The Challenge and Reward of Total Devotion

It's great to have you here this morning. Thank you for choosing to worship with us today. Let me have you turn in your Bibles this morning to Mark chapter 10. Mark chapter 10 for our time of study and God's word, this morning.

We're continuing with our total devotion series and today I'd like to speak to you on the subject of the challenge and reward of total devotion to Christ, and today we'll look at Mark 10:17 through 30. Many of you, I'm sure have heard the story about Kate McClure and Johnny Bobbitt in the news this past week. Back in October. Kate was driving down Interstate 95 in Philadelphia when her car ran out of gas.

She pulled off the side of the road and very nervously started walking from her car toward a gas station to get some gas. Almost right away, a homeless man named Johnny Bobbitt, who you see on the screen behind me, approached her and told her to get back into her vehicle and lock her doors. He walked to the gas station for her and with his last $20 he bought a gas can and some gas and walked back to her car and gave her enough gas to get where she needed to go. He never asked Kate for.

Any money, but she promised that she would repay him though she was not able to at that time. Over the following few weeks, she brought him food and gift cards and clothes and money whenever she drove by the area where he stayed by the side of the road. And the more she got to know him, the more that she wanted to do for him. Ultimately, she started a GoFundMe.

Campaign for the man and she told the world what he had done for her using his last $20 to help her and she announced her goal to raise $10,000 for this man to get him set up in an apartment and a vehicle. As of last night, she had raised, has raised over $364,000 for this man. One simple sacrifice of his last $20 for this woman and what a windfall. He has reaped in return.

In our story today, the Peter, a disciple of Jesus, is going to essentially say to Jesus, we have left everything and followed you. What then? Will we get And Jesus provides an answer. To Peter That would make even Johnny Bobbitt jealous.

But to get to that question, and to get to Jesus' answer to that question, we need to start in Mark chapter 10 verse 17 in order to see what provoked the question in the first place. And it's an amazing sequence of events. That takes the disciples to the very depths of despair, all the way to the heights of one of the greatest promises that Jesus ever made. The way we'll frame our study this morning is we'll observe seven actions of Jesus that, that served to usher his disciples and that served to usher us into an understanding of the challenge and the reward of total devotion.

To him The first action of Jesus that we find here in Mark chapter 10, verse 17 is that he fields a question from a man wanting to earn eternal life. He fields a question from a man wanting to earn eternal life. Observe what happens in verse 17. As he, Jesus, was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to him and knelt before him and asked him, good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

All Mark tells us here is that this was a man in Matthew chapter 19 verse 20, we learned that he was a young man and in Luke 18:18, we learned that he was a ruler of some sort, which means that he was a prominent and influential man in his community. We learn also here in Mark 10:22 that he was a man who owned much property. So from all indications, this is a man who is living the dream. He is wealthy, he is young, he is a ruler of some sort, so he is used to getting his way and having others do his bidding.

And we will see that he seems to also be a decent man who tries to live according to the law of God. Anyone would have looked at this man and assumed. That he had it all A man who lacks nothing, and yet he lacks something very important as we're going to see. When he opens his mouth.

Kneeling before Jesus, he refers to Jesus as good teacher. Which is unusual in the Jewish sensibilities. Of the day This word was typically reserved for God alone. Yet here this man is calling Jesus good teacher.

And look at the question that he asked of Jesus. He says, Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit? Eternal life In Matthew chapter 19 verse 16, Matthew quotes the man as saying, what good thing? Shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?

And his use of the word good that Matthew gives to us, gives us some insight into this man's thinking. This man is wanting to know what good deed he can do that would thereby entitle him to obtain eternal life for himself. He has a lot of resources to his name and he's wanting to know what good deed he can do with those resources that would guarantee eternal life for himself. On one level, this man is asking the most important question that anyone could ask, and he's certainly coming to the best person of all.

With this question. However, it seems that he views eternal life as something that he can obtain. By doing some good thing. And as one commentator says, underneath his question to Jesus is the assumption that he had the necessary ability and willingness to do whatever was yet required.

He just needed Jesus to tell him what good thing to do. And he would do it. Confident in his own abilities. Well, Jesus meets this man right where he's at, and this brings us to the second action of Jesus that shepherds us toward an understanding of the challenge and the reward of total devotion to Him.

