me back to Matthew 19. Matthew 19. This morning we looked
at verses 16 to 22 for our Bible study. on this rich young ruler who
came to the Lord asking, what good thing do I need to do to
attain to earn eternal life? And the Lord told him to keep
the commandments, which he very ignorantly thought he was doing.
And that's the case for many, many people. That's the sad case
for many people. They think because they do or
don't do things outwardly before men, they are right with God. I had a man tell me that one
time concerning somebody else. He's right with God. And I know
what he meant. He meant he's right with men.
That's what he meant. But what people don't realize
is being right with men is not being right with God. And they may be men, people may
be, as our Lord worded it, whited sepulchers. on the outside may
be cleaned up, dressed up, look nice on the outside, but he said
on the inside they're just dead men's bones. And that's what
God is looking at, what's on the inside. And even if a commandment
of God was kept on the outside, there's not one commandment in
this book that has ever been kept on the inside of any human
being on this earth. Not one. The sin that we are,
the sin that originates in the innermost being of us because
it's what we are, it's what we are. That indwelling sin has
broken every commandment of God that there is, every single one
of them. And the longer we go, the more
we will realize that and be convinced of that. I believe the longer
a believer lives and the older he gets, the more convinced he
or she will be. I really am a sinner. At first you hear you're a sinner. And then you think you're a sinner.
And then you start to really become convinced. I really am
a sinner. I really am the man. You know,
at first you see other people and you think, boy, there's a
lot of centers in this world. And then you you really if if
God's grace, if his spirit comes to men and women, they really
are convinced I really am the man I really am. That center. But this sin that we are, you
know, man can't see it. You cannot see what's going on
on the inside of me. Only I have a small inkling of
what's going on inside here. Just a small inkling. But God
sees all of it. God sees all of it. So men and
women are greatly deceiving themselves if they think that they're keeping
the commandments of God. With man, it is not a possibility,
and that's what our Lord said in verse 26. For the message
this morning, we looked at verses 23 to 26, and in verse 26, our
Lord said, Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with men,
this is impossible. It's impossible. With men, attaining
eternal life is impossible. He said, God has to do this.
God has to do this. God must do this for man. He must do for man what man can't
do for himself. And the glory of the gospel is
God did do for man what he could not do for himself. He did. Christ
came to this earth and for his people, just get a hold of this,
for his people, he obeyed God. That's what Christ did. He obeyed
God for His people. Every jot, every tittle of the
law, He obeyed it for His people. He obeyed it perfectly, like
we were talking about earlier today. Inside and out. Outside and in. He obeyed it
perfectly for His people. He obeyed it to the fullest degree
from the beginning to the end for His people. He obeyed it
even unto death, the death of the cross. Hebrews 5 says, He
learned obedience by the things which He suffered, suffered for
His people. So as we said in the Bible study,
The question is not, what good thing shall I do that I might
inherit eternal life? With man it's impossible. The
only question there is for a child of God to ask is, what good thing
did Christ do that I may have eternal life? What did Christ
do? The only way eternal life is possible is with God. He must be the author of it.
He must be the doer of it. He must be the finisher of it.
He's the object of it. He's the glory of it. The only
hope is Christ. Our only hope is in Christ. Our
only hope is with Christ. That's what our Lord was saying
to this rich young ruler when he said, you go sell everything
you have and follow me. That's what God's people have
done. They have sold out to the Lord
Jesus Christ. Our Lord said, it's me alone,
it's me and nothing else, it's me or nothing else. Get rid of
everything that you see as being value before God and cling to
me alone. Well, it says in verse 22, when
the Lord said this to this man, go sell everything you have and
follow me. It says he went away sorrowful because he was very
rich. And this morning and obviously
I'm giving us a little recap real quick. OK, this morning.
