Matthew 19:27-30
Then Peter answered and said to Him,
“See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
“But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Mark 10:29-31
So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you,
there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, “who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time– houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions’” and in the age to come, eternal life.
“But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Luke 18:29-30
So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
“who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come everlasting life.”
I wanted you to read these Words of Jesus before I comment. May I ask you to stop and read them again before going on.
Did Jesus really mean these words? Every word of Jesus is important even if it is only recorded once but this is repeated in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Must be very important!
I have many commentaries of the Bible available to me through my computer Bible programs. However I have chosen not to reference these but to simply look at the Words of Jesus and ask ‘Did Jesus mean what He said?’ The answer is ‘Yes’. So how do we apply them to our lives.
As I write this I am sixty six years old. I want to say this simple statement.
I have personally experienced forsaking or leaving all of the things Jesus noted above.
And I have experienced the Hundredfold blessing and much more!
In my early years of preaching across America and my years of ministry on Sunset Strip in Hollywood and now my years of carrying the cross around the world I have often had to leave father and mother, sister, wife, daughters and sons. I have left houses and land for the cause of Jesus.
I must say that Jesus has done what He promised. Jesus has turned around and given me far more than I left. More than 100 times! Wow.
I have hundreds of families around the world and their homes I can sleep or live in. I have mothers and fathers around the world. I have sisters and brothers dear and loving to me. I have seven children but yet hundreds more that are like children to me and me like a father to them. I have family all around the world and I have property listed by title to another but open for me to live in or to visit in.
Many missionaries have to send their children to a mission school in a distant city as they serve Jesus in a foreign land. This is very difficult both for parents and children. Many preachers or singers, etc have to leave their wife or husband and family to go on trips as they minister Jesus to others. This is difficult yet rewarding. Many families have left secure jobs and homes and land to go out in full time service for Jesus. The personal sacrifice of many preaching or ministering Jesus is unknown to the world and even often to the church. When the phone rings in the home of a minister it can change the entire night or week for he must go to minister to others. Jesus recognized the sacrifice yet promised a reward of blessing.
Jesus said if you leave family or things for “My Name’s sake or the Gospel’s or the Kingdom of God”
This promise is conditional on the motive being correct. Then comes the promise of the blessing.
Matthew
shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
Mark
“who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time’”
with persecutions’”
and in the age to come, eternal life.
Luke
“who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come everlasting life.”
So twice Jesus uses the word hundredfold and once, many times more! Note also that He says ‘In this time or present time.’ This is the promise of Now.
Dear believer please do not try to explain away what Jesus is saying.
We are to forsake ‘all’ to follow Jesus even the things we count most dear and trust God to multiply back what we lose or forsake.
Now note that Jesus also says with this comes ‘Persecutions’! Those who follow Jesus will face difficulties and have enemies along with the blessings. So don’t be discouraged when you face persecutions but rejoice in your blessings. Glory!
The final blessing Jesus promises in ‘eternal life’ or ‘everlasting life’. This is thrilling.
No matter what your face whether in Life or in Death you are Blessed for following Jesus.
I just want you dear follower of Jesus to stay focused on Him and His call and will for your life.
We must be willing to forsake all for Jesus and the Gospel and the Kingdom of God.
Do not let this world and the pleasures of this world or even of family keep you from serving Jesus when and how He wants you too.
In this age of ‘family values’ and the emphasis on home and family we need to also look at the Words of Jesus. Let us not take them away or rationalize them away but let them be our guide and way.
Should you have a problem with this then read last weeks column about ‘hate’ and family. Also read everything JESUS has to say about family and you will bring your life and focus back in line with Jesus and His Word.
As I write this my wife Denise is packing and getting ready to leave next week as we go to carry the cross in a distant land on the other side of the world. Our little daughter Sophia is going too. She is only two years and ten months yet has flown on 58 air flights. We are leaving to go’¦
I encourage you to let nothing stand between you and Jesus and eternal life. I encourage you to read the earlier part of this story about the rich young ruler and how he missed eternal life. I will deal with that in next week’s column.
God bless you and your journey with Jesus.
Pilgrim followers of Jesus,
Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1
