Hang on, you may get more than you bargain for this morning. In my devotion I am looking at Matthew 10 for the week. So as I am reading it and pondering what Jesus says, I start to think, Why, would anyone in their right mind sign up for this. To understand this post more complete, you may want to read Matthew 10 for yourself, I have copied it on the bottom of the post. I have the ESV Bible that I am commenting on, and I know a good student would look at several translations, but well, I didn't. Maybe later. Anyways~ 10 starts out where Jesus calls the disciples to himself and he gives them authority. I imagine this to be an honorable and proud moment for them. Then, he gives them instruction and sends them out. To do what, you ask, 1. Proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 2. Heal the sick. 3. Raise the dead, 4. Cleanse lepers, 5. Cast out demons. Ok, sounds good, we can do that because you are Jesus and you have given us the authority to do so, it's likely they were still excited about this and probably, maybe even had some butterflies in their tummies. He gives more instruction on where to go and what to do in the towns they go to. And then He uses words like, "Behold, Beware, When, and will" He tells of the suffering in persecution that IS to come. At this point, after they hear the words, "you WILL be HATED by ALL for my name's sake." I would have to think they may have been asking themselves, what in the world did I get myself into? Then he goes on to encourage them to have no fear, and reminds them that "nothing is covered that will not be revealed," and that we have value to him. He knows every hair on our head. Nothing is outside of His control and he knows what is to come and has taken it all into account. Ok, thanks for reminding us. I'm feeling better about all of this again. (at least that's what I would have been thinking!) Then He goes on to say this and I am sure I will need to do some study on these verses to ever be able to understand it. "For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." What, my response would be, Why, How come? The only part I can sort of understand is the daughter-in-law/mother-in-law thing.Wink Not first hand of course, I have a wonderful mother-in-law!!
Then he talks of the reward, and this is when I start to get it, at least a little bit. Verse 42, Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward." He reminds me of the reason he sent them out to begin with, V. 7 proclaim the kingdom of heaven, healing, life for the dead, cleansing, and freedom!!! It's because of His great love for us. He desires for us to know him. He desires to heal us and give us freedom and he uses his disciples to be his hands and feet. He tells them in verse 8, "You received without paying; give without pay." What a God! It is all free for the taking. Isn't that just something. I don't need to fret over the stuff I don't quite all understand because I am sure that God is loving and trustworthy and will reveal to me more as I seek him. If the 12 disciples were anything like me I am sure by the time Jesus was finished they were up and on their way. I wish there was a little face to show how I think they would have looked, but theres not. I am sure it was a face of serious, joy and of empowerment ready for the battle for when it would come and delight to see people given new life.
Time to get up out of this chair and face the day with the same serious joy, empowerment, and delight, because I to, have been called to Him, the one who saves and am His disciple.
Because of His great Love, Sign me up,
Connie
Matthew 10
The Twelve Apostles
1And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold nor silver nor copper for your belts, 10no bag for your journey, nor two tunics nor sandals nor a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12As you enter the house, greet it. 13And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Persecution Will Come
16 "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.
Have No Fear
26"So , have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31,Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Not Peace, but a Sword
34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Rewards
40 "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."
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