We saw that that's a picture of. What will happen to men and
women when they try to go meet God on the merit of their own
works, keeping the commandments? Go stand before the judgment
throne of God, ask Him, what do I lack? Every soul that goes
to the judgment throne of God that way is going to go away
sorrowfully. Depart from me, I never knew you. Outer darkness,
fire and brimstone, eternal condemnation. The only hope that we have is
that Christ, though He was rich, made himself to be poor, gave
all of his riches to his poor people that we through his poverty
might be rich. So our Lord was speaking spiritual
things to this man. God is a spirit and they that
worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. That
which is flesh is flesh, that which is spirit is spirit. But
both in the flesh and in the spirit, our Lord crushed all
hopes of man being able to attain salvation on his own. He said,
with man, it's impossible to the point that it would be easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. It'd be easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Look at verse
23. It says, then said Jesus unto his disciples, verily I
say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom
of heaven. And again, I say unto you, it
is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for
a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples
heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, who then can
be saved? But Jesus beheld them and said
unto them, with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Now I would like for us to end
the day with a question that Peter asked the Lord. After seeing
all of this and hearing all of this, I want to just comment
on these last four verses and then really consider some things
that apply to all of us today. I pray this will be very applicable
to us today. I pray it'll be something to
ponder and I pray it'll be a blessing. Verse 27 says, then answered
Peter and said unto him, behold, we have forsaken all and followed
thee. What shall we have therefore? We have forsaken all and followed
thee. What shall we have therefore? What is our reward? What is the end result of this
going to be for us? What is the result of following
Christ? That's what I've titled this
message. What is the result of following Christ? Peter heard
the Lord tell this rich young ruler in verse 21, and just envision
this in your mind. This is a reality. This is a
reality. Envision these disciples, they
followed the Lord and they looked to the Lord, and they listened
to the Lord, and they watched the Lord as He dealt with people,
what He said to people. They're waiting. Can't you see
them? The Lord's talking to this man,
and they're just standing there looking and listening. Verse 21, Peter heard the Lord
Jesus said unto this rich young ruler, If thou wilt be perfect,
go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me. Peter's standing
there listening to that, and he starts thinking back on a
couple of years ago, a couple of years before this, he and his brother Andrew had
a fishing business. All right, they had a boat, they
had nets, they had gear, They had customers. They got paid to fish. They got
to fish for a living. And he thinks, we just walked
away from that, literally. You ever look back on your life
and look back on certain things? We just walked away from that.
He looks around at the men that are standing there with the Lord.
He sees James and John, and he thinks, not only did they walk away from
their boat and their nets, they walked away from their father,
Zebedee. Matthew left the money. Matthew was in the money. Luke left his practice as a doctor,
a physician. We just walked away. Verse 27, Then answered Peter
and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all and followed
thee. What shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, 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."
And He is sitting there right now. He's sitting there right
now. He said, 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 that is happening right now. And I'm going to comment on this
verse, I'm going to comment on another verse, and then I'm going
to tell you something. There are not thirteen thrones in heaven. There are not 13 thrones in heaven.
It's not that our Lord is seated on his throne with six thrones
on each side of him for the apostles. There is one throne and Jesus
Christ is sitting in it and all of his people are seated there
with him. All of his people. They're all
seated with him. The apostles are not going to
be shown favoritism in heaven. No one is going to be shown any
favoritism except for Jesus Christ, only Jesus Christ. The Apostle
Paul is not going to receive any more honor than the harlot
Rahab. No more. This authority and this judgment
that was given to them was given through the writing of the word
of God. God spoke through the mouths
of these men. God wrote through the pen of
these men and the word that was given through them is never going
to fail. It's never going to fail. God's
people are ruled by this word from Peter, James, John, Paul,
Matthew. We are ruled by this now and
we will be ruled by this forever. Not one word of this is ever
going to fail. Because this is not the Word
of men. Even though God used men to speak it, this is the
Word of God. This is the very Word of God. And God said in
verse 28, Jesus said unto them, 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 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. And everyone
that hath 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. But many that are first shall
be last, and the last shall be first." What verse 30 is saying
is, The reward is all the same for God's people. It's all the
same. We know that because the Lord
gave an illustration in chapter 20, verse 1, saying, 4. He said,
Many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
4. The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that is a householder,
which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And it goes on to say, everybody
got paid the same thing, a penny. He hired them all day long. Some
worked for 12 long hours. Some worked for six hours. Some
worked that last hour of the day. They all got paid the same
thing. And that's how it is in the kingdom
of God. There's neither Jew, Gentile, male, female, bond-free. No one stands out. And the reason
is because in the kingdom of God, Christ is all and in all. Only Christ stands out. Only
Christ. But in answer to Peter's question,
what shall we have therefore? What is the end of this for us? I want us to just think about
that for a second. This is a question that Peter
is asking on behalf of all of God's people. What is the result
of following Christ for us? For us. What will this mean for
us as God's people? I want to show you three things.
