Welcome to Day 2904 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Day 2904– “The Ultimate Close Encounter”  based on Luke 9:51-62

Putnam Church Message – 06/14/2026

The Good News According to Luke: “Snapshots From An Amazing Album.”

 

Last week’s message was “Snapshots From An Amazing Album,” in which we studied four snapshots from Christ's ministry.

Today, we continue with our twenty-eighth message from Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Today’s message is: “A Face Like Flint.” Our core passage today is Luke 9:51-62, on page 1611 of your pew Bibles.

Samaritan Opposition

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them[a]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The Cost of Following Jesus

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Opening Prayer

Father, we come before You today grateful for the steady, determined love of Jesus Christ. We confess that our hearts are often divided. We are distracted by comfort, delayed by excuses, wounded by rejection, and tempted to look back when You call us forward.

Lord Jesus, as we watch You set Your face toward Jerusalem, help us see the depth of Your love and the seriousness of Your mission. Teach us what it means to follow You with unreserved sacrifice,>undivided devotion,> and unwavering commitment. Give us courage to press on. Give us grace to forgive. Give us faith to follow.

May Your Word shape our hearts today. Amen.

 

Introduction: The Finish Line in View

The 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles gave us one of the most unforgettable marathon moments in Olympic history.

Gabriela Andersen-Schiess entered the stadium near the end of the women’s marathon, but something was terribly wrong. Heat exhaustion and dehydration had taken hold of her body. Her legs were stiff. Her movements were uneven. Her body looked like it might collapse at any step.

Doctors moved toward her, but she waved them off because if they helped her, she would be disqualified. She had already run more than twenty-six miles. Only a few hundred meters remained.

So she kept moving. / Step by painful step. / Lean, stagger, recover. / Another step. / Another step. / Another step.

For nearly six agonizing minutes, she willed herself forward until she crossed the finish line and collapsed into medical care.

What stayed with people was not that she won the race. She did not. What stayed with people was her determination. The finish line had become her single focus. She had come too far to quit.

In Luke 9:51, Luke brings us to a major turning point in his Gospel. Jesus has healed the sick, calmed the storm, cast out demons, raised the dead, fed the multitudes, revealed His glory on the mountain, and taught His disciples what the Kingdom of God is like. / But now the story turns.

Luke says, “As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” 

That phrase — “Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem,” — is powerful. It draws from the Old Testament image in Isaiah 50:7, where the Servant of the Lord says, “I have set my face like flint.”

Flint is a hard stone. It does not bend easily. It is not soft clay. It is firm, sharp, and unyielding.

Jesus set His face like flint toward Jerusalem. / Why Jerusalem?

Because Jerusalem was where betrayal waited.

Jerusalem was where rejection waited.

Jerusalem was where false trials waited.

Jerusalem was where the cross waited.

Jerusalem was where the tomb waited.

But Jerusalem was also where resurrection would break the power of death.

Jerusalem was where salvation would be accomplished.

From this point forward in Luke’s Gospel, the cross is always in the background. Every conversation, every parable, every miracle, every encounter is moving Jesus closer to the place where He will give His life for the sins of the world.

The theme of this passage is simple| but demanding:

Jesus pressed on toward the cross, and He calls His followers to press on after Him. Here are the four truths that we can glean from today’s passage, as found in your bulletin insert on the side ‘A Face Like Flint.’

Main Point 1: Jesus Set His Face Toward the Father’s Mission

Luke tells us that the time was approaching for Jesus to be taken up. That points beyond the cross, beyond the grave, beyond the resurrection, all the way to His ascension. Jesus knew the whole journey.

He was not stumbling into Jerusalem unaware.

He was not trapped by circumstances.

He was not surprised by the hostility waiting there.

He was not swept along by political events beyond His control.

Jesus knew where He was going.

And He went anyway.

That is love.

In the previous message, “Snapshots From An Amazing Album,” we saw Jesus tell His disciples again that He would be handed over into the hands of men. They did not understand. They were afraid to ask. But Jesus understood fully. He knew the cost before He paid it. / Now, He begins the journey.

This is the beginning of what many Bible students call Luke’s “travel section.” From Luke 9:51 through much of chapter 19, Jesus is moving toward Jerusalem. Luke will remind us again and again that Jesus is on the way.

He is not

He is not

He is not

He is pressing on.

 

 

Ancient Context: The Servant With a Flint Face

Isaiah 50 gives us the background. The Servant of the Lord says He gave His back to those who struck Him, / His cheeks to those who pulled out His beard, / and His face to humiliation and spitting. Then He says, “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone.”

That is the spirit of Luke 9:51.

Jesus knew humiliation was coming. / He knew suffering was coming. / He knew the cross was coming. / Yet He set His face like flint.

