Luke 18: 18-27
A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’
“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”
What stood out to me in reading this today was something that hasn’t ever jumped off the page before, as I’ve read this countless times throughout my life. It was the final verse of this passage. The promise Jesus makes to those that will sacrifice “all things” to follow him. Including family, prestige, safety, comfort, etc…”No one…will fail to receive many times as much IN THIS AGE, and in the age to come eternal life”.
Now, let me clarify something…I am a logical thinker. I shy away from the slightest scent of prosperity doctrine, BUT, there are countless examples and scriptures that promise restoration and blessing for those that “die to themselves”. And yet, the opposite truth exists as well. We live in an “un-finished” work in progress Kingdom on this earth. Many of the promises of God will not be fulfilled in us until we are re-united with Jesus in the Kingdom to come. I’m not trying to start an argument with myself here, I’m merely recognizing that erring on the extreme of either theological persuasion is dangerous and incomplete. I think I could use more of those Light bulb moments that remind me that God DOES promise me good things. Here and now. They may not fit into my 21st century, North American, idealistic, entitled mold, BUT, they are good. And we do need to live in expectation of God’s goodness. After all, we believe in a father that loves to lavish blessing on his people…right? I need more of this hopeful and joyful expectancy in my life. I need to be challenged to embrace hopeful, joyful, blessing, and believe for good things, EVEN when it begins with sacrifice and surrender.
Jon
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