Letting the dead bury their dead

²¹ And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. ²² But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. -- Matthew 8:21-22

When I was younger, this call to salvation bothered me. Why wouldn't Jesus let a man go to his father's funeral? It seemed awfully callous and rude. After all, shouldn't we honor our father? Wouldn't we be sad if our father was dead?

It may help us to understand the nature of the culture in which Jesus taught and lived. There was a common phrase in the day "I must bury my father," and it meant, "Let me wait until I have received my inheritance." Perhaps a man was being offered a chance to buy a field. But he had no money. He might have to wait until he received his inheritance before he could purchase it. So he would say, "I must bury my father."

This disciple claimed to want to follow Christ, but he wanted to wait around until he could receive his inheritance first. He wanted Christ, but he wanted the security of his inheritance also. But Jesus challenged him to forsake his sin and follow Christ. That is the salvation call to everyone.

Make no mistake; this passage is a call to salvation. He is challenging the man's desires. Will he desire to save his soul by following Christ, or does he desire the safety and comfort of this earthly life?

In that context, Jesus' answer makes sense. Notice what He tells this man. The pursuit of wealth and longing for inheritance is a pursuit of death. Taking comfort in worldly belongings is the pattern of the dead, of the damned. We must flee from it if we are to be saved!

Even in a believer's life, we are faced with similar choices. Will we follow Christ when He calls us to a new ministry, when He gives us a chance to use our money for His kingdom and His purpose? Or do we say, "Let me first bury my father. Let me first secure my needs. Let me first take care of this situation, then I will give myself to You."?

This is a challenging thought, because if we are constantly waiting for our inheritance, we may prove to be outside the kingdom. Even if we are believers, we may forfeit heavenly rewards. But if we are first and foremost concerned about His kingdom, we await an inheritance beyond our imagination. Furthermore, we won't be able to or want to or need to bury our Father to gain our true inheritance.

With that in mind, we remind you of Shiloh Bible Baptist Church in Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte. Their anniversary service is coming up soon, and we need to raise $2,200 for them to complete their church building and pay for some expenses related to the anniversary service. Pastor Raffy Begafria and his church will celebrate their anniversary service May 25. We need the money raised soon, because it is almost May already. Please, join us in praying for this need.

If you feel led to give toward the goal, please remember our friends at Love in Action Ministries. They are helping us by collecting the funds for us. Any gift given through Love in Action Ministries is tax deductible. Just specify in your gift that you intend it to go to the ministry in the Philippines. Contact information for Love in Action Ministries below.

Love In Action International Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 85
Dothan, AL 36302
334-494-4995
info@loveinactionministries.com