Jesus had given clear instruction in answer to a rich man’s question, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  (Luke 18:18 NASB)
  The man told Jesus that he had kept the specific commandments of God Jesus stated.  Then Jesus told him to sell all he had, give the proceeds to the poor.  The man would then have treasure in heaven and “Come, follow Me.”  (Luke 18:22 NASB)  The man turned away in sorrow, for he was extremely wealthy.

  Peter was amazed when Jesus declared that is was hard, very hard, for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God.  Then Jesus said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”  (Luke 18:27 NASB)

  Peter stated the obvious (I love Peter, he is so like us!).  “Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You.”  (Luke 18:28 NASB)

  Jesus then said to His disciples: “29 Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
30 who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.’”  (Luke 18:29-30 NASB)

  Many people leave home and family for various reasons.  To be rewarded by God is to leave home and family for the sake of the kingdom of God.  Peter never divorced his wife in order to follow Jesus.  He was gone for extended amounts of time, but his wife was part of his life.  Perhaps she was one of those women who traveled with the disciples at times.

  Putting Jesus first in your life means there will be a cost involved.  There is sacrifice in following Jesus.  There is great reward (treasure in heaven is waiting) in following Jesus.

  Lives are changed for eternity because of choosing to follow Jesus.  (Following Jesus is by faith and faith is an act of the will.)

  What contrast between the wealthy man who turned away from sacrificial living and Peter who chose to sacrificially follow Jesus.  Peter was a fisherman who left his fishing nets to follow Jesus.

  When Jesus called each of His twelve disciples He said, “Come, follow Me.”  And that is what each of the twelve did.
  What part of your thoughts do you need to change in order to whole heartedly follow Jesus?  Faith in Christ Jesus is to know without a doubt that He is God’s Son and that He died for you.  Faith to follow Jesus is to know without a doubt that He is resurrected from the dead. 

  Followers of Christ, we have a living God whom we serve.  We serve Jesus by worshiping Him, obeying His words and following Him!