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Luke 9:51-62

Jesus Is Focused

June 26, 2022

Third Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Year C

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ASK (a.k.a The On-Ramp)

Good morning!
Have you ever started something but then didn’t finish it? Like a game of monopoly? Or a puzzle? Maybe a drawing project? Cleaning your room?
Can you tell me some of the reasons why you didn’t finish one of these activities?
Those are good answers!
What I think I’m hearing is that a lot of times we don’t finish something because something else becomes or seems more important or exciting.
Does that sound about right?

TELL (a.k.a. The Freeway)

In today’s Bible story, we hear about a number of activities that weren’t finished.

Jesus was going to visit a village and then he doesn’t visit it.
His disciples wanted revenge, but Jesus didn’t let them.
An individual wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus said that the journey would never end.
To another student, Jesus said to, “Follow me instead of burying your father who just died.”

In such a short passage, that is A LOT of unfinished tasks.
But we hear that there is one task that WILL BE completed.
We hear that Jesus will visit the city of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem will be Jesus’ destination and he will not be stopped or distracted from getting there.
He will not be stopped or distracted by towns or revenge or new students or other people’s life problems.
He will continue teaching about God and sharing God’s love wherever he goes. But, he will ALSO finish his journey.
He WILL arrive in Jerusalem because that is where God is leading him.

SHARE the Good News (a.k.a. The Destination)

In other words, we hear that Jesus is very focused on where God is leading him. He’s not going to let other things distract him, no matter how important or exciting those other things might be.
He even says to a new student, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
What he means by this is that he needs to keep his focus on God to get to where God is directing him.
Which is also what Jesus then teaches his disciples to do – to keep seeking God and God’s direction.
And, just like the disciples were able to learn from Jesus how to keep seeking God and God’s direction, so can we.
As we learn from Jesus how to keep seeking God and God’s direction, then we will have God’s help in knowing what tasks are best for us to finish and which ones are not, just like Jesus knew in today’s story.

That’s the good news for today. Let’s pray.

CLOSING Prayer

This is a repeat-after-me prayer.

Dear God,

Thank you for Jesus.

Help us to focus on his actions…

…and teachings about you…

…in the same way…

…he focused on you.

Thank you and Amen

Originally posted June 6, 2013
Updated on May 30, 2022
Written and edited by Nathanael Vissia

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