It is not difficult, in fact, it is very difficult to enter the kingdom of heaven. Who said that?
The Landlord of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.
On one occasion, while the Lord Jesus spoke of the danger of becoming attached to riches and how hard it was to let go of those we love and material things we have accomplished to achieve a new identity and, consequently, Salvation or the impossible for those who would not be willing to sacrifice everything, Peter said:
“See, we have left all and followed You …” (Luke 18:28),
he began saying this to the Lord Jesus, after he listened to Him talking about how hard it was to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is not easy, it is not for those who want bread soup or who want to dance their way through the wide gate… the Kingdom of Heaven is very difficult, the Lord Jesus said that “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.” (Luke 19:25)
Before this passage, the Lord Jesus warned about how it’s not possible to serve two masters, God and money, because either you please one and displease the other or vice versa. When Peter heard these words, he immediately said: “See, we have (your disciples) left all and followed you, what will become of us?” – in other words, Peter wanted a response from the Lord Jesus, because he made a statement, followed by a question.
What he meant by that question was: “What about my sacrifice? How about the sacrifices of my colleagues? “.
The Lord Jesus, in turn, reassured Peter, in other words saying that neither his sacrifice nor the rest of the disciples’ sacrifices was or would be in vain. Who ever evangelized or prayed for someone and was insulted or despised, know that your sacrifice was not in vain… and this applies to those who have been honest, faithful tithers, who forgive even without being forgiven.
NOTHING WE DO FOR GOD IS IN VAIN!
Isn’t it good to know that?
In reality, when we do something and that something does not bring the expected result, we have a tendency to be discouraged. But when we know that what we did and do is not in vain, we a tendency to stay motivated, with the strength to continue to do more and better. That is why God makes it clear in His Word that what we do for Him is not in vain.
“So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life…” (Luke 18.29-30)
What does the Lord Jesus tell us to do for our enemies?
Pray! And what about our family?
Giving them life. But here he says that he who has left wife, brothers, parents, children… for his sake and the Gospel’s sake, will receive 100 times more. Is Jesus commanding us to abandon our family?
No, what He’s saying is that when having to chose between our faith, to sacrifice and to please God or to please our family, we have to chose faith and please God, because our family depends on our perseverance in faith in the Lord Jesus, so that tomorrow they will be saved! And not our money, goods or care, because providing them with these is our obligation!
What Jesus is saying is that if we choose to please Him in detriment of others, we will not regret it, because God will not only bless us, but our family and the people with whom we live and coexist.
But all this comes at a price, which is choosing the Lord Jesus, even while suffering persecutions, because WITH GOD, OUR INVESTMENT GARANTEES A 100% RETURN IN PROFITS!
