29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother [ n ] or children or farms on account of My name, will receive [ o ] many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

Matthew 19:29-30 (NASB)

Backdrop

After talking about how to gain eternal life and addressing the disciple’s question about their reward for giving up all to follow Him, Jesus expands the discussion of rewards. He now addresses anyone who would give up everything to follow Him. It’s kind of a “flashback” to the parables earlier of the lost coin or treasure in the field (Matthew 13:44-46).

Reward in Heaven

What is our motivation for following Christ and serving Him, loving our neighbor and Him with our whole heart? There are many. Certainly out of gratitude for the gift of salvation. At the same time, we are motivated by rewards. So God gives rewards to those who forsake all to follow Him. Some are received on this earth, but the bulk are received in Heaven – where they will last eternally. We do this in faith. There’s an acronym for faith: Forsaking All I Take Him.

Even the sufferings on this earth will contribute to this reward. Paul tells us in Romans 8:18 that, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Then in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “17 For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Today’s passage is often used by God as an encouragement for ministry – especially foreign missions. They need to indeed leave family, work, friends, country and culture to serve the Lord in another place.

Last first last

Jesus then turns our thinking upside down – as He often does. Not only is His way of thinking way above ours (Isaiah 55:8-9), ours is also often contrary to His. We all assume whoever works hardest or begs, borrows and steals to be first will be first. That may be true on earth. But in the Heavenly economy, it turns out to be the opposite.  Jesus will illustrate this in the next parable – see tomorrow’s post. 

RЯeflection

• Have we Forsaken All and Taken Him? Do a personal inventory. Is the Spirit pointing out things in your life that you hold onto too dearly? It might surprise you how something even seemingly  insignificant can trap us and hold us back – even rob us of eternal rewards.
• Glorifying God is the goal. Jesus told us earlier in Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” Is that our goal?