A Heavenly Photo Finish

Down the Home Stretch

A jumbled pack of runners kick for the finish line. Cars trade paint racing for the checkered flag. Teams fight for first place in the final days of the season.  

A close race to the finish line gets the blood pumping and the heart racing. 

Kicking to the Finish Line

If you think those are exciting, get a load of this. Jesus predicts a heavenly photo finish as people head down the home stretch into eternity (Mk 10:28-31).

This all takes place as the Lord is kicking it to the finish in His messianic marathon to Jerusalem, where He will soon face betrayal, torture, murder, and ultimately, resurrection (Mk 8:31; 9:31).

A Wealthy Up-and-Comer

Somewhere on the far side of the Jordan River, Christ and His personal posse have just met a wealthy up-and-comer who hoped to join their crew (Mk 10:17-22). There’s just one problem. He loves His money more than He wants to follow Jesus.

The radical Rabbi/Carpenter uses this as a teachable moment for His team (Mk 10:23-27). He uses the hilarious example of trying to shove a camel through the eye of a needle as a way of describing rich folks trying to squeeze their fortunes into God’s kingdom. It just ain’t happening.

Despite what you might think, you can’t grease God’s palm to get on His good side. Instead when it comes to eternity, those who gain entry through the gates of heaven are those who hold their money loosely and their Savior tightly.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

It’s at this point that Peter just has to say something. This should come as no shock.

If you’re familiar at all with the former commercial fisherman turned disciple, you know he has a bad habit of opening his mouth so he can insert his foot. That’s the reason so many of us can relate to the one Jesus calls Rocky (Mt 16:18).

Giving up Everything

Pete blurts out, “We’ve given up everything to follow You” (v28). At first glance, this certainly makes sense. While the rich young dude refused to liquidate his assets in order to follow our Savior, the disciples sure have (Mk 1:18, 20; 2:14; Lk 5:11; 5:28).

A closer look at the original language doubles down on that idea. “Given up” (Gr. αφιημι/afiemi) is a Greek verb that means to move away from someone or something and cause separation. It can even describe abandonment. 

Come Follow

And “follow” (Gr. ακολουθεω/akoloutheo) paints a picture of accompanying someone who takes the lead and determines the direction. It’s the language of commitment, obedience, and discipleship.

Jesus uses the same verb when inviting the wealthy hot shot to climb aboard with His other followers. Sell your stuff, give your money to those who REALLY need it, “then come, follow (Gr. ακολουθεω/akoloutheo) Me” (Mk 10:21).

No Strings Attached

Giving it all up and following the Lord means putting what used to be important in the rear view mirror. It means going where He goes, watching what He does, and doing what He says.

Ultimately, giving up everything and following Christ is living life with no strings attached. Nothing gets in your way. You’re all in.  

Making Jesus the Boss

Now it’s not like we simply chuck it all. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is like running away and joining the circus. We make Him the boss in every part of our lives. It IS what being the Lord means, after all.

A Vivid Picture

The apostle formerly known as Saul gives us a, shall we say, “vivid” picture of what that looks like in his life. Stuff that once was a priority suddenly doesn’t seem so important anymore. 

“Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him” (Phil 3:8-9a).

A Big Steaming Pile

What makes this such a striking image is the word the NLT translates “garbage (Gr. σκυβαλον/skubalon).” Garbage sells it short. It literally describes a big steaming pile. Yeah, you read that right.

Compared to Christ, Paul considers it all poop. When you put it that way, it makes it a little easier to abandon, doesn’t it? 

Our Savior Is the Standard

Before we hear Jesus’ response, I’d like to throw something else out there. Is it just me or does Pete’s statement seem a kinda cocky and prideful? Seems like he’s comparing the sacrifice of the Twelve with the failure of the wealthy go-getter to do the same.

It’s powerful reminder to me to stop measuring myself to others like God is playing some sort of righteousness-by-comparison game. Our sinless Savior is the standard we judge ourselves against.

It reminds me of a conversation Pete has with Jesus after His resurrection. The apostle gets hung up on rumors about his buddy John. Christ tells him to slow his roll. “What is that to you? As for you, follow Me” (Jn 21:22).

Rocky’s onto Something

Meanwhile back in Mark 10, the Lord lets Rocky know that he’s onto something. “Yes…and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the Good News’” (v29). 

The Way It Should Be

A closer look at the original language here reveals how Jesus wants to trust what He says. “Yes…I assure you” is actually the Greek word we translate “amen” (Gr. αμην/amen).

You see, “amen” means a whole lot more than simply signing off to God at the end of your prayer. It’s reaffirming that something is indeed true. It’s the way it should be. It’s a way of emphasizing the voracity of what’s being said.

Just Call Him “Amen”

And it that’s not enough, did you know that one of Jesus’ heavenly nicknames is “the Amen” (Rev 3:14)? This is the same Savior who has the audacity to claim He’s “the Truth” (Jn 14:6). Not just a truth. THE Truth!

That’s exactly the reason Paul writes, “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Yes’) ascends to God for His glory” (1Cor 1:20).

So the Amen wants us to know we can take to bank that what He’s about to say. He There’s no need to fact check what He tells us.

Playing the Long Game

You can easily break down Jesus’ words in verses 29 and 30 as short term loss and long term gain. We need remember that He’s rarely about immediate gratification. The Lord is always playing the long game.

Sacrifice in the Now

The Son of Man begins by describing what His followers must sacrifice in the now. “Everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for My sake and for the Good News’” (v29).

