform next. Matthew 8:18 redirects the attention of the people as Jesus is about to challenge their motivations in the next few verses (Matthew 8:19-22). What is your motivation for following Jesus?
BARRIERS: Jesus gives the instruction to go to the “other side.” This would require them to cross the sea of Galilee and most likely enter Decapolis (which was made up of 10 cities in the eastern Roman Empire). This will mean that this religious Jewish leader, Jesus Christ, is leading His disciples to cross ethnic and religious barriers. The gospel has a universal scope! It does matter what past sins you have committed, what ethnic background you have, or what economic background you have – God sent His son to save the world and that includes everyone (John 3:16-18)! Jesus saves!
DIRECTION: Jesus leaves a place of comfort to go into a place with potential opposition and foreseeable challenges.
STRATEGY: This move to the other side includes time away from the crowds, but it is clearly a strategic move to challenge cultural expectations on leadership and to challenge the motivations of the crowds.
On March 4, 1841, William Harrison, the 9th President of the United States, delivered what proved to be, the longest inaugural speech on record. It was nearly 9,000 words long, and despite efforts from his staff to convince him to shorten it, President Harrison insisted that the nation needed to hear the whole thing. So, for nearly two hours, in the rain, on an unseasonably cold day, the President stood and delivered his address, word for word. History tells us that in the days following his inauguration, President Harrison got pneumonia and then died exactly one month later on April 4, 1841. (Source: Unknown)
It could well be said that no president has ever said more and done less. In comparison, Jesus spoke only 45 words on the cross, yet it could be said of Him, that no man ever said less and did more.
LESS IS OFTEN MORE! Sometimes more spiritual work that glorifies God can be done with less extra things in our schedule.
Sometimes it is necessary to separate yourself from the hustle and bustle that surrounds you. Today families have crazy schedules filled with activity: school, homework, sport practices and games, over time at work, meeting up with friends, attending another house décor party, shopping, music practices and programs, the PTA, second jobs (and sometimes a third job). Before we realize it, every night of the week is scheduled out. We are exhausted – and who wouldn’t be!? We hardly know those who mean the most to us because we spend so little time with them – even though we are with them often! Our relationships are struggling and falling apart … this is NOT what the LORD intended.
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
When was the last time you took time to regroup and reevaluate your stewardship of time?
The COVETOUS Disciple (8:19-22)
A scribe approaches and swiftly declares His intention to follow the Lord. One would think it might be best to encourage a scribe! After all, he would be able to accomplish more than several fishermen!! However, the Lord sees his heart and responds according – I don’t have a place to lay my head and so you shouldn’t expect anything more. It is very probable that this man had seen the miracles of the Lord and hoped for some advantageous ways, if connected to the Lord. Only the Lord could see this scribe’s covetous, worldly heart, and called him out with this warning. We are given no indication that the scribe follows the Lord.
What is more valuable? A man who is only on the team to become popular and rejects most of the coaching or a man who is on the team because he loves playing the sport and follows the coaching to help the team? The one who loves the sport and has a teachable spirit! Right?
What does God desire? A Bible scholar or a man with a pure heart? Pure heart will win the day every time! This man in Matthew 8:19-22 is a scribe, intellectual, valuable, and seemingly useful man. Logical reasoning would seem to indicate a scribe would be a valuable asset to the team! However, it is the true condition of our heart that the Lord knows all too well and will expose to us over time! The pure condition of the heart is “the true valuable asset to the team!” The powerful impact of these verses is how the Lord is highlighting the real demands of following Jesus!
The PROCRASTINATING Disciple (8:21-22)
The second man promises to follow after he has buried his father. Was his father already dead? Impossible. Luke 7:12 shows us the practice was to bury the dead the day they died. Perhaps the case here was a man with an aged father? Nevertheless, there are always excuses we can find to say after “this or that” then I will follow the Lord! Perhaps for some, this just isn’t the right timing to take on a new endeavor for the Lord…and yet for others, it will never be the right time!
We say “after the holidays, I will eat healthy” --- “after the winter, I will exercise” --- “after this video game, I will clean my room” --- “after I’m done talking to my friend on the phone, and there’s still time, I will go to church or have my devotions” --- “after I get what I want, I’ll have a better attitude” --- “after I have a close friend, I will treat others better” --- and the list goes on!
Justifying my delay to live for God can seem very logical…even spiritual, but it can also deadly. (Prov. 14:12; Luke 9:23)
Through the years, and in numerous books, a story has been told. Although there is no verifiable source for the material, I believe the story gets the point across. It goes like this: During a visit to NASA in the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy saw a janitor carrying a broom. He walked over and asked, “What do you do here?” The janitor responded, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”
Motivation transforms how we see our work. It’s not just what we do—it’s why we do it. Even the smallest task can have kingdom value when our heart is in the right place (Colossians 3:23). Why do you follow Jesus?