That this verse tells us will be the result of following Christ. Believing his gospel, believing
the truth of his word and following him. All right. Number one, look
with me at verse 29. It says, everyone that hath forsaken. houses, or brethren, or sisters,
or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my
name's sake. Number one, the gospel is a divider. The gospel is a divider. I believe
it's important that we understand this. Believing on Christ truly,
I really do believe that it'll help us if we understand this.
Believing on Christ truly, believing the truth of His Word, following
Him in His way, not in man's way, but in His way. That divides
men and women. Our Lord constantly said, don't
be shocked when they treat you like they treated me. Don't be
shocked. Those of your own household,
He said, Brethren, sisters, father, mother, wife, children, for my
name's sake, for my glory's sake, for my salvation's sake, much in this world will be lost
in truly following Christ. I think it's important we know
that. Much in this world will be lost
in truly following Christ. I'm telling us this so we won't
be shocked when we see it happen. Not only relationships, but attainments,
houses, land. God's people don't generally
grow up to be sports stars. They just don't. or rock stars
or movie stars. Everybody wanted to be one of
those at one point. Investment moguls. Most of the
time, those who gain their soul lose the world. It's really important
we understand this. Most of the time, not every single
time, but most of the time, those who gain their soul lose the
world. In following Christ, much separation
takes place with this world and with the things and the people
of this world. That is just the truth. It's
just the truth. That's the true result. We start
out in this life thinking we're going to grab it by the tail.
We're going to grab this world by the tail. And it is God's
mercy when we don't. It's God's mercy when something
comes along that sabotages that. I'm not saying that God's people
are not hard workers and they're not successful at some things,
but God's people are not going to serve God and mammon. They're
just not. There is going to be much lost. In gaining Christ, much loss.
All right, but here's the second thing that is true, and we need
to know that. But here's the second thing we can see, and
the second result that comes to all those who follow Christ.
Look at verse 29. Everyone that hath forsaken houses,
or brethren, or sisters, or fathers, or mother, or wife, or children,
or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold. Even though outside of Christ
there's much loss of the people and things that are outside of
Christ. In Christ, there is abundant gain. It's very important we
see this. For our comfort, it's very important. In Christ, there is abundant
gain. Listen to how Mark's account
words this. Turn over to Mark chapter 10. Mark chapter 10, verse 28. Then Peter began to say unto
him, lo, we have left all and have followed thee. And Jesus
answered and said, verily I say unto you, there is no man that
hath left houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother
or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospels. but he shall receive an hundredfold
now in this time." Houses and brethren and sisters
and mothers and children and lands. In Christ is infinite gain, really. In Christ, we have abundantly
more than this world could ever offer us. We have true brothers
and true sisters and true parents. We really do. I know, you know,
I was thinking about all of you today, and I know that he is
your brother. But I mean this, he's my brother
too. I mean this. We call each other
brother because that's what we are to each other. We're not
just saying that. That's just not a holy word.
