Southern Hills Baptist Church
October 27 2002
The Blessings of following the Lord
Mark 10: 28-29
By Pastor Mark Hensley
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," 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 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
Introduction: Setting in the middle of moving boxes waiting for the men who would move us to our new home, I took the time to pray and seek God Monday morning October 7th. What would Southern Hills be like, just what is instore for us there? Questions surround a new beginning they always do; will we find it easy transition, will the kids fit in? I know you have called us Lord; I know that could you give me yet another word of affirmation that this indeed is your plan your choice, your tap on my shoulder?
I had spoken the night before for the final time to the people of the West Greeley Baptist Church from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 9. Knowing full well that the best way to study Gods word is systematically I opened Gods word to the 10th Chapter of Marks Gospel reading through the chapter my eyes and heart locked onto verses 28-29 imagine my delight when I read those two verses literally moments before Bob Scott and Bob Dilman steered the van and moving truck onto 7th street in Greeley Colorado.
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," 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 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
Transition: Tonight in a message I have titled The Blessings of following the Lord. I want you to know that no matter the situation in your own life be it a move across the country or a change in job or school or relationship, perhaps a change you did not initiate or want you can know the absolute joy of following the Lord! Mark 10:28-29
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," 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 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
Following the Lord may cause you to leave what¡¦s familiar.
Following the Lord always involves His care and his blessings!
Following the Lord will ultimately lead to heaven.
I. Following the Lord may cause you to leave what¡¦s familiar. 28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," 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.
Peter that Galilean fisherman must have wandered mentally back to the coast line where he developed his trade. The sights and smells of his fisherman days seemed to remind him of another life he could have had if he hadn’t taken Jesus up, on his offer to leave his nets behind. After our Lords death Peter is meeting with the other disciples their future obscure overcast at least from their perspective. Unbeknownst to them the Risen Lord Jesus is observing the disciples.
Its at that time that Peter makes a statement that I seem to always link together with the one in our passage tonight. John 21: 1-7
1Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias.[1] It happened this way: 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3"I’m going out to fish," Simon Peter told them, and they said, "We’ll go with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.¡¨ 4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5He called out to them, "Friends haven’t you any fish?"
"No," they answered. 6He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"
I’m going out to fish! There are moments in life when we long for the familiar to be near what we know, to be close to what feels comfortable.
Following the Lord may cause you to leave what¡¦s familiar. 28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," 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¡¨
Following Jesus may mean leaving:
Your Home: "No one who has left home". Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in. Robert Frost.
When youre growing up your 18th birthday can’t seem to come fast enough you want to stand on your own two feet, face life independently. Then your 18 or 20 or 30 or 41 and home bring back memories that you cherish and you wonder sometimes why you were in such a hurry to be 18 when you were 17!
No matter how pleasant or unpleasant memories of home are for you, there came the time or will come the time when you will leave. Our Lords response to Peters statement that We have left everything to follow you¡is met with understanding certainty. Jesus knows that following him alters our direction it leads in different venues and ways! You see the call of Jesus on your life means He is in control and if wants you to move and relocate you have to go!
My Favorite Seminary Professor J.W. Mac Gorman once said "Its never the servants prerogative to tell the Master what he will do"
Are you willing to say move me at your discretion Lord?
Following Jesus may mean leaving: Your Home, it may mean leaving:
Your Family. "No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children.
Your response to His call may mean distancing yourself from those who have no passion for the Lord. Familiar faces who find your faith intimidating or foolish or fanatical.
It can also mean that His will is, that for a time you won¡¦t be able to live near family members who share your love for Jesus but who also affirm that His will as to a location is what matters most!
According to a study of more than 500 family counselors, the following are the top traits of successful families:
*Communicating and listening *Affirming and supporting family members *Respecting one another *Developing a sense of trust *Sharing time and responsibility *Knowing right from wrong *Having rituals and traditions *Sharing a religious core *Respecting privacy. Focus on the Family Bulletin, December, 1988 .
Your occupation. "No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields¡¨ Following the Lord leads to fulfillment even in the work place! Many people would question that statement!
The Bible says "In all thy Labor there is profit¡ Jesus desires to guide in the very way we make a living! His statement to Peter is that even in the mundane ho hum of work I want to guide you! He may call you to leave your work, for another place of service. Do you think of your workplace as a Holy place? You say Pastor you dont know where I work! Maybe tonight youre fatigued spent when it comes to being hopeful about the place where you work. Your not alone!