And that is he teaches the man that no one is good. But God alone. Look at what Jesus does in verse 18. Says, and Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good?

No one is good except God alone. This morning, just half an hour ago, I was in my office working on some final touches on the sermon and Alvin Davis came into my office behind me unannounced and began. Massaging my shoulders. And he did that for about 30 seconds and I was savoring and enjoying that.

And I said to him, I can't believe I said this when I'm working on this sermon. I said to him, you're a good man, bro. And as he was walking out of the office, he said, Only God is good. And I'm like, I can't believe I said that to him today of all days.

But I appreciate his correction of me. Jesus says, why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. And there are people who do not believe in the deity of Christ who look at this passage as evidence that Jesus apparently does not think of himself as God.

But actually the opposite is true. This man, this rich young ruler, has no clue that Jesus was God at this point, yet he's freely using the term good to describe Jesus and Jesus is basically saying, you should not be calling me good. Unless you are prepared to go the full distance and accept the fact that I am God. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus also challenges the man on the fact that he wants to do some good thing to inherit eternal life.

In Matthew 19:17, Jesus says, Why are you asking me about what is good? There is only one who is good. So he's challenging him ultimately on two fronts. Why are you calling me good unless you're willing to embrace the fact that I'm God?

And why are you asking me about doing some good thing? Where's the rub in Jesus' mind? Here's the rub, I think. This man comes to Jesus saying, what good thing can I do to inherit eternal life?

And in the same breath, He describes Jesus as good using the same word. Something about how easily this man is using this word to describe his own actions and Jesus as teacher makes Jesus realize that this man has too high of an estimation of his own goodness and too low of an estimation of Jesus. Does that make sense? It would be like me coming up to Michael Jordan.

And saying, hey, good basketball player. What good shot? Would you tell me to take That would give me basketball immortality. My question presumes.

That I could do whatever good shot he tells me to do, and it's clear that I understand little of his true goodness as a basketball player. And that I understand too little of my lack. Of goodness as a basketball player. I should never use the word good to describe Michael Jordan and anything that I could ever do on the court in the same sentence.

But that's what the rich young ruler is doing here with Jesus and Jesus calls him on it. Notice the negative statement of Jesus in verse 18. He says, No one is good except God. Alone.

4 times in the Old Testament, we actually see the refrain, there is no one who does good, and in one of those places, it says, there is no one who does good, not even one. You can't get more emphatic than that. Yet this rich young ruler obviously thinks that he's in a different category than everybody else and that there is some good thing that he could do to inherit for himself eternal life. And Jesus confronts him with the truth that no one is good, except God alone, and that goes for this man too.

If this rich young ruler is going to get any distance toward eternal life, then he first of all must admit that he's not good. And you must also You will never inherit eternal life until you agree with Jesus on this point. In and of yourself, you are not a good person. None of us in this room, in and of ourselves are good persons.

You can never be good enough or do anything good enough. To get yourself to heaven. And this brings us to the 3rd action of Jesus designed to usher us toward a fuller understanding of the challenge and the reward of total devotion to Him. Jesus essentially puts on his Moses cap.

And number 3, he instructs the man to keep the commandments of the law. Look at what Jesus says to him, verse 19, the commandments, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud. Honor your father and mother. Basically he's giving this man 5 of the 10 commandments.

He states the 6th, the 7th. The 8th and the 9th, and then the 5th commandment. And then sandwiched in these commandments is the command do not defraud. Which might be Jesus simply restating the eighth commandment about not stealing in a way that was especially suited to what this rich man could hear.

This word was used to speak of withholding wages from someone to whom it was due. The word translated to fraud speaks of withholding from someone anything good that they need that is within your power to give them, and Jesus is gonna test this man on this very point in just a moment. Basically, Jesus is saying to this man, He's saying, I, I guess so long as you're simply asking me for advice on what good thing you could do to inherit eternal life, then I guess my advice is look at the commandments of God.

And Jesus gives him six commandments that all have to do with how one treats his fellow men.

And in Matthew chapter 19, verse 17, Jesus says to the man, if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. Just obey these commandments. And guys, when Jesus tells this man to keep the commandments, We know what he means, right? He means don't commit adultery, even in your heart by looking with lust upon another woman.

