SHARING BREAD
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow
you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”
Matt
19:27-30 (NIV)
In our verses for today, Pete boldly pipes up with the
question I am confident the other eleven desired to know the answer to as
well. Isn’t it great to have a Peter
around to ask all the uncomfortable questions we are afraid to ask yet
curiously desire to know the answer! To be sure, our Lord’s reply confirms one
cannot out give God. Whatever “measly”
pittance we give up in this earthly life will be so richly rewarded we will
certainly end up being overwhelmed – wide eyed and open mouthed. Jesus tells us similar Words in Mark:
29 “I tell you the truth,”
Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or
sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much
in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and
fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the
last first.” Mark
10:29-31 (NIV)
Paul also declares to us these enticing words in 1
Corinthians quoting from the Prophet Isaiah:
9 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear
has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”
-- 10 but
God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 1 Cor 2:9-10 (NIV)
In God’s economy, He considers the investing of our
resources, time and talents in the eternal as being far superior to our merely tinkering
with the temporal. No matter how
alluring the world may appear, it’s a bad deal compared to the kingdom of God. The former will one day vanish like smoke, the
latter will inherit all wealth and it is a wealth that is everlasting. It is like desiring to own a small sandbox (and
one that is fleeting) in lieu of owning the seashore (and one that is eternal) –
no comparison. Yet we appear to be bent
on pursuing earthly pleasure and baubles at an alarming rate. There is always bigger and better and more
and more and more - ever wearing ourselves out and being sucked into the abyss
of tarnished excess. In Mark, Jesus uses
a penetrating rhetorical question – presented in economic terms - to
demonstrate to us the folly of living for what will one day perish compared to
the supreme value of the eternal:
36 What good is it for a man to
gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in
exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-37
(NIV)
“The
greatness of a man’s life is the power of his surrender.” William Booth
On the other hand, “things” in and of themselves are not
intrinsically bad either – it is our overwhelming insatiable desire for them
that is wrong. God gives us all things
for our enjoyment and pleasure yet He clearly does not want us to live (and
die) for them. He wants us to have the
correct perspective on them - living life with open hands – not grasping hold
of anything or anyone too tightly rather loosely. It is the Lord’s prerogative to give and it
is His to take away - always for our good and His glory. Do we use what He bestows upon us as tools
to glorify Him or simply as tools to make our heaven here? We should always be grateful for all the many
blessings He has given us but even more grateful for knowing God Himself for He
is the far greater blessing – our infinitely worthwhile Treasure Who lavishes
imperishable gifts upon us all.
“The
world seems very little to a soul that contemplates the greatness of God.” Brother
Lawrence
“Oh,
the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth!”
Jim Elliot
“He
is present and precious to His own.” Hudson Taylor
These gifts cannot be taken away and they are immediately accessible
- the greatest gift being the precious Holy Spirit. Our hearts are where our treasure is furthermore
any treasure deposited in heaven can never be lost, stolen or destroyed. In the Sermon on the Mount our Lord teaches
us:
19 “Do not store up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves
break in and steal. 20 But
store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.” Matt
6:19-21 (NIV)
What I glean from this:
· I cannot
out give God.
· It is
foolish and shortsighted for me to invest in the temporal over the eternal.
· God
Himself is the greatest reward and pleasure.
He alone satisfies the soul. He
is present and precious to me.
