Amazed or Afraid?

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 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.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” (Mark 10)

Jesus was heading towards Jerusalem for the last time.  He knew what He was about to do, and He had been trying to drop hints to His followers - especially His twelve disciples.  As He talked about the difficulty of people who were all wrapped up in this world to enther the kingdom, and the sacrfices involved for those who chose His way, those following after began to have reservations and fears.  "What is going to happen? Is the worst yet to come? You mean there is sacrifice in following Jesus?  Yet there was also this amazement about the truth Jesus spoke and the miracles He performed. He took the twelve aside, and told them the nitty gritty details.  Full disclosure. He gave them opportunity to face their fears, and chose being amazed over afraid.  May we choose wisely.