Matthew 19:23-30

²³ And Jesus said to his disciples, “Honestly, I am telling you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom from the sky.

²⁴ Again I am telling you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom from the sky.”

²⁵ After the disciples heard this, they were greatly overwhelmed, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said, “For man this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we get?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Honestly, I am telling you, at the renewal, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel.

²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will get a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

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the rewards of kingdom investment

Peter asked if everybody in the kingdom was equal by grace, what could be gained by forsaking all to follow Jesus. Jesus promised three rewards of kingdom investment, each of which will be realized by us at his second coming:

1. thrones, representing the power we must give up in this life to follow our master. That authority relinquished for Christ will be rewarded with authority in the new age under Christ, the king of kings. We give up ambitions of temporary authority, and will gain permanent authority.

2. the hundred-fold return, representing the lives we will actually affect in this life, a return which we will only see partially now, but our actual influence will be seen at the return of Christ. Making a difference in their lives may mean sacrificing the homes and families and countries we were born into. Whatever the cost, we need to be willing to invest in the lives the master sends our way, or sends us to.

3. and eternal life – the gift of gift. Many have fought, and some have even killed to prolong their lives, only to eventually succumb to the grim reaper. The only true solution to our mortality is the resurrection by Christ at his return.

But those who think they are first will be last. The rich young man who thought he was one up on everybody else was actually last in line, destined to be the biggest loser –an eternal loser, because his possessions came first. The only winners in life are those who will dare to let Jesus be first. It is very hard for a person who is endowed with wealth to do that. It is like a camel trying to thread himself through a needle. Actually, that is not just difficult, it is impossible. Fortunately, we serve a God who does impossible things all the time. He can save rich and poor, wise and foolish, mighty and humble. Those he saves always come to him with nothing, because Jesus needs nothing that they have.

LORD, You are the master. We agree to your terms of employment. We have left our all, and we will follow you, even if it means poverty and death and insignificance in this life. We trust you to surprise us with inexpressible joy at your coming. Your commands are our joy today.