Daily Devotions
Matthew
Rationale Offered
Text: Matthew 16 : 23 - 28
Jesus had asked much from His disciples! How would they be able to meet the expectations of Jesus? Let us consider the rationale Jesus offered His disciples in the following text.
“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange
for his soul?”
MATTHEW 16:26
Jesus raised two important pivotal questions that would help the disciples to determine the answers that they would offer. Though two questions were raised, there is really only one issue at the centre. That issue was the question of the worth of the soul!
What was the worth of the human soul? These questions deserve only one answer essentially! The soul is priceless. The soul is worth more than the wealth of the whole world! Following Jesus was the appropriate expression of genuine faith in Him. But what did “following” entail? True following is never done on a selective basis! True following must include the possibility of pain and suffering – even death!
If a person were to walk away from Jesus now, would that not constitute the lack of a fully genuine faith? He would lose his very soul if he were to decide to turn away from following after Jesus! Turning away is tantamount to rejection!
TRUE FAITH SEES ETERNITY AS REAL!
In order to encourage the disciples further, Jesus once again raised the subject of “eternity”.
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father
with His angels, and then He will reward each according
to his works.
Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here
who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man
coming in His kingdom.”
MATTHEW 16:27-28
1. What does true faith in Jesus include?
a) Belief in Jesus
It includes believing that He is the Messiah, the Christ, even though many could not see Him as more than man! It is believing that He came as the Anointed One of God, appointed to be both Saviour and Lord.
b) Belief in Jesus and His kingdom
Jesus had spoken much about the kingdom of God. What was the role or position that Jesus would have in that Kingdom? The frequent use of the phrase, “The Son of Man” harks back to a text found in the book of Daniel.
“I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.”
DANIEL 7:13-14
Jesus made reference to this kingdom in His word to the disciples! Did they believe in Him? Did they believe in the prophetic Scriptures? Then they must hold on to that faith at all costs!
2. Faith and its just rewards!
Faith in the Lord Jesus is not without its rewards. The faith of the Roman centurion was commended and rewarded. The request for the servant boy of the centurion was heard and answered. The young lad was healed. The faith of the woman of Canaan was also greatly praised! She too received faith’s rewards! Her daughter possessed by demon was healed instantly!
But there were other rewards that the faithful may look forward to receiving! Depending on the faith of the individual, appropriate rewards would be given! Did the disciples believe in the after-life? Did they believe that their faith in Jesus would not be in vain? Then they must ever cast their eyes upon the future – upon eternity itself! The sufferings of this life cannot be compared to the glorious rewards that the Son of Man would give to all His faithful disciples!
ANOTHER PUZZLING STATEMENT
By now the disciples of Jesus were quite used to the fact that when their Master spoke, His words had great depth! That does not mean that His words were easy to fathom. What did Jesus mean when He said that some of them would not see death till they had seen the Son of Man coming in His kingdom?
This is not a reference to the Second Coming! Jesus had not yet spoken to the disciples in depth concerning the doctrine of the end times. He had only begun to speak of His suffering and resurrection.
Jesus had to accomplish and fulfill the work that His Father had given to Him! He had to pay the full penalty for the sins of mankind! After that had been completed successfully, He could be described as having come into His kingdom! The disciples would one day bear witness that He had risen from the dead! He had come into His kingdom indeed! Many manifestations of His coming into the kingdom would follow!