the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head

The first of these sayings was addressed to one who offered to be a disciple unconditionally and of his own accord. “Lord,” said this man, “I will follow You wherever You go.” [Luke 9:57] That offer sounded good. It was a step in advance of many. Thousands of people heard our Lord’s sermons who never thought of saying what this man said. Yet he who made this offer was evidently speaking without thought. He had never considered what discipleship meant. He had never counted the cost. And hence he needed the grave reply from Jesus which his offer called forth: “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” [v. 58] He must weigh well what he was taking in hand. He must not suppose that Christ’s service was all pleasure and smooth sailing. Was he prepared for this? Was he ready to suffer hardship . . . as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:3)? If not, he had better withdraw his application to be a disciple.

Let us learn from our Lord’s words on this occasion that He would have all who profess and call themselves Christians be reminded that they must carry the cross. They must count on being despised, and afflicted, and tried like their Master. Jesus would have no man enlisted on false pretenses. He would have it distinctly understood that there is a battle to be fought, and a race to be run, and a work to be done, and many hard things to be endured if we propose to follow Him. Salvation He is ready to bestow without money and without price. Grace along the way, and glory in the end, shall be given to every sinner who comes to Him. But He would not have us be ignorant that we shall have deadly enemies – the world, the flesh, and the devil – and that many will hate us, slander us, and persecute us if we become His disciples. He does not wish to discourage us, but He does wish us to know the truth.

Well would it have been for the church if our Lord’s warning had been more frequently pondered! Many a man begins a religious life full of warmth and zeal, but by and by loses all his first love and turns back again to the world. He liked the new uniform, and the bounty money, and the name of a Christian soldier. But he never considered the watching, and warring, and wounds, and conflicts which Christian soldiers must endure.

Let us never forget this lesson. It need not make us afraid to begin serving Christ, but it ought to make us begin carefully, humbly, and with much prayer for grace. If we are not ready to take part in the afflictions of Christ, then we must never expect to share His glory.

—J.C. Ryle, ‘Expository Thoughts on Luke’