0218 THEY LEFT EVERYTHING

THEY LEFT EVERYTHING

In this chapter, we see the little phrase used of all five of the disciples who are called to follow Jesus: “and he left everything and followed.” It left me to reflect on just how much “everything” was for them to leave.

The four fishermen (Peter and Andrew, and also James and John), left everything. What did they leave?

Luke specifically mentions that James and John left their father. (I wonder how he felt about that?) There’s a lot implied by that choice: their livelihood, their family, their inheritance (which mostly would be the business), the boats and nets, their sole source of income, their home and bed and regular meals and stability and normalcy. Everything. Beyond that, they left their future plans: They renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom (except for Peter, who was already married.) Retirement. Since there was no guaranteed income, there would be no savings, and since there was no marriage, there would be no children to care for them as they age. In fact, they gave up old age! All but John gave up their lives to die as martyrs. They left. Everything.

But here’s what Jesus said: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-31)

Luke also says that Levi who was known as Matthew left everything. He left his business. Tax collecting is a job where you pretty much set your own income, and therefore you live in comfort. He left all that to live as a nomad without the comforts of a home. Compare his choice with that of the rich young man who was given the same challenge and he walked away sad, for he had much money. Matthew also left his positive connections with the Roman government, which had bought him certain privileges. He ate well, had a bed and a house and all. A more subtle thing he left was his friends. Remember Matthew’s party for Jesus? He had tax collectors and other “sinners” as friends. Do you know the comfort it is to have friends who do not induce guilt, because their moral standards are low? Matthew was leaving everything. Everything. 

Jesus calls us all to consider it carefully when choosing Him. Count the cost. In chapter 14, he says,

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

On the other hand, those who paid this great price to follow Jesus were able to do great things. Jesus predicted it when he said to his disciples,

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

Let me summarize by comparing them to myself.

They left everything.

I have not left anything.

I don’t know anyone who has left everything.

They worked miracles.

I have never worked miracles.

I don’t know anyone who is working miracles.

Is there a pattern here?