Podcast Summary: Unpacking The Mass with Keith Nester

Episode: June 26, 2022 Readings - Stop Giving Yourself a Way Back
Date: June 23, 2022
Host: Keith Nester

Overview

In this episode, Keith Nester prepares listeners for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time by exploring the upcoming Mass readings. The central theme is the radical nature of discipleship—what it means to completely follow Jesus, cutting off all options for turning back to old ways, comforts, or attachments. Through a deep dive into the readings from 1 Kings, Psalm 16, Galatians 5, and Luke 9, Keith challenges listeners to consider where their true allegiance lies: in fleeting worldly things, or in Christ alone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Call of Elisha — 1 Kings 19

(Starts ~01:00)

• Keith breaks down Elisha’s call by Elijah—how Elijah throws his cloak over Elisha as a sign of transferring prophetic authority.

• Elisha's response is immediate and total: he slaughters his oxen and burns his plowing equipment, hosting a farewell feast—a symbolic break from his past life.

• Key Insight:

  • Elisha leaves “no room for return,” displaying what total commitment looks like in following God.

• Quote (Keith, 05:09):

  "He says, look, I'm all in on this. So all in am I that I'm going to destroy my tools... so that I can be like, all right, gives it to his people, says, 'I'm out of here.' Super incredible."

• Application:

  • Keith urges listeners to “keep that mindset of Elisha in the back of your mind” as they consider their own readiness to forsake the past for discipleship.

2. The Psalm: God as Inheritance — Psalm 16

(Starts ~09:30)

• The psalmist declares, “You are my inheritance, O Lord”—not God’s gifts, but God Himself is the ultimate inheritance.

• Keith on Misguided Motivation:
  Many seek God for what He can do for them, not for who He is.

• Quote (Keith, 13:22):

  “The psalmist doesn’t say, ‘The stuff you do for me, God, is my inheritance.’ He says, ‘You, O Lord, are my inheritance.’”

• Challenge to Listeners:

  • Are we truly seeking God—or are we using God to fulfill our personal goals?

3. Freedom in Christ — Galatians 5:1, 13-18

(Starts ~17:25)

• Paul’s Message: Christ sets us free not only from the Old Law, but also from slavery to sin.

• Keith Warns Against Two Extremes:

  • Legalism: Obsessive focus on rules and laws (often attributed to certain expressions of Catholicism or Fundamentalist Protestantism).
  • License: Using “freedom” as an excuse to sin or invent one's own morality.

• Quote (Keith, 22:53):

  “Your freedom is not license to sin... You don’t go from one form of slavery into another form of slavery.”

• Modern Application:

  • Keith shares a story about someone who rejects Catholicism because of women’s ordination, showing how many create their own standards and make God in their own image.

• Key Distinction:

  • The “desires of the flesh” aren’t just about base pleasures—they’re also about designing religion to suit ourselves.

• Quote (Keith, 29:34):

  “We’ve taken our own opinions and we’ve created a God in our image based on the desire of the flesh. And that is not freedom, my friends. That is slavery.”

• Reflection on Addiction:

  • Keith compares addiction’s grip to sin’s grip—true freedom is found in being led by the Spirit, not the flesh.

4. The Demanding Call of Jesus — Luke 9:51-62

(Starts ~34:40)

• The Context:
  Jesus is determined to go to Jerusalem. He is rejected by a Samaritan village, but simply moves on—demonstrating that following Jesus is a choice and not forced.

• Three Encounters:

  1. Would-Be Disciple:
     Expresses eagerness; Jesus warns, following Him is not comfortable or secure.
     • Quote (Keith, 39:03):

       “Following me is not going to be a cakewalk. It’s not what you think it is.”

  2. Jesus Calls Another:
     The man seeks to first “bury his father.”
     Jesus replies, “Let the dead bury their dead.”
     • Emphasizes the urgency and totality of following Jesus.
  3. Another Wants to Say Farewell:
     Jesus says, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”
     • Direct parallel to Elisha’s story—except this time, the conditions for discipleship are even more radical.
     • Quote (Keith, 43:44):

       “Elisha was basically saying, all right, I get what this is all about, and I’m not going to leave any room to return. I’m going... But apparently this guy... is still so connected... that he’s unable to follow Jesus.”

• What Does “Looking Back” Mean?

  • Reminiscing about pre-Christian life, desiring its freedoms or pleasures, or considering it an “option” if discipleship becomes hard.
  • Keith cites the Israelites yearning for Egypt in the desert as a parallel.

5. Modern Application: Burning the Plow

(Starts ~48:00)

• Hard Truth:

  • Christianity is not an “easy option.” The “way is narrow,” costly, and demanding of singular focus.

• Memorable Analogy:
  Keith uses a motorcycle-riding lesson to illustrate discipleship:

  • Look where you want to go, not behind you or just at the obstacles in front.

  • Discipleship requires “leaning in,” committing 100%, and refusing to look back.

  • Quote (Keith, 51:24):

    “If you want to make that curve... you have to be looking ahead... You can’t be like, ‘Hey, that was cool scenery back there.’ No—you’re going to crash. It’s a lot like that with discipleship.”

• Reflection Questions for Listeners:

  • What does “burning the plow” look like for you?
  • Are there areas in your life where you’re tempted to give yourself a way back?
  • Are you following Jesus to get something from Him, or to get Him?

• Encouragement & Challenge:

  • We must let go of attachments and old “escape routes” to truly inherit Christ.
  • Sanctification is an ongoing process; allow God, in His mercy, to reveal where you’re still looking back.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Inheritance:

  “You are my inheritance, Lord, and I will sacrifice everything for you, to serve you and to follow you. And I’ll burn that plow and eat those oxen so that there’s nothing left for me to even return to.”
  (Keith, 54:26)

• On the Call to Discipleship:

  “Oftentimes it seems like the closer we get to Jesus, the more we realize that we’re still hanging on to some stuff. That’s part of our journey of sanctification.” (Keith, 56:12)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 – 09:30: Introduction & 1 Kings (Elijah & Elisha)
• 09:30 – 17:25: Psalm 16: “You are my inheritance, O Lord”
• 17:25 – 34:40: Galatians 5 & the real meaning of Christian freedom
• 34:40 – 48:00: Luke 9: Jesus’ call & responses to would-be disciples
• 48:00 – 55:30: Application—What does it mean to “burn the plow”?
• 55:30 – End: Final encouragement & spiritual challenge

Conclusion: Will You Leave Yourself a Way Back?

Keith closes by inviting listeners to reflect: Are you willing to burn your plow—closing off all ways back to old life—and go “all in” for Jesus? The freedom of the gospel is not in comfort or compromise, but in total surrender and relationship with God Himself.

For preparation: Listen and consider: Where are you tempted to give yourself an escape route from discipleship? What needs to be surrendered, destroyed, or left behind so you can truly follow Christ, with eyes fixed forward?