Sermon: Following Jesus

Lectionary: Proper 8(C)

Text: Luke 9:51-62

Sermon

After Jesus provided food for more than five thousand people, expectation of a conquering Messiah was high. But instead of announcing a conquering kingdom, Jesus told his disciples that he would suffer and be killed. He said to them, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit them if they gain the whole world but lose or forfeit themselves?” (Luke 9:23-25 NRSVue)

Following this Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus where he was transfigured atop a mountain and where Moses and Elijah appeared next to Jesus. They heard a voice from a cloud speak to them saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him.” (Luke 9:35b)

These events provide key narrative contexts through which today’s gospel reading can be interpreted. “Whose words and actions do we follow?” and “What does following Jesus mean?” are the implied questions beneath what we heard.

From a literary perspective, the reading today contains strong echoes and allusions to several stories concerning the last days of Elijah and the call of Elisha.[1]

2 Kings 2:1 begins, “Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven…” echoing what Luke wrote, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up…”

In 2 Kings 1, Elijah calls down fire from heaven to destroy two groups of Samaritan messengers.

In the call of Elisha found in 1 Kings 19, Elisha is called while plowing a field. Elisha says to Elijah, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” Elijah gives permission for Elisha to do so.

Elijah and Elisha are two prophets who preside over a period in Israel’s history where God works visibly and mightily to provide for and intervene on Israel’s behalf.

Jesus’ miraculous feeding of a crowd, warnings about costs of following him, his transfiguration, and his announcement of his imminent “being taken up” signaled to the disciples that something big was about to happen. However, the path and destination of Jesus would be quite different from what the disciples hoped for and expected.

Luke 9:51 to 19:28 is the largest unit in the Lucan gospel. It is referred to as the travel document or narrative since it details Jesus’ movement from Galilee to where he enters Jerusalem on what we call the Triumphal Entry. This section is Luke’s collection of events and teachings of Jesus to future disciples about what it means to follow Jesus and carry on the work of his gospel.

Let’s dig into today’s text more closely and see what else we might uncover.

First point to note is that when Jesus is rejected by a Samaritan village, he just moves on. James and John wanted to respond with violence and vengeance, as Elijah had done in their history, but Jesus does not permit it. Luke attributes the rejection due to Jesus having set his face toward Jerusalem. What this means is that the Samaritans appear to have rejected Jesus because of his convictions and what he expected to happen once he got to Jerusalem.

Some questions for us regarding this are, how willing are we to walk away from rejection without responding in kind or worse? Are we willing to let go of violence and vengeance altogether as a response, even when it challenges and threatens our core convictions? Are we willing to respect the freedom and agency of others and not attempt to force our beliefs and ways onto those who aren’t willing?

The next part of the reading contains three interactions. The first and third are about an individual coming to Jesus asking to follow him. The middle one is Jesus calling a person to follow him.

Let’s review the first interaction:

⁵⁷ As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” ⁵⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Luke 9:57-58)

This can be interpreted as Jesus describing some of the privations that might be experienced because of following him. It might be Jesus asking if this individual has counted the costs. It might be a naïve individual, upon seeing the popularity of Jesus, wants to join the bandwagon.

But there could be more. Jesus’ reply uses the term “foxes” and “birds of the air.” The “fox” was a symbol for Ammonites, and Jesus called Herod Antipas “that fox.” The “birds of the air” was a phrase used to refer to gentile nations.[2] In a veiled fashion, Jesus may have been querying this would-be follower if he really wanted to follow someone who was against the political and power structures of the world. Perhaps this individual was politically connected, or perhaps thought Jesus could be the means to it. Jesus dismantles any kind of political and power ambitions of this person.

For us, the same question is posed. Do we see Jesus and Christianity as a means for acquiring political power and wealth. Because if so, we are misguided. If someone is promising that kind of influence, we should be questioning whether the Christianity they espouse is the one of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, or something else.

The second interaction reads as follows:

 ⁵⁹ To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” ⁶⁰ And Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)

This has caused consternation among interpreters. On the one hand, interpreters have taken this to be entirely metaphorical, speaking about spiritual life and death. On the other hand, interpreters refer to a cultural practice of multiple burying events and interpret this text as referring to a second burial after the body has fully decomposed.