He means don't commit murder in your heart by hating someone and being unrighteously angry against them. And Jesus is basically saying to this man, You want eternal life, you want to do something good enough to inherit eternal life, keep the commandments of God in both spirit and in letter perfectly. All the time and you will have life. Now let me ask you a question.

Is this gospel? Is Jesus preaching gospel to this man? No, he's preaching law to this man. This is the message of the law.

And Jesus is preaching law to this man with the desire that the law would serve as a tutor to bring him to Christ and to help him to see his spiritual poverty. Imagine that this man listens to what Jesus says here. And Jesus says, obey the commandments and you'll live. And the man, imagine him saying, OK, I'm going to go and I'm going to do all the commandments of God and thereby inherit eternal life.

Is that the response Jesus would have wanted from this man? Absolutely not. The response Jesus would have wanted from this man. is for him to say, but I have failed to keep the commandments of God as I should have.

So my question now is, how can I, who have sinned, possibly inherit eternal life? That's what Jesus would have wanted from him. And that's what this man should have done, but he doesn't do that. Instead, look at how he responds in verse 20.

And he said to him, Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up. Wow. Clearly this man. He does not realize how far short he has fallen in keeping the commandments of God, both in the spirit and the letter of them.

Basically he's saying to Jesus, I've been there and done all of this. I've been keeping all of these commandments since I was 13 years old and became a son of the commandment. In fact, in Matthew 19:20, he then says to Jesus, what am I still lacking? I know I'm not lacking in these things.

I'm doing a good job on the commands you've just given me. Tell me something that I've not been doing. Give me some good thing beyond obedience to these commands that I can do and thereby obtain for myself eternal life. Imagine witnessing to someone and You present the law to them.

You run through the 10 Commandments with them and Your goal is that they would thereby see their spiritual poverty and their need for Jesus, but they go through those 10 commandments and They say, what, I've kept all these commandments all my life since I've turned 13 years of age. Tell me what I can do on top of my obedience to all these commands to inherit eternal life. In all my years of witnessing to people. I've met only one person like this.

And coincidentally, it was in Israel, not too far from where Jesus is right now. But what would you say? To such a person, if you were the one engaging this man in conversation, how would you move the conversation forward? Well, Observe how Jesus carries the conversation forward, and this brings us to the 4th action of Jesus, which serves to usher us into an understanding of the challenge and the reward of total devotion to Him.

Number 4, he beckons the man to give all his wealth to the poor and then follow Him. Now guys, you gotta put on your thinking caps for this. And really track with what we're saying here. Observe what happens in verse 21.

1st of all, It says, looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him. The word translated looking speaks of an intense look, and it seems that Jesus gives this man a long look before he replies. And literally the text simply reads, looking at him, Jesus loved him. He agape him.

Here we have Jesus looking upon a sinner and loving a sinner who is right now too blind to see his own sin. Just like he loved us when we were lost in our blindness and in our sin, and just like he may be looking upon you with love right now. If you are lost in your sin. Jesus looks upon this man, he loves this man, and he delivers a surgical strike at this man's idolatry.

Look at verse 21, and he said to him, one thing you lack. And I am sure upon hearing those words, the rich young ruler, his ears perked up at these words, and he's excited now to hear from Jesus. who has become his spiritual advisor, this one good thing that Jesus is going to tell him that he needs to do in order to have that good thing be the cherry on top of his lifetime of obedience to the law. And here it comes, verse 21.

Go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. And after you've done that, come and follow me. Please note that Jesus says one thing you lack, and then what follows are 5. Commands, go, sell, give, come and follow.

Which clearly reveals that these commands are not what the man lacks. These commands are simply Jesus' way of helping this man to see what he lacks. What does the man lack? As one writer says, what this man lacks.

Is the realization that all his work's righteousness is in vain. What this man lacks is humility, a humble recognition of his complete inability to do any good thing to make himself worthy of eternal life. He lacks the belief that no one is good except God. And these 5 commands are Jesus' way of helping this man to discover this thing that he lacks.

Look at the first part of Jesus' instruction to this man. He says, go and sell all you possess. And give to the poor. And you will have treasure in heaven.

