28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.
29 And he said unto them, Verily I aay unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or breth- ren, or wife, or children, for the Idngdom of God's sake,
30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things
that are written by the prophets con- cerning the Son of man shall be ac- complished.
32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on :
33 And they shall scourge Am, and
Eut him to death : and the third day e shall rise again.
34 And they understood none of these things : and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
LiET 118 observe, firstly, in these verses, what a glorious and satisfying promise our Lord holds out to all believers who make sacrifices for His sake. He says, " There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or diildren, for the kingdom of God*s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting."
The promise before us is a very peculiar one. It does not refer to the believer's reward in another world, and the crown of glory which fadeth not away. It refers distinctly to the life that now is. It is spoken of " this present time.''
The " manifold more " of the promise must evidently be taken in a spiritual sense. The meaning is, that the believer shall find in Christ a fall equivalent for anything
278 EXFOsnoRY thoughts.
that he is ohliged to give up for Christ's sake. He shall find such peace, and hope, and joy, and comfort, and rest, in communion with the Father and the Son, that his losses shall be more than counterbalanced by his gaioB. In short, the Lord Jesus Christ shall be more to him thiui property, or relatives, or friends.
The complete fulfilment of this wonderful promise has been often seen in the experience of God's saints. Hun- dreds could testify in every age of the church, that when they were obliged to give up everything for the kingdom of God's sake, their losses were amply supplied by Christ's grace. They were kept in perfect peace, staying th^ souls on Jesus. (Isai. xxvi. 3.) They were enabled to glory in tribulation, and to take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in distresses for Christ's sake. (Rom. V. 3. 2 Cor. xii. 10.) They were enabled in the darkest hour to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and to count it an honour to suffer shame for their Master's name. (1 Pet. i. 8. Acts v. 41.) The last day will show that in poverty and in exile, — ^in prisons and before judgment seats,— in the fire and under the sword,— the words of Christ before us have repeatedly been made good. Friends have often proved faithless. Royal promises have often been broken. Riches have made themselves wings. But Christ's engagements have never been knbwn to &iL
Let us grasp this promise firmly. Let us go forward in the way of life with a firm conviction that it is a promifie which is the property of all God's people. Let us not give way to doubts and fears because of difficulties that cross our path. Let us press onward with a strong persuasion, that if we lose anything for Christ's sake, Christ will make