However, Levine, Brettler, and Bailey state that the phrasing used here strongly implies that no one has died yet.[3],[4] They explain that “Let me go and bury” is a Middle Eastern idiom used to mean “let me go and serve my father while he is alive.” Honoring one’s parents is part of the Ten Commandments, given by Moses. It is an important pillar in maintaining family and community. What Jesus is telling this individual is that following him supersedes cultural values, it supersedes even what Moses wrote down as words received from God.

But reading between the lines, it sounds like this individual is making excuses. He seems to want the praise and acknowledgment of following Jesus, but on his own terms. He wants to follow Jesus only when it is convenient.

The third interaction has some similarities to the previous. This reads:

⁶¹ Another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” ⁶² And Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62)

Whereas Elijah allowed Elisha to go back to his father and mother and leave plowing, in this text Jesus does not. Just as Jesus is greater than Moses, Jesus is greater than Elijah. The precedent set by Elijah in his call to Elisha as disciple is superseded by Jesus making new and greater demands of his disciples.

We might wonder why Jesus doesn’t even allow a quick farewell. The problem is how a Greek word is translated and what we think that means. The word ἀποτάξασθαι is translated “say farewell” here but it is better translated “take leave of” (which is how this word is translated everywhere else in the New Testament) and which can also mean “renounce.” Kenneth Bailey writes that what this means in practice is that the person is asking to return to his home and community and ask for permission to leave and follow Jesus, knowing full well that the community will not.[5]

Like the second individual, the third individual expresses performative discipleship. He wants the accolades and admiration of those who are watching and listening, but he knows that at the end of the day, he does not have to give up anything.

Taken together, our reading indicates several aspects of following Jesus. It opposes power, might, wealth, violence and vengeance upon which the world’s political, social, economic, and religious systems are built. The way of Jesus’ gospel of peace, love, and inclusion supersedes all previous religious and spiritual traditions. Following Jesus may mean having to renounce community and family ties, if they are opposed to his ways. Following Jesus is not a road to comfort, power, and wealth. It can lead to rejection, persecution, and death.

In the three dialogues Jesus had with would-be disciples, their response is not recorded. Luke asks his readers to place themselves — us —in their places. How will we respond?

References

Bailey, K. E. (1976, 1980). Poet & Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes (Combined Edition). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans.

Levine, A.-J., & Brettler, M. Z. (2011, 2017). The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd ed. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press.

 

 

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[1] 1 Kings 19:15-21; 2 Kings 1:2-16, 2:1-12.

[2] (Bailey, 1976, 1980)

[3] (Levine & Brettler, 2011, 2017)

[4]  (Bailey, 1976, 1980)

[5] (Bailey, 1976, 1980)

Sermon: Becoming Awake

Lectionary: Transfiguration (C)

Texts: Psalm 99; Luke 9:28-43a

Becoming Awake

What Would Jesus Do?

Transfiguration - Anonymous

“What Would Jesus Do?”

If you were around in evangelical Christian circles in the 1990’s, this is a phrase you probably heard frequently. Youth groups promoted this phrase and accompanying bracelets as a way of always think about Jesus when faced with decisions.

It might seem cliché, overly simplistic, and a marketing fad that has long passed, but perhaps it shouldn’t be dismissed completely. When organizations and people that wear the label “Christian” don’t always seem to follow Jesus’ way, it seems like maybe we ought to ask more frequently, “What would Jesus do?”

A better question that precedes, “What would Jesus do?” that is of more importance is, “What did Jesus teach?” Perhaps that is where we witness the dichotomy of supposedly Christian groups and people behaving and speaking in unchristian ways. Perhaps the teachings that they are hearing are not what Jesus taught, but perhaps even without fully realizing it, they are carrying out teachings that are more closely allied with the powers and principalities of the world.

A Brief History of WWJD

According to the Wikipedia page[1] on “What Would Jesus Do?” the phrase has an interesting history and one that bears mentioning. The phrase comes from the Latin, imitatio Christi, meaning imitation of Christ. Augustine of Hippo around 400 was the first to use this phrase. The first known use of the English phrase was by Charles Spurgeon in 1891.

In 1896 Charles Sheldon wrote a novel by the title In His Steps based on sermons he delivered in Topeka, Kansas. The sermons spoke to a theology of Christian socialism, which the phrase “What would Jesus do?” embodied for Sheldon. Walter Rauschenbusch was inspired by the novel and formed the beginnings of what was known as the Social Gospel. Sheldon identified his own theology with the Social Gospel.

