• A Hundred-Fold and Eternal Life
• READ Matthew 19:27-29
• Everyone likes more. Or at least most people do- I’ve shared this with you before, but I have high caloric needs- I eat about 3500 calories a day- When I go out to eat, I’m always looking at how many calories I can get for the price. If I’m paying, I want all I can get. This is why I can’t be trusted at buffets. Too much.
• Today- Jesus says to his disciples- shall receive a hundred fold and inherit eternal life.
• A hundred fold sounds awesome. I want that. I want eternal life.
• We are going to take scripture at its word and believe what Jesus is saying here- Read v29
• Matthew 19:27-29

1. You must let go of stuff
2. Lets start by saying this- This promise of hundred-fold and eternal life is a promise to believers who have left some stuff.  This isn’t for everyone- You have to believe, you have to give stuff up
3. v27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?”
4. This is a high bar-and frankly, it’s not easy to leave all to follow Jesus- might be impossible.
5. I am not sure that any of us have ‘left all’ to follow Jesus. We all have creature comforts.
6. All. Left all. Jesus describes what it looks like- Ps Kevin- 21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
7. Ps Jay- talking about a rich man- 25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”
8. Then now he says- Who left all. The Rich man was asked to Give all, and then the disciples declared it’s difficult for anyone to make heaven but Jesus says “w God all is possible”
9. It’s possible to have possessions and go to heaven- Its just not easy.
10. I don’t believe that the letter of the law is leave everything- If the rich man gave all that he had to a poor man, then the poor man would now be rich, and then what?
11. We don’t see complete giving away of everything as the norm in Acts and beyond.
12. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
13. Deny Himself- But what does that Look like for today? These young gents gave up everything, but to us it wasn’t much. And honestly, today giving up everything seems impossible.
14. Pulpit commentary- It was not much that they had left, but it was all they had, their whole means of subsistence, old habits, old associations, to which the poor cling as tenaciously as the wealthy.
15. Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
16. Now I’ll say this- and some would argue I’m looking for an out- but its clear to me, that in this verse- The Disciples come and say we gave up all and that was their declaration, not Jesus demand. Jesus demanded to give up all, but you can see from the stories of the NT, he didn’t require it of all- he required forsaking all- renouncing it all- It’s clear that people had stuff in the Bible and lived life, but the calling was a heart condition of being willing to, valuing, wanting etc
17. 2000 years of Christianity shows that we’re not surrounded by people standing in the streets looking around waiting for stuff to fall from the sky.
18. 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
19. In this scripture, make no mistake- these guys left all, and in luke Jesus says to forsake all- it’s a high bar- it should challenge us to ask where we are at, what we value, and what’s holding us back-
20. Mark 8:35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
21. This is a clear statement- we must leave all for Jesus, but that may not mean that we have nothing. Leaving all doesn’t mean you don’t have anything.
22. “Leave and cleave” Doesn’t mean you don’t have a relationship with your parents, it means it’s not your primary relationship
23. Luke 18:29-30 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
24. You’ll notice what Jesus is saying here- you must leave all to follow Jesus and then he will give you many more times- but you wont get that many more until you leave it all. No wants. Just Jesus

• You will rule and reign
• You will reign 28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Now this is some amazing imagery in regards to what the followers of Jesus are going to do when the end of all things comes to pass “sit on the 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes”
• 2 Timothy 2:12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.
• Now this imagery is powerful- the title of Judge is one who renders a verdict and in this sense, the disciples are 12 and Jesus uses the example of the 12 tribes that there will be 12 thrones that they each will sit on- but they will not be the final arbiter and judge of their actions and lives in the same way that Jesus will be- they will be judging them by their lives because the jews rejected Jesus and they did not- therefore their belief is their judgment of the 12 tribes
• Commentary- That is, judging the Jews for their unbelief, and not reception of me: judging others also; but judgment shall begin at the house of God
• Why is this important? Who we are now and who we are in the future reign of Christ’s kingdom matters. Our status as followers of Jesus is not just merely pawns in an army. You matter.
• 1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
• That sounds important, doesn’t it? Does it change the way you view yourself and your relationship with God and his church?
• All of this is predicated on giving up all. You can’t rule and reign for yourself and do it.
• Revelation 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
• Rev 20:4-6 They lived and reigned with Christ 1000 years
• Reigning is authority. Reigning is influence. Its kingship and power and majest.
• 1 Corinthians 6:1-3 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
• Kind of throws the “thou shalt not judge” on its ear doesn’t it?
• You’re important. You matter. You will rule and reign. If you leave it all for Jesus.

