The Cost of Following Jesus A Study of Luke 9:57–62

 

The Cost of Following Jesus

A Study of Luke 9:57–62

Following Jesus is the greatest invitation ever given—and the most demanding. In Luke 9:57–62, Jesus encounters three would-be disciples, each expressing a willingness to follow Him. Yet Jesus responds with sobering words that reveal the true nature of discipleship. These verses confront us with a simple but piercing question:

Do I truly understand what it means to follow Christ?

1. Discipleship Requires Sacrifice (vv. 57–58)

“I will follow You wherever You go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

The first man enthusiastically proclaims his desire to follow Jesus. His words are bold and impressive—“wherever You go.” But Jesus immediately exposes the reality behind such a claim.

To follow Christ means embracing a life where comfort is not guaranteed. Even animals have predictable places of rest. Jesus often did not.

True discipleship means Jesus comes before personal comfort. Christ is not inviting us to a life of ease. He is calling us to a life of surrender. The question is not, “Will Jesus fit into my life?” but “Will I give my life fully to Him?”

2. Discipleship Requires Urgent Obedience (vv. 59–60)

Jesus said to another man, “Follow Me.” The man replied, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus answered, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

This man doesn’t reject Jesus—he simply wants to delay obedience. His request sounds reasonable. Yet it reveals divided priorities.

The phrase “bury my father” likely means waiting until his father eventually died, a cultural expression meaning: “Let me take care of my responsibilities first—then I’ll follow You.”

Jesus’ response shows that delayed obedience is disobedience. Christ’s call is urgent because His mission is urgent. The spiritually dead can care for ordinary life matters, but those who belong to Christ must put His kingdom first.

Following Jesus requires a willingness to rearrange life, not ask Jesus to wait.

3. Discipleship Requires Total Commitment (vv. 61–62)

Another said, “I will follow You, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

This third man wants to follow Jesus and maintain ties of loyalty to his old life. He has good intentions—yet he is torn.

Jesus uses the image of plowing: if a farmer looks back, the row becomes crooked. Likewise, a divided heart creates a crooked path.

Jesus does not accept half-hearted disciples. He requires a forward-fixed gaze: no looking back, no divided loyalties, no competing “firsts.”

This doesn’t mean Christians abandon love for family; it means Christ must be the supreme love. Anything that competes with Jesus becomes an idol.

The Heart of the Passage: Jesus Is Worth It

Luke 9:57–62 is not meant to discourage but to clarify.

Jesus is not pushing people away—He is inviting them to count the cost so they can experience the fullness of life found only in Him.

He tells us upfront: following Him is costly, following Him is urgent, and following Him requires everything.

But the One who calls us also empowers us, sustains us, and rewards us. The cost is great—but the reward is greater.

The world offers comfort, but cannot save. Jesus offers life, but asks for our all. The disciples who gave everything gained eternal life, purpose, joy, and a place in God’s kingdom. We are called into that same adventure.

Conclusion

Luke 9:57–62 challenges every believer to examine the depth of their commitment. Are we willing to put Christ above comfort? Above delay? Above competing loyalties?

True discipleship is not defined by what we say—but by what we surrender.

Jesus still walks the roads of our lives saying, “Follow Me.” The question remains: Will we follow without hesitation, without excuse, and without looking back?

©2025 Steven Miller Ministries