Mark 10:29-31
Some people think that heaven is the greatest reward for the believer. I believe that heaven is going to be beyond words, but I do not think that Jesus went to all that trouble to suffer and die so that we could spend the rest of our lives suffering until we get home. Jesus said that He had come that we might have life and have it more abundant (John 10:10). He didn’t mention eternal life there, just abundant life. Are we living the abundant life?
Peter mentioned to Jesus, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee” (Mark 10:28). There is a hint in Peter’s voice of pity as if he feels sorry for himself for all that he has had to give up in his pursuit of Jesus. Jesus responds that anyone who has left the things of this earth behind for His sake, “and the gospel’s” has the assurance of a great reward coming (10:29). Immediately, we are so conditioned to see our reward as spiritual and eternal, that we often miss the specifics that Jesus gives us in this next, crucial verse:
“But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time…” (Mark 10:30). I stop the verse at that point because I want to focus your attention to the timing of the hundredfold blessing. Jesus has just promised us that whatever He is about to say applies to us “now in this time”. This has nothing to do with eternity or our heavenly home, and Jesus is not downplaying how incredible that our new home is going to be. He is just affirming that the abundant life can start now, and we should always be ready for it.
Just how specific is this “hundredfold” blessing? Jesus minces no words. Look at what we give up first then we see what we get in return. We give up house, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children and lands. In return, God gives houses, brethren, sisters, mothers, children and lands, “with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:30). Notice that there are some slight differences. We give up “father” but we don’t get a hundredfold “fathers”. We give up “wife” and we don’t get a hundredfold “wives”. This is Jesus showing us the sanctity of one marriage and confirming that we call no man ‘father’ but Him (Matthew 23:9). This also indicates that the multiple brothers, sisters and mothers are our relatives within the family of God (Mark 3:35).
With God’s hundredfold blessings come “persecutions” and there is simply no way around this. People will mock and deride you for believing in a good God that is not mad at humanity and that freely gives us all things. Even well-intentioned Christians will sometimes persecute you because you refuse to see God as fuming in fury at a sin-ridden world. Have no fear if they persecute you because then you know that you are in good company!
Not seeing the fullness of the hundredfold blessing in this life? Not to worry, if you have been planted in the good ground of God’s grace and favor, you will bring forth, but it may not be all at once. Jesus said that the seed from good ground will bring forth fruit, “some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold” (Matthew 13:8). If He is the one doing the work, don’t worry, you’ll get there.
Some people think that heaven is the greatest reward for the believer. I believe that heaven is going to be beyond words, but I do not think that Jesus went to all that trouble to suffer and die so that we could spend the rest of our lives suffering until we get home. Jesus said that He had come that we might have life and have it more abundant (John 10:10). He didn’t mention eternal life there, just abundant life. Are we living the abundant life?
Peter mentioned to Jesus, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee” (Mark 10:28). There is a hint in Peter’s voice of pity as if he feels sorry for himself for all that he has had to give up in his pursuit of Jesus. Jesus responds that anyone who has left the things of this earth behind for His sake, “and the gospel’s” has the assurance of a great reward coming (10:29). Immediately, we are so conditioned to see our reward as spiritual and eternal, that we often miss the specifics that Jesus gives us in this next, crucial verse:
“But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time…” (Mark 10:30). I stop the verse at that point because I want to focus your attention to the timing of the hundredfold blessing. Jesus has just promised us that whatever He is about to say applies to us “now in this time”. This has nothing to do with eternity or our heavenly home, and Jesus is not downplaying how incredible that our new home is going to be. He is just affirming that the abundant life can start now, and we should always be ready for it.
Just how specific is this “hundredfold” blessing? Jesus minces no words. Look at what we give up first then we see what we get in return. We give up house, brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children and lands. In return, God gives houses, brethren, sisters, mothers, children and lands, “with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:30). Notice that there are some slight differences. We give up “father” but we don’t get a hundredfold “fathers”. We give up “wife” and we don’t get a hundredfold “wives”. This is Jesus showing us the sanctity of one marriage and confirming that we call no man ‘father’ but Him (Matthew 23:9). This also indicates that the multiple brothers, sisters and mothers are our relatives within the family of God (Mark 3:35).
With God’s hundredfold blessings come “persecutions” and there is simply no way around this. People will mock and deride you for believing in a good God that is not mad at humanity and that freely gives us all things. Even well-intentioned Christians will sometimes persecute you because you refuse to see God as fuming in fury at a sin-ridden world. Have no fear if they persecute you because then you know that you are in good company!
Not seeing the fullness of the hundredfold blessing in this life? Not to worry, if you have been planted in the good ground of God’s grace and favor, you will bring forth, but it may not be all at once. Jesus said that the seed from good ground will bring forth fruit, “some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold” (Matthew 13:8). If He is the one doing the work, don’t worry, you’ll get there.
