Yesterday we looked at Matthew 19 and Jesus’ use of the exaggerated analogy of a camel going through the eye of a needle. The comparison was to a rich person entering the kingdom of heaven. This comparison surprised the disciples as they believed that wealth was a sign of God’s blessing. Jesus told them that salvation for anyone, rich or poor, is impossible for humans, but with God all things are possible.

This exchange happens right after the rich young man asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. When Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, he “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Matthew 19:16–22). It is at this point Jesus tells his disciples that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. After he told them salvation was impossible for any human but with God all things are possible, Peter asks a related question.

Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.”

Matthew 19:27–29 ESV

Peter is saying that he and the other disciples have done what the rich young man would not: they have left everything in order to follow Jesus. Here we see why salvation is impossible for humans. Whereas the rich young man would not give up his idol of money and possessions, Peter proudly displays his idol of accomplishment: “Look at us (me!), Jesus! We (I!) have given up everything to follow you!” One idol is just as poor as the other, though Peter’s idol is generally more “acceptable.”

The amazing thing is Jesus does not take the opportunity to rebuke him. He has just declared that the very fact that Peter and the others are following him is a miracle of God; Peter is merely demonstrating the truth of it. Instead of rebuking him, he answers Peter’s question. What about Peter and the Twelve? When the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, they will “judge” the twelve tribes. This is likely “judging” in the sense of the judges in the time before Israel’s kings. They led and ruled over and governed. Jesus is saying that the Twelve will rule over his kingdom with him.

He then expands his scope. Not only will the Twelve receive blessings, so will everyone who has left everything behind, everything of value, whether family or possessions. He does not mean those who abandon family; should a family disown a person for following Jesus, following Jesus is still the right thing to do. Those who give up everything to follow him will receive a hundredfold—that’s quite a return on investment!

Notice when this return on investment matures: “in the new world.” That word is literally “regeneration.” When the world is born again. When Jesus comes again and recreates the heavens and the earth and the curse is lifted and death is no more and the world is finally what it should have been all along: a place of perfect peace and prosperity and joy and unity and love—and worship.

We are not wrong to wonder “what’s in it for us”. While we do not follow Jesus for what we can get from him, knowing who he is and what he has done can only lead us to wonder what he has in store for us. There is nothing we can give up in this life that is greater than what is to come. Whatever we may cling to in this life, whether it be possessions and money or reputation or a sense of accomplishment (“look at me! see what I’ve done!”), whatever we may cling to in this life will be replaced by something far, far greater in the life to come. Consider Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians:

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:17–23 ESV

Paul prays for them to know the riches of their salvation, or as Jesus put it in Matthew 19:29, to inherit eternal life—which is knowing him.

Let’s praise our God and Savior today. Let’s praise him for the miracle of salvation and for the promise of eternity, a life with him on the new earth forever. Let’s pray for one another, that we may be willing to leave everything behind in order to follow Jesus, knowing what waits for us when he comes again. Peter asked what we get for giving up everything in order to follow Jesus. The answer is simple: we get Jesus.

Many have heard the basics of the story, even if they are unfamiliar with the details. Jesus said it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. There have been a number of attempts to explain (away) this statement. For example, there is the urban legend of a “Needle’s Gate” that was so low it was difficult for camels to walk under (no such gate existed). The meaning is much more straightforward as the expression was common in the ancient world. In Babylon the comparison for a difficult thing was that it was easier for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle than for that difficult thing to happen. In Babylon the largest known land animal was an elephant whereas in Palestine it was a camel, and the smallest opening in a typical home was the eye of a needle. The imagery was meant to be both humorous and obvious exaggeration to demonstrate the absurdity of a thing.

Jesus said it is more likely for the absurdity of a camel going through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. What did Jesus really say, though? Here is the text from the Gospel According to Matthew, which follows on the heels of Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man who did not want to give away his possessions:

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:23–26 ESV

Upon hearing Jesus make the claim that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, the disciples are stunned. They ask, “Then who in the world can be saved?” If a rich person can enter the kingdom of heaven but only with great difficulty, what chance do those of us with less material wealth have? They are not saying that entrance into the kingdom comes with a hefty price tag that only the rich can afford.

The response is strange from our perspective as our culture often demonizes those with great wealth. The underlying assumption for many is that those who are rich became so by taking it from the poor and the working class. This was not the assumption in the first century. Those with wealth were those who had been blessed by God. Hear their response again: “If those who have been blessed the most by God can only enter the kingdom of heaven with great difficulty, then who can be saved?” The question now makes more sense!

