Forsaking All for Everlasting Life - Matthew 19:29

Matthew the apostle wrote, “And Jesus said unto” His disciples “Verily I say unto you, That you which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel”, and in chapter nineteen and verse twenty-nine of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus spoke about, “forsaking and inheriting” where we read:

And every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

The verse reads, “And every one that has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “and every one” or “and each, all, the whole and every person whether male or female” “that has forsaken” which means “who has departed from, left and let go of” “houses” which refers to “inhabited edifices, dwelling places and residences”, “or brethren” or “males who are born of the same parents”, “or sisters” which means “females who are born of the same parents”, “or father” or “male generator or ancestor”, “or mother” which means “female generator or ancestor”, “or wife” which refers to “a female spouse or betrothed woman”, “or children” which means “offspring”, “or lands” which means “fields, countries and hamlets”, “for my name's sake” or “for everything Jesus' name covers including the thoughts or feelings of which are aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing and remembering”. Matthew shared how Jesus referred to every person who forsakes their belongings and families for His “name's sake”.

The verse goes on to say, “... shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.” Matthew continued with the words, “shall receive” or “will take hold of, remove, claim and procure” “an hundredfold” which means “a hundred times as much”, “and shall inherit” which refers to “and will receive by lot, be an heir and obtain by right inheritance” “everlasting life” which means “without beginning and end, never to cease and eternal real and genuine life which is active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed and in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body) which is to last for ever.” Matthew wrote how Jesus promised people “a hundred times return as well as eternal age abiding life” to all who “forsake all they possess” including their “family relationships for His sake”.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see a very challenging instruction from Jesus. We might consider it possible to leave “houses and lands” for Jesus' sake, but what about our families? Jesus' idea is that nothing should be prioritized over the relationship with God Himself, and when that relationship is in tact, all the others fall in line. Those who receive Jesus Christ as their “Savior and Lord” understand that He has much to say about “fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands and children” and relationships with them in His word, however those relationships should never take priority over a relationship with God. God desires to save every person, and He wants to give them “age abiding life” that includes hundreds and hundreds of people who become as the family of God in their lives.

Next time Matthew writes how Jesus says, “many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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