Did Jesus Really Say That? Part 2: "Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead"

Jesus said many things that immediately make sense. They sound good and inviting. Who wouldn’t love a God who says, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)? Who wouldn’t love a God who says, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27)?

But if you read the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—sooner or later you hit a speed bump. Jesus says something, and you’re jolted. “What on earth could that possibly mean?”

And let’s be honest: some of the things Jesus says aren’t just hard to understand. Sometimes they sound downright offensive. So this fall, we’re taking those sayings and building a sermon series around them. Because what’s better than taking controversial things and pouring them into your lives, right? You don’t get enough of that on social media, right? You have to come to church and get it here too!

Just kidding.

Here’s the spoiler alert: the purpose of this series isn’t to add fuel to the fires already raging around us. It’s to throw a wet blanket on some of them. To show that even when Jesus’ words hit our ears wrong, the truth beneath them is healing and hopeful.

And if you’re here this morning as a skeptic, not a Christian, maybe you came with a friend—at the very least I hope you’ll listen to how we, as followers of Christ (imperfect as we are), endeavor to understand His teaching. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll catch a glimpse of this amazing God we serve.

Context Matters

Imagine you’re walking up to somebody’s house, and as you approach their front door, you overhear a conversation. You hear: “If you don’t get out of here, I’m going to squash you like a bug!” Would you feel welcome? Probably not.

But then you realize when you step inside that they weren’t talking about you. They were talking about a stink bug crawling across the dining room floor. Context changes everything.

And that’s what can happen with Jesus’ sayings. Out of context, they sound harsh—even cruel. But in context, they make sense. They are life-giving, and they fit the moment perfectly.

The Big Idea

So here’s today’s truth—it may sound simple, maybe even fluffy at first, but I want to show you how deeply it meets us in our daily lives:

What claims our allegiance will capture our affections.

Think back to elementary school. You stood, put your hand over your heart, and pledged allegiance to the flag. Allegiance is loyalty—declaring what comes first in your life. Whatever holds our allegiance captures our affection.

And Jesus knows that unless He is our first and highest allegiance, He will never truly be first in our hearts. That’s what we’re going to see in Luke 9.

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:57-62

Turn in your Bibles with me to Luke 9:57–62:

“As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ‘I will follow You wherever You go.’ 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.’ To another He said, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Yet another said, ‘I will follow You, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:57–62)

This is the Word of the Lord.

And remember—we believe this isn’t just Luke’s words. Scripture says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16–17), and “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your Word. We confess that without Your Spirit, we could study the Bible all our lives and never really “get it.” But with Your Spirit, Your Word pierces our hearts, draws us to Christ, and gives life. So open our hearts today to receive Your truth, to believe, and to grow in the discipleship Jesus calls us to. Amen.

Counting the Cost (vv. 57–58)

The first man runs up to Jesus and boldly says, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus replies, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

What’s Jesus doing? He’s pressing the man to consider the cost of his words: Do you really understand the cost? (cf. Luke 14:25–33). Discipleship isn’t a path to comfort or convenience. Following Jesus may mean giving up stability, security, even a roof over your head. Jesus is saying, in so many words, "Are you sure about that?"

Delayed Obedience (vv. 59–60)

The second man is different. This time Jesus takes the initiative: “Follow Me.” But the man replies, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”

That sounds reasonable until you realize this likely wasn’t about tomorrow’s funeral. Most scholars agree his father probably wasn’t near death. What he’s really saying is, “I’ll follow You later—after family obligations, after life settles down.”

And Jesus’ reply shocks us: “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

He isn’t scorning family obligations (Exodus 20:12; John 19:26–27). He’s distinguishing between the spiritually dead and the spiritually alive. And He’s saying that the urgency of the kingdom can’t wait for endless postponements: “Now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

And notice how He adds a positive command: “Go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” That’s consistent with the mission He gave earlier: “He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal” (Luke 9:2), and later, “The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:9).

And again, it is the Spirit who enables this witness. Jesus promised, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8).

Divided Allegiance (vv. 61–62)

The third man says, “I will follow You, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Again, it all seems reasonable enough. But notice the pattern: “Lord… but let me first.” Twice people call Him “Lord,” and twice they add, “But first…” That’s half-discipleship, and Jesus won’t accept it.

So He uses an agricultural picture: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”A farmer can’t plow straight rows while looking backward. And a disciple can’t follow Jesus with divided allegiance. Remember Elisha, who slaughtered his oxen and burned his plow when Elijah called him (1 Kings 19:19–21)? That’s the kind of undivided response Jesus is asking for.

Or as He put it elsewhere: “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

And yet again, it is the Spirit who makes this singleness of heart possible. The Spirit works within us to will and to work for God’s good pleasure (Philippians 2:13), shaping undivided devotion where our hearts are naturally prone to wander.

The Urgency of the Cross

Why is Jesus so direct here? Because Luke tells us just a few verses earlier: “When the days drew near for Him to be taken up, He set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). From this point on, every step Jesus takes is toward the cross. Every conversation is shaped by that mission.

If Jesus is walking to the cross, then following Him means walking that road too. Half-hearted discipleship won’t do.

Gospel Hope

So where does that leave us? Honestly, with a sense of inadequacy. Who among us hasn’t made excuses? Who among us hasn’t looked back?

