Matthew 10: The First Sending (6)
Pray Psalm 84.8-12.
O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
O God, behold our shield,
And look upon the face of Your anointed.
For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.
O LORD of hosts,
Blessed is the man who trusts in You!
Sing Psalm 84.8-12.
Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship
LORD of hosts, my prayer receiving, hear me, help me by Your grace!
In Your courts I stand believing; turn to me Your glorious face!
LORD, our sun, our shield, our glory, no good thing will You deny
to those who proclaim Your story, and who on Your grace rely.
Read Matthew 10.1-42; meditate on verses 38-42.
Meditate on the phrase “loses his life for My sake”.
Prepare.
1. How is it possible to be “worthy” of Jesus?
2. Who are the “little ones” Jesus mentioned?
Meditate.
Everyone in Jesus’ day would have understood His allusion to the “cross” (v. 38). They knew what crucifixion was, and what it entailed. Jesus equated His disciples’ mission with His own (see on, vv. 40, 41). The cross was the assigned means whereby God brought redemption to the world. Jesus’ death on the cross was the death of death and sin, and the portal to resurrection and eternal life. The disciples’ calling and mission would resemble this—sacrifice of one’s self that others might know redemption.
Each of us has a “cross”, a calling that requires death to self and entails bringing the redemption of Jesus to the world. They are worthy of Jesus who embrace their calling and pursue it diligently. We must “take” or “receive” our calling, and, emptying ourselves of all self-interest, let Jesus fill our calling with Himself. This is where we find the full and abundant life Jesus came to bring (v. 39).
See how closely Jesus identifies Himself with those who embrace His calling (v. 40). They shall have the “prophet’s reward” and the “righteous man’s reward”—the blessings that come from living the Word of God (vv. 41, 42). Jesus would make sure that His “little ones” would have all the provision and refreshment they would need for their mission (v. 42). Even as He spoke, we can imagine, He was preparing people to receive the disciples into their homes, provide meals and other refreshment for them, and thus enable them to carry out their calling. And those who provided and cared for them would receive the reward of peace that comes to those who receive the Word of God.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Taking upon ourselves the Name of Christ is a serious matter.
It is way beyond fun and games, small groups, pizza, and frisbee afternoons—
the Are You Happy? mindset of churches today.
Jesus has thrown down the gauntlet of what He means when He says, “Follow Me.”
“He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 10.38, 39).
And if there is a problem with what is said here, Moses has the correct rejoinder:
“Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD” (Ex. 16.8).
Do we really desire to be worthy of Jesus?
If so, the whole of ourselves needs to be given to Him.
“I have inclined my heart to perform Your statues forever, to the very end” (Ps. 119.112).
“Observe and obey all these words which I command you,
that it may go well with you and your children after you forever,
when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God” (Deut. 12.28).
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps. 51.10).
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with
the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8.16-18).
When we are found to be worthy of Jesus.
Followers of Him regardless of the circumstances.
Regardless of anything other than the thought of following Him
in the way that pleases Him:
“Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” (Matt. 6.10-13).
Taking upon ourselves the Name of Christ—for the sole purpose of following Him into His Kingdom work.
I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus; no turning back; no turning back.
If no one joins me, still I will follow; if no one joins me, still I will follow;
If no one joins me, still I will follow; no turning back; no turning back.
The cross before me, the world behind me; the cross before me, the world behind me;
The cross before me, the world behind me; no turning back, no turning back.
(Source unknown)
Reflect.
1. What does it mean for you to take up your cross each day and follow Jesus? What does that involve?
2. Why do you think some people find such a committed life naïve or offensive? How should we respond to them?
3. Is being “worthy” of Jesus a motivating factor in your life? In what ways?
We are unworthy of Christ if we do not take up our own cross, by which we suffer, die and are buried and resurrected together with him. Only by this pledge of faith in the Spirit will he triumph in new life in us. Hilary of Poitiers (315-367), On Matthew 10.25-26
Pray Psalm 84.1-7.
Offer yourself to Jesus, as a living sacrifice for His Kingdom and glory. Then pray for the opportunities you will have today to serve and bear witness.
Sing Psalm 84.1-7.
Holy Manna: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship
LORD of hosts, how sweet Your dwelling; how my soul longs for Your courts!
Let my soul with joy keep telling of Your grace forever more.
Like a bird upon the altar, let my life to You belong.
Blessed are they who never falter as they praise Your grace with song!
Blessed are they whose strength is founded in Your strength, O LORD above.
All whose hearts in You are grounded journey in Your strength and love.
Though they weep with tears of sadness, grace shall all their way sustain.
In Your Presence, filled with gladness, they shall conquer all their pain.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
We invite you to join us in ReThinking Church. We explain further at our ReThinking Church page, here.
Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column addresses the question, “How to Church?” Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
