MATTHEW 10: 40-42 [THE MESSIAH REVEALED Series]
REWARDS FOR SERVING CHRIST
[Revelation 22: 10-17]
After many stern warnings and instructions to His missionaries, to His disciple makers, Jesus closes the discourse with a simply amazing promise. Jesus had instructed His disciples to stay in homes and towns where they were welcomed. Now He promises to give rewards to those who receive His missionaries. The meaningful rewards promised to those who help His righteous servants should open houses in all the world.
The Gospel will not only find those who oppose it, but those who assist it. So Christ now turns and gives three sayings concerning those who receive and support the Gospel. In verses 14 and 15 He spoke of the punishment for those who oppose the Gospel but there is also reward for those who receive and promote it. Those who faithfully served the Lord and who faithfully support these workers will be rewarded (CIT).
I RECEIVING ACKNOWLEDGMENT EXTENDED, 40.
II. RECOGNIZED ASSISTANCE REWARDED, 41.
III RENDERED SERVICE REWARDED, 42.
This section stresses that Jesus identify Himself with those who are on mission with Him. In verse 40 Jesus identifies with us and connects us with the Father. “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
A striking aspect of this passage is Jesus’ identification with His own. [One is reminded of Jesus’ words to Saul on the Damascus Road, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” (Acts 9:4, kjv).] Here Jesus states that the person receiving the messenger, the one providing hospitality, is, in fact, doing a service for Christ; he is in effect receiving Him. The reception of the Messiah’s missionary and message amounts to receiving Jesus Christ.
The idea is that of an commissioned or authorized mission or emissary. The mission was the Father's who authorized it and sent His Son to bring it into being, who in turn authorizes and sends His disciples on the Father's mission. The promised blessing is that while the disciples are on mission for Christ those who receive them as Christ's messengers and representatives received Christ and His Father. It is hard to even imagine receiving a greater blessing.
“Receive” comes in the context of extending hospitality and assistance to those proclaiming the Gospel and discipling believers. It is not only respecting His work but actively helping Him in it (2 Jn. 10-11, 3 Jn. 8). Again, what a thought. To actively assist authorized and empowered representatives of Christ is to receive Christ Himself (Mt. 25:40). Anyone who honors you, His workers, will be honored by Christ.
II. RECOGNIZED ASSISTANCE REWARDED, 41.
Verse 41 indicates that anyone who supports the missionaries and his work will be rewarded by God “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.”
A prophet's reward is the blessing given by God to the one He has commissioned and sent as return for his labor. The name of the prophet represents the prophet's character, his integrity, his faithfulness as well as his calling and commissioning to his position of service. [Here the apostles were called prophets for they were recipients and communicators of God’s message- 10:27.]
To receive one is to place one's self at their service because they recognize the goodness and the authority in another. They support them with their encouragement, prayer, gifts, and thus enter into their labors and will share their reward. He that helps a prophet of God because he is a prophet of God has the making of a prophet within himself.
The meaning of this statement is that those who are not prophets themselves may share in the labor and reward of the prophets by willingly supporting their ministry. He who receives a prophet from no ulterior motive, but simply because He is God's man, will receive a reward in the coming age equal to that of the prophet.
A knight of old accompanied Martin Luther on his journey to the Diet of Worms. After Luther had face again the religious and political powers of the dark world, he slapped Luther on the back and told him, "well done little Monk!" He will share in Luther's crown.
The thought is repeated for a righteous man. A righteous man is a believer whose life is marked by right conduct. It is a man who is righteous in word, deed, thought, and intent. The adding of the righteous man allows us to extend this thought to missionaries, pastors, Sunday school teachers, and other Christians of transformed character. A righteous person is anyone who practices true Christianity and walks by faith in the light of the promises of God’s Word.
All with the same motive that participate in a work or ministry done for God are equal partners in it in God's eyes. The like spiritual character and motivation for the work or ministry will bring the same reward no matter the particular involvement. Those who hold the ropes for a man going down into the pit or a mission field are one in motive and spirit and will be one in reward. The one who has goodness to recognize and assist in a good work of another will be counted and rewarded as one even though their giftedness and participation is not the same.
The motive for assisting a Christian worker is the love of Christ. The love of Christ shining through the life of the prophet touching and motivating the love of God in the heart of the one who steps forward to assist. Though the act is not done for reward yet let it be an encouragement to your motivation for involvement in God's work with God's people.
In the days of the sixteenth-century Reformation when there was a price on the head of Menno Simons, a “Free-Church” leader, persons who dared to offer hospitality were arrested and in at least one case executed. Of such, Jesus says, the reward is commensurate with the service of the messenger. We are a team, and the supporting players are participants with the lead players. The church is a symphony rather than a series of solo recitals. We do together what no one person can do alone. [Augsburger, Myron S. The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 24 : Matthew. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982, S. 18.] It takes more than missionaries to accomplish Jesus’ mission; the whole community of faith must be involved. Those who support God’s missionaries will receive an equivalent reward.
III RENDERED SERVICE REWARDED (42).
The last verse [of this section or discourse] enforces what was just stated in verses 40 & 41. Verse 42 declares that a seemingly insignificant service done to the most insignificant of Christ’s servants will bring a future reward to the assisting person from the Lord Himself. “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
The “little ones” is a term of affection because they are precious to Christ. It refers to His servants (25:31-46), or to those the world may look upon as insignificant such as little children (18:1-6, 10, 14; 19:13-15; 25:40, 45). The act of unselfish service illustrated by giving a cup of cold water is motivated by love for Jesus. Our love for Jesus can be seen in how we treat and minister to those who can't return the favor. Yet if one recognizes a person as a disciple of Christ and treats him even to a refreshing gift of cold water, it will be remembered and rewarded. Jesus has already stated the disciples value to the Father (l0:29-31) and His watch care extends to reward those who care for their needs.
