Grace Bible Church Expository Sermon Notes

Rewards of Forsaking All for the Lord

cf. Matt. 19:27-30
The Lord's Day 3/16/97 AM

No doubt, the Apostles stood wondering about the dialogue Jesus had with the rich young ruler and how the man refused to give up everything to follow Christ. But the Apostles themselves had responded differently then the rich young ruler, having left everything to follow Christ. cf. Mark 10:28-31; Luke 18:28-30. In the discussion that grew out of their reaction to Jesus' dialogue with the rich young ruler we have: the Apostles Question about Rewards, the Lord's Threefold Answer and the Principle of Kingdom Reversal.

The Apostle's Question about Rewards

Matthew 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto Him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee. What shall we have, therefore?

This was a legitimate question especially in view of the fact that a man had just chosen possessions over Christ. When the Lord summoned Peter, James and John saying, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men," they answered by an immediate act of sacrificial obedience, i.e., "they straightway forsook their nets and followed Him." (cf. Matt. 4:19) The other Apostles also followed with a sacrificial obedience, unlike the rich young ruler.1 cf. 4:22; 8:21-22; 10:35-37; Luke 14:26, etc. At the times of this summons, Jesus did not mention anything about rewards. So Peter's question now helps focus the reward for their sacrificial obedience.2 Then comes…

The Lord's Threefold Answer

Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you that ye who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

A.) The Lord Promises a Millennial Reward to the Apostles who "in the regeneration" would "sit upon twelve thrones, judging" the nation of Israel. But what is this regeneration?3 The regeneration that Jesus was mentioning, was a Jewish term that referred to the new birth of the entire world.4 cf. Acts 3:21; Rom. 8:21-23; Rev. 20:1-15; 21:1-4; 2 Pet. 3:13. This is when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory referring to the Kingdom rule of Christ on earth. cf. Dan. 7:9-14. The Apostles during this regeneration of the world will be rewarded by being placed on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.5 Evidently, from the OT prophecies predict the new earth will feature the nation of Israel as the hub of world government ruled by Christ. (cf. Isa. 66:22-23; Psalm 2) As Jesus "rules with a rod of iron," the nations are seen coming up to Jerusalem to honor Him in worship. The promised reward to the twelve Apostles was that they would act as a supreme court over the government of Israel, which country is the center of world government by the Messiah. But having mentioned the specific reward of the Apostle's, Jesus then broadens the promise to all other believers...

Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

B.) The Lord Promises a Temporal Reward to All Believers. No doubt Jesus summarized the sacrifices that the Apostles made and other believers, to follow the unconditional sovereign summons of the Lord. Some had to forsake houses, others family members and still others lands. Some perhaps, had to leave all three, but Jesus promises that in this life they should receive a hundred-fold return on their sacrifice. As Mark 10:30 and Luke 18:30 state, these rewards come during the present time.6 What was Jesus referring to? When someone forsakes everything to follow the Lord, especially during NT times, often the result is the sacrificing of close family relationships, the lose of possessions, jobs, homes and lands. And yet, they are placed in the body of Christ, the fellowship of the all believers. Now their family is extended by thousands, their houses and lands are multiplied, in the sense that believers automatically share sacrificially with other believers.7 But as great as this promised temporal reward is, the Lord added the telling issue, when He concluded "and shall inherit everlasting life."

C.) The Lord Promises an Eternal Reward to All Believers. Everlasting life or eternal life, was the desire of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus. He wanted to know what he must do to "inherit everlasting life," and the Apostles had already done that, i.e., they had repented of their sins and forsaken all to trust in Jesus as the promised Messiah. Of course, this reward is the greatest reward to be promised, entailing a life in the future which never ends to be enjoyed with the Lord Himself. It is both a quantity and quality of life. We might summarize this twofold promise to believers who forsake everything to follow Christ: they are given multiplied families and possessions, as they become part of the greater community of believers who are committed to one another; and they inherit eternal life to be enjoyed with the Lord forever.8 Finally, Jesus summarized by giving…

The Principle of Kingdom Reversal

Matthew 19:30 But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

Next chapter Jesus will illustrate what He means, but basically, the Lord was calling the Apostles attention to the fact that although the rich young ruler was highly respected on earth and considered first, in the age to come things would be reversed. Power, wealth, and even influence will not be the gage for entrance into heaven. God isn't impressed nor fooled by what impresses so many of us on earth!

The first are those who because of their wealth, education, position, prestige, talents, etc., are highly regarded by men in general, sometimes even by God's children. But since God sees and knows the heart many of these very people are by him assigned to a position behind the others…Not only will many of those who are now regarded as the very pillars of the church be last, but also many who never made the headlines…shall be first on the day of judgment (Mark 12:43, 44; Matt. 26:10-13). The disciples, who were constantly quarreling about rank (18:1; 20:20; Luke 22:24) better take note!9

Main Idea: For those who have forsaken everything to follow the Lord through an unqualified surrender of their life, the Lord promises the temporal blessings of the enlarged family of God and the everlasting blessing of eternal life. The values of the world and the kingdom of God are opposite!