Each day across the USA 50,000 people quit their jobs. In a recent survey of workers across the USA, nearly 85% said that they could work harder at their job. More than half claimed they could double their effectiveness "if (they) wanted to." Managing the Equity Factor, R Huseman, J Hatfield, 1989
There is nothing boring in life except ourselves. The most humble work does not have to be boring. I remember Madame Duval, the old woman who cleaned the floor in my place in Gargenville. I think of her with profound respect and reverence. She was 80 years old. One day she knocked at my door and said, "Mademoiselle, I know you don’t like to be disturbed, but the floor, come and see it; it shines!"
In my mind, Stravinsky and Madame Duval will appear before the Lord for the same reason. Each had done what he does with all his consciousness. When I said this to Stravinsky, who knew Madame Duval, he said, "How you flatter me, for when I do something, I have something to gain. But she, she has only the work to be well done." Nadia Boulanger, pianist and teacher, in Wisdom for our Time, edited by James Nelson (Norton)
Following the Lord may cause you to leave what¡¦s familiar.
II. Following the Lord always involves His care and his blessings! 28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," 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 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions)
Peter must have been surprised at such a response to his statement we have left everything to follow you. Jesus is assuring Peter and all believers that when a life is invested in the Lord, that life then becomes his concern and with concern comes his provision!
Will we literally receive a 100 times more in this world? I think the heart of the matter is the absolute fulfillment that Jesus brings to a life! When a person becomes a Christian they become part of a family.
A family that is far reaching! We have because of our adoption into his family more brothers and sisters and resources than we could possibly have on our own! Those of you who thought you would finally be rid of a brother or sister, now you have millions more
Does Jesus care about your housing needs? Of course he does! Does that mean we all will have mansions here? No, but let me ask you what makes a house a home? Is it the brick or mortar the drywall, the carpet? Hardly! Everything here is so transitory and fleeting¡ it doesnt last!
The other night I noticed a bathroom drawer that seemed loose I pulled on it and it came a part in my hands! The sides fell in the back fell off and all I had in my hand was the handle! This happened around midnight¡ I being a typical man tried to fix it then! Ha Ha! As soon as I lined it all up and hit it with a hammer¡the sides fell in the back fell off and all in my hand was the handle! Nothing material lasts!
Everything I own and you own is just premature rot! Isn’t that encouraging! If there is a carpenter in the service tonight however I would like to visit with you after the service!
Would you like to know tonight how wealthy you really are? I can tell you its really very easy add up everything you own that money can’t buy and death can’t take away! It comes down to our relationship with the Lord! That is the only thing that endures!
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," 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 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions
The blessings of God on believers here in this life are an encouragement to continue trusting him in spite of the difficulties.
The Christian may reason, "It is true that the world hates me; Jesus warned that this would be the case. But though the world hates me and wishes me harm, it is evident that God loves me and wishes me good. Every day I see further evidence of God’s favor. So I will trust him to do me the further good of seeing me through these temptations and bringing me safe to heaven."
Other persecutions come from the devil. We must not overly emphasize this source of temptations, for the devil is a finite creature and can therefore only tempt one individual in one place at one time. He has probably never persecuted either you or anyone you know personally. Still the devil has hosts of lesser demons who work with him, and he is capable of working indirectly through mere human beings. If persecutions come from this source, God’s goodness is an encouragement to trust him through these times also.
Following the Lord may cause you to leave what¡¦s familiar.
Following the Lord always involves His care and his blessings!
III. Following the Lord will ultimately lead to heaven. 28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!" 29"I tell you the truth," 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 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
Eternal life! Life that never ends¡K abundant life!
Eternal Life
Titus 3:7
That having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life
1 John 2:25
And this is the promise that He has promised us-eternal life
1 John 5:11
And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
Life Eternal
By Darlene Zagata
Life is eternal, it does not end
Our Father tells us so.
Believe what he says, my friend
for he surely does know.
He created all life you see;
death is just a transition he explains.
He made life eternally
so the soul forever will remain.
The body is only the clothes we wear;
we take them off when we go home.
We won’t need them over there
for our Father gives us new ones to wear.
The new clothes last forever you see
throughout all eternity.
Once again we will all come together
to share our lives and love
in a new world even better,
the one called heaven above.
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," 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 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
