Have you ever watched a hot air balloon take off? The balloon is filled with helium, which is lighter than air, and when the pilot is ready, the ropes that hold down the balloon are released and the balloon rises into the sky. What would happen if the ropes were not detached? An unhappy balloon! Though it has the helium power to soar, it remains chained to the earth.
Jesus called men and women to follow him. For a moment their hearts were injected with the “helium” of grace, and they wanted to say “yes.” At the same time, they were tied with emotional attachments to various important things like family relationship, careers, hobbies, and money. Some let go of their attachments and soared into the sky with Jesus; others were not willing to detach.
Jesus talked about how difficult it was for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God. Because the “rope of wealth” is so tightly secured in us, we have a hard time letting go of it to follow Jesus.
At this point the impulsive Peter jumped in with a question (Mark 10:28-31).
“Peter began to say to Jesus, ‘We have given up everything and followed you.’”
Notice it says Peter “began.” Jesus did not let him finish his comment. What do you think Peter was going to ask Jesus?
“Jesus said, ‘Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more in this present age…”
Peter gave up his fishing business, his money, and family to follow Jesus. So he was entitled to the “hundred times more” that Jesus promised. It was not only Peter and the Apostles but anyone down through the ages who gave up their attachments to the things of this world for the sake of Jesus and Gospel, was also included—that includes us.
Jesus continued:
“…with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”
When a person detaches from the values of this world and gives his/her life to Jesus, the world objects, the way crabs do when one of its fellow crabs tries to escape the bucket. The world, prompted by the devil, tries to pull its escaping “crab” back into the bucket. It is a threat to the world, when one chooses to step away and live a higher and better form of life. So Jesus painted the whole picture for the disciples. They couldn’t please God and the world at the same time. Persecutions in one way or another would come.
Then in the long run, they would receive a new kind of life, the life of the Holy Spirit, that would extend beyond this age into eternity. They would receive the “helium” of grace in this life and at death begin to soar into the heavens into their everlasting home.
Jesus concluded with,
“But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Followers of Jesus who were looked down upon in this life and placed last in line, would receive first place in the age to come. And many who regarded themselves as being on top of the totem pole in this world would be sitting at the bottom in the kingdom of eternal life.
We are challenged today to examine our attachments. Is there a rope that is holding us down so tightly that we feel unable to answer Jesus’ call? As important as family, lands, and money are, if we give them priority over Jesus, then it is time to ask for God’s help. Maybe we need more “helium grace” to lift us up. And not being strong enough to untie our own ropes, we can humbly ask God to untie them for us. We are being offered the gift of eternal life; let’s not turn it down.
