Introduction

       Nowadays people are running after wealth. Because of that people are mindful about who owns what. When you meet a newcomer or a new friend, you would like to know where he or she lives, a multi-million dollar house or an apartment, if he or she is an owner or a renter. You would want to know the brand name of the car he or she drives. You are curious about what kind of job he or she has. Even you want to figure out how much money he or she makes.

       Dear brothers and sisters, today we are going to share the Scriptures in Mark 10:28 - 30. Let us read together. Let us pray.

Left Everything to Follow Jesus

       There is a background for today's message. It is in Mark 10:17-27. There was a rich young man who came to Jesus, knelt down and asked, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life." Judaism emphasizes deeds. In the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses said to the Israelites, "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees, and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess." (Deuteronomy 30: 15-16). If they take the opposite way, they will be destroyed and driven out of the land. This young man disciplined himself pretty well by observing the law. Somehow he was still not sure if he could inherit the eternal life. He seemed afraid of missing something he should do to be perfect. Jesus loved that young man and told him, "One thing you lack, go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Mark 10:21). What a blessing to have such an offer from Jesus! But how about his great wealth which is the blessing from the LORD?  Now he got a crisis in his faith. Did he know that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God? There was no problem for him to do almsgiving generously but there was no command that he never heard of to give all the wealth to the poor, then follow Jesus. With his face down and sadness, he returned to his old way. What a pity that he forsook the golden opportunity to be with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!  

       Actually Jesus knew he would have concerned his wealth. So Jesus told the young that he would have treasure in heaven. The young man was preoccupied by the wealth on earth that it was hard for him to think treasures in heaven. As soon as the young man left Jesus, He said to His disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" Interestingly His disciples were amazed at His words. Didn't the richness come from the blessing of the LORD? The kingdom of God is richer, isn't it? Not only the young man had crisis, Jesus' disciples had too. So Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eyes of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Well, this time His disciples were even more amazed, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

A Hundredfold and Eternal Life

        With that detailed background now we come to today's Scriptures. Peter, who was always quick in action and words, said to Jesus, "We have left everything to follow you." Please be careful here that Peter didn't say they had sold everything and given to the poor. He said that they left everything to follow Jesus. Well, those they left behind for the time being was still theirs. If Peter went back then he could have his fishing business. Peter was a married man. In Matthew 8:14-15, Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. In 1 Corinthians 9:5, Apostle Paul mentioned that Peter took his wife with him. 

        Even though Jesus' disciples left everything temporarily during that time to follow Jesus, our Lord had a lot to reward them beyond their understanding at that moment. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will 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. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." 

      Did Jesus' disciples also amaze at words? Did His disciples understand what the hundredfold looked like? I doubt, but I am sure they understood them very well as the time went on because they could see with their own eyes how those hundredfold came out from within the new community ---- the church. Dear Christians, you have already enjoyed those hundredfold if you think you have left something to follow Jesus. There is a price for following Jesus especially when you are carrying your cross. But there is hundredfold reward for you from Jesus. You may not see the hundredfold immediately, but they are there for you. Remember once Jesus was in a house to preach, there were so many people like always, His own family thought that he was out of mind. His mother and brother came and sent someone in to call him. Jesus asked, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" He looked around and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." (See Mark 3:33-25).

        Because of Jesus we have churches. Look at our church, it is like a big family, much bigger than your own family. We call everybody brother or sister no matter how old he or she is. But for our senior brothers and sisters, we see them like our own father and mother. In our last prayer meeting, we prayed for 6 people coming back from China last week. Even though they came from 4 families, but we pray for their safety like our own family members. We may not have the same blood of biology but we are all bought with the same blood of Jesus and bound in the new covenant with the same blood of our Lord. What a blessing and what a reward!

       To follow Jesus is an action, an action of love and sacrifice. Leave something behind for a moment and join the action. Find something to do for the Lord, either at church or in your own community. If you don't know what to do, let us know and we will help you out. There are things as simple as cleaning and as complicated as teaching, but according to the gift you received from God, you will be able to do just fine.

       If you look around the world, there are 2.18 billion Christians in the world today. What a big family. Look at this beautiful church building. It was built around 1958 by members of PAFCC. Because we are brothers and sisters in Christ, they let us use their facility at an amazingly low fee. We have seen some of our hundredfold already, but we will see more of our hundredfold coming in the future. The most precious and priceless reward is the eternal life. Have faith in the Lord.          

What Are You Going to Leave

        Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, what have you left to follow Jesus? Today a lot of Christians who serve the Lord with secular jobs. They are the main force for churches. They have left their many weekends, vacation times, house chores, family cares to take care the house of the Lord. Because of their secular jobs, they can serve the Lord without pay and have the ability to support their churches financially. I used to be in that force, even in my seminarian years I hold a job, either secular or holy. Actually it is pretty hard for those people to serve with jobs. Thank God, His grace is sufficient for us.

       There is a famous hymn called <Hi-Ne-Ni>，which means <I am here>. The lyrics are like this:  The LORD my Lord! I pray that you let me put down something in my heart, something cherished in my heart. The LORD my Lord! I pray that you let me break down something in my heart, something like an idol in my heart. Until I offer myself as a sacrifice in my worship, no complaint, no regret and never turning back. Until I get your command at the altar, I am here without complaint and regret. Hi-Ne-Ni, Hi-Ne-Ni, burn me and send me, I am here ...  In the lyrics, if those in the heart cherished and something like an idol replaced the place of God in our hearts, we should pray to God for letting us put down those things. There are a lot things we are dear with and it is almost impossible for us to leave behind. LORD, help us to leave those things which blocked the way to you. LORD, help us to turn our eyes to Jesus so we can see hundredfold He prepared for us. LORD, help us to turn our hearts toward Jesus so we can be true disciples of Christ. LORD, help us to get ready and say to you, "Hi-Ne-Ni. I am here."

Conclusion

        Dear Brothers and Sisters, what should we be mindful of? Isn't it the words of the Lord. When we are able, we should do the work that God wants us to do. Jesus gave us great commission and great commands. Let us not waste much of our time on the earthly wealth, but to work for the Lord. May the Lord bless you! Let us pray.