This story is recorded for us by Matthew. Before following Jesus and becoming his disciple Matthew had been a tax collector. He had been one of those who had, in fact, earned his wealth on the backs of the poor and the working class. He had been viewed as a traitor to his people by collecting taxes for the Roman authorities and contributing to the oppression of his people while he himself lived in great luxury.

Notice closely Jesus’ response in verse 26: “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” It would be a mistake to think that Jesus is speaking of either the rich or the poor. The truth is he is speaking of both. With man, whether rich or poor, this—entering the kingdom of heaven—is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Our salvation is a miracle of God. In every case it is a miracle that can be described as miraculous as a camel going through the eye of a needle. Neither you nor I can make this happen, but with God all things are possible.

This is why we must pray for one another. Each one of us needs this nothing-is-impossible ability of God working in us. This miracle of God is not a one-time thing in our lives. God is working in us—present tense. There is the miracle of regeneration, of the new birth that brought forth faith in us, but God is working in us as we travel along the path he has laid out for us. We need his miraculous power to sustain us along the way.

As we pray for one another today, pray for our faith in Jesus to grow. Pray for our endurance in difficult situations. Pray for God to provide for our needs, especially for those who have lost jobs or have reduced income. Pray for those who feel isolated and alone, for those who have lost loved ones, for those who need encouragement. Whether you’re rich or poor, you need God’s miraculous work in your life. Let’s pray for one another to receive God’s miracle today.

Day 53! That’s 53 days we’ve been given to worship our great God together, but separately. Let’s be the #scatteredassembly by singing along with the songs, by watching the Scripture reading, childrens’ story, and message videos, giving, and then joining the whole church on Zoom, just to see each other’s faces.

It is a great privilege to know God and to be known by him. The proper response to God is always worship. We praise him by singing but we also praise him by living for him. With our very lives we declare the surpassing greatness of our God and King. Even giving is an act of worship. You may do so by scrolling up and clicking the “GIVE” button.

Last week’s offering was $2,487.10. Our Fiscal Year-to-Date total is $96,843.29, with a budgeted need of $97,826.00.

By giving sacrificially and joyfully we declare that our joy in life is not found in money or in possessions, but in knowing Jesus our King. We never give out of duty or obligation, but out of a desire to support the work of God in this world by supporting our church.

Be sure to join us on Zoom at 10:30AM. Details were mailed to the New City mailing list.

We’ve all heard, in one form or another, the subtle message that Jesus saves but it’s up to you to stay that way. It’s never stated that directly, but that is the net effect. We’ve been told that salvation is by faith alone, but now that you are a Christian, you need to work hard to live out your faith. This is true, but the subtle message—and it is subtle—is that God’s role is to get you in the door, but you need to keep yourself inside. The emphasis is often on the need for personal piety, for the personal practice of spiritual disciplines such as reading Scripture daily and praying. Again, it is true that we must live out our faith, but is it really up to us to stay “inside”? Consider what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

Paul uses the word “sanctify” here, which necessarily implies a process. It shares the same root as the word “holy” and means to make holy. Notice what Paul says: may the God of peace himself sanctify you. Sanctification is God’s work! This does not mean we don’t fight against sin or engage in spiritual disciplines; it means that at the end of the day, making us holy is something God does. When God saves us he justifies us—he declares us righteous. Before him we are holy. Then he begins the process of making our lives actually match our status before him.

Also notice the extent to which God sanctifies us: completely. In case he might be misunderstood Paul explains what he means: may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of Jesus. Paul’s desire is for all of you to be sanctified or made holy. May the God of peace make you entirely holy, your spirit and your soul and your body—every last bit of you—so that when Jesus comes you will be blameless.

The need to be blameless at the coming of Jesus has sometimes been used as a club to hit people with, to instill guilt in them to motivate them to “holy” living which is often limited to avoiding certain sins. You know, the old “don’t drink, don’t smoke, and don’t chew—and don’t go with girls who do.” Sadly, this mentality often results in the point behind the old joke:

There are three things fundamentalists don’t recognize:

• the authority of the pope
• the veneration of Mary
• each other in the liquor store.

So long as you avoid such obvious sins you’re okay. -ish.

