Tuesday 01 March 2011

Background

Peter had heard the conversation between Jesus and the young rich man. He was baffledby the turn of the conversation. He wanted to know what he and theother disciples, who had 'left everything', had let themselves infor.

As so often happened Jesus' reply was double-edged and not thateasy to understand. Yes, those who have left family and possessionswould receive back a hundredfold in terms of the large andever-expanding family of their fellow disciples and the many homeswhere they would be made welcome. But Jesus never pulled hispunches; they should know that persecution would be an inevitablepart of their discipleship (see verse 30).

Jesus is trying to help his disciples to see that in the "age tocome" (verse 30) - the age that Jesus' ministry is bringing tobirth - everything will be upside down and inside out, because "forGod all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

The warning epigram, "many who are first will be last, and the lastwill be first" is a reminder us of how the disciples (eg Matthew 10:35-45), squabbled over status andposition. Here is a warning against pride and an assertion that itis God alone who will assess us.

To Ponder

How far are you willing to 'leave everythingbehind' in your discipleship of Jesus?

We might feel reasonably okay with the "firstwill be last and last will be first" statement as long as itremains at an abstract level. But when it gets put into practice(eg when newcomers read in church in preference to those who arelonger established), to what extent are we so happy andaccepting?