The Nature of Discipleship
TRANSLATION
(32) “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. (33) But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven. (34) Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword, (35) for I have come to set a son against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. (36) A person’s enemies will be those of their 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. (38) And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (39) Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
(40) “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. (41) The one who welcomes a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who welcomes a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. (42) And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
OBSERVATIONS
Repetitions in this segment help us discern its message. Initially, Jesus emphasized three terms: “acknowledge(s)” (vs. 32), “before my Father who is in heaven” (vss. 32 & 33), and “denies/deny” (vs. 33). In the next verses we note two occurrences of “peace” (vs. 34), several references to family members, “father…daughter…mother…daughter-in-law…mother-in-law…household…father or mother…son or daughter” (vss. 35-38), and “finds…lose…loses…find” (vs. 39). In the final segment, two words were emphasized by repetition: “receive(s)” seven times (vss. 40 & 41) and “reward” three times (vss. 41 & 42). We should note that Jesus’ description of the disruption devotion to him will cause in families reflects the wording of Micah 7:6.
OUTLINE
I. Jesus will treat each person in accordance with the way that they respond to him. (32 & 33)
II. Those who choose to be his disciples will experience conflict and loss on the way to joy. (34-39)
III. Jesus’ disciples should expect to receive the same treatment that he received from others. (40-42)
IDEA STATEMENT
Those whom Jesus sends out to minister should expect to have the same kind of reception he would have received had he personally done the work.
APPLICATION
Jesus completed his training of the twelve before sending them out for the first time to minister in his behalf by equipping them with three important principles to guide their efforts. First, those who responded positively would be treated with grace while those who responded negatively would face God’s disfavor. In essence, the offer of the Gospel is a life-or-death matter. Those who have a share in this ministry must realize that the destiny of those to whom they proclaim the truth of Christ is at stake.
A second principle is that the Gospel will inevitably produce discord and disagreement. Friends will be offended and families will be torn asunder by the proclamation of such truth. While one of Jesus’ messianic titles is “Prince of Peace,” that designation will only be fully realized in the far distant future. In a world that remains under the adversarial rule of Satan, those who preach the good news must understand and accept the fact that their message will be rejected by many and cause great stress and upset wherever it goes.
As a final encouragement to the twelve, Jesus reminded them that they were heading out as his ambassadors, in his name and with his authority extended through them. They would be multiplying his ministry to reach many more than he could personally touch. Whatever reception they might receive, it would be as if those receiving their ministry had been directly impacted by the Savior, himself.