Rewards of Following Jesus: Luke 18:28-30
“28) Peter said, “Behold, we have left our own 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 as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”” Luke 18:28-30
So what does it mean to follow Jesus? According to Matthew 4:18-22, when Jesus walked passed their commercial fishing site and called then to follow Him, Peter, James, John and Andrew left everything a followed Him.
But that’s not the full story. They later stayed in Peter’s house and Jesus even healed his mother in-law from a fever. (See Matthew 8:14-17) Years later Paul talked about the other apostles like Cephas (Peter) being married. (1 Corinthians 9:5)
Evidently, following Jesus did not mean they liquidated everything and abandoned their wife and family. Peter was fulfilling his domestic responsibility to care for his aging mother in-law.
So what does it mean to follow Jesus? It means putting Him first. It involves serving Him above self. It focuses on walking in the Spirit and doing His will. It includes sharing the gospel, ministering to others and making disciples. At some point it might involve laying your life down for Him.
Peter was not complaining, he was merely noting that they had sincerely followed him. They had made huge sacrifices.
The response of Jesus was classic; “What they gained was far more than what they left.” They were living on the front lines of kingdom blessings. They were hearing every message Jesus preached, seeing every miracle Jesus performed and being prepared for the filling of the Holy Spirit soon to be poured out at Pentecost.
They were being prepared to be the first wave of men and women (If you include the 120 that prayed in Pentecost) that God was about to use to change the course of human history!
Let’s face it, no one knows the names of the many other men who owned fishing sites along the Sea of Galilee! Following Jesus radically changed these four men. Who they became and what God did through them is mind boggling.
Indeed, they received many times more in this life and in the age to come eternal life! The comparison is impossible to calculate. The pleasures of this world cannot compare to the rewards of following Jesus. They extend far beyond this life and this world.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
“28) Peter said, “Behold, we have left our own 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 as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”” Luke 18:28-30
So what does it mean to follow Jesus? According to Matthew 4:18-22, when Jesus walked passed their commercial fishing site and called then to follow Him, Peter, James, John and Andrew left everything a followed Him.
But that’s not the full story. They later stayed in Peter’s house and Jesus even healed his mother in-law from a fever. (See Matthew 8:14-17) Years later Paul talked about the other apostles like Cephas (Peter) being married. (1 Corinthians 9:5)
Evidently, following Jesus did not mean they liquidated everything and abandoned their wife and family. Peter was fulfilling his domestic responsibility to care for his aging mother in-law.
So what does it mean to follow Jesus? It means putting Him first. It involves serving Him above self. It focuses on walking in the Spirit and doing His will. It includes sharing the gospel, ministering to others and making disciples. At some point it might involve laying your life down for Him.
Peter was not complaining, he was merely noting that they had sincerely followed him. They had made huge sacrifices.
The response of Jesus was classic; “What they gained was far more than what they left.” They were living on the front lines of kingdom blessings. They were hearing every message Jesus preached, seeing every miracle Jesus performed and being prepared for the filling of the Holy Spirit soon to be poured out at Pentecost.
They were being prepared to be the first wave of men and women (If you include the 120 that prayed in Pentecost) that God was about to use to change the course of human history!
Let’s face it, no one knows the names of the many other men who owned fishing sites along the Sea of Galilee! Following Jesus radically changed these four men. Who they became and what God did through them is mind boggling.
Indeed, they received many times more in this life and in the age to come eternal life! The comparison is impossible to calculate. The pleasures of this world cannot compare to the rewards of following Jesus. They extend far beyond this life and this world.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
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