1. Why People Reject Christ By Robert C. Archer

2. THREE MEN Matt. 8:19-20 – 19 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." – 20 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."

3. THREE MEN Luke 9:59-60 – 59 Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father.“ – 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."

4. THREE MEN Lk. 9:61-62 – 61 And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." – 62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

5. NOTE In every case they wanted to follow Jesus, but every case Jesus doesn’t say, “Wonderful, we’ll work things out”, but what he said in each case is really negative.

6. Let’s look at what each teaches The scribe (Matt. 8:18-20) – Caught up in emotion – Jesus reminds him of the cost – Are we willing to pay the price?

7. Let’s look at what each teaches The second man (Matt. 8:21-22) – Burial means to take care of the father (until death) so he would receive the inheritance – So the second reason is that many don’t want to give up their personal quest for the material things in life and even worse – they find joy in the physical; not the spiritual – So again it is the matter of sacrifice

8. Let’s look at what each teaches The third man (Lk. 9:61-62) – So the third reason is that many don’t want to sacrifice their personal relationships – Jesus said (Matt. 10:34-39)

9. Why not? It takes sacrifice to be a Christian and many are NOT willing to sacrifice!

10. Conclusion Are you willing to make the sacrifice? Give up that which stands between you and Christ?