A Cup of Cold Water
Psalm 13; Matthew 10:40-42
Our first reading, this morning, is a short Psalm that is easily heard in three distinct parts. The first two verses are a description of a desperate situation. It seems that God is absent as my life is be falling apart. The middle two verses are essentially a prayer, a cry to God for help. The closing two verses are then an affirmation of trust that God will be faithful and will deliver. Let us listen for God’s word in this Psalm of a deserted soul:
Psalm 13
Our Gospel reading is also a short passage: three verses long. And it comes at the end of a rather long speech by Jesus to his disciples. Prior to Chapter 10, Matthew has piled up several stories of Jesus and his ministry. Matthew recalls stories of healings, of lepers being made whole, a woman with a hemorrhage touching the hem of Jesus’ robe; Peter’s mother-in-law is restored to health. There are also stories of a girl being given back her life, of demons that are destroyed, of a raging storm that is calmed. Sight is restored to the blind and a person who was unable to speak found her voice. I can just imagine that as the word spread around the countryside that there was this miracle worker and healer among them, the crowds grew day by day. Some were curious, others had real need and an aching hope. We are told, at the end of Chapter 9, that “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them. . . .Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” So, in response to the human need that was evident, Jesus told the disciples to pray for laborers. Now, as we all know, you need to be careful what you pray for. The very next thing we learn, as Chapter 10 begins, is that Jesus sends his twelve disciples. And the disciples now become the Apostles, ones who are sent.
When you think about this image of laborers being sent into the harvest, what kind of work do you imagine they are given? Matthew tells us “Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.” In other words, they are commissioned with a ministry of compassion.
What follows through Chapter 10 is a speech by Jesus where he gives further direction about where to go, how to behave, and what to expect. “Not everyone will welcome you with open arms. In fact, your ministry of compassion will also stir up a lot of resentment and opposition. But always remember who and what you represent.” And now, we come to our passage from Matthew. It lies at the end of Chapter 10. These are the closing words of Jesus’ instructions and warnings as he sends his disciples. Listen for the word that God has for us.
Matthew 10:40-42
You know, as scary as it can be to be given a difficult job to do, something new and different that needs a different set of skills than what you have ever used before, as scary as that is, how cool to be selected! Wow! Jesus wants me to do the things he’s been doing: healing the sick, casting out demons, helping the lame to walk and the blind to see. And he has given me authority and power to carry out this work. How cool is that! And to add to that, Jesus says who ever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me, and the one who sent him. So, whoever welcomes me is essentially welcoming God and God’s Son, Jesus. Wow! And, Double Wow!
