First Baptist Church Delray

First Baptist Church Delray

Sermon Application Questions

Pastor Steve’s Message: “Rejecting Jesus”

Scripture: Luke 9:51-62 (ESV)

September 28, 2025

Review the Exegesis of the Scripture

Read Luke 9:51

When the days drew near for him (Jesus) to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 

1. How does this wording help us understand that Jesus is in control of the situation according to God’s pre-written plan?

Read Luke 9:52

And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 

2.Why would Jesus go through an area populated by people that the Jews hated?

Read Luke 9:53

But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 

3. Why would they hate Jesus for His plan to establish a new kingdom in Jerusalem?

4. How is the Samaritans’ reasoning like that of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah in Jonah 3:10 - 4:2?

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.”

5. When we judge Jesus for who He seeks to redeem, what do we miss out on?  

6. What is the first reason we see in this passage about why someone rejects Jesus?

Read Luke 9:54–55

And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. 

7. How might James and John have viewed the Samaritans’ rejection of the coming king Jesus deserving of such a punishment?

8 . How did Jesus underscore His differing view as recorded in Matthew 5:44-45?

(Jesus said,) “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” 

9. Are we to agree with Jesus that even the worst sinners can receive the gift of salvation through trust and repentance?

Read Luke 9:56 

And they went on to another village. 

10. Why did they move on?

Read Luke 9:57–58 

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 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.” 

11. Why is it important that we not find our security in earthly comforts?

12. Who are we to live completely dependent upon?

13. What is this second reason we see in today’s passage why someone rejects Jesus?

14. Is finding security in anything more than Jesus indeed rejecting Jesus?

Read Luke 9:59–60

To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 

15. Isn’t it awfully extreme of Jesus to expect us to follow Him even if it’s against our parents’ will?

16. Is there no good excuse to delay following Jesus, not even a parent’s death and funeral?

17. What is the third reason we see in today’s passage why someone rejects Jesus?

18. Are all excuses for delaying following Jesus indeed rejecting Jesus?

Read Luke 9:61–62

Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” 

19. What is the fourth reason we see in this passage why someone rejects Jesus?

20. What happened to Lot’s wife in the Old Testament when she looked back at what God rescued her from in Genesis 19:24-26?

Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

21. Why does a farmer who is guiding oxen need to keep looking straight ahead?

22. Is continuing to live your old life indeed rejecting Jesus?

Make Personal Applications of the Lessons

23. In which of these four ways have you rejected Jesus:

a. There are some people I don’t like, and I don’t want to offer Jesus’ love and redemption to everyone.

b. My desire for and control over my earthly comfort take up my attention, and, without it, I get frustrated, instead of finding security in Jesus alone.

c. I have an excuse for delaying following Jesus that seems right to me, but it keeps Him out of the kingship role He demands of me.

d. I continue aspects of my old life that are against Jesus’ will, and so I find myself easily getting off-track and doubleminded, caught between two worlds and two sets of values.

24. Like Jonah, who are your Ninevites that you are afraid God is going to bless instead of you and your people? Consider a certain individual, races, generations, the wealthy, the poor, etc.

25. What control are you unwilling to relinquish? Consider your time, money, energy, health, focus, relationships, ownerships, place where you live and serve Jesus, etc.

26. What seemingly valid excuse are you using to delay following Jesus? Consider the following:

a. My family won’t like it.

b . I made a promise to myself first.

c. I want to save up more money.

d. I am waiting to marry until I can afford the wedding I want. 

e. I want to wait until my spouse is ready to come to Jesus with me.

f. I want to wait until my kids are raised.

g. I want to wait until I retire.

27. vWhat part of your old life are you unwilling to give up and are trying to drag into your new life in Christ? Consider the following:

1. My thoughts

2. My lifestyle

3. My family’s influence over me

4. My worldview

5. My purpose

6. My old friends

28. How do these words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1–2 speak to you?

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

29. If Jesus is calling you to follow Him, will you wait and let Him pass you by?