Mark 10:28-31 “Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 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."
This passage is for all of those who have paid a price to follow! Throughout the ages Jesus has invited His disciples into a lifestyle of costly obedience. Most all of the great works that have been done in the name of the Lord have come at a great price to the ones who performed them. Every one of the apostles paid a price of persecution and in most cases death to accomplish their mission. In the same way Christians throughout history have been invested deeply in a following at great personal cost. In much the same way as the invitation that Jesus gave to the rich young ruler to put aside all that he had and follow Jesus extends his hand again and again to his disciples inviting them to follow the costly road. The glory of this passage is its focus on the reward of that sacrifice.
Though His words of encouragement in this passage are directed specifically to Peter it was a gracious gift of the Lord to His church to provide an insight into the heavenly view of our sacrifice. We do not take up the cross of Christ in a vacuum. Each person who embraces the nails of Christ’s suffering does so within the context of the attention of both heaven and hell! Hell trembles every time someone turns from the things of this world and embraces the cross and heaven moves as each will surrenders to God’s purpose. With every decision made for God and against the world another portion of the kingdom of God is released from God’s throne into the realms of man!
In Mark 10:28-31 Jesus comforts Peter with the knowledge that the price he has paid is seen. It is marvelous that Jesus, even knowing the future failures of Peter, is still affirming to him regarding the costly obedience that Peter has demonstrated in following the Lord. It is comforting to know that momentary failures do not negate the reality of a life of costly decisions made for God. Jesus affirms Peter with the assurance that the sacrifices that he has made are like a seed that has been sown into the earth. In fact the words of Jesus are intensely reward focused as He exhorts Peter. His words are not limited to the price that Peter has paid but rather to all of us as He declares, “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).”
What good news this is for us! No one who has left something behind for the sake of the Lord will fail to receive reward! There is still more good news in these words of Jesus. Jesus does not limit the focus of His reward to the realms of eternity! Jesus draws Peter’s attention to the fact that there is a NOW reward. Sacrifice for the name of Christ in this life will be rewarded IN THIS LIFE!!!!!
There is only one sense of caution found in these comforting words of Christ concerning the recompense of God towards those who have paid a price to follow. That caution is the issue of timing! Jesus promises reward but He does so in the context of the calendar of God! His final words to Peter on this subject of reward are; “many who are first will be last and the last first!” There is a kingdom principle in this for those who have ears to hear.
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