Here’s the good news: Jesus didn’t make excuses. He set His face toward Jerusalem for us. “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Because He was faithful, we can be forgiven for our failures. Because He bore our cross, we can take up ours. And because He rose again, He gives His Spirit to dwell within us (John 14:16–17). The Spirit empowers us to live differently, to grow in holiness, to bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and more (Galatians 5:22–23). What the law demands, the Spirit of Christ enables us to pursue more and more as we grow in Him (Romans 8:3–4).

What This Means for Us

When we step back from these encounters, it’s clear that Jesus isn’t being cruel; He’s being clear. He’s not soft-pedaling discipleship, and He’s not looking for half-hearted volunteers. His words strip away our excuses, our delays, our tendency to hedge our bets. Left to ourselves, that kind of exposure would crush us.

But here is the gospel: Jesus took all of that upon Himself at the cross. “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree”(1 Peter 2:24). The demands are real, but so is the Deliverer. And because He rose and ascended, He now gives His Spirit to live within us. What the law exposes, the Spirit begins to heal. What the law demands, the Spirit empowers us to walk out—imperfectly, yes, but more and more as we grow in Him (Romans 8:3–4; Galatians 5:16).

And notice how urgent this is. Jesus doesn’t say, “Follow Me once your calendar clears.” He says, “Follow Me” now. Paul would later write, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). The kingdom doesn’t wait. Delay is really just another way of saying “no.”

It also means Jesus must be above everything. Family, work, school—these are good gifts from God. But none of them outrank the Giver. Jesus said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37). That’s not because family or vocation are unimportant, but because when Christ is first, everything else finally finds its rightful place.

And following Jesus never stops at private devotion. He told the second man, “Go and proclaim the kingdom of God”(Luke 9:60). Discipleship spills over. It shows up in how you love people, even those who oppose you. It shows in your willingness to speak of the hope you’ve found. As Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16). And as Peter urged, “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you—yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

Three Audiences

There are really three audiences listening to this kind of message.

First, the saints—that is, ordinary Christians. For us, this is a sobering reminder. Comfortable Christianity isn’t really Christianity at all. Jesus doesn’t ask for our leftovers; He asks for our lives. “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

Second, the skeptics. If Jesus were only a moral teacher, His demands here would make no sense. No human teacher has the right to ask for your ultimate allegiance. But if He is the Son of God, then His claim is not arrogance—it is truth. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

And third, the church as a whole. We have to be careful not to soft-sell what it means to follow Jesus. Of course there is joy, forgiveness, and welcome in Him. But there is also cost, and we owe it to people to be as clear as Jesus was. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” Grace is free, but discipleship costs. What seems like loss is really letting go of what we could never keep, in order to gain what we can never lose (Philippians 3:8).

Conclusion

So when Jesus says, “Follow Me,” the question is never whether He’s worth it. The only question is whether we’ll say yes. And by His grace, we can—because He first walked the road to Jerusalem for us, and now His Spirit empowers us to walk it after Him.

Let’s pray.

Reflection & Discussion

What does following Jesus cost?

Jesus told the first man, “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Luke 9:58). What does that teach you about the cost of discipleship? Where in your life might following Jesus call you to give up comfort or convenience? How does the Spirit help us endure loss and stay content in Christ? (Philippians 4:11–13; Romans 8:18–25)

How do you tend to delay obedience?

The second man wanted to follow Jesus later. Where are you tempted to say, “Lord, I will, but first…”? What would it look like to trust Jesus with those concerns and follow Him now? How does the Spirit strengthen us to step forward when we’d rather wait? (2 Corinthians 6:2; Galatians 5:16–17)

What competes for your allegiance?

Jesus warns against divided devotion: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). What things most easily divide your focus—family, work, security, success, approval? How can you entrust those good gifts to Christ while keeping Him first? (Matthew 10:37; Philippians 3:7–8; Romans 8:5–6)

How does the Spirit make this possible?

Left to ourselves, Jesus’ demands would crush us. But His Spirit empowers us to grow into what the law requires (Romans 8:3–4). Where have you seen the Spirit change your desires, your courage, or your priorities over time? How might He be calling you to depend on Him in fresh ways this week? (Galatians 5:22–25; Philippians 2:12–13)

How does your discipleship overflow to others?

Jesus told the second man, “Go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). How does your devotion to Christ spill over into relationships, conversations, and witness? Who in your life needs to hear or see the gospel through you this week? (Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 3:15; Acts 1:8)

Related Scriptures for Further Study

• Philippians 4:11–13 – Contentment in every circumstance through Christ’s strength.
• Romans 8:3–6, 18–25 – The Spirit fulfills the law’s demands and sustains us in hope.
• 2 Corinthians 6:2 – Now is the day of salvation.
• Galatians 5:16–25 – Walk by the Spirit, bear His fruit, crucify the flesh.
• Philippians 2:12–13 – God works in us to will and to act for His good pleasure.
• Matthew 10:37 – Loving Christ above all others.
• Philippians 3:7–8 – Counting all things as loss compared to Christ.
• Romans 1:16 – The gospel is God’s power for salvation.
• 1 Peter 3:15 – Be ready to give a reason for the hope within you.
• Acts 1:8 – The Spirit empowers us to be witnesses.

These sermon summaries are solely intended for the personal devotional use of church members and friends. They are not transcripts or academic works and should not be reproduced or distributed without permission.

Originally prepared by Kevin Labby during his vocational service at First Evangelical Free Church of McKeesport. Used with permission. Copyright remains with the church. Please do not reproduce or distribute without written consent from both the church and the author.