1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,240 All right, turn to Matthew chapter 10. 2 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,280 We are finishing Jesus's sermon where he is commissioning and 3 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,720 sending out the 12 for the first time. 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:21,960 And of course, as we've pointed out already, Jesus doesn't 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,320 promise lollipops and candy canes for the 12. 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,520 As he sends them out, he warns them with all the threats of 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:29,840 persecution that are coming to them. 8 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:32,520 He said, hey, you want to be, you want to be my disciples? 9 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:33,880 They go, yeah, we want to be your disciples. 10 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:35,880 He says, well, it's just going to cost you everything. 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,040 You're just going to have to take up a cross and follow me. 12 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,520 Remember, he hadn't gone to the cross yet, but they were very 13 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,400 familiar with Roman crucifixion to take up your cross. 14 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,880 If you saw a man carrying a cross, you knew that where he 15 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:47,440 was going he wasn't coming back from. 16 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:49,600 This is the last walk he's ever going to take. 17 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,120 That's the same invitation that Jesus gives to people. 18 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,800 Come, follow me. Take up a cross, though That 19 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,920 means you're coming with me to stay and there's not a turning 20 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:58,960 back. Well, I don't know if I'm into 21 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:00,560 that. Well, then, then you're not 22 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:05,120 worthy to be my disciple. Jesus said, wow, wow, Bold 23 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,680 words. Well, yeah, when you're God, you 24 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:09,840 should talk that way. Jesus is humble. 25 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:13,080 And Jesus also knows exactly who he is and what he's worth, so 26 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:14,640 he's not going to pretend otherwise. 27 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,160 And thankfully, he's very clear with his disciples. 28 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,200 So nobody was confused. Nobody was tricked into 29 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,000 following Jesus. Jesus never tricked anyone into 30 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,320 following Jesus. Jesus always gave everybody the 31 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:26,360 full and total picture from day one. 32 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,480 I'm worth everything and it will cost everything. 33 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:34,120 And they go settle for yourself. But I'm moving on. 34 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:35,880 Come and follow me. Well, I'm going to go do this. 35 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:38,720 I'm going to go do that. Come and follow me is the 36 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:42,440 invitation that he gives. So today as he finishes up his 37 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,800 sermon, we're going to find out more reward, more blessing that 38 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,160 he points out for his disciples, more encouragement because they 39 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,360 need it after what some of the things he's just shared with 40 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:52,600 them. But we're going to hear that 41 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:56,880 caring for and showing hospitality to the disciples of 42 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,400 Jesus because they are disciples of Jesus brings reward. 43 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,600 That was a bit of a mouthful. Caring for and showing 44 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,400 hospitality to disciples of Jesus for no other reason that 45 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,080 other than they are because they are disciples of Jesus will 46 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,200 bring reward. That's the point that he's 47 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:14,240 making. And that's what we're going to 48 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,240 embrace and we're going to make application for it as well. 49 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,080 Jesus finishes this heavy sermon. 50 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:22,320 He's telling his disciples about rewards for those who show 51 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:26,080 kindness to his disciples. He's already told his disciples 52 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,320 why they should do what he's sending them out to do. 53 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,840 He's already explained that whoever loses his life for my 54 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:34,520 sake, that sounds like bad news, but they'll they'll find it. 55 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,240 If you hold on to your life, you're going to lose it anyway. 56 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:43,000 So you might get the the best life possible on earth, but then 57 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,920 you go to hell. So it's not a great trade 58 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,080 compared to well, I'll take whatever the master would lead 59 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,800 me into here on earth because I get him period. 60 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,520 And then, yeah, the eternal Kingdom with it, Jesus going, 61 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:56,520 that's the trade you should make. 62 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:58,960 But that one of those takes faith and the other takes 63 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,240 responding to my 5 senses in the here and now, right? 64 00:03:01,640 --> 00:03:04,720 One of those actually, one of those actually requires that I 65 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,880 would live for eternity and the other one requires that I live 66 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,200 for my flesh in the here and the now. 67 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,200 So Jesus has already told them, whoever loses his life for my 68 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:14,880 sake will find it. But now he takes it one step 69 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,720 farther. He gives the blessing and 70 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,120 extends it. He and he shows that whoever 71 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,080 blesses you, I'm also going to be a blessing to them. 72 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,360 So we're going to take a look at verses 40 through 42. 73 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,720 And but before I preach through those, we're going to review, 74 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,880 we're going to do a quick review of his, of his entire sermon 75 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,320 before we get to those, but we'll start with those and then 76 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:37,440 I'm going to work backwards. So verse 40, he's finishing up 77 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:41,920 now with his encouragement. Whoever receives you receives 78 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:46,720 me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 79 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,400 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will 80 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,680 receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous 81 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,840 person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous 82 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,480 person's reward. And whoever gives one of these 83 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:06,040 little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, 84 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:10,200 truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. 