In Matt 10: 40-42 Jesus “identifies with his own”!
Matt. 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that
sent me.
Matt. 10:41 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.
Matt. 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.
Jesus uses the phrase “in My Name” to tie the good deed to reward. The Gospel is the key to this phrase, “in My Name.” Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection is the punch behind that phrase! If you were to say to someone, I come to you in the name of the President of the United States, there would be a certain level of respect granted to you (if in fact you were on official business) simply because of your identity with the President. Well, our identity with Christ is the conduit through which all of our actions, our thoughts, and our motives pass; regardless of our understanding of this. When we place our trust, our confidence, and our belief and faith in Jesus Christ for acceptance with God, God the Father takes it seriously and makes a move on our behalf: He declares us just in His sight!! On the basis of our faith in Christ, our heavenly Father then relates to us on that basis and we are treated just as Christ is treated! That’s heavy indeed! Most of us are unaware of our “position” before God knowing only our “condition” as we go about our Christian life. When we come to Christ in faith, we take on a new identity and we lose our old identity. “Wherefore if any man be IN CHRIST he is a new creation. Behold, old things are passed away, all things are now new, and all things are of Christ.”
Now, to this “reward” thing. Jesus says that the reward is commensurate with the service of the messenger. If we give a cup of cold water “in His Name”…if we offer up an instantaneous prayer as we drive by an accident “in His Name”…..if we send a written card to one in grief “in His Name”…if any of these we offer, we receive the “recognition” from our Champion Savior! What a reward! Now, what exactly does it look like to offer something, do something “in His Name?”
I would suggest that this can mean lots of things but must mean that we offered our service “in loving response.” “In loving response” for what, you ask? For the great sacrifice of Jesus’ life in perfect trust and obedience, his substitutionary death in our place on the cross, then his descent into hell and up again by God’s grace in three days all FOR us! One day, dear friend, this will be recognized as primary in your life if you belong to Jesus. One day you’ll stand before God and answer as to just what you did “in His Name.” You see, to do something “in loving response” is of the heart; God alone searches our hearts. Our intent, our desire, even our command is to do “whatever our hands find to do and do it with all our might.”
reward.
Jesus uses the phrase “in My Name” to tie the good deed to reward. The Gospel is the key to this phrase, “in My Name.” Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection is the punch behind that phrase! If you were to say to someone, I come to you in the name of the President of the United States, there would be a certain level of respect granted to you (if in fact you were on official business) simply because of your identity with the President. Well, our identity with Christ is the conduit through which all of our actions, our thoughts, and our motives pass; regardless of our understanding of this. When we place our trust, our confidence, and our belief and faith in Jesus Christ for acceptance with God, God the Father takes it seriously and makes a move on our behalf: He declares us just in His sight!! On the basis of our faith in Christ, our heavenly Father then relates to us on that basis and we are treated just as Christ is treated! That’s heavy indeed! Most of us are unaware of our “position” before God knowing only our “condition” as we go about our Christian life. When we come to Christ in faith, we take on a new identity and we lose our old identity. “Wherefore if any man be IN CHRIST he is a new creation. Behold, old things are passed away, all things are now new, and all things are of Christ.”
Now, to this “reward” thing. Jesus says that the reward is commensurate with the service of the messenger. If we give a cup of cold water “in His Name”…if we offer up an instantaneous prayer as we drive by an accident “in His Name”…..if we send a written card to one in grief “in His Name”…if any of these we offer, we receive the “recognition” from our Champion Savior! What a reward! Now, what exactly does it look like to offer something, do something “in His Name?”
I would suggest that this can mean lots of things but must mean that we offered our service “in loving response.” “In loving response” for what, you ask? For the great sacrifice of Jesus’ life in perfect trust and obedience, his substitutionary death in our place on the cross, then his descent into hell and up again by God’s grace in three days all FOR us! One day, dear friend, this will be recognized as primary in your life if you belong to Jesus. One day you’ll stand before God and answer as to just what you did “in His Name.” You see, to do something “in loving response” is of the heart; God alone searches our hearts. Our intent, our desire, even our command is to do “whatever our hands find to do and do it with all our might.”
Young believers concentrate much on “what they do”; maturing believers focus more on “why they do what they do”. What you do IS important my dear friend; Why you do it is more important when and if it’s done “in His Name”….”in loving response” to God for His precious and delightful Son Jesus!! Let us daily cry to God for his “searching and cleansing” of our motives so that we receive our reward as Jesus promised!
Lastly, when your heart is captured by the message of the Gospel and the person of the Gospel, you are overwhelmed. You begin to display what Oswald Chambers calls “unconscious holiness.” I love that. Self-conscious holiness is an act that will wear you out memorizing the lines!! Preach the Gospel to yourself daily and watch your heart began to dance and sing and unconsciously begin to get involved in the nitty-gritty grind of daily life and you become “light and salt” and you make Jesus VERY attractive to all around!
I purpose in my heart to love you today “in Jesus Name,” and “IN Loving Response”!!!
Thank God today for His unspeakable gift: Jesus!!!!
Lastly, when your heart is captured by the message of the Gospel and the person of the Gospel, you are overwhelmed. You begin to display what Oswald Chambers calls “unconscious holiness.” I love that. Self-conscious holiness is an act that will wear you out memorizing the lines!! Preach the Gospel to yourself daily and watch your heart began to dance and sing and unconsciously begin to get involved in the nitty-gritty grind of daily life and you become “light and salt” and you make Jesus VERY attractive to all around!
I purpose in my heart to love you today “in Jesus Name,” and “IN Loving Response”!!!
Thank God today for His unspeakable gift: Jesus!!!!
Jerry
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