First Baptist Church Litchfield
September 13, 2026

      • Psalm 98:1–9ESV

  • Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee (Ode To Joy)
  • Praise To The Lord The Almighty
  • The Goodness of Jesus

      • Philippians 4:4–9ESV

  • King Of Kings
  • Christ Is Mine Forevermore

  • Empty Hands

    Last week we began with a simple picture: empty hands.
    Jesus received little children who had nothing to offer Him, no status, no accomplishments, no wealth, nothing with which to earn the kingdom.
    Then a rich young ruler came to Jesus with his hands full. He had morality, religion, wealth, influence, and confidence in what he had done. He asked Jesus, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
    And Jesus exposed the one thing he could not let go.
    His wealth had become his treasure. So when Jesus told him to surrender it and follow Him, the young man walked away sorrowful.
    That left us with the great contrast of the passage: the children came with nothing and were received; the rich young ruler came with everything and walked away.
    And it left us with an even greater question: If a moral, religious, successful man like this cannot enter the kingdom, then who can be saved?
    That is where we pick up the story this morning.
    And Jesus is going to teach us that empty hands are not only how we enter the kingdom; they characterize the entire Christian life. We cannot save ourselves, and once Christ saves us, we cannot put Him in our debt by what we sacrifice for Him.
    From beginning to end, it is all grace. So here is the truth I want us to see this morning:

    Come to Jesus with empty hands, because the kingdom belongs not to those who have enough, do enough, or sacrifice enough, but to those who depend entirely upon Christ.

    And the disciples’ question takes us directly to the heart of that gospel:

    III. Jesus Saves the Helpless by the Power of God — Matthew 19:23–26

    Some have read verses 23–24 and concluded that if you are wealthy in this world, you cannot enter the kingdom of God in the next. They might point to Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus as an example.
    But that cannot be what Jesus means. Scripture does not teach that poverty saves any more than wealth condemns. Abraham was extraordinarily wealthy, yet Scripture calls him the father of those who believe (Romans 4:11). Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man and a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 27:57).
    Salvation is not determined by the size of your bank account.

    We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

    Nevertheless, Scripture repeatedly warns those whom God has blessed with earthly possessions. Paul tells Timothy:
    “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God.” (1 Timothy 6:17)
    The danger of wealth is not simply possessing it. The danger is trusting it.
    Wealth can create the illusion that we are self-sufficient. Money can buy houses, food, medical care, education, comfort, influence, entertainment, and security. After a while, a person can begin to live as though he doesn't really need anything. And that is spiritually dangerous because the gospel says exactly the opposite: You are helpless. You are dependent. You need God to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.
    Jesus has already warned about this in the parable of the soils: “The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22)
    Notice His language: “the deceitfulness of riches.” Money lies to us. It whispers, You are secure. You are independent. You have everything you need. But money cannot forgive one sin. Money cannot reconcile you to God. Money cannot give you righteousness. Money cannot conquer death. And money cannot purchase eternal life.
    That is why Jesus says: “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.” (v. 23)
    Then Jesus uses hyperbolic imagery to help you get his point: “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (v. 24)
    The camel was among the largest animals His listeners regularly encountered, and the eye of a sewing needle was one of the smallest openings imaginable.
    Can you push a camel through the eye of a needle? No. You can't squeeze hard enough. You can't rearrange the camel. You can't find the right angle. It is impossible. And that is Jesus' point.
    A rich man who treasures his wealth above Christ will not enter the kingdom. But Jesus is showing us something even bigger than the spiritual danger of money.
    Human advantages cannot produce salvation.
    The disciples understand the implications immediately: “When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’” (v. 25) They don't ask, “What rich person can be saved?” They ask: “Who then can be saved?”
    Remember how they viewed this man. He was young. He was wealthy. He was influential. He was moral. He was religious. If anybody looked like kingdom material, this man did.
    So if this man cannot save himself, who can?
    Jesus answers: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (v. 26)
    There is the gospel. Salvation is impossible for man. You cannot save yourself. Your morality cannot save you. Your baptism cannot save you. Your church attendance cannot save you. Your generosity cannot save you. Your theological knowledge cannot save you. Your parents' faith cannot save you. Your good works cannot save you. You have a better chance of pushing a camel through the eye of a needle than you have of getting yourself into the kingdom of heaven. And that sounds like terrible news.
    Until Jesus finishes the sentence: “But with God all things are possible.” What you cannot do, God can do. Salvation is a miracle of divine grace.
    Think about the children Jesus has just received. They came helpless. Dependent. Empty-handed. They had nothing with which to purchase the kingdom. They simply had to receive. That is exactly what the rich young ruler could not do. His hands were too full.
    But God can open clenched hands. God can humble proud hearts. God can expose idols. God can bring spiritually dead sinners to life.
    As Paul says: “But God, being rich in mercy... even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4–5) Dead people don't make themselves alive. God does. That is why salvation is all of grace.
    God sent His Son to accomplish what helpless sinners could never accomplish. Christ lived the righteous life we have failed to live. He died on the cross bearing the judgment our sins deserved. He rose victoriously from the grave. And everyone who repents and trusts in Him receives forgiveness, His righteousness, adoption into God's family, and an eternal inheritance that no earthly wealth could ever purchase. Peter describes it as: “An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:4)
    Friend, you don't need fuller hands. You need empty ones. Stop trying to bring God your résumé. Stop trusting your morality. Stop trusting your religion. Stop trusting your money. Stop trusting yourself. Come to Christ with empty hands of faith and trust Him alone to save you.
    But Peter has been listening carefully. The rich man would not leave everything to follow Jesus. Peter and the disciples had. And that raises another question in Peter's mind: “What about us?” And Jesus must now teach His disciples that even our sacrifices for Christ cannot become another reason to boast in ourselves.