The ESV Study Bible explains it this way. Jesus is not encouraging His followers to abandon the responsibilities we have to those at home. 

He IS the Gospel!

But, let’s be honest, sometimes family members freak out when someone they love places their trust in the Lord. And our commitment to Christ may lead to times of temporary separation.

“For My sake and for the Gospel” (29) is a fascinating phrase. In saying this, Jesus equates Himself with the Good News. He IS the Gospel! That means the Gospel is nothing less than a personal relationship with Christ.

The Pole Position

So am I willing to put my relationship of Jesus in the permanent pole position ahead of everything and everyone else in my life? Even my own family? My home? My siblings? My parents? My property? 

Yeah, I know. This is scary stuff.

Just Be Patient

But the Son of God turns the corner and begins describing just some of the incredible benefits He showers upon us if we’ll just be patient. He promises us blessings both in the near future and into eternity.

The Lord says His disciples “will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life” (v30). 

The Heavenly Benefits Package

In other words, those who are willing to abandon all they have in order to follow Jesus will not only get it all back…and then some! If you think that’s amazing, just wait until you taste what’s waiting for you in eternity!!

When Christ says “now,” He means RIGHT NOW! The moment we take the step of faith away from what we have toward the Lord, we receive more than we could ever imagine. And He’s not simply talking about the heavenly benefits package.

Our New Spiritual Family

As adopted kids into His Dad’s kingdom, the size of our new spiritual family explodes exponentially. We’re no longer limited to our blood relatives. Our brothers, sisters, moms, and kids are everywhere. 

But wait. Jesus left somebody out of that list that He mentioned back in the previous verse. He doesn’t mention Dad. That’s because we gain our fantastic new Heavenly Father!

Add a Couple of Zeros 

The scope of what we receive just in this life is hard to calculate. The Lord promises it will be “a hundred times as many” (v30). The Greek word here (Gr. ‘εκατονταπλασιονα/hekatontaplasiona) literally means to multiply by 100.

Math isn’t my strength but I’m guessing that’s on the low side. What we gain in obedience to Christ is beyond anything we could ever wrap our brains around. If you want to try to add them up, knock yourself out. Feel free to add a couple of zeros.

Leaving and Receiving

Don’t miss His point. Whatever we sacrifice for the sake of our Savior, He has a way of multiplying it back to us. It may not be the same. But you can bet it will be more and better.

If you leave, you will receive even more. If you separate, He will proliferate. But remember, Jesus can’t fill your hands with blessing until you release the kung fu grip you have on what you’re already holding.

A Broken World

But did you catch that pesky little phrase before He gets to the eternal part? “Along with persecution” (v30). Yeah, that’s the one. So what’s the dealio?

The Lord doesn’t want us to miss that we live in a broken world that is ultimately opposed to His way of doing things. As a result, trusting in Him puts a target on our backs.

Just before heading back to heaven, Jesus tells His team to expect hard times. “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).

A Great Reward Awaits

In His most famous sermon, the Lord says harassment for our faith in Him in this life actually translates into an eternal goodness. 

“God blesses you people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven” (Mt 5:12).

A Peak behind the Curtain of Paradise

That’s exactly what Christ goes on to say here in chapter ten of Mark’s Gospel. While we can be sure of hard times on this side of heaven, just wait. “And in the world to come that person will have eternal life” (v30).

Any persecution in the present pales in comparison to eternity with Jesus. Be sure, “eternal life” is WAY more than just perpetual existence. The word we translate “life” (Gr. ζωη/zoe) emphasizes the overwhelming quality not the unending quantity. 

John Burke’s book “Imagine Heaven” gives us what could be the best peak behind the curtain of paradise outside of God’s Word. Be sure that we’ll be doing WAY more than wearing togas, sitting on clouds, and plucking harps.

Closing the Loop

This talk of eternity closes the loop on how this whole conversation started with the rich upstart back in Mark 10:17. Remember how he asks the Lord about how to get his hands on heaven.

In the ESV study notes, Hans F. Bayer points out how the discussion ends where it started, with the topic of everlasting life. Here’s our Savior’s answer. Loosen your grip on whatever you hold dear. Hang onto Jesus with everything you’ve got. 

A Closer Look at the Finish Line

The Son of God then gives us a closer look at the finish line of mortal life. “But many who are the greatest will be the least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then” (v31). 

Power Players

Once again, I love how the original language sheds light on what we read. “Greatest” (Gr. προτος/protos) literally means first in line. It’s someone who’s a big wig and a power player.

Even in the First Century, money and status are equivalent to a fast pass for life. No waiting. No locked doors. What you want. When you want. How you want.

DMV Life

On the other hand, “least important” (Gr. εσχατος/eschatos) describes being at the back of the line. It paints a picture of living every single day like you’re stuck at the DMV. 

A Heavenly Photo Finish

So does Jesus mean with all His “first-is-last-last-is-first” talk? Is He going all Ricky Bobby on us? You know, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” Is this way of saying He’s going to flip the final standings upside down? 

I think John MacArthur is all over it with his take. He believes the Lord is describing an eternal dead heat. It’s going to be a heavenly photo finish with every follower of Jesus tied for first. And if everyone’s tied for first, they’re also tied for last.

The Great Equalizer

Your money, power, and status don’t get you in first. Your poverty, weakness, and insignificance don’t keep you in the back. God’s grace is the great equalizer.

When it’s all said and done, first is last and last is first. Billy Graham says it best. “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.”

©2019

Jay Jennings