Matthew 19:27 - Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”
Mark 10:28 - Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”
Luke 18:28 - "And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.”
Context: Jesus just told the rich young man that he needed to go and sell all he had to the poor. The rich man "went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."
Then Jesus and the disciples talk about how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”
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First of all, I don't know if Peter was actually sad about how he left everything for Jesus. Maybe he was just asking in anticipation. I don't know for sure...haha help...XD
But, I catch myself saying this a lot. During times at which I gave up things for Jesus. In obedience.
Many times we say this to Jesus, "Jesus I have left everything for you. I gave up my Sundays for you. I gave up my Friday nights to study your Bible. I gave up going out with my friends for you. I broke up with my girlfriend for you. I denied my strongest temptations for you. I did this, I did this, I did that, I did that. 'What then will I have?'"
Many times we say this to Jesus, "Jesus I have left everything for you. I gave up my Sundays for you. I gave up my Friday nights to study your Bible. I gave up going out with my friends for you. I broke up with my girlfriend for you. I denied my strongest temptations for you. I did this, I did this, I did that, I did that. 'What then will I have?'"
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2 Points:
1. What does it mean to give up something for someone? to leave everything for someone?
We leave it completely, physically, emotionally...
Let's say you had a girlfriend and then you left for four years. Then after a while, she gets caught up in emotions and "falls in love" with an old friend of hers and gets another boyfriend. After four years, she says that she actually just loves you and will give him up but....there's already an emotional attachment. Of course it would be great if she stopped seeing him right, which in this case she does. Great, great, you guys get married, move into a home together but....she occasionally looks out the window. Looking sad, there's an emotional attachment, and she's gets tempted to just see him one more time. Did she really give him up for you, in the way that you hoped?
Nope, she gave him up physically, but not emotionally.
I think it's like that with sin sometimes. Yea we give it up physically. We stop sinning, but our emotions toward it are still there. "Lord, we gave up everything for You, see?" But in the manner of that question, there's still a sense of desire and a sense of value for the things that you gave up. We need to give up that desire, that value, that emotional attachment too.
May we never forget why we, in obedience, physically give up things in the first place. Why do we physically give up things? John 14:15. If you love me, you will obey my commands. We obey because...we. first. LOVED.
And so, going back to the illustration, you would doubt, does this girl even love me? Why is she always moping around? Same thing goes with God...do we really love God? do we really love Jesus?
Hmm...
Next point, going back to the verse...
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We have JESUS! We gave up everything for JESUS! We left everything for JESUS!
2. WHO did we give up everything for?
JESUS. We left everything for..JESUS!!! Who is Jesus??
"We left everything for you Jesus...what then shall we have?"
"awww...poor thing"----WAT?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOO, Who is Jesus?????? Are you kidding me?????
OUR LOVE, OUR HOPE, OUR JOY, OUR KING, OUR SAVIOR, REDEEMER, KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS, THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE!!!!!
In Whom we find TRUE love and TRUE care, in Whom have new life, eternal life, justification...
In Whom we find TRUE love and TRUE care, in Whom have new life, eternal life, justification...
Conclusion:
So...may we never focus on the things that we gave up for Jesus. But focus on Whom we gave those things up for, and giving up those things completely. He is WORTHY!
How can we EVER compare "great possessions" with our Savior Jesus Christ?
So yea.
Something I gained more understanding of recently...And boom, that's another reason why we need to preach the gospel to ourselves..=D
Matthew 13:44-46: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
1 comments:
Hey Henrik!
Thanks for writing this post! I definitely agree that we should preach the gospel to ourselves over and over again - we too often forget it! It's been a blessing getting to know you better this past year! I look forward to reading more of your blog -- so much wisdom! Praise be to God!
Lydia
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