And it came to pass that as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. Luke 9:57
The road to hell, the old saying goes, is paved with good intentions.Gospel preachers often mention that everybody intends to go to Heaven but nobody is in any hurry to get ready. A major part of Gospel preaching is convincing people that the matter is urgent, that now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Most people familiar with the Gospel know how important it is, but they find it too hard to let go of their old life. Good intentions get sidetracked by bad priorities.
The man in our text had the very best of intentions. The disciples and the others around the Lord Jesus must have been delighted to hear of his intentions. With such good intentions, he would be devoted and faithful, and an excellent addition to the company. Sadly, we never read of the man getting past the good intention stage. Jesus reminded him in the next verse of the poverty and homelessness into which his intentions would take him. The man had said he would go wherever the Lord Jesus went, but the Lord Jesus was on His way to Calvary. If the man couldn’t stand poverty or homelessness, he would certainly fail when it came to rejection and shame. He needed far more than just good intentions; he needed a spiritual perspective that could see past the temporary things and appreciate the eternal. And so do we.
According to Romans 10:9, one of the great acknowledgments of our salvation is that of Jesus Christ as Lord. In our modern day, the word ‘Lord’ does not carry the impact that it did in earlier centuries. A lord was one to whom a person recognized allegiance and subjection. Dukes and earls called the king lord. Knights and counts called the dukes and earls lord. Local gentry called the knights and counts lord. And the peasants and townsfolk called the local gentry lord. Those who you referred to as lord could call upon you for service at any time, including taking up arms. Those who you called lord could expect from you regular payments of money or produce, and regular attendance to duties or ceremonies. Acknowledging lordship was definitely a big deal. When the man in our text refers to Jesus as Lord, he was making a great commitment to Him, a commitment that was greater than he expected. When you and I call Him Lord, we are also making a great commitment. How willing are we to accept the extent of that commitment?
Will we go wherever the Lord Jesus desires us to go, and do whatever He desires us to do? If so, we can truly call Him our Lord. – Jim MacIntosh