    IV. Jesus Rewards Those Who Treasure Him Above Everything — Matthew 19:27–30

    Charles Spurgeon once wrote,
    “No man shall be a loser by the Lord Jesus in the long run. Oh, that we may never hesitate to be glad losers for Jesus.” Charles H. Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Popular Exposition of the Gospel According to Matthew, comments on Matthew 19:29.
    That captures the tension of this passage beautifully. Following Jesus will cost you something, but following Jesus will never finally cost you more than Jesus will give you. Peter is beginning to feel that cost.
    Matthew 19:27 says, “Then Peter said in reply, ‘See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’”
    Peter has just watched the rich young ruler walk away because he could not surrender his possessions to follow Christ. Jesus told that man, “Sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But the man treasured his earthly wealth more than he treasured Jesus.
    Peter looks at that man walking away and realizes, We did what he would not do. Peter and Andrew left their nets. James and John left the boat and their father. Matthew left his tax booth. These men had walked away from livelihoods, possessions, relationships, security, and reputations to follow Jesus.
    So Peter asks the question that probably all of them were thinking: “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”
    In other words, Lord, if that man refused to surrender his earthly treasure for treasure in heaven, what about us? We surrendered ours. What awaits us?
    And notice something important: Jesus does not rebuke Peter for recognizing the cost of discipleship. Jesus never pretends following Him costs nothing.
    There are places obedience to Christ may take you that comfort never would. There are relationships faithfulness may cost you. There are opportunities you may have to refuse. There may be money you could have made, positions you could have taken, pleasures you could have enjoyed, and approval you could have received if you were willing to compromise Christ.
    Jesus does not say, “Peter, you haven't sacrificed anything.” He says, in effect, Peter, I know exactly what you have left. And nothing surrendered for Me will be forgotten.
    That leads us to this wonderful promise:

