Matthew 10:34-42
10
Radical Discipleship 34 “Do not think that I have come to
bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man
against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and one’s foes will be members
of one’s own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
40 Whoever welcomes you welcomes
me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet in
the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of
cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple— truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
38 and whoever does not take up the
cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose
it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
February 2, 2014 Radical Discipleship
/57
Focus on the Word Beyond the Selected Text Matthew 10:26-33 Mark 8:34-36 Luke 14:25-27 Luke 17:33 John 12:25-27 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 Philippians 3:7-14
by Karen Oberst In the previous lesson, we read some of what happened or would happen to those early Christians as they spread the good news that Jesus taught. This lesson’s text goes on to cover more of the same. First it talks about family relationships and how they might suffer when even one of the family follows Christ’s teachings. Then it goes on to describe the rewards that will come to those who do accept those coming in Jesus’ name.
Matthew 10:34-36
A Sword That Divides Those who choose a different spiritual path than their friends or family will always face opposition. Deciding to follow Christ is no different. In the early days of Christianity, when it was a brand new way of living, committing to follow Christ had serious consequences. Converting from Judaism would not have been looked on kindly. In the wider Roman Empire, Christians were considered atheists for not believing in the accepted religion, being labeled subversives if they called someone “Lord” besides Caesar.
58\
February 2, 2014 “You are my friends…”
For some today in the wider world, this opposition in light of conversion is still true. Those who decide to follow Christ in countries where Christianity is not the dominant religion can face the loss of family or even persecution and death. Even those in America who convert from Judaism, for example, may find themselves cut off from their birth family. For many, however, becoming a follower of Christ does not create as drastic a situation. Instead of being cut off from family, we may find ourselves at odds with those among our relatives who follow a different belief system, attend a different denomination, or interpret the Bible differently than we do. This is a good time to check our own beliefs and make sure we are truly following the teachings of our Master, Jesus. Sadly, the opposite situation may be true as well. In a Christian home, a child who decides to change belief systems, go to a different denomination, or even change their views on the biblical interpretation of certain subjects may find themselves cut off from their family or faith community. We must be very careful when making decisions about what is important enough to sever relations with friends or relatives.
Questions to Consider Matthew 10:34-36 Do you know someone or have you read about someone who was ostracized by their family for becoming a Christian? How do you feel when you hear about these experiences? Have there been problems in your own family over religious beliefs? Can you talk them over with each other, or do you simply not talk about them? Can these things ever be resolved? How so?
Matthew 10:37-39
Gaining by Losing In verse 37, Jesus tells us that we are to love him more than family, that is, following Jesus takes precedence over doing things with or for family. A similar situation occurs in Matthew 8:21-22 where a potential follower of Jesus says, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” By this he means he needs to wait until his father is dead. Jesus’ answer at that time is, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Following Jesus is more important
February 2, 2014 Radical Discipleship
/59
Matthew 10:37-39 What does it mean to love Christ more than family? How can you open your life more to helping others in need?
Matthew 10:40-42 Who do you interact with every day? List coworkers, family members, neighbors. Is there an act of kindness you could do for one of them today? How do you welcome those in your life who speak God’s words to you? This may be official, as with a pastor, or perhaps informal, with a friend who speaks the word you need to hear at a particular time.
60\
February 2, 2014 “You are my friends…”
than filial obligation. This is a hard teaching, for who doesn’t want the best for his or her family? But as with Jesus’ first followers, missionaries today leave family behind and send children away to boarding school so that they can spread the word about Jesus. For those of us who are not foreign missionaries, it could mean choosing between doing something we feel called to do as a Christian and something else—even when family expects us to be there. Taking up one’s cross means being willing to follow Christ even into ignominy or death. The last verse is a paradox. To find one’s life is to lose it and to lose one’s life is to find it. In the time of the early church, this could be quite literal, as Christians were sometimes put to death. And today it can also be true in places where Christianity is not the dominant religion. Literal or not, this is good psychology. If we spend our time trying to improve ourselves without paying attention to those around us, we will have a narrow and probably useless life. But if we spend our lives in helping others, life expands as we become less self-centered. The next section teaches that even giving a cup of cold water to one in need is rewarded.
Matthew 10:40-42
Christ-Centered Hospitality These verses tell us that the disciples or missionaries are being sent out as emissaries, that is, as representatives of Christ. A way to understand this today would be to consider the situation of diplomats. When a country accepts a diplomat from another country, it is by extension welcoming the diplomat’s country and approving what it stands for. When someone welcomes the disciples, they are welcoming Jesus and the message of the kingdom of God being brought.
As in other parts of Matthew, the word “reward” is not quite the same as in English, but means wages for work done. People who welcome those who speak for God will get the same “wages” from God as the person they welcome. The last verse of this section which talks about giving a cup of cold water would be especially significant in a desert country such as Israel, particularly when one couldn’t stop off at the nearest convenience store or fast food restaurant to grab a coffee or a soda. Offering a cup of cold water to a stranger who was passing through would be a great act of kindness. This verse also speaks to giving small but practical kinds of help. When someone is thirsty, you don’t offer them a coat—you offer them a drink. We need to be alert to those around us and aware of what would be most welcoming to them: a cup of water, a meal, a coat, a listening ear, a friend—whatever the particular need is at the moment. We are not being summoned to a permanent commitment, but merely to lending a helping hand in time of need. Rather than random acts of kindness, we are called to do the particular useful act of kindness that a person needs right now.
Living Out
Matthew 10:34-42 The first point of this section of Scripture is in regard to welcoming those who come to us and speak God’s words to us. The second point is to look at helping those with needs as a chance to serve our Master himself. This week find at least one person who needs something—a physical need, a comforting word, or anything else—and serve them as if it were Jesus who needed your help.
February 2, 2014 Radical Discipleship
/61
Friendly Perspective by Colin Saxton Around Easter many churches invite members of the community to attend Sunday morning worship for a special celebration. On more than one occasion, I’ve seen advertisements that read something like this: “Come enjoy our reenactment of the Easter story and hear a non-threatening presentation of the gospel.” I don’t know about you, but for me there is nothing “non-threatening” about a man hanging from a cross and calling others to “Come, follow me….” Non-threatening? I don’t think so! This is the gospel when it’s the most terse and dangerous. The cross is not a magic symbol or a fashionable decoration. It is a reminder of the risky and sacrificial lifestyle that the followers of Jesus are called to adopt. The crossbearing life is one which recognizes
62\
February 2, 2014 “You are my friends…”
and affirms God’s complete claim on our lives and our willingness to be, do, and go as we are called. The cross is what happens to those who align themselves with Christ. In the ultimate sense this alignment could lead to persecution or martyrdom, both of which early Friends experienced quite often. We remember these sacrifices and find inspiration in the stories of their imprisonment, deprivation, and death. Increasingly, however, I am finding just as much inspiration from the daily, sacrificial acts of submission and surrender that I see among the people of God today. These are people who make difficult decisions that put God’s claim on their lives above the comfort of family, and over opportunities to enhance their wealth or increase their personal comfort. These daily decisions to die to self-interest are, in many ways, just as profound as ones resulting in physical death. The costly decisions we make to live for Christ are sometimes as difficult as one we might make to die for him.