When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” 

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits 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 wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Matthew 19:27 – 30

Two questions, two answers.  All difficult.  First, “Who then can be saved?”  The disciples could hardly believe what Jesus was teaching.  We all depend on something that has nothing to do with God, like our abilities and achievements.  Jesus knew that.  Human nature tries to do without God at all, except as a myth or weak hope.  The rich young ruler had all in order.  He needed no help, no salvation.   He had everything a Jewish man could desire, a paragon of what it means to be a Jew.  If he, in the sight of God, is lost, what of all human achievements?  Are we not all like him?  It seems absurd to admit that all those achievements are useless in God’s eyes, that we need to come to him impoverished, poor indeed, crying out for salvation.

The second question follows, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”  In a sense, when they became Christ’s disciples they gave up everything and for three years lived depending entirely on the grace of Jesus.  As disciples of Jesus they did not receive a wage.  That meant that while they were following Jesus their friends were earning good livings.  They were left out.  It is not strange that, as they reflected on that, they asked the most normal question possible, “What will there be for us?”  In a sense, Jesus hired them for three years, now it is time for Jesus to pay them for their services to him.  Not so?

Jesus knew that they gave up three productive years to serve Him.  Humanly speaking, their question was as predictable as the rising of the sun.  The disciples knew that Jesus had no money, no lands to give, no political power to spread among his followers.  That makes their question more compelling because they could see no benefit at all in following Christ.  Their question breathed despair.

What was Jesus’ answer to their gnawing question?  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.  We are not told what the disciples thought about that.  My guess is, it stretched them to even think in these terms.  What about now, they must have surely thought.

I am realizing more and more that I am like this rich young ruler.  I hear Jesus say, just follow me, depend on me entirely.   This dejected fellow left Jesus sad.  I praise his name forever for the gift of rejoicing, knowing that he saves me to the uttermost.