09/20/2026
It takes sacrifice to pick up the cross and carry it! Let us not forget that Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our spiritual freedom!
Let the dead bury the dead" is a challenging statement by Jesus found in the Bible in Matthew 8:22 and Luke 9:60.
Where the Verse Appears:
Matthew 8:21–22: A disciple asks to first go bury his father, and Jesus replies, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead".
Luke 9:59–60: Jesus tells a man to follow Him. The man asks to go bury his father first, and Jesus says, "Let the dead bury their dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God".
What the Phrase Means on the surface, this sounds harsh or uncaring. However, Bible scholars and teachers explain that Jesus used a powerful contrast:
The Spiritually Dead: This refers to people who are physically alive but spiritually dead because they do not follow or know God.
The Call of Christ: Jesus meant that worldly tasks—even important family duties—should not take priority over obeying God's immediate call.
Cultural Context: In ancient Jewish culture, a person was buried on the very day they died. Because of this, the man asking to bury his father was likely not standing next to a fresh co**se. Instead, he meant he wanted to wait at home until his elderly father died, or he was waiting through a lengthy, year-long mourning and family estate process.
Jesus used the moment to teach that following Him requires total, immediate commitment rather than waiting for a more convenient time.
Many choose to half heartedly choose to serve or follow Jesus because that means they will have to give up something! Our church has been studying this over the last few weeks!