In the 1990’s appropriation of the phrase, however, the theology around it turned more spiritual, individualistic, and divorced from meeting peoples’ needs. The response to WWJD was FROG: Fully Rely on God.[2]

The history of “What would Jesus Do?’ had very noble and serious origins. It was intended as a critique of Christianity swept up in power and wealth. But by the 1990’s it had become a marketing slogan, stripped of much of its original intent and power.

I think that trying to answer the question “What would Jesus do?” might be a stretch in many cases since we have imperfect understanding and vision. But if we could get better understandings of who Jesus is and what Jesus taught, we might have a better idea of what Jesus might likely do in each situation. We can become better imitators of Christ by getting to know Jesus better. That is the message at the heart of the Transfiguration event.

Transfiguration Announces Liberation

Our gospel reading began with, “Now about eight days after these sayings…” This should alert us that whatever it was Jesus said has relevance to what is about to happen. So, what did Jesus say?

²² … “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

²³ Then he said to them all, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit them if they gain the whole world but lose or forfeit themselves? ²⁶ Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷ Indeed, truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:22-27 NRSVue)

From this point onward, Jesus begins to speak more frequently about his impending death and resurrection. This is the subject which Jesus, Moses, and Elijah discuss during the transfiguration. The translation we heard earlier read, “…the way in which he would soon fulfill God's purpose by dying in Jerusalem.” A more literal reading is, “… and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem.” Jesus’ death and resurrection are portrayed using the metaphor of the great liberation story of Israel from Egyptian captivity. From the appearance of Moses, the mountaintop, the cloud, and more, the entire narrative of the transfiguration contains numerous echoes and allusions to the exodus story. Jesus is not just the greatest of prophets, he is the great liberator of humankind.

Liberation from what? Jesus answered it at the very beginning of his public ministry.

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

In these texts we see various forms of oppression including economic, institutional and systemic, physical, and political. All of these are included in Jesus’ liberating mission.

Asleep and Confused

Peter, John, and James, the three disciples accompanying Jesus are asleep. They wake up just about when Moses and Elijah are ready to depart. In utter confusion, Peter suggests building three tabernacles. Commentators have many opinions about this. Some think that Peter was so confused it was random nonsense. Others think it is a reference to the Feast of Tabernacles. Others think that Peter was trying to prolong the experience. And others suggest that possibly Peter was trying to memorialize the occasion.

That last one bears expanding upon because it is something that we also do. Memorializing significant experiences and events is not, of itself, a negative thing. Recalling, reflecting, and remembering the past can help ground us and give us identity and belonging.

But memorials can also cause us to get stuck and resistant to change and to new ideas. Memorials can become institutions and edifices. They can birth hierarchies and power struggles.

I’m speculating here, but maybe that’s why the cloud comes down to quash any ideas about creating a memorial. Jesus didn’t come to set up a rival to the Jewish temple. Or an earthly political movement. Jesus didn’t come to change or take control of any existing structures and systems. Rather, Jesus came to usher in something separate from the domains and dominions of this world. He came to create a new society that would, at least for a time, exist alongside current structures but whose citizens would take on the character and behaviors of Christ.

From the cloud God’s voice speaks, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” Following Christ means first, listening to Jesus. It means internalizing his mission as ours. It means prioritizing liberation as a high, if not the highest, priority of our Christian mission. It means being willing to set aside our self-interests and even our own life to bring people out of captivity and slavery. It means understanding that Jesus’ glory, and therefore God’s glory, is not in strength and might but in humble service, sacrifice, and death.

Misunderstandings

The mountaintop scene returns to its normal, mundane sight. Jesus and the three disciples head down the mountain where a crowd greets them. From among them, a man rushes toward Jesus asking for his help in curing his son’s possession by an evil spirit. For some inexplicable reason, the disciples that remained at the base of the mountain were not able to cure the son. Even though they had been granted power over demons sometime earlier as part of their mission to the world.

In what could be read as a frustrated outburst and accusation, Jesus says, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and put up with you?” This too, puzzles commentators. Why did Jesus say this, which seems be out of the blue with no reason or explanation?

What I suggest explaining Jesus’ words is a guess and should not be taken as definitive. But it does offer one way of looking at it and I hope it makes sense to you also.

