Matthew 10:40-42 40The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41The one who receives a prophet for the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person for the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will no way lose his reward.
Jesus comes to us with the invitation to follow him. He uses us to extend this invitation to others. Jesus sent out his disciples with a mission. These verses are part of his directions to them and follow words of warning about the suffering and rejection they may experience. Jesus uses a series of four parallel statements to encourage his disciples to endure any hardship they might face in their mission to the world. These statements have echoed throughout the ages and challenge us in our time to be faithful to where God has called us.
The disciples should expect the same type of reception Jesus received. To follow Jesus would be costly for them. Their family and friends might even turn against them. The disciples would carry on Jesus’ ministry as an extension of his authority and place in the world as the bearer of “good news.” They would not go out on their own but with the authority or power of Jesus. The disciples’ mission was connected to Jesus’ mission, which was the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation for the world. What the disciples did through their witness about Jesus was an extension of what God was doing. They were not alone but were the voice of God to the lost.
Their ministry was also prophetic in calling people to repent and believe in Jesus. They shared the same ministry as Israel’s prophets, many of whom were rejected by the people of their time. God will reward those who listen to genuine prophets. Verse 41 provides encouragement and a promise to whose who listen to the words of the disciples. Both those who share the gospel and accept the gospel will receive the reward of righteousness. Faith and obedience will pay off someday, even when that reward is difficult to see in the midst of suffering and persecution.
The mission of the disciples is not simply verbal profession about Jesus but active engagement in the needs of people. Jesus’s message of salvation brought healing to people’s physical needs. Being a disciple is more than speaking words or living an ethical life of righteousness. It must include compassionate care to those in need. Jesus does not say who these little ones are, but these are the people neglected and overlooked by others. The disciples’ mission should not miss the needs of the least of society.
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