#1258 Matthew 10 Part 6 Reception

 

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. 42 And 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.” Matthew 10: 40-42 ESV

Matthew 10: 40-42

When we bring the sword that separates, on the one hand are the unbelievers, but ah, on the other hand are the – what? – the believers. And when we preach, and when we live, and when we give our testimony, some believe, don't they? And for them, everything is so positive. Not everyone is going to refuse the message of the disciples. Some are going to believe. Some are going to receive them. Some are going to receive their Lord.

And since we have limited ability to reward their faith, the Lord’ll do it for us. Look at verse 40; this is great, “He that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me.” This is incredible.

Let me tell you what’s in the word “receive” here. When you go out, and you represent Jesus Christ, and you speak of Jesus Christ, and you give Jesus Christ message, the people who believe it are the ones who receive you. It is a full receiving that they accept you and your message. And when you go out – and they don't all get hostile, but some receive you. The ones that receive you are receiving the Lord, and the ones that are receiving the Lord are receiving the one who sent the Lord. So, you know what? You become an agency of men receiving God Himself. What a marvelous thing.

On the one hand, you create this antagonism. On the other hand, you create this marvelous reality that people receive God through you. Every time somebody says to me, “You know, I was saved when you preached,” or, “I received Christ when you talked, or when you told me the Gospel,” I am thrilled beyond the ability to express. Aren't you? Because God has used a frail human instrument as an agency. And when someone receives us, they receive the Lord and the Father who sent Him. What an incredible thought. We give people the Trinity as it were. - J Mac

Whoever receives you receives Me - Jesus is the One Who sent them, so when they are received it is by those who are receiving Jesus. This is not always the case, as we heard earlier in the chapter, sometimes they weren't to let their peace rest on a certain house, because contrary to what they had been told and hoped, that person was not of God. There are those who use the same vocabulary and would love your commendation, would love to name drop, and like corporate ladder climbers, would use your name to their advantage. Take my picture with him so I can post it on social media and people will say, "oh, they know each other, and if he is willing to pose with him, well, he must condone him as a message carrier." This goes deeper then bringing them in for coffee, because the disciples are going out with the gospel of the Kingdom, so those that receive them are receiving the message entrusted to them. They were vessels, God's mouth piece to the world.

A Prophet - You are taking him in as a missionary, God's voice, and this is not because you think it is, but because this is truly a prophet, a gospel laborer. We have been warned of false prophets over and over, so someone claiming this title is not the point, that was meaningless even back then if it were not tested and true. People who claim the title today should not come to my house, because I will tell them what they really are, and they will not be welcome to stay. In order to do the job of a husband, wife, father, mother, we must know what the Scriptures actually say and confront the wolves with the truth. The truth exposes them for what they are. Now, for those who are real teachers, professors of the Word, who are missionaries carrying the gospel abroad, this is a wonderful place to invest our time and resources. Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, measure who you are letting into your house to have influence over your family. 

…25Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers treated the false prophets in the same way. Luke 6: 25-26

A righteous man - This is the same man when you think about it; a man that preaches the truth is the prophet, and the man that practices the truth he preaches is a righteous man. Those that desire righteousness will be drawn to those who live righteously. I don't want a teacher who is more immature than me; I want someone I can look up to, who says what's right and does what's right. The disciple were being called to right doctrine but also to lives marked by repentance from sin. 

…15And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. 17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.… James 5: 15-17

…13Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression. 14May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19: 13-14

Even a cup of cold water - Just like the poor could give the sacrifice they could afford, that of the pigeons, so a cup of cold water can go a long way in the Kingdom of God. We see that He is talking to His disciples, so those that would go out in His name should be humble and pleased with whatever accommodations are provided them. I have tried to get this point across to my children, that sometimes you are eating someone's very best, the most they could afford to give you, and when you put it in that perspective then a glass of water, a plate of beans, a cup of rice, a bit of kidney, or a single chicken liver or foot, that is a feast. We have no right to turn up our nose at what others considered a blessing to have at all.  

…6Therefore My people will know My name; therefore they will know on that day that I am He who speaks. Here I am!” 7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 8Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, together they shout for joy. For every eye will see when the LORD returns to Zion.… Isaiah 52: 6-8