A DISCIPLE’S IMMEASURABLE BLESSINGS

Mark 10:29-30

Jesus had been telling His listeners that in order to be His disciples they must deny themselves and give over everything they possess.

But now He speaks of rewards to those who wholeheartedly follow Him.

These rewards were not included when Jesus normally would talk about discipleship.

The rewards are specific – “homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children and fields” — and these are not in reference to some far-off heavenly realm, but in “this present age.”

The blessings in Christ’s service are greater than the blessings we could have without it. These possessions are to be accompanied by persecutions — but it deals with possessions nonetheless.

Most astonishing of all, the disciples were to receive a hundred times as much as they had previously possessed. A word of caution: Christ was not encouraging us to think in materialistic terms, as if he was merely giving a formula for prosperity.

This promise does not necessarily apply to every individual. It is clear that some believers are called to poverty.

The text is a great promise, and it does have to do with earthly relationships and material possessions.

Under normal circumstances, a Christian will be blessed with earthly good abundantly (Psalm 37:25).

Jesus gives us every good that He can possibly give us without rendering us unfit for His work or destroying our souls.

The reason many of us do not have more is that the Lord knows we would misuse it.

PRINCIPLES THAT AFFIRM OUR IMMEASURABLE BLESSINGS AS CHRIST’S DISCIPLES:

1. WE MUST ALL HAVE A MASTER, AND NONE IS MORE GENTLE THAN OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST (Matt.11:28-29). We are slaves of whatever it is that controls us (Romans 6:16). Ultimately, if we are not the slaves of Jesus Christ, we are slaves to sin and to Satan.

To be Christ’s disciples is not a dreary task, not a drudgery, but a delight; not a burden, but a blessing!

Jesus gave His life for His sheep. He humbly and gently leads His own. Though the path is rough, the way is sure, for we have a gentle and skillful guide.

2. Although the demands of discipleship are great, THE LORD NEVER REQUIRES OF US ANYTHING WHICH HE DOES NOT ENABLE US TO DO.

Phil. 2:12-13; 4:13,19

3. THE LORD REVEALS HIS INNERMOST THOUGHTS AND MOST INTIMATE SECRETS ONLY TO HIS DISCIPLES.

Discipleship brings one into a level of intimacy with the Lord that others cannot experience. It is to His intimate friends (cf. John 15:15) that His intimate secrets are revealed (John 14:21,23).

4. OUR REWARDS ARE BASED NOT ON THE MAGNITUDE OF OUR ACTIONS, BUT ON OUR MOTIVE.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Matthew 10:40-42.

If we are obedient to our Lord and live so as to please Him, we shall have a reward.

5. OUR GREAT REWARD IS JESUS HIMSELF.

Hebrews 11:6Genesis 15:1

The cost of discipleship is nothing compared to the riches of fellowship with Him.

6. THE LORD WILL NOT DENY HIS DISCIPLE WITH WHAT IS FOR HIS ULTIMATE GOOD, AND WHAT HE TAKES AWAY, HE REPLACES WITH SOMETHING BETTER.

Psalm 84:11; cf. Psalm 34:10God is good and that He is no man’s debtor.

The blessings we would receive in Christ’s service would be many times greater than anything we give up.The Bible says that these “through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised” (Hebrews 11:33).

Paul was chosen to be a spectacle of great suffering… but even he does not call discipleship a bad bargain. While in prison he wrote, “I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied” (Philippians 4:18).

Not one of the other apostles would ever have considered his decision to follow Christ unfortunate.

7. CHRIST’S BLESSINGS BRING REAL SECURITY AND FULFILLMENTGod often allows the ungodly to amass great wealth — to their destruction. For those who deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Jesus, their path begins with denial but ends in fulfillment, and the blessings given cannot be snatched away.

8. THE BLESSINGS PROMISED ARE THEMSELVES BLESSED BY GOD AND MAKES THEM SUPERNATURALLY EFFECTIVE IN ASSISTING OTHERS.

The fellowship of those gathered around the cross is the fellowship of God’s family, and that fellowship and the realities of that collective and renewed life are the greatest of all possible blessings for us and this world.

Where else can you find the joy that Christians have together? Where else is there peace? Where else do you find love that loves the unlovely? Where else are there consistent examples of self-sacrifice?

The presence of these things is itself the greatest of all possible blessings for this world.

9. WE ARE BLESSED AS WE CONTINUE TO TRUST CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS AND PERSECUTIONS

The Lord links His promise of blessings to the phrase “and with them, persecutions.”

The blessings are accompanied by persecutions that inevitably come to any true follower of Christ.

We will continue to have hardships until we come to possess our full inheritance in the presence of Jesus Himself in heaven. But with these is the opportunity to TRUST Christ daily!

10. WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF AN ETERNAL, HEAVENLY REWARD

Revelation 5:8-14

When we serve faithfully, we can joyfully look forward to heaven where servants are rewarded and God is glorified.

2 Corinthians 2:14: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us

in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads

everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”

It’s a good exercise to think about the rewards God is preparing for those who serve Him obediently and faithfully.

It’s great to know that no “investment” for Jesus’ sake will be in vain.

Psalm 126:5-6Isaiah 55:11

We need to set our lives on things that are of eternal value.

We have only a few days to win the battles and an entire eternity to celebrate victory.

CONCLUSION

Life has no greater purpose than to know Him, glorify Him and make Him known.

Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? Is He the most important person in your life?

If you said yes, you will conclude that the way of discipleship is not a way; IT IS THE WAY!

May God grant that we as His disciples by His grace enjoy and experience His immeasurable riches and lead us to His eternal glory!