Tuesday, June 30
Read: Luke 9
In verses 57-62 Jesus makes an analogy that anyone who puts their hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God. In those times the plows they used were hard to handle especially while trying to direct the ox that pulled the plow as well. Plowing a field took intense concentration and focus on what was going on ahead at all times. If one was to look back all the time while plowing he’d lose control of the ox and the plow and would be stumbling all over the place.
Can you think of why Jesus used this specific parable? How does it parallel to our Christian walk and faith?
Read Philippians 3:12-14 and 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. How are these two passages similar to the one in Luke?
Let’s look at the examples of the farmer and an athlete and how they compare. A farmer is a busy man. He has many responsibilities in maintaining a farm: plowing, planting, watering, growing, pruning and all sorts of other tasks. If he fails to properly maintain his farm it will not produce the fruits he wants it too.
Likewise an athlete needs to keep his body in excellent physical condition if he wants to play his sport well. As well as spending many hours a day in cardio and weight training they eat healthy foods. They take their jobs very seriously and want to be the best they can be by disciplining their bodies. If they don’t, then on game day they’ll fail their teams and themselves.
Just like a farmer or an athlete stays focused it is important that we stay focused by keeping our eyes on Jesus and disciplining ourselves into submission to Christ.
It is easy to look back on our pasts and long for the way we used to be, but when we do that we tend to get back into old habits creating stumbling blocks and we miss out on the blessing of the prize we are after.
Throughout this chapter Jesus warns us that following after him isn’t going to be easy. He says we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow him (v. 23).
Through spiritual disciplines we train our hearts and minds to be like Jesus. We begin to think, act and talk like He does. But this isn’t an overnight type of transformation. This takes years of hard work, discipline and above all, love and devotion for Jesus. We cannot become like Him if we do not take the time to find out who He was, what He stood for and how He loved people.
Process:
-What are some things we need to be doing as Christians to stay focused on Jesus?
-Are you disciplined in these practices? (prayer, reading the bible, meeting together with other believers, accountability, service)
-When we discipline ourselves into doing these things what is the fruit?
-Do you often look back at who you used to be before you came into a relationship with Jesus? Do you find yourself longing for that person? How has that caused you to stumble?
-Do you find that when you are disciplined in these things “looking back” is not such a temptation anymore?
-It is impossible to serve the Lord if we refuse to let go of old habits and patterns of life from the past. What habits are you not letting go of? Spend some time in prayer asking God to help you let go of those old patterns and habits and to be clothed in Christ (Romans 13:14)