Scripture makes it crystal clear that following Christ requires us to be all-in and to sacrifice. You see, following Him is costly. It requires us to give up everything, even our very lives, in order to be His fully devoted followers. Although following Him has a cost, the reward for knowing Him and following Him pales in comparison to any price that we will pay.
As we have seen in our Bible study this week, Jesus calls His people to follow Him with unwavering commitment, sacrifice, and devotion. In Mark 10, a very wealthy man came to Him and asked how to receive eternal life. Jesus' response to this man revealed that following Him comes with a cost: letting go of anything more important to us than Him. For the man in this story, his wealth was more important to him than following Jesus, so "he went away sad" (verse 22).
As Jesus' disciples observed this interaction with the wealthy man, Peter spoke up and said, "We've given up everything to follow you" (verse 28). Jesus confirmed Peter's statement by saying, "Yes." He had seen each one of His disciples leave everything behind in order to follow Him. Next, He said, "I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution" (verses 29-30). Now, Jesus was not talking about literal new houses, family members, or property for each of His disciples. Instead, He was explaining that they would experience God's provision through fellow followers like Christ who become family, places to stay from generous followers of Christ when needed, etc. Then, Jesus went on to explain that anyone who gives up everything to follow Him "will have eternal life" one day. There is nothing greater that we could look forward to than eternity forever with Him.
Yes, following Jesus is costly, but the reward for following Him is far greater than any price we might pay or sacrifice we might give up in order to follow Him. The book of Revelation gives us a picture of what eternity with Him will be like. One day, "He will wipe every tear… and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain" (Revelation 21:4). As you can see, the sacrifices we make and the things we give up in this world will not compare to the joy of the day when we finally get to see Jesus and spend eternity with Him. May we all fix our eyes on Christ and the eternity we will spend forever with Him one day.
In light of the sacrifices that we make to follow Christ, we know that He will reign in the end and that the reward for following Him is far greater than anything we will sacrifice. Take time to worship God in light of this truth today. Listen to your favorite worship song and praise Him for His goodness and all He has done for us.
28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.
29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
32 They were now on the way up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were filled with awe, and the people following behind were overwhelmed with fear. Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. 33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. 34 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do us a favor.”
36 “What is your request?” he asked.
37 They replied, “When you sit on your glorious throne, we want to sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”
38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”
39 “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”
Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering. 40 But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. God has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”
So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.
