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You can respect Jesus, quote Jesus, even feel inspired by Jesus, and still refuse to follow Him. That tension sits right at the center of Luke 9, where three different people step forward with big words and hidden conditions. We take our time with each conversation and let Jesus’ replies do what they are meant to do: expose the deals we try to make with God.

We talk about three excuses that still sound normal today. The first is transactional discipleship: “I’ll follow if I get what I want,” and Jesus answers with a sober reminder that following Him is not a path to comfort or status. The second is procrastinated faith: “I’ll follow, but not right now,” where “later” often means “after I feel financially secure and life calms down.” The third is partial surrender: “I’ll follow, but not entirely,” and Jesus uses the plow to show how a life spent looking back can never move forward with clarity.

To bring it home, we share the story of William Borden, a wealthy Yale graduate who wrote three phrases in his Bible that still challenge modern priorities: “No reserves. No retreats. No regrets.” If you’ve been negotiating with God, delaying obedience, or keeping an exit door open, this conversation will help you name what’s really going on and choose a clearer path of Christian discipleship.

Subscribe for more Bible teaching and practical faith conversations, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review. Which of the three excuses do you hear most often in your own life right now?

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