Here I think is Jesus' point. He's saying if the essence of the commandments. That I've already given you is to love your neighbor as yourself, because that would sum up those commands. And if you think you've been doing that all of your life, then go and sell all that you possess and give all of your money to the poor.

If you really love the poor as you love yourself, then you should have no trouble at all doing this. Go and do this and then you will have treasure in heaven. In other words, then you'll have eternal life. So let me ask you again, is this gospel?

Is this gospel? I don't think so. This is law on steroids. Actually, this instruction is not a lot different than what Jesus says to the man in Matthew 19:17.

There he says, if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments. We've already seen that. Here he's saying, if you wish to have treasure in heaven, then give everything you have to the poor. Then when you're done with that, obtaining treasure in heaven through this good deed, then after that, come and follow me.

This is the call that Jesus gives to a man who thinks he's been fulfilling all of the commandments of God's law. And nailing it when it comes to loving others as himself. In fact, if you want to draw some normative principle from this, From what Jesus does here, it would be this, if someone ever comes to you thinking that they are a paragon of loving others as themselves, and they're asking you what other good thing they can do to inherit eternal life, then tell them to sell everything they own and give it to the poor and observe how they respond.

Please understand that Jesus' intent here is to show this man that he is not the lawkeeper that he thinks he has been.

And this command comes from a Savior who's about to give up his own life. For the salvation of sinners, and Jesus is going to do that. He's gonna go to the cross and lay down his life in fulfillment of the ethic of the law. which he will fulfill perfectly and fully.

So what Jesus is asking of this man here is actually less than what Jesus is going to do in fulfilling the ethic of the law Himself. It's as if, as if Jesus is saying to the man, you want to use the word good to describe yourself and me in the same sentence? OK then, lay down all that you possess and give it all away to the poor, and then maybe you can start using the word good to describe me and you in the same sentence. Again, think about the response that Jesus would have wanted from this man.

Imagine that this man responded to Jesus by saying, wow, thank you so much for telling me this. I now know the good thing that I can do. On top of all of my obedience to the law to inherit eternal life. I'm gonna go right now, Jesus, and sell everything I have and give it to the poor and obtain treasure in heaven for myself through that good thing that I did.

And then after I have obtained that treasure in heaven through this good thing that I have done, then I will come back to you and I will start following you. Is that the response that Jesus wanted? Guys, the right response for this man. would have been for him to feel the resistance in his heart against doing what Jesus commands and then to see his spiritual poverty.

And say to Jesus, I can't imagine myself giving everything away to the poor like you are telling me to do. Evidently, I would rather my riches belong to me rather than to the poor, which means that I obviously love myself more than I love my neighbor, my poor neighbor, which means that I do not really love my neighbor as myself, which means that I'm not the law keeper that I always thought that I was. And realizing this Jesus. I am no longer thinking about.

Asking you For some good thing that I could do to inherit eternal life. More than anything, Jesus, I now wanna ask you to do a good thing for me. Could you deliver me from the guilt of my sin? And from my selfishness and my greed and my pride and my blindness and make me someone who would gladly do such a thing for you.

If this man had responded in that way, I fully believe Jesus would have looked at him and said, Welcome to the kingdom of God. Before this man sold a single possession. But unfortunately that's not how this man responds. Look at his response in verse 22.

Some commentators say this is the saddest verse. In all of the Bible. It says, but at these words, he was saddened and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. In other words, his face fell, as some of your translations have it.

And an expression of deep gloom. clouded this man's face. His face is now contorted with shock and sadness and even offense. And there is no other recorded word between Jesus and this man.

He simply walks away from Jesus, we're told grieving or distressed or in a troubled state of mind. Why is he grieving? He's grieving Because full obedience to the law requires more from him than he's willing to give, thus exposing him to be not as good of a lawkeeper as he thought he was, yet he can't bring himself to admit his guilt. to Jesus and asked Jesus to save him from his selfishness.

And pride And his guilt Now let's be very careful here. It's easy for us to look at this man and his response to Jesus and say, well, his core problem obviously is greed because he refuses to give up his wealth. He's a greedy man. There's an element of truth to that, but that would actually be a shallow assessment of this man's problem.

