Matthew 19:27-30
“Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
One thing I think we all can agree on: it’s hard to wait. We don’t like to wait for our food, our show to start, the previews to be over, that person to stop talking, the mail to come, the weekend to get here, the sermon to end, the headache to go away, the check to arrive, or the water to boil. People tell us “it’s worth the wait” but we are skeptical.
Jesus has just dealt with the rich young ruler who had kept the commandments yet that wasn’t enough to gain him eternal life. “Then who in the world can be saved?” the Disciples asked. Jesus gives it to them straight: without God, it’s impossible. Peter sidesteps that issue and brings the conversation back to himself (I tend to do that, too). “What will we get?” he asks.
Do you ever wonder about that? If you have been living under “cheap grace” then you might not be paying much of a price for following Jesus. You got your ticket punched but your lifestyle hasn’t changed…you haven’t been ridiculed or demeaned…your allegiance to Christ hasn’t cost you any relationships. Life is fairly smooth sailing for you. Not so for Peter or the other guys. Their lives were turned upside down. Some folks loved them while others hated them. They lost their jobs and their homes, not to mention many of the relationships they had. Following Christ was a pretty tough gig.
I love that Jesus didn’t blast Peter for asking. Rather, He told him that is was DEFINITELY going to be worth the price of admission as well as the wait. Check out a part of the prize package: You will be in a place of great authority…Whatever you lost on earth will be replaced 100-fold in Heaven…You will have eternal life…You may have been a nobody in this life, but you will be a major SOMEBODY in the next!
Jesus’ promises are numerous and amazing for those who call Him Savior and Lord. They are as real as the nose on your face. It’s OK to ask Him if it’s all going to be worth it and it’s OK to ask Him what you can expect to receive when you “finish the race.” He’s answered those questions in His Word, by the way. The bigger question is this: Do you believe Him? If you struggle with that then you just need to get to know Him better…and yes, it really is that simple!
