10-17-2025 PART 3: Follow Without Delay: Obedience and Joy

Section 1
Matthew 8:21–22 recounts a disciple asking Jesus for permission to bury his father before following Him, only to hear the piercing command, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” The surface shock of this statement hides its true challenge—faith without delay. In the cultural context, this wasn’t about skipping a funeral but postponing obedience for years, even decades. Jesus’ response cuts through sentiment and procrastination alike: allegiance to Him must outrank every earthly tie, even family. The message is not cruelty but clarity—God first, everything else follows.

Section 2
This priority confronts the modern inversion of values—“family, faith, and friends.” In truth, it is faith, faith, and faith again, because the relationship with God defines and blesses every other relationship. The writer’s personal example underscores the cost and reward of such loyalty: losing contact with much of his family but gaining countless brothers and sisters in Christ. Following Jesus comes with sacrifice, but obedience always produces a multiplied return. The call is immediate and uncompromising; delay is simply disobedience dressed up as duty.

Section 3
Nehemiah 8 offers a perfect echo to this theme. The people gathered to hear the Word, obeyed by building booths for the Feast of Sukkot, and were filled with great joy. The sequence is powerful—attention, obedience, and joy. Obeying God’s Word is not merely rule-keeping; it’s the gateway to divine gladness. Happiness fades, but joy endures because it springs from the Spirit and from walking in step with truth. The passage closes with an invitation to act on what we hear: follow now, obey now, and receive the joy that only God can pour into a surrendered heart.