Keep in mind, guys, that in this day a person's wealth was viewed as a blessing from God and a mark of God's favor upon that person's life. It was a symbol of a man's righteousness and wisdom and right decision making. And if God blessed him with wealth, and he could point to that wealth. Everyone could look at that wealth and observe those things as symbols of the righteousness of this man, and they would be marks of God's favor in this man's life, which means essentially Jesus has just commanded this man to give up the very thing that this man has always looked to as a symbol of God's favorable verdict on his righteous life.

And to give it all away to the poor whom this man clearly views as less deserving. Of that symbol. Of that wealth than he viewed himself as being. This man clearly viewed his wealth as God's blessings on him for all of his lifetime of law-keeping, and so as one writer says, for him to give up, to do what Jesus says, and to give up all of his wealth.

was tantamount. To tearing himself loose from his self-righteous achievements. So that God could fill the place of supreme worth. In his life Jesus has just asked this man to give up his most prominent symbol of God's favor.

And replace it all with Jesus and Jesus alone, and that's something that this man was not willing. To do. And in the process, this man shows that he was a violator of the very first of the 10 Commandments of God. The first of the 10 Commandments is to have no other gods before the true God.

You shall have no other gods before me. That's the first of the 10 Commandments. And here is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, standing before this man saying, Give away all that you have and all that it symbolizes, and give it away to the poor, and in exchange you can have me. And in the moment this man.

Looks at his wealth and all that it means and Jesus and he decides. To go with his wealth. Over Jesus revealing that he is an idolater who is putting the God of his wealth before the one true God who stands right in front of him. Which means he hasn't even gotten to first base and keeping.

The 10 Commandments. He strikes out on command number 1. So he walks away from Jesus grieving, and Jesus lets him go. Jesus is the master evangelist.

He knows when to plead for someone to stay, and he knows when to let them go and stew for a while, and he lets this man go and stew on this for a while, and we would hope that at some later point this rich young ruler came to see his spiritual poverty and Came to Jesus. And received eternal life from him. It's at this point that Jesus turns his attention to the disciples who have witnessed this exchange. They're already amazed by what they've seen, but Jesus is going to shock them even more.

He's in a shocking mood. And this brings us to the 5th action of Jesus to usher His disciples and us into a fuller appreciation of the challenge and the reward of total devotion to Him. Number 5, he declares the impossible difficulty of entering the kingdom of God. Look at what Jesus does in verse 23.

And Jesus, looking around, said to his disciples, how hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. Verse 24, the disciples were amazed at his words. Seeing their amazement, Jesus presses his point further. And extends what he just said to all people.

In verse 24, Jesus answered again. In other words, he's answering their amazement. And said to them, children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God. The oldest Greek manuscripts, that's the only word you find there, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.

In fact, it's not just hard, it's harder than impossible. Look at how he says this in verse 25. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And guys, when you read the statement by Jesus, don't Don't listen to the idea that the eye of a needle is some gate in Jerusalem.

That it's referring to some gate that a camel would have to be unloaded in order to get through. that's an interpretation that surfaces for the first time about 1000 years after the time of Christ. So there's, and there's no evidence of such a gate that went by this name. Anywhere near Jerusalem.

This isn't complicated. Jesus wants us to think about the eye of a needle, so think about the eye of a needle. And then he wants us to think of an actual camel. Which was the largest beast of burden in Palestine.

And then he tells us here that a camel would have an easier, you might want to mark that word easier, would have an easier time traveling through the eye of a needle than a rich man would have and getting into the kingdom of God. In other words, according to Jesus, it's not just hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, it's impossible, and it's not just impossible, it's harder than impossible. That's Jesus' point. You say, well, I'm glad I'm not rich.

well, rethink that. Almost all of us in this room are rich. If you make, or if you are living in a household that makes more than 35,000 a year. 35,000 a year, you live in the top 5 percentile.

Of the richest people on the planet. You are somewhere 95% and above. Actually, over a billion people in the world today make less than $800 a year. And if you have a car and a smartphone, and a TV and you have flown in an airplane and you have a computer that can instantly give you access to people and information from around the world, you are today living with more advantages than a multi-millionaire lived with 200 years ago.