This is not stubbornness. Stubbornness can be foolish. This is holy resolve. This is obedience anchored in the Father’s will.

Object Lesson: Flint and Clay

Hold two objects: a piece of soft clay and a slate.

Clay can be pressed, shaped, bent, and changed by almost any outside force. But flint is firm. It holds its edge. It does not easily yield to pressure.

Many of us are spiritually more like soft clay than flint when pressure comes.

A little criticism shifts us.

A little rejection discourages us.

A little inconvenience delays us.

A little fear turns us aside.

A little temptation reshapes our priorities.

But Jesus shows us a life set firmly toward God’s purpose.

Modern Illustration: Living With Purpose

Most people do not drift into faithfulness. | We drift into distraction. / We drift into comfort. / We drift into busyness. / We drift into compromise.

A person does not accidentally become a faithful spouse.

A parent does not accidentally shape a child’s heart.

A church does not accidentally make disciples.

A Christian does not accidentally become more like Christ.

Faithfulness requires holy resolve.

That does not mean we become harsh. Jesus was determined, but He was never cruel. / It does not mean we become inflexible about everything. / Jesus was deeply attentive to people along the way. / But it does mean the Father’s mission governed His life.

The first lesson is this: A disciple follows a Savior whose face is set toward the Father’s will.

Main Point 2: Jesus Refused Revenge and Kept Moving

As Jesus travels toward Jerusalem, He sends messengers ahead into a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival.

But the village refuses to welcome Him because He is headed for Jerusalem.

To understand this, we need a little history.

Jews and Samaritans had a long and bitter relationship. The Samaritans were connected to the northern kingdom of Israel, but over time, their ancestry, worship, and religious practices became mixed in ways that the Jews in Judea rejected. The Samaritans had their own worship center on Mount Gerizim, while the Jews worshiped at the temple in Jerusalem.

Most Jews looked down on Samaritans. Many would avoid traveling through Samaria altogether, crossing the Jordan River and going around the region rather than passing through it.

But Jesus does not avoid Samaria.

In John 4, Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman at a well and reveals Himself as the Messiah. Later in Luke, Jesus will tell the parable of the Good Samaritan, making a Samaritan the surprising example of neighborly love. And in Acts, the Gospel will spread into Samaria by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus sees Samaritans not as enemies to despise, / but as people who need the grace of God.

Yet in Luke 9, this village rejects Him.

Why? Because His face is set toward Jerusalem. / His destination offends them. / His mission does not fit their loyalties.

The sons of thunder, James and John, respond strongly. They ask, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?”

That may sound shocking, but remember the background. Elijah once called down fire from heaven in judgment. James and John may think, “We just saw Moses and Elijah on the mountain. We are part of the Messiah’s inner circle. These people rejected Jesus. Let’s show them who they are dealing with.”

But Jesus rebukes them. / He will not let His disciples confuse zeal with revenge.

This is especially important because Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem to die for sinners. He is not moving toward the cross to destroy His enemies. He is moving toward the cross to save them.

There will be judgment one day. Scripture is clear about that. But this moment is not a call for fire. It is a call to press on.

So, they go to another village.

Object Lesson: A Match and a Map

Imagine holding a lighter in one hand and a map in the other.

The lighter represents revenge: “Let’s burn this down. Let’s answer rejection with fire.”

The map represents the mission: “We know where we are going. We will not be sidetracked.”

James and John reached for the lighter. Jesus kept His eyes on the map.

That is a needed word for us.

Modern Illustration: When Rejection Sidetracks Us

How easily rejection can distract us. / Someone criticizes us, and we spend days replaying it. / Someone refuses to support us, and we become bitter.  / Someone misunderstands our motives, and we want to defend ourselves endlessly. / Someone closes a door, and we want to prove them wrong.

Jesus teaches us that rejection does not have to become our master. / Do not let someone else’s refusal determine your faithfulness. / Press on.

That does not mean rejection never hurts. It does. Jesus understands rejection better than anyone. John says He came to His own people, and His own did not receive Him. / But Jesus did not build His life around retaliation. He built His life around redemption.

The second lesson is this: A disciple must not let rejection turn holy zeal into unholy revenge.

Main Point 3: Jesus Calls for Unreserved Sacrifice

As Jesus continues on the road, a man says, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

That sounds wonderful. / If we heard someone say that today, we might immediately celebrate. “That is commitment! That is devotion! That is exactly what we want to hear.”

But Jesus knows hearts. He knows that enthusiasm is not the same as surrender.

So, He replies that foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head.

In other words, “Do you understand what you are saying? Following Me is not a road to comfort, status, or earthly security.” / Jesus is not recruiting followers with false advertising.

