The Sermon on the Move
Sermon Notes
Most of us love the idea of following Jesus. We admire His teaching, we nod along to His words, and we picture ourselves walking confidently behind Him. But then life gets complicated. Excuses get loud. And somewhere along the way, we find ourselves hesitating at the door instead of stepping into the mission.
In this week’s message, Brad Kirby teaches through Matthew 8 and Luke 9, where Jesus meets three would-be followers who are inspired but hesitant. Their excuses sound familiar. Convenience. Delay. Distraction. Jesus responds with clarity about what real discipleship requires. He calls us to move. Not later. Now.
If you have felt stuck in good intentions or held back by fear, this passage gives you a clear picture of what it looks like to take the next step with Jesus.
Key Takeaways
Following Jesus requires commitment, not convenience.
Discipleship cannot be delayed. Obedience is a now decision.
A divided heart cannot walk a straight path. Jesus calls us to focus.
Excuses grow when movement stops. Faith grows when you step forward.
Jesus does not call us to admiration. He calls us to action.
Discussion Questions
Which of the three hesitations do you relate to most: convenience, delay, or distraction?
Where have you been waiting for the perfect moment instead of taking the next step?
What comforts or fears tend to hold you back from obedience?
Who could you invite to walk with you as you follow Jesus more intentionally this week?
What practical step can you take today to live the Sermon on the Move?
Transcript
The Moment Before the Jump
There’s a split second before someone jumps out of a plane when the whole body hesitates. The heart says, “Go,” but the feet stay locked down. And honestly, that’s where so many believers live. We talk about wanting to follow Jesus. We nod along in agreement. We say the right things. But when it’s time to actually move—to take a real step of obedience—we freeze. We’re standing at the door, convinced that someday we’ll jump… just not today.
Matthew 8 shows us the opposite. Jesus doesn’t stay on the mountain after preaching the Sermon on the Mount. He walks straight into the mess of human need. He touches a leper. He heals a servant. He restores a woman to health. Jesus doesn’t delay obedience—He embodies it. And it’s right in the middle of His movement that three people step forward and say, “I want to follow You.” But each one hesitates. Their words sound sincere, but their feet won’t move. And Jesus exposes the truth: wanting to follow Him is not the same as actually following Him.
Commitment, Not Convenience
The first man comes in hot: “I’ll follow You wherever You go.” It sounds bold, admirable, even spiritual. But Jesus knows the difference between emotion and conviction. He looks at this man and reminds him that even foxes and birds have more comfort than the Son of Man. In other words: You love the idea of following Me, but you haven’t counted the cost.
This is the same pattern we see in the church today. We want discipleship without discomfort. We want purpose without pressure. We want spiritual growth as long as it fits neatly inside our schedule, our preferences, and our conveniences. But following Jesus has never been about comfort. It’s about commitment—real, lived-out commitment that moves when He moves, even when it costs something. You can’t follow Jesus and stay planted. You can’t chase convenience and chase Christ at the same time.
Urgency, Not Hesitation
The second man sounds responsible. He wants to honor his father. He wants more time. He says, “Lord, I will follow You… just let me go do this first.” And Jesus cuts through the surface-level sincerity. Because the man wasn’t asking to bury a deceased father—he was asking for an indefinite delay. “I’ll follow You later” is still disobedience today.
This is where so many of us get stuck. We want to follow Jesus when life settles. When the schedule opens up. When we feel ready. When it’s more convenient. But life doesn’t settle. The perfect moment never arrives. And Jesus exposes the truth behind all our delays: hesitation reveals a divided heart. The call of Jesus is not “follow Me eventually.” It is “follow Me now.” Kingdom work is urgent because people are perishing. Souls are at stake. The mission won’t wait for a more comfortable season.
Focus, Not Distraction
The third man wants to look back before he steps forward. “Let me go say goodbye.” It sounds harmless. But Jesus knows that a backward glance always leads to a backward pull. You can’t plow a straight line while staring over your shoulder. You can’t follow Christ if you are still evaluating whether your old life was better. A divided heart never moves forward.
And we get this. Some of us aren’t held back by tragedy or responsibility—we’re held back by distraction. By comparison. By what we used to be or wished we still had. By the life we imagine we’re giving up. But Jesus is calling us into a forward-focused faith. The Kingdom moves ahead. The Savior moves ahead. And we cannot follow Him while our heart is stuck behind us.
Excuses That Keep Us Still
What’s striking is that none of these excuses sound rebellious. They sound reasonable. Logical. Even spiritual. But that’s exactly what makes them so dangerous. Jesus knows that excuses—especially spiritualized ones—slowly shape a life. If you stand at the doorway long enough, you eventually convince yourself the jump isn’t worth it. Hesitation becomes a habit. Delay becomes identity. And before long, following Jesus becomes something you admire, not something you do.
Jesus Has Already Moved Toward You
Here’s the good news: before Jesus ever asked these men to follow Him, He moved first. He stepped toward the broken, the hurting, the hesitant. He walked off the mountain and into the lives of real people carrying real burdens. That’s what He’s done for you. He has already stepped toward you in grace, mercy, strength, and sacrifice. He isn’t asking you to make the first move. He’s asking you to respond to the move He already made.
