The Front Seat of Your Rollercoaster
Preacher: The Rev. Andrew Van Kirk
Scripture: Luke 9:51-62
Jesus doesn’t ask for a place in your life. He asks for the first place.
The gospel passage from Luke 9 is full of hard sayings—no home, no goodbyes, no burying the dead. But these aren’t rules meant to shame or punish. They are not prescriptions. They are descriptions of the very real challenge of discipleship: we are constantly pulled between good things.
Jesus isn’t pitting himself against bad options. He’s showing us how even our best commitments—family, health, security, justice—can quietly edge him out of first place. And most of us don’t say no to Jesus outright. We just say, “Yes, but after this one thing.”
We let Jesus on the rollercoaster of our lives, but we want him to pick a seat in the middle or the back. We invite him along, but we don’t always let him drive.
But here’s the truth: only Jesus belongs in the front car. He’s the one who knows the track ahead. He’s the one who steadies us through the turns. And when he’s in the lead, even the wildest ride will carry us safely to a glorious, redeemed end.
Reflection Questions
What good things in your life have begun to crowd out your wholehearted devotion to Jesus?
Where have you been saying “Yes, Lord, but first…” in your spiritual life?
What might it look like to put Jesus in the front seat, practically and intentionally, this week?
How do you discern the difference between what is good and what is godly in your choices?
Where do you need to wrestle honestly with competing values or priorities—and invite Jesus to lead?