Paul says that he who calls you is faithful: he will surely do it. Our role in this is the same as our role in salvation: faith. We trust him to do what only he can do. Only God can declare us holy and only God can make us holy.

As we spend time in prayer today, let’s pray for one another. Pray for God’s strength when we face temptation. Pray for God’s peace when we face discouragement. Pray for God’s provision when we face need. Pray for God’s mercy when we stumble into sin. Let’s pray for one another, asking God to make us holy. He will surely do it.

A few weeks ago I shared from the prophet Zephaniah about God singing over his people. The love and joy and delight God has for us is extraordinary and is something we must rejoice in. This truth, this reality of God’s love to us in Christ ought to cause us to rest in him, for in him we are utterly secure. Prior to this declaration of God singing over his people is a call for them to sing and rejoice and exult in the Lord.

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.”

Zephaniah 3:14–16 ESV

Zephaniah speaks of “that day”—that day when the LORD, the King of Israel comes and fulfills all his promises for his people. Two things happen immediately when the Lord comes. First, all judgments against his people are taken away. Any guilt, any discipline brought against them is removed. Second, he clears away all enemies. When the King of Israel reigns directly over his people—notice that Zephaniah does not mention a Davidic king here; the LORD God is the Davidic king!—all sin and suffering will be gone.

Zephaniah goes on to proclaim an incredible promise that should fill us with hope for the future. That promise will be fulfilled when he returns.

“Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the LORD.

Zephaniah 3:19–21 ESV

He refers to “that time” again, that time when God himself reigns on earth. This happens when the Lord Jesus comes again and defeats all his enemies and recreates the heavens and the earth and then dwells on earth with his people forever. (See Revelation 21:1–3!) Notice closely what he says of that day: God will deal with all your oppressors. All the pain and suffering that has been inflicted on you, whether you were cheated in a business deal or abused and neglected or harassed and despised, picked on and bullied, all your suffering will be dealt with, as will those who caused it. This is a promise of final and true justice, the very thing each one of us longs for!

He says God will save the lame and gather the outcast. Those with physical defects were prevented by the law of Moses from entering into the Lord’s presence in the assembly, yet here God promises that he will save the lame and will gather the outcast, those who were are the fringe for whatever reason. This fits well with God’s promise through the prophet Micah:

In that day, declares the LORD, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted; and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore.

Micah 4:6–7 ESV

Whatever struggles we face, whether physical ailments or emotional pain or guilt from sins we’ve committed or shame from sins committed against us, one day those problems will be eliminated. The wrongs will be righted. True justice will be here. The world we’ve all longed for will have arrived. That day comes when our Lord himself comes. He is the one who ends our struggle. He is the one who ends our pain and anguish. He is the one we long for.

We ought to find comfort in this. Knowing that this day will come enables us to face what today brings, even if today brings suffering. Many, however, do not have this knowledge. They may have a vague awareness that followers of Jesus look forward to his return, but they wake up each day with no real knowledge of the future and they go to bed at night with no real hope for the future. While Zephaniah’s prophecy was largely focused on coming judgment, he closes his short book with these words of hope, for our God rescues the lame and the outcast. He casts off oppressors and he overturns all the bad things in this world. He promises that when he gathers his people together, he will restore their fortunes. As Sally Lloyd-Jones put it in her “The Jesus Storybook Bible,”

God loved his children too much to let the story end there. Even though he knew he would suffer, God had a plan—a magnificent dream. One day, he would get his children back. One day, he would make the world their perfect home again. And one day, he would wipe away every tear from their eyes.

You see, no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children—with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.
…
Before they left the garden, God whispered to Adam and Eve: “It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I’m going to do battle against the snake. I’ll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here. I’m coming back for you!”

And he would. One day, God himself would come.

Sally Lloyd-Jones, “The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name”

As we spend time in prayer today, let us thank God for the hope he offers us in Christ. He promises to make all the wrongs right and to usher in true peace and true justice when he comes to recreate the world and live on earth with his people forever. Let us also pray for those who do not know him. Pray that we would find opportunities to share the hope we have in Christ with those who currently have none. Let’s pray for our missionaries. Pray for Kizombo and Wababili in Congo. Pray for Jonathan and Noella in Italy. Pray that all of us would be faithful to proclaim the good news of Jesus, news of his victory over the snake, over sin and death. And let’s pray for Jesus to come quickly.