Giving a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple means that the simplest deed in discipleship of Christ will receive the Lord’s recognition. And this is applicable in many areas of life, for there is a difference between giving a cup of cold water and giving that cup of cold water in the name of discipleship to Christ, or in the name of Christ. There is a difference between teaching a class and doing so in the name of Christ; between filling an office and doing so in the name of Christ; between working at a job and doing so in the name of Christ. In concluding this section we should note that life in the church is understood in this passage as discipleship.
[In a dry thirsty land like Palestine a drink of good, cold, fresh water had far more significance than we place on it today. In Jesus' day, people couldn't go to a refrigerator and take out a bottle of cold water or chill a beverage by adding ice cubes. To give a cup of cold water required going to a spring - maybe far away on a hill among rocks. Or it meant going to a deep well, letting down a bucket, and pulling it back up. In other words, giving a cup of cold water required sacrifice.]
Many people wait a lifetime to do something great, overlooking what they could have accomplished by countless small deeds done with self-sacrifice and love. The size of a loving deed is not what counts the most. Rather, it's the motive behind it and the sacrifice that accompanies it.
A poet has written, "It was only a cup of water with a gentle grace bestowed, but it cheered the lonely traveler upon life's dusty road. None noticed the cup of water as a beautiful act of love, save the angels keeping the records away in the land above. The trifles in secret given, the prayer in the quiet night, and the little unnoticed nothings are great in our Savior's sight!"
The [prepositional] phrase "in no wise" is a translation of two single-syllable Greek words, which in effect become a double negative, stressing that the thing mentioned will absolutely never occur. The expression is sometimes translated "in no case," "by no means," or "not at all." It is therefore very instructive to notice our text says, any small kindness done in the name of Christ or one of his follower will never ever go unrewarded.
If all you can give is a cup of water, make sure it is "cold" and "refreshing" by giving it with love and sacrifice. Whatever you do in Christ's name, taking no credit to yourself, is sure to be a blessing to some thirsting soul, and noticed by God.
God notices every good deed we do or don't do as if He were the one receiving it . Is there something unselfish you can do for someone else today? Although no one else may see you, God will notice. Remember Christ came and gave us the gift of Himself that has become a refreshing spring of water in our inner man. Out of this fountain we can draw what is needed to refresh others.
A young woman backpacking in Colorado encountered another woman hobbling down a MOUNTAIN TRAIL. On one foot she wore an improvised shoe made of green twigs wrapped with a strip of cloth.
"Lost one boot crossing a stream," she explained. "Hope I can get down the mountain before dark."
The first hiker reached into her own pack and took out a sport sandal. "Wear this," she said. "You can mail it to me when you get home. "
The woman gratefully accepted the sandal and set off down the trail. A few days later the sandal arrive in the mail with a note saying: "I passed several people who noticed my predicament, but you're the only one who offered any help. It made an the difference. Thanks for sharing your sandal with me."
The Bible says love can be seen and touched - it's tangible. It may be as big as the Good Samaritan's care for an injured man (Lk. 10:30-37) or as small as a cup of cold water given in Jesus' name. [The reward is in keeping with the act performed.]
Real love takes action. The Bible says, "Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (l Jn. 3:18). On the trail of life, when we meet a hobbler, let's offer a sandal in love. You may give without loving, but you can't love without giving.
“Give as 'twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
Unto your mission be true. - Wilson
Hebrews 6:10 tells us that the Lord is not unfaithful to forget our works of righteousness. When you do something for someone else, they might forget about it. But when you do something in the Name of the Lord for the people of the Lord, He promises He will not forget, and you will be rewarded. When? Perhaps now—but even better, in heaven. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 77]
Christ does not say that they deserve a reward; for we cannot merit any thing from the hand of God; but they shall receive a reward from the free gift of God.
Therefore go for it! Take the words of Matthew 10 to heart. Die to self. Live for Jesus. Boldly confess Christ, and show love to Him in all things.
IN CLOSING
The mission the Father has sent us on is to reveal the brightness, wonder, and goodness of Christ's glory by manifesting His character and love to men. Now we cannot all be God's called out and specially gifted workers, but we can all give assistance to those who proclaim His message and to the righteous men who do God's work and thus share in the same blessed reward.
In heaven and on earth, men will get just as much of God as they can hold. The capacity for receiving God in heaven & on earth is determined by the exchange of this world for the next world. If you are filled with this world then there is no room for the next world. But when you have empted yourself of this world, when you have lost your life ambitions here to find life & ambitions there, then God can fill your life.
It is the same wine of the kingdom that God pours into all His vessels, but the vessels are of divers magnitudes, able to hold different volumes though each can be filled to the brim.
How do you enlarge your capacity - by enlarging your ministry, your service to God by ministering to His people, be it children, righteous men, or prophets. [Weber, Stuart. Holman NT Commentary. 2000. Broadman & Holman. Nashville, TN. p. 150.]
There is only one heaven and only one type of glory but there are infinite degrees of capacity for God, because there are infinite degrees we have right now of faith which results in conduct and in deeds of love. How you serve Jesus in this life determines how you will serve Him in eternity (1 Cor. 3:10-15)
Dear reader, if you do not have a personal relationship with God; this prayer is for you:
Dear Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross to take the punishment that I deserve for my sins and that You were raised from the dead. Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and life as my Savior and Lord. From this day forward, please be glorified in and through me. Thank You for Your amazing grace. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
