Childlike Disciples
Notes
Transcript
CIT: How we treat God’s Children says what we think about Christ, others, and ourselves.
CIT: How we treat God’s Children says what we think about Christ, others, and ourselves.
Dear Pastor:
Please say in your sermon Peter Peterson has been a good boy all week. I am Peter Peterson. Sincerely, Pete, age 9
Are there any devils on earth? I think there may be one in my class.—Carla, age 10
I know God loves everybody but He never met my sister. Yours Sincerely, Arnold, age 8
I’m sorry I can’t leave more money in the plate, but my father didn’t give me a raise in my allowance. Could you have a sermon about a raise in my allowance? Love Patty, age 10
My mother is very religious. She goes to lay bingo at church every week even if she has a cold. Your truly, Annette, age 9
I would like to go to Heaven someday because I know my brother won’t be there.—Stephen, age 8
I think a lot more people would come to your church if you moved it to Disneyland.—Loreen, age 9
Please say a prayer for our Little League team. We need God’s help, or a new pitcher. Thank you, Alexander, age 10
My father says I should learn the Ten Commandments. But I don’t think I want to because we have enough rules already in my house.—Joshua, age 10
Taking the ministry into their hands…
What sits before us is what would have to be the most amazing time in the lives of the disciples. In Matthew 10 Jesus gives his disciples an earthly ministry. He sets before them a commission to go and preach the gospel of the kingdom 2x2
He gives them the power to cast out demons v.1
He gives them power heal all kinds of diseases among the people. v.8
He gives them a target audience "find the lost sheep in Israel" v.6
He gives them a mission proclaim the Gospel and the coming kingdom. v.7
Taking their lives into their own hands…
He was sending them out like sheep among wolves (v. 16)
He warned them to be always vigilant.
He explained that they would be persecuted and beaten v. 17
The Holy Spirit was going to guide their every word in troubling times v. 19-20
Jesus, however, did also encourage His disciples not to fear—the command most often given in the Bible! He instructed them not to fear men, but to fear God; to endure until the end and not deny His name (vv. 26-33). Then, after describing the enmity that His name will bring even within believers' families, He said an almost paradoxical statement:
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
This was the promise that following him would cost them their lives.
Andrew is said to have been crucified.
Thomas died when pierced through with the spears of four soldiers.
Matthew was impaled to the ground by four spearmen.
Bartholomew was flayed alive literally peeled his skin back while he was living.
https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1-300/whatever-happened-to-the-twelve-apostles-11629558.html
But then there were the promises.
In Matthew 10:40, we reach the paragraph where our verse in question is found. The entire paragraph reads:
Matthew 10:40
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
"Receiving" someone simply means to provide hospitality for them; but in the first century providing hospitality for itinerant teachers usually meant that you accepted their message as well.
Jesus revealed to His disciples that when they were received and taken care of by others (such as being given a cup of water), it was as if those people accepted Jesus Himself; and if they received Him, they essentially received God (cf. Matthew 25:35-40).
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
He reminds the disciples of how the Israelites have treated the prophets and righteous men in the OT. So it would be in the their case.
In the Old Testament, receiving a prophet and providing hospitality for them was a big deal, and God blessed those who took care of His people.
In 1 Kings 17:8-16, a widow was blessed by God with abundant food because she gave food to Elijah the Prophet first.
In 2 Kings 4:8-17, an old woman was blessed by God with a child for offering Elisha the Prophet a place to stay.
The little ones’ aren’t what you think.
Matthew 10:42
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
But who are these "little ones?" Well, apparently "little ones" are Christ's disciples. Although Jesus was earlier using a small child as an example, He was talking about His disciples, or those who believed in Him.
truthinformed.com points out this parallel. I have never seen these two so well spelled out. But I am completely convinced that Jesus speaks to his disciples as children. Just as he points to the children in earlier passages for the disciples to emulate.
How do we know this? Well, let's look at the parallel passage of this event, found in
For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
Matthew 10:42
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
What Jesus is saying is that if people receive and are hospitable to we who are His disciples because we are Christ's disciples, those people will be blessed by God. Jesus is affirming that when people take care of us because we are Christians (even by giving us a cup of water), God will take care of them for having taken care of one of His children! Isn't that awesome?!
Take Away…
Receiving the disciples…
I am convinced that the promise of vs. 19-20 are made to the disciples. And will be fulfilled in Scripture several times. But it is also the way that Scripture is described in II Peter 1:21
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Jesus was promising not all Christians everywhere that they will have direct revelation to answer their detractors but these disciples would have access to the Holy Spirit for revelation.
vs. 32-33 then would be about you and I and our treatment of the revelation that came from the disciples. If you receive their word you recieve it as if it came from Jesus himself. By the way this is the way to eternal life by believing the the words of the apostles.
Literally, we become believers on Jesus Christ by receiving the message of the disciples.
Serving the Servants
These verses are a wonderful assurance that God looks out for us through others' hospitality and generosity, and even blesses them for doing so! Our God is an infinitely good God who cares for unbelievers, but holds a special place in His heart for those whom He calls His children. Untrue is the popular saying, "we are all God's children," for God definitely provides more abundant grace to thosewho are in fact His children through Christ—and these verses prove it.
Knowing the implications of this verse gives us the boldness to say to others, "If you help me, if you are hospitable to me, and if you take care of me—because you know I am a follower of Christ—the Bible says that God will bless you, and reward you."
Although it may sound somewhat arrogant to claim, that is what this passage teaches us. God blesses those who bless His children—and, yes, when we bless other believers, we too will be blessed and rewarded.
Both of these points are based on the willingness to see ourselves as children. This was The promise to the disciple. “For such is the kingdom of heaveN” when I see myself as a child then I am ready and able to serve anyone with a child like humility. I can be served by others without a false pride. I can cling to His words with a childlike hope. It is all hinged on being like a child.
We are called His children, His "little ones," and when we learn to trust Him for provision—even through people—we will see just how good He really is to us. We will be able to say with even more passion and gratefulness: "You are good all the time, and all the time You are good to me, Lord. Bless You, for You are Lord over all and hold me in Your tender love and care! Thank You for calling me Your child, Your little one, through Christ! I trust in You; may others trust in You, too, and be immensely blessed by You, Father. Amen."
By truthinformedFebruary 1, 2018 All, Bible Interpretation, General Christianity, Verse Interpretation