Luke 9:51-62 (Sermon Scraps)

Year C (Proper 8 [13], Pentecost +6)
Luke 9:51-62

Context: Jesus begins his journey to Jerusalem.

Location:  On the road; they’re traveling through Samaritan villages.

Characters: Jesus, James, John, disciples, 3 would-be followers

Notes:

9:51- This is a turning point in the Gospel.  We, as post resurrection readers of the story, know what happens in Jerusalem.  

9:52- The whole Luke-Acts narrative is about Jesus joining the mission of God and inviting the reader to join that mission as well.  Here, some messengers are sent and they too become joiners in the mission of God by going ahead of Jesus.

9:53- The towns could not understand Jesus’ divine mission centered in Jerusalem.  They could not see outside their own religious cultural norms to grasp that Jesus is joining the mission of God.  They could not receive God because He did not match their expectations.

9:54,55- I wonder if these verses and this commercial have anything in common. The disciples don’t get it.

9:56- Jesus is trying to find a place to rest going from village to village.  Maybe to prepare himself for the physical and emotional journey to the Cross.

This is the beginning of three success stories of would-be disciples. 

9:57-First Story: Person comes to Jesus. The person tells Jesus that they are willing to follow Jesus wherever he goes; a rash statement.

9:58- Jesus responds by giving a metaphoric warning from nature.  Animals have a natural home, but Jesus and by default his followers do not have an earthly place to which they can call home.  The person who comes to Jesus has not counted the cost of what it means to follow Jesus.  

9:59- Second Story: Jesus calls a person. But, the person want to put off the call until his obligations are completed.

9:60- I wonder if the first “dead” is in reference to those who do not understand The Kingdom of God.

9:61-Third Story: Person comes to Jesus with a condition.

9:62- Jesus tells him not to look back.  Jesus’ requirement of the person is more stringent than 1 King 19:19-21.

(Check back, more to come)

-jpserrano