Exploring the Bigger Picture

Christianity in Crisis by Hank Hanegraaff (Harvest House, 1993) the book and the 2 tape album of the same title provides help in dealing with the false gospel of prosperity. Somewhat too rhetorical at times but provides excellent quotes from Word of Faith teachers; The Agony of Deceit Edited by Michael Horton (Moody Press, 1990) this landmark book challenges the false teaching of the televangelists. The best on the subject; Charismatic Chaos by John MacArthur, Jr. (Zondervan Press, 1992) good work evaluating the abuses of the Faith movement and Vineyard movement. See the video tape album published by Bible Teaching Services on the same subject, in the GBC Tape Library.

What Should We Do About this Passage?

- Application Recommendations -

bulletWe will receive a twofold reward for forsaking everything to follow the Lord: the temporal blessings of the expanded family of God and the everlasting blessings of eternal life.
bulletAre you holding onto anything as great in value as these two promised rewards? Would gaining the whole material world, if that were possible, even measure up to either of these?
bulletThe materialistically driven culture of the United States puts the accumulation of possessions as a barometer of success. Obviously this is opposite of the success of the Kingdom of God.
bulletWhat ways can we help someone caught in the myth of material pursuit to see the real picture of true rewards?
bulletFamily members should realize their possessions are owned by the Lord to be used by other believers. We should be naturally generous.
bulletIn what ways can we instill an attitude of sharing in our children? How can we model this generous spirit as dads and moms?
bulletIs there something you could be sharing with others to be a blessing to them in their need? a house, a car, clothing, food, money, etc.?
bulletPersonal discipleship ministry should continually reinforce the principle of the Kingdom, were the last are first.
bulletIn what ways this week, can you challenge each other with specific accountability toward humble service and sacrifice?
bulletDiscuss with your discipleship partner this question: What is the right kind of ambition according to the Bible, i.e., one that Jesus would approve?

Footnotes:

1. Although the Apostles struggled with understanding the principles of the Kingdom, they gave up everything to follow Christ. Jesus Himself affirmed in verse 28, you who have followed me (aorist participle), i.e., your lives are characterized by having followed. Obviously, Judas was the exception who outwardly followed but not inwardly.

2. As is often the case, Peter acts as spokesman for the other Apostles. cf. 15:15; 16:16; 17:4, etc. No doubt they were wondering the same thing.

3. The Greek word palingenesia is found twice in the NT, here and in Titus 3:5, where the Apostle Paul speaks about the rebirth individually, by God's mercy.

4. Josephus (Ant. 11.3.9) uses the word to refer to the rebirth of the Jewish nation following the exile; Philo (Mos. 2.65) of the new earth following the flood (cf. 1 Clem. 9.4). For OT background see such passages as Isa. 65:17; 66:22; and for the Intertestamental literature see 1 Enoch 45:3-5; 72:1; 2 Apoc. Bar. 32:1-4; 44:12; 57:2 (cf. at Qumran, 1QS 4:25; 1QH 13:11-12). cf. Donald A. Hagner, Word Biblical Commentary: Matthew 14-28 (Word Book Publishers, 1995), p. 565. The OT prophet Isaiah recorded the promise of God: "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to mind." (cf. Isa. 65:18) This doesn't mean that somehow, when God makes a new heaven and earth, that He erases everyone's memory. These former [things]...not remembered refer to the verse before that, dealing with "the former troubles" that will be forgotten in the sense of something more wonderful coming to pass. Like a woman who gives birth is in travail and has sorrow, until the birth of the child and then "she remembereth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world." (cf. John 16:21) The joy overcomes the anguish, just like during the new world or regeneration of all things.

5. Evidently, all believers will share a part in rule and judgment during Christ's Kingdom on earth. cf. Dan. 7:18-27; 1 Cor. 6:1-4; Rev. 3:21; 2:26; 20:4, compare with Jesus' parable in Matt. 25:14-30. But a special rule will be given to the twelve Apostles over the twelve tribes of Israel. cf. Luke 22:28-30.

6. The Gospel of Mark adds, with persecutions (cf. Mark 10:30), as Jesus wanted the Apostles to keep in mind that suffering would be characteristic of this age, even through rewards also come.

7. Prosperity teachers wrongly suggest the temporal blessings are financial or material, which denies the context of the passage where Jesus is warning about the dangerous deception of wealth. Gloria Copeland says: "Give one house and receive one hundred houses or one house worth one hundred times as much. Give one airplane and receive one hundred times the value of the airplane…In short Mark 10:30 is a very good deal." cf. God's Will is Prosperity (Harrison House, 1978), p. 54. Obviously, this is a logical absurdity because Jesus isn't promising a 100-to-1 return on wives and children! The false prosperity teachers even make Jesus into a multimillionaire while on earth. e.g., Oral Roberts, How I Learned Jesus Was Not Poor (Creation House, 1989).

8. The rich young ruler bypassed the greatest investment deal he could ever make: 1.) he exchanged the hundreds of houses, lands and new extended spiritual family for the few houses, lands and family members he already had; 2.) he exchanged everlasting life with the Lord for the brief 70 or 80 years he may live on this earth; and 3.) he exchanged his desire to please God to hold onto his bankrupt soul.

9. William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew (Baker Book House, 1973), p. 732. "The Apostles should sit on thrones; but even the humblest disciple should receive a manifold compensation, and inherit an estate greater than any which he had abandoned, namely, life everlasting." cf. Willoughby C. Allen, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to S. Matthew (T. & T. Clark, 1985), p. 213.