    A. Christ Will Infinitely Reward Everything Sacrificed for Him

    Jesus says,
    “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” Matthew 19:28–29
    Jesus turns Peter's eyes away from what he has lost and toward what is coming.
    He says, “in the new world.” The Greek word is palingenesia—renewal, regeneration, rebirth. Jesus is pointing beyond this fallen age toward the great renewal of creation, when He returns in glory and makes all things new.
    Peter, there is another world coming. There is a resurrection coming. There is a kingdom coming in its fullness. There is a day coming when the Son of Man whom this world rejected will sit upon His glorious throne. And those who suffered with Him will reign with Him.
    Jesus makes a particular promise to the Twelve: “You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” But that promise reflects a much larger New Testament reality: those who belong to Christ will participate in the reign of Christ.
    Paul says, “the saints will judge the world” (1 Corinthians 6:2). Ephesians 2:6 says God has “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Jesus promises the conquering believer in Revelation 3:21, “I will grant him to sit with me on my throne.” And Revelation 22:5 brings the story to its conclusion: God’s servants “will reign forever and ever.”
    Think about the reversal. These disciples presently look insignificant. They have no armies. No political offices. No great wealth. No impressive buildings. No earthly thrones. They are following an itinerant Galilean preacher toward Jerusalem where He will be crucified.
    But Jesus says, Do not evaluate your future by what you can see right now.
    The men who surrendered everything to follow the rejected King will one day reign with the glorified King. And then Jesus broadens the promise beyond the apostles: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold.”
    I don't think Jesus intends us to plant the seeds of the prosperity gospel in this text, as some have taken it to bad. He is not saying, sow your seed of Give one house and receive one hundred houses. Give Jesus ten dollars and receive a thousand dollars. That would turn this passage into precisely the materialistic understanding of treasure Jesus has just confronted in the rich young ruler.
    The point is abundance. Jesus is saying, Whatever obedience to Me costs you in this age will be overwhelmed by My generosity toward you in the age to come.
    Paul says something similar: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:17
    I love that phrase: beyond all comparison. Put all your sacrifices for Jesus on one side of the scale. Your possessions. Your opportunities. Your relationships. Your suffering. Your ridicule. Your persecution. The things you could have had if you had simply compromised. Now place eternal life with Christ on the other side. There is no comparison.
    What seemed enormous here will look like pennies beside the treasure Christ gives there. What seemed unbearably heavy here will appear “light and momentary” beside the eternal weight of glory.
    Christian, you cannot out-give Jesus. You cannot sacrifice something for Christ and discover in eternity that you made a bad investment. That is why Spurgeon could call Christians to become “glad losers for Jesus.” We lose now because we know what is coming.
    The rich young ruler kept his possessions and walked away sorrowful. Peter surrendered his possessions and walked toward a kingdom. And Jesus says Peter made the better investment.

    B. Christ Will Reverse the World's Measurements of Greatness

    But then Jesus adds a warning: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Matthew 19:30
    That statement prevents Peter, and us, from turning sacrifice into another form of self-righteousness.
    Peter could easily begin thinking, The rich young ruler failed the test, but I passed it. He kept everything. I gave everything. Therefore, I must be great.
    Jesus immediately overturns that thinking. “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” The kingdom of God reverses the world's measurements of greatness. The world says the rich young ruler is first. He has wealth. He has youth. Luke tells us he has authority. He has morality. He has social standing. By every earthly measurement, this man is winning. And yet he walks away from Jesus.
    The disciples look like the losers. Fishermen. Tax collectors. Ordinary men. No wealth. No political influence. No impressive social standing. Yet they possess the one treasure the rich young ruler rejected. They have Christ, and that changes everything.
    There will be shocking reversals at the judgment. Some people whose names were celebrated on earth will be forgotten in eternity. Some whose names were scarcely known on earth will hear the King say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
    Some who accumulated enormous fortunes will discover they are eternally poor. And some who gave away nearly everything for Christ will discover that they are unimaginably rich. But there is also a warning here for disciples. Do not hear Jesus promise thrones and begin fighting over who gets the best one.
    That is precisely the temptation the disciples repeatedly face. Grace leaves no room for boasting.
    You did not buy your place in the kingdom by sacrificing enough. You entered the kingdom the same way the children did earlier in this passage, with empty hands, receiving what you could never earn.
    So don't ask, How much have I given Jesus compared with everyone else?
    Ask, Do I treasure Jesus above everything else?
    That is the thread running through this entire passage. The children come with nothing and Jesus receives them. The rich young ruler comes with everything and walks away because he cannot surrender it. The disciples have left everything to follow Jesus, and Jesus promises them that they will lose nothing in the end. That is the paradox of discipleship:

    If you treasure this world above Christ, eventually you lose everything.

    If you treasure Christ above everything in this world, eventually you inherit everything.

    So perhaps the question is not, “What will following Jesus cost me?”

    It will cost you something.

    The better question is, “Is Jesus worth the cost?”

    And Matthew 19 answers with a resounding yes.
    He is worth your possessions. He is worth your reputation. He is worth your career. He is worth relationships. He is worth suffering. He is worth your life. Because whatever you surrender for Christ is temporary, but what you receive in Christ is eternal.
    So brothers and sisters, when obedience becomes expensive, remember the promise of your King.
    No one who gives up something for Jesus will discover in eternity that Jesus shortchanged him.
    Be willing, as Spurgeon said, to be a “glad loser for Jesus.”
    Because in the kingdom of heaven, those who appear to have lost everything for Christ will discover that in Christ they gained everything.

      • Matthew 19:22–30ESV

      • Matthew 19:23–26ESV

      • 1 Timothy 6:17ESV

      • Matthew 19:27–30ESV

  • It Is Well With My Soul
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
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