When You Feel Alone

---

When you feel all alone, remember this: you are not alone.

You are not alone in feeling that way either.

In today’s Old Testament Reading, we see how even Elijah, the mighty prophet of God, felt all alone. (1 Kings 19:10) “I, am the only one left !” he said . That was his honest feeling; however, it wasn’t true.

The Lord revealed to Elijah that He had not abandoned His prophet. Even reassuring Elijah of this, by providing Elisha as his helper in proclaiming the Word of the Lord. God’s presence and provision in Elijah’s life reassured him of his divine purpose, and the same is true for you and I!

As you hear in today’s message, when you feel discouraged, remember that God’s work in you is not finished! In Christ’s victory, there is still work to do! His presence and provision, which you receive yet again today, reassures you of this! Jesus is with you! He loves you! And He sends His Spirit into

your life to give you His purpose and direction, reminding you that you belong to Him! Psalm 16 confirms we are to find refuge in God, who Protects us.

There are two different Translations regarding this Statement, one is to Protect and the other to Keep. It is suggested by scholars that David was seeking refuge from God, when Saul was pursuing him (1Samuel 24).

Psalm 121: 3,7 , refers to God Keeping the Psalmist from harm, and in 121:5 the Lord is our Keeper. 

These indicate our reliance on God, and a declaration of Trust in God. Verse 2 continues and expands the declaration of trust that began in verse 1. The psalmist says to the Lord, “you are my Lord.” Lord is the common word for a superior; for example, subjects refer to the king as “Lord” (1 Samuel 26:17).

So, the psalmist here proclaims that the Lord (Israel’s God) is the authority in his life, the one who gives direction and purpose. In the last three verses, the psalm concludes with words that reaffirm and expand the conviction with which the psalm began. When the psalmist speaks of “resting secure” (verse 9) the word for secure is a form of the word that means “to trust.”

Thus, “security for the psalmist is not an achievement but a result of a life entrusted to God.” 2Galatians 5:1 “For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” 

Freedom. What freedom? Not the freedom given us by our Government, but rather that with which Christ has made us free — freedom from God’s everlasting wrath.

And where is this done? In Our conscience. Our freedom stays there and goes no further, for Christ has made us free, not civilly, nor physically, but divinely; we are made free in such a way that our conscience is free and quiet, not fearing God’s future wrath.

This is true, and a freedom we are not able to estimate it’s value. if we compare its majesty with the other sorts of freedom, those others are like one drop of water compared with the whole Sea. Who can describe our state when we are assured in our heart that God neither is nor will be angry with us, but will forever be a merciful and loving Father to us for Christ’s sake.

It is indeed a wonderful freedom, to have the most high and sovereign majesty so favourable to us. He not only defends, maintains, and helps us in this life, but also will so deliver us, that our bodies that are sown in corruption, dishonour, and weakness will rise again uncorrupted, in glory, and power (1Corinthians 15:42-44). 

This is greater than heaven and earth and all creation. 

In our Gospel Reading, Jesus sets out on his final journey to Jerusalem.

He has warned the disciples of his impending suffering there (9:21-27, 44-45), but even though they confess their faith in him as Messiah (9:18-20) and see him transfigured with Moses and Elijah (9:28-36), they cannot begin to imagine the horror of Jesus’ last days. But Jesus knows. He has “set his face” toward Jerusalem, meaning unwavering determination.

Normally very accepting of the Samaritans, he shocks his disciples by barely noticing them, as he heads to Jerusalem, as He was so concentrated on his up-coming destiny. The text doesn’t say, but the disciples take it to be rejection and impulsively ask if they should “command fire” to destroy them — as if they could even do that! One commentary of Luke’s gospel even adds “as Elijah did,” referring to Elijah calling fire upon the soldiers of the evil king, who had ruled the northern kingdom from Samaria (2 Kings 1:10-12).

Jesus uses the occasion to speak about discipleship and about the implications of following him. As the text makes clear, Jesus is speaking to those who are indeed following him, not to potential followers.

As he often does, he speaks in hyperbole and exaggerations for emphasis in making his point. He is saying, “Be willing to let go of the past.” You bury the dead and move on.

There comes a time when you leave the comforts of home, let go of the doorpost, and move into uncharted waters.

He knows that his disciples will soon be doing exactly that after he has gone. Their lives will be radically and unexpectedly different than anything they had imagined. They will leave behind what they have known and done and go in totally new directions.

What does Jesus mean by saying, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God”? 

Anybody who has plowed a field knows you have to watch carefully in front of you to keep the furrows straight. Look backward and you will swerve one way or another.

How ironic it is that the disciples did exactly that in the despair and confusion following the crucifixion and resurrection. They looked back and resumed their previous occupation of fishing (John 21:1-14). It isn’t until Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit empowers them, that they begin their true work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus all around the Mediterranean.

These verses jar us into asking, “How are our lives different as followers of Jesus, than what they might have been otherwise?” 