Worldly leaders often attract followers by promising benefits. “Join me, and you will gain influence. Support me, and you will be rewarded. Follow me, and you will rise.”

But Jesus says, “Follow Me, and you may lose comfort.  / Follow Me, and you may not have a place to lay your head.  / Follow Me, and you must hold earthly security loosely.” / That would have been shocking.

The disciples still had ideas of the Messiah establishing a visible kingdom in power. They imagined thrones, victory, and honor. But Jesus is moving toward a cross.

Object Lesson: The Empty Pillow

Hold up a pillow.

A pillow represents rest, comfort, and home. Most of us take great comfort in having a place to lay our heads at the end of the day. Jesus says even foxes and birds have more settled earthly comfort than the Son of Man.

Following Jesus does not mean God will never provide homes, jobs, families, or comfort. He often does. But it does mean none of those things can become the condition of our obedience.

We cannot say, “Jesus, I will follow You as long as I am comfortable.”

Or, “I will follow You as long as it does not cost me reputation.”

Or, “I will follow You as long as my plans remain undisturbed.”

Or, “I will follow You as long as it does not require sacrifice.”

Jesus calls for unreserved sacrifice.

Related Scripture

Paul later writes in Philippians 3 that whatever he once considered gain, he now counts as loss compared with the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. He does not mean earthly things have no value. He means Christ is of greater value.

Hebrews 11 speaks of people of faith who lived as strangers and pilgrims on the earth because they were looking for a better country, a heavenly one. / That is the posture Jesus calls for.

Modern Illustration: The Fine Print of Discipleship

We are used to fine print. Advertisements make big promises, but somewhere there are conditions. / “Limited time only.” / “Some restrictions apply.” / “Results not guaranteed.”

Jesus does the opposite. / He puts the cost up front.  

He does not hide the hardship. / He does not promise a trouble-free life. / He does not say, “Follow Me, and everything will go the way you planned.”

He says, “Count the cost.”

But here is the beautiful truth: whatever following Jesus costs, He is worth more.

The third lesson is this: A disciple cannot follow Jesus while making comfort the highest priority.

Main Point 4: Jesus Calls for Undivided Devotion and Unwavering Commitment

The next two encounters press even deeper. / Jesus says to another man, “Follow Me.” / The man replies, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

At first, Jesus’ response sounds harsh: “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead. Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

We need to understand what is likely happening here.

If the man’s father had just died, he probably would not be standing on the road with Jesus. Jewish burial customs required burial to be completed quickly, usually the same day. More likely, “let me bury my father” was a way of saying, “Let me go home, fulfill my family obligations, care for my father until he dies, settle the estate, and then I will follow You.”

That could mean an indefinite delay. / The man is not refusing Jesus outright. He is postponing obedience. / That may be more dangerous than we realize. / Many people do not say, “No, Lord.” / They say, “Later, Lord.”

Later, when life is less complicated.

Later, when the family situation is settled.

Later, when finances are stronger.

Later, when the children are grown.

Later, when retirement comes.

Later, when I feel ready.

Jesus says the Kingdom of God must have first claim.

This does not mean Jesus teaches disrespect for parents. Scripture commands us to honor father and mother. Jesus condemned religious people who used spiritual excuses to avoid caring for their families. But here, Jesus sees a divided priority. The call of the Kingdom is being deferred indefinitely.

Then another person says, “Yes, Lord, I will follow You, but first let me say goodbye to my family.”

Again, that sounds reasonable. / But Jesus replies, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

This alludes to the story of Elijah and Elisha in 1 Kings 19. Elijah called Elisha by throwing his cloak over him. Elisha asked to say goodbye to his parents, but then he slaughtered his oxen, burned the plowing equipment, fed the people, and followed Elijah. In other words, Elisha’s farewell was not a delay rooted in hesitation. It was a decisive break with the old life.

Jesus is saying, “If you are going to follow Me, do not keep looking backward with longing.”

Object Lesson: The Crooked Furrow

Imagine plowing a field. If the farmer keeps looking backward, the row will become crooked. To plow straight, the farmer must keep eyes forward, on a fixed point ahead. / Today, we might picture driving a car. You glance in the rearview mirror when needed, but you cannot drive forward safely while staring backward.

Some people try to follow Jesus while staring at what they left behind.

Old habits.

Old priorities.

Old resentments.

Old sins.

Old status.

Old comforts.

Old loyalties that compete with Christ.

Jesus says, “Eyes forward.”

Ancient Context: The Plow and the Field

In the ancient world, plowing required focus. A farmer guided animals while holding the plow steady. The ground was uneven. A moment of inattention could ruin the row. Straight furrows mattered for planting and harvest.

Jesus uses that image to describe discipleship.

A divided disciple leaves a crooked witness.

Modern Illustration: The Half-Committed Life

We see half-commitment in many areas.

