WE come for a final time to this statement by Jesus to correct the wrong view which Peter expressed in verse 22. Peter was thinking in worldly terms, not realizing the consequence of such an attitude. In his answer Jesus tells us that we must give up the world if we are to follow him. He has also told us that whatever the cross discipleship brings it is the way of real life, so giving up the world is best. He has then told us that the world with all its riches is not worth possessing because it means eternal loss for our soul. Jesus now presses home two great truths about himself, which the world denies or refuses to accept, which shows the danger and folly of seeking to avoid the cross of discipleship, and which pronounces doom on all who are in the world. These two great truths are held in these last two verses. We will take them in reverse order.

Verse 28 on the face of things seems to be incomprehensible and untrue. The reason we find it so is that we do not understand properly what Jesus is saying about 'coming into his kingdom'. The immediate way of understanding 'coming into his kingdom' is in terms of the second coming which Jesus speaks about in the previous verse, but this is to misunderstand what 'coming into his kingdom' is all about. If we take it to mean what Jesus will do when he returns to judge the earth, then what is Christ doing at the moment. Is he in some sort of limbo doing nothing? Is he still in humiliation? If we take 'coming into his kingdom' as referring to his return to judge the earth we must suppose that Jesus is not in his kingdom until that time in the future.

The fact is that Jesus was not referring in verse 28 to his second coming but to a fact that the Jews, representing the world and acting as the world, did not know, and if they did consider it, they refused to believe it. What is it that many listening to Jesus at this occasion would in fact see very soon in their future. They saw Jesus rise from the dead, being declared by God as victorious Lord and Saviour. They saw Jesus ascend into the Father's glory there to reign with the Father, and sit on the throne of God over all at the right hand of the Father. They saw everything placed under the feet of Jesus. They saw God highly exalting him and giving him a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. They saw the Lamb that was slain ascending the throne of God and receiving the scroll and opening it and so executing the purposes of God for the redemption on God's elect. (Revelation 5).

This was nothing else than Jesus 'coming into his kingdom' which he had purchased by his precious death for sinners. In obedience to the Father Jesus made himself of no reputation, and humbling himself and take the form of a servant, and as a man becoming obedient to death, even death on the cross. Jesus gave up the glory of his reign in heaven, thinking it not something to be grasped at to be equal with God. In his humiliation he renounced his throne. Having perfected the work on earth that God gave him to do, he 'came into his kingdom' which he had won back by his majestic and glorious and almighty victory over Satan and the world.

The world had not taken this into account. The Jews rejected his kingship. Their folly would be proved when the disciples saw him enter his kingdom and reign with almighty power to place all his enemies under his feet. This is the destiny of all people of the world. They will be placed under the feet of Jesus under his power and sentenced to eternal death in hell.

This is a great reason to prove the folly of not taking up the cross and following Jesus, and seeking to be safe from the sufferings which come from following Jesus. The world is doomed, and only those in Christ will live.

So we come to the other great truth that shows the folly of refusing the cross which comes from following Jesus. This is the truth in verse 27 where Jesus speaks of his return to the earth as King with almighty power, in order to judge the world, when all who have lived for the world will be cast into hell, there to remain for all eternity in total loss and sorrow.

When you hear the world speaking in the media today, there is expressions of the danger of harming our world in various ways, but the thought is always that the world is going on almost for ever. Also the whole concentration of humanity is seen to be on this world and life in this world. Jesus tells us he is coming again, and when he comes all that mankind lives for will be destroyed, and men and women who have lived for the world will be in total loss, and terror will fill their hearts and minds.

In the light of this how foolish it is seen to be to live for this life and this world only. In the light of Christ reigning in his kingdom with all the world under his dominion, and in the light of his return to judge the earth, how foolish to reject him as Lord, and follow the way of the world. Truly the way of the world is journeying down an broad way which leads to destruction.

Then how does the cross which disciples of Jesus are called to bear in this life seem in the light of Christ as king, and Christ coming to gather his disciples into his everlasting kingdom when he returns to judge the earth. Isn't that cross, however painful even unto physical death, seem small in the light of the everlasting misery which those who have lived for this world will experience for eternity.