Luke 18:28-30 (ESV Strong's)
28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Sacrifice Rewarded
In the above text, Jesus has been engaging in a conversation about eternal life with a rich man. The rich man was boasting that, from his youth, he has kept the Ten Commandments. But, Jesus tells him to sell all he has. He, being rich, goes away disappointed because that would call upon him to actually put his faith in Christ and not in riches. Jesus than makes the famous statement:
Luke 18:24-27 (ESV Strong's)
24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For 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.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
This is the context of the above verses about leaving everything to follow Christ. Jesus wants His disciples to know that Christ is to be the center of their existence. His teaching requires that He becomes the center of our existence. This sacrifice, per Jesus’ own words, is highly reward both NOW and IN THE FUTURE. Those who put family and home in front of Christ, get family and home ONLY! Those who put Christ at the center are assured of Christ’s care and relationship during the present and for the future. That MAY mean that those close to you reject you. That DOES mean that Christ will accept you.
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