(Lk. 9: 23 – 26; 57 – 62)
When the rich young ruler came to Him with the question “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”(Mark 10:17 KJV), Jesus said he should go and keep the Ten Commandments. He told Jesus that he had been doing that from his youth (v.20). Then Jesus said to him “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me”(Mark 10:21 KJV). Jesus was testing the instruction that the rich young ruler has about discipleship. It is one thing to have head knowledge about discipleship, it is another thing to be trained in discipleship. The rich young ruler went away sorrowful because he was very wealthy. Jesus later told His disciples how difficult it is for the rich to make heaven. Peter asked Him in return about the reward of discipleship. Jesus replied him by mentioning the rewards of discipleship. These include:
1. Restoration of lost possession:
God boasted about Job to the devil and He even permitted the devil to
attack him. Job lost everything he had except his life. Despite his
affliction, Job remained a faithful disciple of God. In the end, God
gave him back twice of everything that he lost and more (Job 42:12-17).
2. Abounding and growing in God’s grace: God makes His
grace to abound towards you and you will grow in His grace. We are saved
by grace and we are sustained daily by grace. As we follow Christ
daily, we receive more and more of His grace and we grow more and more
in His grace.
3. Divine fruitfulness: As we grow in God’s grace, our
roots go deeper in Him and we produce fruit in every area of life. We
produce the fruit of the spirit, we develop the gifts of the spirit, we
become fruitful in soul winning, in our business, in ministry, at home
and in the community (Ps. 92:12-14).
4. Divine protection: As we follow Christ, we enjoy the
divine protection from the evils of life. I Pet. 3:13 guarantees us
divine protection, Ps. 23, 91, 121 and many other psalms guarantee us
divine protection
5. Divine health: As disciples of Christ, we have the
promise of divine health. Isa. 53: 3-5, and I Pet. 2:24 assures us that
by His stripes we were healed.
6. Mercy: Ours is a merciful God and His mercy prevents
us from getting the judgment we rightfully deserve from Him. His
goodness and His mercy follow us all the days of our lives (Ps. 23:6).
7. Favor: Favor gives to us what we do not deserve from
God. As His disciples, our God blesses us richly and surround us with
favor as with a shield.
8. Eternal life: The greatest reward we have as the
disciples of God is the gift of eternal life. We are strangers and
pilgrims here on earth and as we live our lives for God, we have the
hope that we will spend eternity with Him in heaven, in a place where
there is no pain, sickness and no more death.