I remember a bumper sticker asking, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Discipleship means living in ways we might not otherwise live.

What does it mean to us? Every believer needs to learn Jesus’ spirit to obey God’s will, no matter what the cost, no matter what the suffering. It’s so different from the modern life philosophy to live for ourselves. But it’s at the core of what it means to follow him. Jesus teaches this spirit through his own example.

In verses 57–62 Jesus encounters three persons along the road. And in each case, the topic is discipleship. Two men volunteer to follow him, and the other, Jesus invites. But Jesus warns all three that discipleship is way harder than they think. To us, if anyone shows any interest, we gladly welcome that person. We tend to beg people to get involved. And as the old saying goes, “Beggars can’t be choosers.” But Jesus doesn’t do discipleship that way.

Why?

The answer is in what he repeats here. Twice he mentions “the kingdom of God” (60,62). It’s the kingdom where Jesus is King (19:38), and it’s the kingdom that has no end (Luke 1:33). But how is faith in this kingdom related to following Jesus? Jesus says here that his disciples are to “proclaim” God’s kingdom and be “fit” for God’s kingdom. In other words, he’s saying that as his followers, our ultimate goal needs to be the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is repeated so many times in Luke’s Gospel and in Luke’s other book, Acts. 

The kingdom of God is also called “the gospel” (9:6; 20:1), the good news.

This gospel of the kingdom has to be both our personal hope and our message to people today. But for this hope to be real in our lives, we’ve got to repent and truly believe it, and live like we mean it, humble and pure of heart.

The hope of the kingdom of God is so much bigger than trying to build our own comfort or success in this world. It’s so much bigger than trying to build or hold onto our own territory in ministry. It’s a kingdom with many surprising reversals (Luke 13:28). It’s a kingdom filled with all kinds of people, especially the outcasts and the humble (14:13,21), and with people from all over the world (13:29). 

This kingdom is what Jesus our Lord lived and died for, his real hope, his life’s passion. It’s why he’s so determined. Then what does it mean to live for the kingdom of God, practically?

First, sacrifice. Look at verse 57. “As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’” What a promise! What’s going on? 

There’s little information, but maybe this man witnessed Jesus preaching or healing somewhere. In any case, the guy seems deeply moved. What does Jesus say? Read verse 58. “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.’” What does he mean? He’s saying, “Following me is a lot harder than you think. Are you ready to live like me?” 

And how did Jesus live? 

He was so dedicated to spreading the message of God’s kingdom, he didn’t settle down anywhere. He was constantly on the go. He poured his whole life into going through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing people this good news (8:1). He called his disciples to live with this same spirit of sacrifice. He tells them in 12:32–34: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 

Are we ready to live sacrificially so that we can spread the good news of the kingdom? 

Second in living for the Kingdom, priority. Look at verse 59. “To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’” It seems Jesus was calling him at the wrong time. How can anybody be expected not to bury his own father? Some think this man’s dad hadn’t really died yet, but was just old, and the son wanted to make sure to be there for his dad when his time came. In any case, the point is the same: this person has a different priority. Jesus upheld the commandment to honour one’s father (18:20). 

But for Jesus, part of the sacrifice we make involves making God’s kingdom a priority even over our beloved family members. Jesus says in 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Is he telling us to abandon our families? Of course not. He’s saying, in dramatic fashion, to make following him and spreading his kingdom our top priority, and our family’s top priority.

For Jesus, it’s the most urgent matter. Read verse 60. “And Jesus said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’” We shouldn’t be living as if there’s no kingdom, as if the things of this world and people in it are everything. Instead, we should be living as if the kingdom is real. Are we proclaiming the kingdom as our top priority?

Third, wholehearted focus. Look at verse 61. “Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’” It seems like a normal and kind request. 

How does Jesus answer? 

Read verse 62. “Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.’” Jesus seems so tough! But it’s the right answer for this man. To Jesus, if we’re going to follow him, we can’t get distracted. We’ve got to give him our whole hearts. “Looking back” means having a divided heart. It means being more attached to things or people than to Jesus our Lord. 

Just like a farmer has to focus on plowing, or he’ll veer off into all kinds of directions, so we’ve got to focus on what God calls us to do. 

If we truly believe in the kingdom, we’ll stay focused on serving it. Are you “looking back”?

Sacrifice, priority, wholehearted focus: are we really following Jesus like that? Is the gospel of his kingdom our real focus? Have we mastered our anger? Have we Humbled ourselves? Are we fit for the kingdom? May God help us repent and make a new decision to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, humbly. 

May we learn and follow his determination to fulfill God’s will for our lives. 

May God show us how to proclaim the good news of his kingdom in these times, with a new spirit of sacrifice, and real priority, not falling pray to the sinful Yoke of this world.

Amen

Copyright © 2025 St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, Kamloops

https://standrewslutheran.ca

Wath this Sermon presented live here: https://youtu.be/6XGQQqinGkg