That's not just an affectionate term. We say that because that's
what we are to each other. We are as close as brothers and
sisters in a family can be. I know that he is your father. But he's my father too. He really
is. You've proven that to me for
years now. If I went to you for anything,
you would do anything in your power to make it happen, as a
father would do for his son. And I'd do the same thing as
a son would do for a father. I've heard Irene say so many
times that I'm like a son to her. That means so much to me
because she's like a mother to me. I mean it. I love the two of you so much.
I met you when I was 12. I do. I can go around this room
and say the same thing. And mean it. And mean it. Anything that might be lost in
the world is gained in Christ. Anything. And it's abundantly
gained in Christ. One thing lost in this world
is gained a hundredfold in Christ. And that most definitely applies
spiritually, absolutely, but it also applies physically. Because
of this position, This, you know, for the gospel's
sake, I've been called to be a pastor. Because of this position,
I'm never going to have a vacation home. When I had my music store
in Rocky Mount, I had one goal. Pay this one off and go get another
one. Lake house or ocean house, I don't care which one. That's
over. That's over. I'm never going
to have a vacation home. I had to go down to Orlando mid-January
for a conference. As it turns out, I have a house
down there. I didn't stay in a hotel. I stayed
in a house. I can come anytime I want. That's what I was told. End of January, I had to go to
Lake Charles, Louisiana. As it turns out, I have a house
down there, too. Mid-February, I went to Yuba
City, California. Guess what? I have a house out
there too. Honestly. Last August, I found
out I had a house in Great Falls, Montana. Honestly. The gospel will divide God's
people from this world. It will divide God's people from
this world. But even though we experience
loss in this world, we experience great gain in Christ. What our Lord is saying right
here, the reason I'm telling you this is because our Lord
said, right now in this time, in this lifetime, Now here's the last thing I want
to say about Peter's question here, okay? Win or lose in this world, what
does it matter as long as we gain Christ in the end? What
does it matter? What does it matter? Look right
here at Mark 10 verse 30, it says the same thing our text
said. Verse 30, he shall receive in hundredfold now in this time
houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and
lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternal life. Eternal life is Christ Himself. Christ Himself, He said in John
14, I am the life. To win Christ is to win it all. Peter was standing there listening
to the Lord tell this rich young ruler about treasure in heaven. He's sitting there listening
to that, treasure in heaven. We read about an inheritance
that is being reserved in heaven for us. You all have thought
about it. We got this inheritance reserved
in heaven for us. When you think about that, is
your mind on the money? No. It's on Him. He's the inheritance. He really
is the inheritance. He really is the treasure. He's
the pearl of great price. And in seeing that, all of God's
people say this. They do say this. Strip me down
here if it means I can gain Christ up there. Don't let me make it
to the top ten richest men in this country. Don't let me make
it to the big screen. Really, strip me down here if
it means I can gain Christ up there. In closing, let's just
hear the words of a rich young ruler who either was this man
or represents this man. Either way, he represents all
of God's people. Let's hear his words and see
if we can say the same thing with him. Go to Philippians 3.
We'll close with this. Philippians 3. Philippians 3 verse 4, the Apostle
Paul said, though I might also have confidence in the flesh,
if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust
in the flesh, I more. Circumcised the eighth day of
the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the
Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal,
persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in
the law blameless. But what things were gained to
me, those I counted loss for Christ." And can't we say that
everything that used to be gained to me, everything that I thought
was what I wanted in this life, I don't want it anymore. Verse
seven, what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for
Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I had suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him. not having mine own righteousness
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may
know him. and the power of His resurrection
and the fellowship of His suffering with Him, with God, being made
conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto
the resurrection of the dead." Paul said, if I can have Him,
I'll have it all. I'll have it all. What is the
result? Really? Really? What is the result of losing
everything on this earth and following Christ? Here it is. Attaining it all. Attaining it
all. That's the result. If we have
Him, we have it all. We truly have it all. Oh, that
we might win Christ and be found in Him. Okay.