The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God”. When Jesus' disciples, “heard it” they “said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed you”, and in chapter eighteen and verse twenty-nine of his book Luke wrote how Jesus refers to a, “man that has left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children ...” where we read:
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that has left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,
The verse reads, “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, ...” Luke began with the words, “and he said unto them” or “and Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed to His disciples”, “verily” which means “surely, truly and most certainly” “I say unto you” or “I, Jesus, utter, declare and proclaim to you, disciples” the following words. Luke shared how Jesus responded to Peter and the other disciples by certifying His following words.
The verse goes on to say, “... There is no man that has left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, ...” Luke added the words, “there is no man” or “there exists no male human being” “that has left house” which means “who has yielded up, let alone, disregarded, omitted, neglected and departed from his dwelling place, wealth, property or goods”, “or parents” which refers to “the person's progenitors and immediate ancestors”, “or brethren” which means “or brothers whether born of the same two parents or only of the same mother or father”, “of wife” which refers to “a man's female spouse”, “or children” which means “the person's offspring and progeny”, “for the kingdom of God's sake” or “on behalf of the royal power, kingship, dominion and rule of the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit's cause and account”. Luke shared how Jesus said no person who leaves their belongings or familial relationships for the cause of the “Kingdom of God” goes unnoticed according to our next verse.
When we mediate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see Jesus begin His thoughts concerning people who “leave” their “belongings” and “family” for the “sake” of “God's Kingdom”. He will say more about this in our next verse, but for now let it suffice us to know that God acknowledges those who leave things which are naturally “loved” for His cause in the world. God's plan for each individual may be different, and we must always compare scripture with scripture when these seemingly “extreme” statements are made by Jesus. The idea is that nothing or no one should be of greater importance than the purpose and plan of the Kingdom of God, and those who are wise will yield themselves to Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” and allow Him to direct in what they are to leave and what they are to keep.
Next time Luke shares how Jesus says these are they, “Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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