Do you know the third verse of the old spiritual, "I have decided to follow Jesus?"

It says: "The world behind me. The cross before me. No turning back, No turning back.”

Perhaps you remember that the disciples watch the encounter between Jesus and the rich young ruler. And when he cannot leave behind the idol of his possessions he turns away sadly. Jesus says, "how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." And the disciples are astonished.

Peter blurts out "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" And it's true. They did hear Jesus say to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And Peter and his friends left their nets and followed him. They heard him say, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." And Levi the tax collector (who we know as "Matthew" and who wrote the gospel of Matthew) was sitting in his tax collector's booth and Jesus calls to him, "Follow me." And he got up; he left; and he followed him.

And now they wonder, and Peter speaks for them. "Is it worth it to follow Jesus?"

In his striking answer, Jesus acknowledges that the sacrifice is often great. "...everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake..."

Some of us think of the great missionaries who left behind families, careers, and even fortunes to follow and serve Jesus. We remember that many of the early 19th century missionaries from America and Britain packed their belongings into long large wooden crates as they headed to China, India, and Africa. And what were these crates? They knew that they were their coffins.

And perhaps they wondered. "Is it worth it to follow Jesus?"

Listen to the reply of Jesus: "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."

Jesus acknowledges that there is a great cost to follow him, but he speaks words of comfort and encouragement to them, and to us. In the first sentence, it seems to me that this is directed to the 12 disciples. I love the parallel passage in Luke 22 where Jesus says to these guys, "You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on the thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel."

This is a cosmic statement about the entire plan of redemption. God the Father has assigned to Jesus a kingdom. It is a spiritual kingdom that comes as a result of his successful mission to fulfill the covenant of life that Adam failed to accomplish in the garden of Eden. And so Jesus has come on a mission as the Second Adam to conquer sin and death and to save us. Jesus will become the King of kings and Lord of lords by his "obedience through whom the many are made righteous in God's grace." And upon his ascension into heaven Jesus has been, indeed, confirmed as the King and head of the kingdom of God. But on that day, facing his disciples, he says something amazing to the Twelve. He says, essentially, "As my father covenanted and granted to me a kingdom, so I covenant and grant to you to participate with me in the glory of the royal court and dominion of my kingdom."

Wow!

This is what happens in the "new world" of which Jesus spoke. The Greek word is "Palin" (renewed) "Genesis" (birth). Great glory is promised to these disciples as they, representing the church of the new covenant, will join the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel, representing God's elect from every age. And this will happen as Revelation 21 tells us on that great and wonderful day: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away... And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God... And I heard a voice from the throne saying "Behold the dwelling place of God is with man and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."

Do you know that's coming? I can only imagine that Peter and the disciples stood there in stunned silence.

Then Jesus goes on and expands this promise of blessing to everyone who follows him. And I hope that includes you. And whether or not you become a missionary to a faraway land, you still sing the song:

"The world behind me. The cross before me. No turning back, No turning back."

And when you do, the exquisite promise from the lips of Jesus is "Yes, it's worth it."

Your family may scoff as you become a Christian. The other kids at school might mock you because you don't go with the popular crowd. You may suffer at work as you refuse to cut corners or defraud your clients, arousing the ire of your boss. You make ethical choices that sometimes feel like a death to you. You sacrifice your time, your talents and your treasure for Jesus. But Jesus says "You will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."

A hundredfold? Yes. If you've lost the love and support of your family, you may travel the world and visit city after city, and there you will find Christians who welcome you into their homes with the right hand of fellowship and feed you at their table as if you are family. I have experienced it firsthand in Uganda, in Benin, in Morocco, in Ukraine, in Haiti, in India, Switzerland, England and Sri Lanka. Christians greet other Christians as family and welcome strangers as friends.

Eternal life? Oh yes. Jesus says you will "inherit eternal life." An inheritance. What is that? It is the gracious gift designated to you by one who has died. And so that phrase is pregnant because, in fact, Jesus will die to secure your inheritance. By his grace you will inherit the life that is truly life – eternal life. And what is that life? Is it merely a long, long time? Eternal life is not so much measured by quantity as it is measured by its exquisite quality. It is the greatest and most glorious inheritance you can ever imagine. Jesus says in his high priestly prayer, "and this is eternal life, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

Your inheritance will be God Himself.

Is it worth it to follow Jesus? Oh, yes.

Musings from Pastor John, September 6 , Click to Email Pastor John

Click Below for Pastor John’s sermon from September 6, “Is It Worth It to Follow Jesus?” Matthew 19: 27-30