You are chronologically rich to be living at this time in history, and most of us in this room. Or at least richer than 95% of all people who are living on the planet today. And Jesus is saying it's harder than impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God, and he's talking about us. And what the disciples are hearing is the opposite of what they would have expected.

They always thought that law-abiding rich people were blessed and specially favored by God, more so than the poor, and their riches were a symbol of God's favorable verdict upon their life. And so the disciples are now thinking, if it's harder than impossible for this law-abiding rich man. To enter the kingdom of God, then who can get in, including us. In fact, look at their reaction to Jesus' words in verse 26.

And they were even more astonished and said to him, then who can be saved? The Greek expression even more astonished could be translated shocked beyond all measure. And in this state of shock, the disciples asked Jesus the question, then who can be saved? Their question is a beautiful one, and it indicates that they have received Jesus' point loud and clear.

They're asking this question from a place of realizing their spiritual poverty, and the question they're asking right now is actually the question the rich young ruler should have been asking a few verses earlier. It's a good question. How does Jesus answer? This leads us to the 6th action of Jesus designed to usher his disciples and us into an understanding of both the challenge and the reward of total devotion to Christ.

And that is number 6. He declares that salvation is possible with God. Look at what he does in verse 27 and looking at them. This is the 3rd time in this passage we're told about the look of Jesus.

Looking at them, Jesus said, with people it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God. Notice his opening statement. With people, it speaking of salvation or entering the kingdom of God is impossible. He's saying when people are left to their own resources to accomplish it, entering into the kingdom of God is impossible.

If Bill Gates donated 100% of his billions of dollars to the very best of charities, he would not be able to get into the kingdom of God. Through that donation. With people Left to themselves, salvation is impossible. You just need to decide whether you agree with Jesus on that or not.

But here's the good news, Jesus says, but not with God, for all things are possible with God. In other words, God has no trouble performing the miracle of bringing people into His kingdom, but it's God who has to do this. And how does God perform this miracle? And make salvation possible for people.

Guys, keep in mind how this little episode started. It's so easy to have skipped over this, and we did skip over it, but we're coming back to it. This whole episode started off in verse 17 with us being told that Jesus was setting out on a journey. What journey is that?

If you go to verse 32. You learn. You read these words and they were on the road going up to Jerusalem. And if you keep reading, you realize this is the Jerusalem visit where Jesus will die.

If you keep reading in verses 32, 33, 34, and so forth, Jesus starts telling his disciples that he's going to Jerusalem to suffer and die and be raised from the dead, and we all know that he's going to do these things in order to bring salvation to people who cannot save themselves. So coming back to verse 27. Jesus is telling his disciples that the salvation of people is possible with God, and he's announcing this truth while he is en route to Jerusalem. For the purpose of threading the eye of that needle of salvation.

To make salvation possible for sinners like you and for me. This is where Jesus, or where the disciples focus should have been right now. On what God is going to do through Christ to make this salvation possible. They should be asking Jesus, what, what is God going to do in order to make our salvation possible.

But Peter, leave it to Peter. is not thinking about that right now. He's thinking about his own sacrifice. That he has made to follow Jesus and he's wondering what he's going to get for his sacrifice.

The rich young ruler refused to leave everything and follow Jesus, but Peter and his fellow disciples, they had left everything and followed Jesus in Peter's mind. Peter, thanks, I think this would be a good time to remind Jesus of our sacrifice that we have made to follow him. And to see what we're going to get for that. This brings us to the final action of Jesus to usher his disciples into a fuller understanding of both the challenge and the reward of total devotion to him, and that is number 7.

He promises manifold blessing for anyone who gives up anything for him. Observe what Peter does in verse 28. And Peter began to say to him, Behold, We, and, in the Greek, this is emphatic, we ourselves, as opposed to the rich young ruler, we ourselves have left everything and followed you, Jesus. And that's all that Mark has Peter saying.

In Matthew 19:27, Peter follows up with the question, what then will there be for us? In other words, what will we get in return for all that we've left? Behind for you Jesus. Peter asked Have you ever thought about How this question must have fallen on Jesus' ears.

I did an experiment. This past week with my wife, this is a totally true story. And it went like this on Monday night of this week. I sat my wife down in our living room.

