April 25, 2010

April 25 Luke 18:18-43
Playing football as a senior in High School had its privileges. The local radio station interviewed two seniors every week and then broadcast the interview right before the game. We did not have many seniors on our team. So toward the end of the season they were scraping the bottom of the barrel for new interviewees. I was picked. We must have been really hard up for guys to interview. I wasn't exactly a stellar player. Indeed, I had never even suited up for a game until my senior year. That last year I was in the starting line-up only three times. The radio announcer asked me, "If you had it to do over again, would you do it?" I don't remember exactly how I answered it, but he summarized it by saying, "So it's kind of like being in the Army. You are glad you had the experience but don't really want to do it again." That summed it up pretty well. I really enjoyed the camaraderie of playing the game. But actual play time on the field, it just wasn't there. I gave up a lot of free time and put myself through a lot of grueling exercise and physical punishment in order to play that game. If game time was the desired goal, then it didn't happen.
In this incident with the rich young ruler, Jesus responds to the twelve with that familiar saying, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The disciples were aghast. If it is that hard, who can be saved? Jesus explained that with God all things are possible.
You can just see the wheels in Peter's mind turning here. The rich young ruler wouldn't sell everything. But, the disciples had left everything to follow Jesus. Peter lets Jesus know what they had sacrificed. Jesus gave that promise that those, who have left everything for Him, will receive many times more in the eternal life to come.
If I had it to do over again would I? Even without this promise, I would. Why? Because every once-in-a-while I catch a glimpse of His glory. That makes all the difference in the world. I'll endure anything for that--even without the promise of reward. His glory is too rich! Reward is only icing on the cake. Have you caught even a glimpse of His glory? If you have, you'll agree with me. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John