What Jesus Did : Matthew 19:27-30 - What about us?
by Phil Ware
What about us? - Matthew 19:27-30
Peter said to Jesus, "We left everything we had and followed you. So what will we have?" Jesus said to the followers, "I tell you the truth. When the new world is made, the Son of Man will sit on his great throne. And all of you that followed me will also sit on thrones. You will sit on twelve thrones and you will judge the twelve family groups of Israel. And every person that has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms to follow me will get much more than he left. And that person will have life forever. Many people that have the highest place in life now will have the lowest place in the future. And many people that have the lowest place now will have the highest place in the future. (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
At first glance, Peter's statement and question seem very self-promoting. The question, however, is more his looking for re-assurance that they have indeed tried to follow him. They had, in fact, left everything to follow him. While they had not always understood or chosen the proper course, they had sacrificed everything to follow him. We must not discount the great sacrifices these 12 had made. When Jesus is crucified, it had to make their devastation all the more severe. Jesus does not rebuke Peter. Instead, like he had done for so many others who were desperate for his care and cure, he affirms him. In the same way, if we truly surrender our lives in obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord, he promises us very much the same kind of blessing. Just as we cannot out sacrifice God, neither can we begin to imagine his ultimate blessings for us who loved him and sought to faithfully follow him!
Today's Prayer
Almighty and gracious God, I trust in your promises. Please give me the courage to live with radical faith in Jesus as Lord knowing that any hardship here will not go unnoticed and unrewarded by your grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
Then the people brought their little children to Jesus so that Jesus could put his hands on them and pray for them. When the followers saw this, they told the people to stop bringing their children to Jesus. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people that are like these children." After Jesus put his hands on the children, he left there. A man came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to have life forever?" Jesus answered, "Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. But if you want to have life forever, obey the commands." The man asked, "Which commands?" Jesus answered, "'You must not murder anyone, you must not do the sin of adultery, you must not steal anything, you must not tell lies about other people, you must honor (respect) your father and mother,' and 'you must love other people the same as you love yourself.' " The young man said, "I have obeyed all these things. What else do I need?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, then go and sell all the things you own. Give the money to the poor people. If you do this, you will have a rich treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me!" But when the man heard this, he was very sad. The man was very rich {and wanted to keep his money}. So he left Jesus. Then Jesus said to his followers, "I tell you the truth. It will be very hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." When the followers heard this, they were very surprised. They asked, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at his followers and said, "This is something that people cannot do themselves. But God can do all things." Peter said to Jesus, "We left everything we had and followed you. So what will we have?" Jesus said to the followers, "I tell you the truth. When the new world is made, the Son of Man willsit on his great throne. And all of you that followed me will also sit on thrones. You will sit on twelve thrones and you will judge the twelve family groups of Israel. And every person that has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms to follow me will get much more than he left. And that person will have life forever. Many people that have the highest place in life now will have the lowest place in the future. And many people that have the lowest place now will have the highest place in the future.-- Matthew 19:13-30 (ERV)
URL: http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/0913-wjd.html
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