And I said these words to her, honey. I forsook my parents and my family to marry you over 30 years ago. At that time, I also left every other woman that I knew as a possible mate. I forsook all of them to marry you.

My question to you is, what will I get? In return for all that I have given up to be your husband. You're dying to know what she said, aren't you? Her first answer was, I have given you 4 beautiful children.

Then she said, you've had my love. Then I said, no, what I'm asking you is what will I get? It was then that she said, what about what I've given up to marry you? I could have married a rich man.

And then she laughed and said, Are you being serious? Your question makes it seem like you've not gotten anything already. And that's the response I was waiting for. So go back to verse 28.

What then will there be for us, Peter asked while staring into the face of the long awaited Messiah that he gets to hang out with every day for the last 3 years. What then will there be for us, Peter asked while surrounded by a band of brothers and sisters who have become more like family to him than his own family. What then will there be for us? asked Peter, who has had the privilege of casting out demons in Jesus' name and healing the sick in Jesus' name and raising the dead in Jesus' name and being told by Jesus that his name is written in the book of life.

What then will there be for us? Peter asked during his third year of experiencing a love from Jesus, unlike any love he has ever known, and hearing teaching like he has never heard. And watching the Messiah perform miracles the likes of which he never dreamed possible, and he's had a front row seat to all of that as the kingdom of God is coming. To Israel What then Will there be?

Also, think about two ways that Jesus could have responded to Peter's question. From one standpoint, he could have easily said, Peter, you're actually exaggerating when you say you've left everything to follow me. You may think you've left your fishing, but in a few weeks you're going to go back to fishing, and I'm going to have to pursue you on the Sea of Galilee again and pull you away from that. Though you think you've left everything, I, I see that you are still carrying with you a lot of selfish ambition and pride and fear, which will be tripping you up in the very near future.

Jesus could have gone there, but he doesn't. He also could have said, does it cross your mind what I've given up and what I will be giving up for you? But Jesus doesn't go there. Even though my wife went there with me.

Jesus lets in His mercy what Peter says stand, and he seizes the opportunity. To Convey to Peter and the rest of the disciples. That any sacrifice that anyone makes for him. is no sacrifice at all, ever.

Look at his reply, and all we got to do, all we can do is just Read through this. Jesus said, truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms for my sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he will receive 100 times as much now in the present age. houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children, and farms, along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life, and all that that eternal life entails.

Living forever, the relationality of knowing God, relating to him.

Throughout all of eternity. Jesus' point here is that there is no such thing as sacrificing for Him. If you ever sacrifice anything at any time for Jesus, Whether it be money or a relationship or sin, Jesus is saying, I promise you, before your story is even finished on this side of glory. You will say, if I have ever sacrificed anything for Jesus.

My sacrifice was only 1% compared to all that God has given to me through Christ. In return, And that's just how you're going to talk on this side of glory. Imagine how you will speak in eternity. David Livingston, as many of, was a missionary to Africa in the 1800s.

He left the comforts. of life in Europe and, and gave his life to the people of Africa, seeking to evangelize them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He suffered at various points in a variety of ways. At one point, being attacked by an angry lion.

That left his arm, one of his arms mangled. But David Livingston never felt like he ever made a sacrifice for Jesus. Listen to what he said. People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa, but is something a sacrifice that brings the consciousness of doing good, peace of mind, and a bright hope of a glorious destiny hereafter?

Away with such a word it is emphatically no sacrifice. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger now and then, missing out on a few conveniences and charities of this life, all of these are nothing compared with the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in us and for us. I never made a sacrifice. Of this we ought not to talk, especially when we think of the great sacrifice that Jesus made.

Who left his father's throne on high to give himself. For us. I don't read this quote to you so that you would be impressed with David Livingston. I read this so that you would be impressed with his savior, Jesus.

Jesus is that savior. Such that anyone who gives up anything for him will always in the end say, what sacrifice? I never made A sacrifice Jesus has given me 100 times more than anything I ever gave up for Him, and that's the story of my life, and I haven't even reached glory yet. It'd be like wanting to sit down with Johnny Bobbitt.

Who gave away his last $20 for Kate McClure and say, tell us about your sacrifice. How you sacrificed your last $20 for her. What would he say? He would say, I don't really, I didn't, I didn't sacrifice anything.

