Goodmorning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from Matthew 19.
Matthew 19:29-30 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. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
First of all, the Lord Jesus speaks about forsaking houses. The word forsake, means to abandon, desert and leave without intending to return.
When I became a Christian, I wanted to be able to claim this promise, so I turned away from my own home and left, for the sake of the gospel and for Jesus. Eventually we ended up in a small little town in Northern Minnesota where we have been ever since. The Lord teaches that if you are capable of doing this, you will receive eternal life. It all comes down to what you love the most in this life, Jesus or the world. He must be our greatest love. Its been said that one of the biggest investments in your life is your home. To some, a home becomes the object of their affection. It’s the thing that they are most concerned about. The first commandment is to love God, while the truth is that some people love their home more.
1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Things can come in the way of a relationship with God. That’s what happens when your love is misplaced. Whatever you love the most, is going to create a tipping point on a scale. The more you love one thing, the less you love the other.
Luke 14:18-20 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
He speaks about forsaking father, mother, sister or brother. These are blood relationships. Remember that the Apostle Paul was a Jew. The Jews were related by blood. Think of what the Apostle must have went through when he converted to Christianity. He had to turn away from the religion of his family that he had been raised in. Moses was raised from a child in the household of Pharoah. He was raised in certain beliefs as other Egyptians. When he became a believer, he forsook the family that he was raised by, and turned away from everything Egypt had to offer him. He could have been Pharoah, but gave it up to follow the Lord. These actions in his life proved what was his greatest love.
Jesus forsook His mother and family.
Matthew 12:46-50 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Remember, it doesn’t teach that a wife can forsake her husband. Its forbidden for her to depart from her marriage and she is called do follow and obey her husband in everything. For some, love for relatives is a stumbling block that prevents them from loving the Lord Jesus perfectly, and doing his will.
Luke 9:59-62 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Nicodemus was taught that we need to be born again in the Spirit. When we do so, we are going to have new Spiritual family, who belong to the family of God.
Mark 10:29-30 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Christianity is about a spiritual rebirth into a new family who loves the Lord Jesus Christ. Earthly blood relationships will persecute those who are born of the Spirit.
Matthew 10:34-37 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Remember, that the disciples forsook everything in order to be with Jesus. They were with Him all the time. Love is a powerful emotion, and it must be placed on Jesus Christ more than anything else. Sadly, some disciples left the Apostle Paul, because they loved the world more.
2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Earthly relatives are some of the closest relationships that develop in the early stages of your life. When you become an adult, you will need to decide who is your greatest love. If you are capable of turning away from relatives to follow and obey Christ, you will inherit eternal life, not only that, but you will receive 100 fold, now in this lifetime. What a promise for those who love Christ more than anything in this world. For them, their faith has truly hit….
…..The Tipping Point
Let’s think about these things for right now, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 