• You will receive a hundredfold and eternal life
• You will receive 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
• A hundred fold. What is that. Well, a 100 more. Sounds like more than nothing and more than 1
• Jesus says here- if you leave stuff, expect 100 more than that what you lost.
• It’s interesting tho- The inheritance is for leaving houses and people
• What do we get in heaven? A mansion. A huge spiritual family for ever.
• Luke 18: 30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
• Now there’s a blessing on THIS side of heaven that you may experience, but its clear that the eternal blessings are going to be 100 fold better. Its assured now and in the future.
• Mark 10:29-30 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
• Mark adds ‘with persecutions’. Great. Sounds awesome. I’ll take some of that as well.
• Who doesn’t want more? We all want more. It’s the insatiable nature of consumers to consume
• Even in this scripture Peter kind of shows his heart here- he’s given up everything- He’s left it all for Jesus. Great. He’s with him. But he can’t help himself, “Therefore what shall we have”
• What do we get out of this deal Jesus? What can we get? I gave you all? Can I get a piece?
• Jesus is a blesser. He promises to give good things to those who ask, exceedingly above all you could ever ask or imagine.
• It’s scriptural. I believe it. I don’t ‘name it and claim it’ or ‘believe it and receive it’ I just take God at his word. If Jesus said 100 fold now and in the future, I’m going to rest in his word.
• When it comes, or how it comes is not on me its on him
• My Goal- Philippians 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
• I don’t want to want nothing. I don’t want to want anything more than Jesus and what he chooses to do with it and to me and through me in spite of me- I’ll take it
• Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
• Again, I’ve said this before- this isn’t a law its hyperbole- its to illustrate a point- there should be nothing on this side of heaven that has a deeper allegiance or love in your heart than Jesus.
• Nothing. There should be nothing that you need outside of Jesus to make you happy, to give you contentment, to give you purpose
• If you’re waiting for a deliverance, relationships, money, house, car, possessions, job etc as the point at which you’re going to happy- then you have an idol in your life
• Matthew 10:37-38 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
• Full allegiance and love for Jesus and him alone- Only him. No one else and nothing else
• Matt 16:25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

• You will be first and not last
• 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
• The perception of many, ourselves included is that giving up everything will make us losers
• The goal of this life is to amass and defend and gather and produce and prosper
• And giving all of that up, seems as if you’ll be last at everything, most especially, your joy
• We’re called to be last and then Jesus makes us first. And those who seemingly seem to be winning, will end up last- They will not make the cut- they will not make it to heaven.
• We must decrease- 1 Cor 4:13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
• Being a Christian in this life isn’t all glitz and glitter. Its not all the best. It comes at a COST
• But the PROMISE of Jesus- and the PROMISE of Scripture is that we will do better than bad
• Deuteronomy 28:13 And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.
• Are there struggles? Is it hard? Yeah- It’s real hard sometimes to live righteously.
• But the PROMISES and the BLESSINGS outweigh ANY of the perceived losses. Its all Ws.
• Deuteronomy 28:1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
• Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;
• Exodus 23:22 But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
• Lu 11:28  He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
• That’s the truth we walk in, and the hope we believe in. It’s the power of belief and the hope of our future. We fully believe in what the Word of God says, and if we get it now, or later if it’s big or its small, God will work it all out for his Glory.
• I know I’m going to heaven and that’s enough.

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