First and Last

Peter answered Him and said, "We have left everything to follow You, what will there be for us?"

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on 12 thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, sisters or brothers, mothers or fathers, or children or fields for my sake will receive one hundred times as much and inherit eternal life. 

But many who are first will be last and those who are last will be first. Matthew 19:27-30

Jesus had previously been teaching about the rich and the Kingdom of God. How it would be hard, but not impossible for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Peter now says, "But Lord we left everything for you." In other words if the rich can get in and keep their stuff what about us who left everything. Perhaps he was a little indignant, who knows.

Jesus now tells them their reward which is substantial. He then goes on to speak about the reward for all those who make a sacrifice to follow Him.

Our sacrifices are not forgotten. Sacrifices are hard and going without normal family relationships are doubly hard. However, the sacrifice is not unnoticed by God and He will repay. Amen!

He then goes on to say, "many of those who are first, even in their sacrifice will in fact be last". What does He mean? 

What we see is visible and certain people do it tough publically, others in isolation and privacy. But God judges according to His standard. Elsewhere He has said, pray in private to your Father and He will reward you. The world of the New Testament was full of religious people who were loud in their sacrifices. Jesus is saying, the real sacrifice is not talked about, it is done in private and will be rewarded openly.

We need to remember that God judges according to His standard not ours.

Amen!