March 14, 2024

Matthew 19:23-30  (HCSB)
Possessions and the Kingdom
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “I assure you: It will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were utterly astonished and asked, “Then who can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 27 Then Peter responded to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You. So what will there be for us?” 28 Jesus said to them, “I assure you: In the Messianic Age, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

BJ Stalin
The man Jesus had been talking to seemed to have everything this life afforded: power, wealth, and prestige. In the disciples eyes, if this guy wasn’t worthy of eternal life, who would be? “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” All of us probably know people who have it pretty good in this life; good enough to think there is no God or at best consider Him an afterthought. Granted, they don’t have the nicest house or car in town, but there’s a job they go to everyday, food in the refrigerator, and some money in the bank. Proverbs 30 states, “If I’m too full, I might get independent, saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’ (MSG) Who needs a savior? Well, according to Jesus, we all do. I encourage you to profess your dependence on Him today, not just for the eternal life He has promised through faith in Him, but for His faithfulness to sustain you today. After all, who do you think provided that last breath you just took?