On the flip side of persecution, those who honor and welcome the Lord’s disciples receive the blessings of God. Jesus does not offer the world only judgment but opportunity to connect with God through his church.
In this short gospel passage, the rewards for those who devote themselves to the vocation of prophet, disciple, or even a simple lay-Christian (the meaning of "righteous person") are transferred to those who aid them. The church is Christ’s body in the world. Therefore, those in the world who recognize this and receive his members with charity, even in small ways, will know the blessing of God through their connection to his body.
The preacher can use this text as an opportunity to encourage the flock not to go out in the world assuming ill-treatment from everyone. Each individual person in the world can either accept or reject Christ’s messengers. The church should thus be open-handed; as ready for a positive reception as a negative one.
Persecution tempts the believer to gloominess. Cynicism is the bane of joy. But Christ’s disciples are optimists, driven by hope rather than despair. Just as they should not be surprised when the world rejects them, they should not be surprised when it receives them. For after all, Christ died for the life of the world.
He was certain he’d heard something unusual as he put both gloves in his backpack. He took a second to survey the area, trying to locate the strange sound. What was that?
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