Jesus shines a new light on many of the teachings of the Old Testament. In Proverbs 22:6, Solomon tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” In numerous places throughout the New Testament we are told by the Messiah one simple thing, “Follow me…” Let’s take His message and apply it to Proverbs. And we will add even more light to the previous post, About my Fathers business. We will be looking at Luke 9:57-62.

 “And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

We see in these verses that they all have excuses for why they are not wanting to do as Jesus put it, “he that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple.” Are you holding on to possessions? Are you worried about your family? Are you spending too much time looking at and dwelling on earthly things? Are you truly letting go and giving the Lord everything that you have? I could give other examples but there is one very simple golden rule, WWJD, What Would Jesus Do? If He wouldn’t be doing it, chances are, we should be working at getting away from those things, as we draw closer to Him.

We may take time in doing so. Some things will be more difficult then others. Although, as we draw near to Him by putting our full trust in Him, He draws near to us. Let’s now look deeper at the teachings of Jesus from Luke and tie them into Proverbs 22:6. To follow the Lord means to be in the same way with, down a road, to accompany Him as His disciple. We will be looking at the original Greek here in a minute. Christ also tells us, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” As previous posts have covered in depth some of the understandings and principles of this verse, we will focus in on when Jesus says, “but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” He tells us, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God .” Let’s look closely at the word follow and the word fit.

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As we have learned or are learning the Way of Life which is Jesus Christ, we are given a very specific commandment. “Go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” As well as a warning. “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God .” The word fit means, well placed, appropriate, or meet. If we aren’t sharing His good news, who we are, what we are doing here, what He did for us, how He set us all free, and teaching the principles and the ministry of the Messiah, there is a good chance that we are still holding on to something. Because we aren’t loving our neighbor as ourselves, and showing them what the Spirit is revealing to us. As we consider Lot’s wife, we don’t know for sure why she was still holding on, but she was. It is time to let go. It is time to put our full faith and trust in the Lord God. Forsake everything. Does it truly matter what is happening in the world? Does it matter what your friends and family are doing? Don’t you just want to go home, to our Heavenly Home?

As we are letting go of our flesh, our lusts, our passions, our desires, and our wants, He fills us. As we are seeking Him, He leads us. As we spend time in His Word, He guides us. Luke 9:58 is about total abstinence. “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication (sex).” See the Bible Study page, read the first three articles, watch the videos, and you will begin to understand why. Luke 9:59 is about asking for the liberty to get rid of all of the problems that you have before you go and share His Word. Why, because we are of our father the devil. Paul made it abundantly clear, “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I… O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” None of us are 100% without flaws. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” And Luke 9:61 is about letting go of your friends and family. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Brethren, go and share the Good News of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we do, we fully understand, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Or, we have the words of the Messiah to ponder once again, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Don’t be as Lot’s wife. The Lord starts with us where we are. He changes us from the inside. He will transform us by the constant renewing of our minds, “that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” As a child is molded by their parents, we are molded by the Lord. As we grow through faith, letting go, we age. As the principles, understanding, and the Spirit grow within us, we learn more and more what it means to walk in the Spirit. And we, “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God,” so that those around us may pluck and eat from the everlasting Gospel of Peace.

May you be blessed in a full understanding of the Love of God: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Jonathan Heller – Lift Up A Banner