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Christ’s Object Lessons
lost, and the comfort of the suffering and the poor. With man this is
impossible, for the heart clings to its earthly treasure. The soul that is
bound in service to mammon is deaf to the cry of human need. But
with God all things are possible. By beholding the matchless love of
Christ, the selfish heart will be melted and subdued. The rich man
will be led, as was Saul the Pharisee, to say, “What things were gain
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to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord.”
Philippians 3:7, 8
. Then they will not count anything their own.
They will joy to regard themselves as stewards of the manifold grace
of God, and for His sake servants of all men.
Peter was the first to rally from the secret conviction wrought by
the Saviour’s words. He thought with satisfaction of what he and his
brethren had given up for Christ. “Behold,” he said, “we have forsaken
all, and followed Thee.” Remembering the conditional promise to the
young ruler, “Thou shalt have treasure in heaven,” he now asked what
he and his companions were to receive as a reward for their sacrifices.
The Saviour’s answer thrilled the hearts of those Galilean fisher-
men. It pictured honors that fulfilled their highest dreams: “Verily I
say unto you, That ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration
when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, ye also shall
sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” And He
added, “There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or
father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, and the
gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses,
and brethren, and
“Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and
not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the
reward of the inheritance.”
Colossians 3:23, 24
. “Behold,
I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every
man according as his work shall be.”
Revelation 22:12
.
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sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and
in the world to come eternal life.”
But Peter’s question, “What shall we have therefore?” had revealed
a spirit that uncorrected would unfit the disciples to be messengers
for Christ; for it was the spirit of a hireling. While they had been