Wednesday 12 November 2025

Psalm 110

Background
Matthew 19:27-30 is a passage of striking honesty and promise, capturing the profound exchange between Peter and Jesus in the wake of the rich young man's departure that we read about yesterday. Peter’s question, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” echoes the anxieties and hopes of every disciple who has chosen the path of faith, often at great personal cost. At its heart, this passage is about sharing: sharing in sacrifice, sharing in community, and ultimately sharing in the promise of the kingdom of God.

Peter’s words are both a statement of fact and an implicit plea for reassurance. The disciples have surrendered their homes, families and livelihoods for the sake of Christ. Their sacrifices are real, and their question is not merely about reward, but about meaning – what does it mean to give up so much, and what will be the outcome? Jesus’s response is gracious and expansive, promising not only a place of honour – “you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” – but also a reward for everyone who has left behind the familiar for his sake: “will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life.”

Sharing, in this context, is not simply the act of giving up possessions or relationships, but entering into a new way of being. The act of leaving behind is an act of trust, and in the community of followers, there is a sharing of vulnerability, hope and purpose. The disciples are not isolated in their sacrifices; rather, they are joined together in a new family formed by faith. Jesus’s words point to the radical generosity of God, who does not leave us empty-handed but fills our lives with abundance.

This promise of “a hundredfold” is an invitation to discover the richness of life in community. The Early Church, as described in Acts, lived out this principle by sharing their possessions, caring for one another, and breaking bread together. Sharing, then, becomes the practical outworking of the gospel – a tangible expression of love that mirrors the generosity of God. In leaving behind the old, the disciples are welcomed into a new reality where grace abounds and every need is met.

Yet, the passage ends with a caution: “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” This reversal reminds us that the values of the kingdom are not those of the world. Sharing is not about gaining status or recognition, but about embodying humility and dependence on God. Those who grasp for power or privilege may find themselves pushed aside, while those who come with empty hands are lifted up. The act of sharing – of giving and receiving freely – is both the path and the promise of eternal life.

In light of this, our response to Jesus’ call is not measured by what we have left behind, but by the openness with which we share our lives, our resources, and our hearts. The hymn “Would I have answered when you called, ‘Come follow, follow me!’?” (Singing the Faith 674) resonates with this challenge, inviting us to consider what we might lose and what we might gain in the journey of faith. Sharing, in the end, is the hallmark of discipleship: it is the way we participate in the renewal of all things, trusting that as we give ourselves to God and one another, we are drawn ever deeper into the mystery and joy of the kingdom.

Today's passage thus invites us to reflect on our own willingness to share our possessions, our time, our presence, and our love. In doing so, we follow in the footsteps of the disciples, learning that true reward is found not in what we keep, but in what we offer, and in what we receive from the gracious hand of God. May we embrace this call to share, knowing that in Christ’s kingdom, every sacrifice is transformed into abundance, and every act of sharing draws us closer to the heart of God.

To Ponder:

• As we reflect upon today’s scripture, do we feel any sympathy with the disciples who were looking to Jesus to reward them for their faithfulness? How do we in our churches acknowledge and ‘reward’ faithful service?
• How easy do we find it to share our time, presence and love? Does it come naturally or do we really have to work hard at it?

Bible notes author: The Revd Dr Adrian Burdon
The Revd Dr Adrian Burdon is Superintendent Minister of the Telford Circuit in the West Midlands District. Adrian has been a presbyter since 1988 and, in addition to Shropshire, has worked in the Oldham Circuit, on the Fylde Coast, in Leeds city centre, the Northeast of England, and as a mission partner in the South Pacific. Adrian is Chair of the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland writing group which writes material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.