Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

Mark 10:29-31 NIV

Jesus called us to forsake all (Luke 14:33), and yet promises our needs will be met from above (Matthew 6:33).  This parodox underscores the nature of the Kingdom.  It is not of this world (John 18:36), but it is all sufficient to meet every need (Philippians 4:19). Read more…

This brief look at Matthew 24 describes the 2-part layout of the Olivet Discourse.  Focusing on the explanation of two separate events, the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, occurring in fulfillment of the words “this generation” (Matthew 24:34), and the second coming at the end of “this age”, as described by Jesus (Mark 10:30).  Focusing especially on the translation of the first word in Matthew 24:29, “immediately”, which in the Greek does not always imply imminence of time, but rather sequence in narration, the case is laid out that the text clearly delineates between the two events, which, in Luke are described as being separated by the “times of the Gentiles”.  Because the second coming, “that day” is clearly explained as being of a time unknown to Jesus Himself, known only to the Father, we see, textually and logically, that Matthew 24:34 cannot apply to the second coming events, but only Matthew 24:9-28.  Matthew 24:29-31, then, are not under the restriction of “this generation”, being “that day” and not “these things”, as Jesus explains through Matthew 24:36, “that day”.

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For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Mark 8:35

If this life is about giving it all away, then the pathway many of us must first take is to take ownership of that which is ours.

It may seem counter-intuitive at first, to have to take possession of something, only with the intent to then lose it, but unless you take ownership of something, unless you decide that something is your right to do whatever you please with it, you will never have the authority to release that authority to whomever you choose.

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Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Matthew 7:6

God shares His secrets with His friends.  Psalm 25:14.

What if God didn’t want to share certain things with some people?  Would that make Him mean, just because He withheld certain details about His Kingdom?

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[B]ut he who is doing the truth doth come to the light, that his works may be manifested, that in God they are having been wrought.

John 3:21 YLT

The Kingdom and the earth cannot be compared.  They are so drastically different from each other, that Jesus says the only way to really live “there” is to not live “here”.  This obviously does not have to be fully understood to be lived, but for those who look to understand and see what Jesus was saying, in order to live by it, it becomes evident.

He who begins to build a tower must first calculate the cost, lest he run out half way through (Luke 14:28).  Jesus said that unless you hate your former life (Luke 14:26), every part, including family ties and who you used to be, you cannot be His disciple.  Luke 14:33 goes a long ways and says that unless you give up everything you have, you cannot be His disciple.

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When we look at the Gospel, we see good news.

Despite the cost, despite the hardships, despite the pain.  Despite anything.

When we look at the life of absolute surrender, the life of absolute submission, and absolute loss of this life, it is only a most extraordinary gospel that can still be good news in the wake of this.

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