A person says they want to be healthy but never changes habits.

A person says they want a strong marriage but refuses humility.

A person says they want financial peace but keeps spending recklessly.

A person says they want spiritual growth but gives Jesus only leftover attention.

Jesus is not calling for casual admiration. He is calling for committed discipleship.

The fourth lesson is this: A disciple must follow Jesus with first-place loyalty and forward-facing commitment.

Application and Takeaways: Press On! – Keep on Keeping On! – Keep Moving Forward!

This passage is not merely about three would-be disciples long ago. It is about us. Jesus still calls people to follow Him. And He still calls us to press on.

Press on when the mission is hard.

Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem. / He knew the road would be painful, but He did not turn aside.

What has God called you to do that requires holy resolve?

Maybe to stay faithful in a difficult season.

Maybe to forgive someone who wounded you.

Maybe to serve when you feel unseen.

Maybe to keep praying for someone who seems far from God.

Maybe to continue in integrity when compromise would be easier.

Maybe to obey in a private area no one else sees.

Do not wait until obedience becomes easy. Press on.

Press on when others do not welcome you.

The Samaritan village rejected Jesus. James and John wanted fire. Jesus moved on.

There will be times when others do not understand your commitment to Christ. Some may reject your values. Some may misread your motives. Some may not welcome your witness.

Do not become bitter.

Do not call for fire.

Do not let rejection define your spirit.

Press on.

Jesus did not come to win every argument. He came to accomplish redemption.

Press on without comparing your zeal to others.

The man who said, “I will follow You wherever You go,” sounded bold. Maybe others were impressed. / But Jesus looked beneath the words.

Some people are loud in their devotion but shallow in their surrender. Others are quiet but faithful. We do not need to compare ourselves with the zeal of others. We need to examine our own hearts before Christ.

Do not be intimidated by someone else’s spiritual language.

Do not be discouraged if another person seems more confident.

Do not perform discipleship for attention.

Press on in your own obedience.

Press on when lesser loyalties compete for first place.

Family matters. Work matters. Responsibility matters. But none of these can outrank Jesus.

The issue is not whether we love family. We should. The issue is whether even good loyalties become excuses for delayed obedience.

Sometimes the most dangerous idols are not bad things. They are good things placed above Christ.

A good career can become first.

A good family can become first.

A good reputation can become first.

A good plan for the future can become first.

Jesus says, “Follow Me.” Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Press on with your eyes forward.

Do not plow while looking back. / There is a way to remember the past with gratitude and wisdom. That is good. / But there is also a way to look back with longing that weakens obedience.

Israel did this in the wilderness. God delivered them from Egypt, but they kept looking back and romanticizing slavery because the journey was hard.

We can do the same. / We may look back at old sins, old comforts, old identities, or old ways of controlling life. But Jesus calls us forward.

As Paul says in Philippians 3:13, focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

Conclusion: The Face of the Savior

Luke 9:51 is one of the great turning points in the Gospel.

Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem.

He set His face toward betrayal.

He set His face toward rejection.

He set His face toward suffering.

He set His face toward the cross.

He set His face toward the tomb.

He set His face toward resurrection.

He set His face toward our salvation.

He did not turn back.

And now He calls us to follow.

Not casually.

Not comfortably.

Not with one eye on the Kingdom and one eye on the world.

Not with a hand to the plow and a heart looking backward.

He calls us to follow with sacrifice, devotion, and commitment.

But remember this: Jesus never asks us to walk a road He has not already walked ahead of us.

He set His face like flint because His love for the Father and His love for us would not let Him turn aside.

So church, press on.

When the road is hard, press on.

When others reject you, press on.

When comfort tempts you, press on.

When duties compete for first place, press on.

When the past calls your name, press on.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. Proverbs 4:25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

Hebrews 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

The One who set His face toward Jerusalem now sets His grace upon His people.

And He will bring us home.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for setting Your face toward Jerusalem. Thank You for loving us with a love that did not turn back. Thank You for walking willingly toward the cross so that we might receive forgiveness, life, and hope.

Forgive us for our divided hearts. Forgive us when we seek comfort above obedience, when we delay Your call, when we look back with longing, and when we let rejection make us bitter.

Give us hearts like Yours — steady, humble, compassionate, and determined. Help us press on in faith. Help us follow You with unreserved sacrifice, undivided devotion, and unwavering commitment.

May our lives show that You are worthy of first place. May our church press on in the mission of Your Kingdom. And may we keep our eyes fixed on You until the day our journey is complete.

In Your holy name, amen.

Next week, we will continue Luke’s narrative of the Good News of Jesus Christ in our twenty-ninth message titled "Practical Talk to Those in Ministry," based on Luke 10:1-16.