I'd rather talk about all that has happened in my life since that I have received. In closing, let me ask you some questions. And don't be mistaken, Jesus is in this room right now, and he's looking upon you right now intently, just as he looked upon the rich young ruler. In our story today, and he loves you.

Just as he loved That rich young ruler. And in the presence of Jesus, With him looking upon you. I'm going to ask you some questions, and however you answer them, you're answering them in his presence and before his gaze. Will you agree with Jesus when he tells you that no one is good except God?

Yes or no? Will you agree with Jesus that your salvation is impossible for you to achieve? Yes or no And will you agree with him when he tells you that your salvation is possible for God to achieve? And will you believe that Jesus went up to Jerusalem for you and he threaded that needle of salvation for you, enduring the cross, bearing the shame of your sins and shedding His blood in order to provide perfect atonement for all of your sins, and will you believe that God raised him from the dead and ascended him to his right hand where Jesus now reigns in glory?

Promising salvation to all who believe in Him and what he did. Will you give up your self-righteousness for him who surrendered his life for you? Will you give up your idols for him? Will you give up your pride for him?

Will you give up your sins for him? Will you surrender your life to this one who loves you? Unlike anyone. Has ever loved you before.

Will you agree with Jesus? That when your story is finished. If you surrendered your life to him. Would you agree with him that there is really no such thing as sacrificing anything for him?

Will you believe his promise that anything you give up for him will turn out to be almost nothing compared to what he gives you in return? Jesus is looking at you. Right now, and he loves you. What is your decision?

What is your answer? To these questions A few weeks ago. A woman sat. In our morning service, and she wept through the entire length of the sermon.

As Jesus was calling her to Himself. And that afternoon she prayed to receive Christ as her Savior and became a follower of Jesus. And I wonder if today is the day of salvation for you. And as you're seated here, I just want you to say yes or no.

In the presence of Jesus. Will you become a follower of Jesus today? Or will you walk away from him? Like the rich young ruler did.

Let me ask you to bow your heads. This isn't rocket science. Salvation is utterly impossible for us to achieve, but what? Christ has done what we could not do as we've seen.

And all it takes on your part to receive that is to simply respond to Jesus and admit your bankruptcy. And call upon him to be your Lord and Savior. If you've never done that, Jesus is calling you today. And I'm pleading with you to respond to him.

Say to him yes or no. And if your answer is yes, then where you're seated. Just pray to him. Confess your need and your brokenness and your bankruptcy.

And ask him To be your Lord and Savior. And if you do that, Jesus would be pleasured. to receive you to Himself and welcome you. Into the kingdom of God.

And if any of you do that this morning, Let us know that on the back of your connection card. Come talk to us afterwards, and we can talk about getting you baptized. In Jesus' name. As a public witness to the work that God has done in your heart.

Lord God, we thank you for For Jesus and not only. His willingness to come and die, but even his willingness to engage us like he engages us in this episode today. He's a savior who's willing to affirm us and love on us and At the same time, he's willing to rock our world. and shock us.

And push us to the end of ourselves so that we in desperation could then cry out to Him. And let him Be our Savior and our Lord. At the end of the day, it's not about what good thing we do to inherit eternal life, it's the great thing you did, Jesus, in order to open the way to eternal life that we might inherit it through your goodness and through what you have done. At the cross for us.

What is not to love about a savior like you? Why would we ever resist surrendering absolutely and fully to a savior such as you? I pray again, Lord, that You would just cause and An outpouring of of your spirit upon us as a congregation that you would, for those of us that know you, that you would take us to a deeper level of devotion. And surrender to You, Lord, that we would taste of the goodness that that comes in that journey.

And be drawn ever deeper. And I pray that you would help us to call others into that as well, to join us in experiencing Christ and all of his fullness. And I pray that if there's any in this room today that have never put their trust in You, Lord. And responded to your call that they would respond to your call today and join us in this amazing journey.

From brokenness to wholeness through this good news of salvation through you, Jesus Christ. We thank you for this opportunity to give up our offerings to you, Lord, receive these funds and do much with all that is given for the glory of Jesus. In whose name we pray. And all God's people said,