What if we read it as a lament? As Jesus looks around the crowd and his disciples, he knows the clock is ticking; his time remaining is short. There is so much he has already taught and done. From the beginning he has been explaining the kingdom of God as based on principles completely opposite to what passes as expected and normal in the world. The whole concept of power and wealth are inverted in God’s kingdom. And now Jesus tells his disciples explicitly that the way to experience God’s glory is through the cross and death to self.

Even when they hear they do not understand, or they refuse to accept what Jesus is saying. Perhaps that is what Jesus means when he laments, “You faithless generation.” In modern minds, faith is often assumed to mean belief, but a better definition is trust. Is Jesus lamenting the people’s unwillingness to trust the way of weakness, humility and death as the way into and the life of God’s kingdom?

When we hear the word perverse, to us it has the sense of moral (especially sexual) deviancy. But it broadly means being against what is right or good. The word used in the Greek text[3] has the sense “to misinterpret” or “to oppose.” Immediately after the portion of Luke we heard today, Jesus once more explains that he will suffer, but the disciples could not understand it. And following that they begin to argue which of them is the greatest. Taken together, when Jesus speaks of “perverse generation” he could be lamenting their failure to perceive and understand the nature of God’s kingdom, and their continued blindness and slumber to what it means to follow him. Instead they are still focused on the kind of glory that comes through physical, military, and political power and might. They still see the coming kingdom as one that rules over others.

Confronting Demons

Jesus Casts Out the Unclean Spirit -
Konrad von Friesach

Jesus calls for the boy and as he is brought to Jesus, the boy is dashed to the ground with convulsions. Jesus then demonstrates the kind of authority, power, and mission he was called to do. He rebukes the demon and frees the boy from the oppression that held him captive.

What do demons and demonic forces represent? It is likely that because of the boy, the entire household was ostracized from community. In a society where communal belonging was primary, this would have been devastating. One thing demons represent can be anything that disrupts and destroys community; anything that causes a member of a community to be isolated and stigmatized. I’m sure each of us can think about many ways in which people in our own community, around the nation, and the world can lose community or be forced out of one with no fault of their own. Jennifer Garcia-Bashaw writes in Scapegoats,

[Jesus] healed their bodies and minds, which made them whole, but he also restored their social standing, halting the stigma that made them scapegoats.[4]

She explains a little later in the chapter,

It is not individual sins that cause illness or impairment; it is the nature of a fallen world plagued by evil and Sin. Once communities recognize that we are all part of the problem, we can move together toward being a part of the solution…

In the Gospels, when Jesus speaks of entering the kingdom, he is not referring to leaving the earth to enter a heavenly place (although this is a common misinterpretation). He is referring to participating in the divine activity and power of God’s reign—being a part of healing creation, of loving God and neighbor in our everyday living.[5]

The work of Christ and God’s kingdom does not occur at the mountaintop. It occurs in the plains, in the valleys, in the shadows, in the pits of despair.

Our Mission

Paul Galbreath writes in a commentary,

Whether it is the oppressive demons of poverty and addiction or the evil spirits of narcissism and self-reliance, Christians are called to face the power of evil in a hostile and skeptical world.[6]

Will we remain asleep while the world continues to head into increasing turmoil and violence, with thousands and millions around the world being subjected to the demonic forces of this world? Or will we awake from our slumber, catch a glimpse of the glory of Christ, become transformed and take on the work and mission of confronting and rescuing people from those demons?

In the name of God who subdued Chaos,

In the name of God who defeated Death,

And in the name of God who Breathes Life, Amen.

Works Cited

Garcia Bashaw, J. (2022). Scapegoats: The Gospel through the Eyes of Victims. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

Jarvis, C. A., & Johnson, E. E. (2014). Feasting on the Gospels: Luke, Volume 1, Chapter 1-11. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Wikipedia. (2025, February 28). What Would Jesus Do? Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_would_Jesus_do%3F

 

 

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[1] Remember when Wikipedia was maligned and when it was thought that no reputable person would refer to it? Times have changed. It is now considered one of the more reliable and reputable sources for general information.

[2] (Wikipedia, 2025)

[3] διαστρέφω, g1294.

[4] (Garcia Bashaw, 2022)

[5] (Garcia Bashaw, 2022)

[6] (Jarvis & Johnson, 2014)