85 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,040 God, thank you so much for your promises, for your rewards. 86 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,120 Scott, Why? Why would you have to reward us? 87 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,040 You didn't, but you choose to. In your goodness and in your 88 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,839 blessing, You crown us with glory and honor and dignity and 89 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:26,280 worth all things that we never deserved, but all things that 90 00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:29,640 you give graciously. Your incredible, your ridiculous 91 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:31,800 grace. It is just such a rich, rich 92 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:33,560 blessing. Help us to not take it for 93 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:37,040 granted, Lord, help us, help us to receive the fullness of it in 94 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,960 revelation and in practice. In Jesus name we thank you, 95 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,720 Amen. So looking back through chapter 96 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,760 10, remember Jesus told the disciples guys, there's a 97 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:49,320 there's nothing wrong with the harvest. 98 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,160 We just need more workers. You should pray for workers in 99 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,240 the harvest and then they probably pray and he says good 100 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,040 news. God has answered your prayer. 101 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:57,560 You're the workers in the harvest. 102 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,280 And now let me tell you more about how this is going to work. 103 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:03,600 But then he begins to lay it out very different from the 104 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,600 Christianity that you and I have been hurt, have been hearing 105 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,640 about for decades. Really, often times we're not 106 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,800 told a lot about taking up the cross. 107 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:16,400 But we've clarified many times that taking up your cross is not 108 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,640 Navy SEAL level Christianity. It's actually kindergarten level 109 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,120 Christianity. It was the only Christianity the 110 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:24,400 early Saints knew of. It's the only Christianity that 111 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,040 actually exists. Any other version is something 112 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:28,840 false. Any other version is something 113 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:30,640 different. We're just going to read his 114 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,360 words again and let him speak. And he makes the invitation very 115 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,360 plain. So he gives the 12 authority 116 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:39,760 over demons. He gives them authority to heal, 117 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:43,760 authority to raise the dead. He instructs them to go to only 118 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,000 those who are worthy and deserving. 119 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,800 He says go to those who are worthy and deserving. 120 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:52,520 And then he defines that worthy and unworthy are essentially 121 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,440 people who will listen and people who wouldn't listen. 122 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,760 That's how he defines it. He talks about the judgment that 123 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:00,160 he'll bring to those who won't listen. 124 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,280 Then he spends most of his commissioning sermon warning of 125 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:05,760 the persecution that his disciples are going to face. 126 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,600 I'm sending you out as sheep to wolves. 127 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,640 And then he goes on to promise detailed violent persecution 128 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,240 against them, even at the hands of the state. 129 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,040 So your family members, he says, are going to deliver you over. 130 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:25,120 And this is really challenging for us to hear if we actually 131 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,760 receive it, because the temptation for you right now is 132 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:29,240 the same temptation I have as you go. 133 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,360 That's crazy. That'll happen to somebody else. 134 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,520 But I don't want you to be flabbergasted, guffawed, or 135 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:37,720 anything else when it happens to you. 136 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,520 It's going to hurt when it happens to you, but you should 137 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:42,000 not be shocked when it happens to you. 138 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,240 It'll be something to mourn. It'll be something to grieve, 139 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,280 but you shouldn't go. I can't believe this is 140 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:49,640 happening. Why not? 141 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,480 Jesus told you that all who seek to live a godly life in Christ 142 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:55,240 Jesus will be met with persecution. 143 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,800 So living a godly life in Christ Jesus will look like something 144 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:01,360 in particular. It will speak something with 145 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,920 clarity. It will divide. 146 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:09,200 He goes on to say I didn't come to bring peace, but a sword. 147 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,200 And then we understood what that meant. 148 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,000 He's not saying that we're to rise up in a militia and create 149 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,840 violence. He's saying The Who I am will 150 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:20,040 inevitably divide. It is inevitable. 151 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,520 Fathers will turn against their children. 152 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:25,920 Children will turn against their parents. 153 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,760 We're going, man, that's a messed up family. 154 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,840 And then it happens to you and you go on, man. 155 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,800 It's just like what Jesus said. Jesus is divisive. 156 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,200 Not that he doesn't want everyone to be saved, it's just 157 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:44,320 that not everyone will respond to the goodness of God in the 158 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,240 way that they should. I'm sending you out as sheep 159 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,920 among wolves. He explains that even people in 160 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,520 your own house will betray you and turn you over to the 161 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:53,360 authorities. Why? 162 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,320 Because they want the authorities to kill you. 163 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,080 Everyone will hate you. He he, he sweetens the deal in 164 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,640 verse 22. Everyone will hate you because 165 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:04,720 of me. He said it. 166 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,720 It'll be because of me. And then we clarified what that 167 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,400 meant. Because sometimes Christians 168 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,080 think that persecution will come because you're just minding your 169 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:14,120 own business saying I just love Jesus and people say get him. 170 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:16,120 That's not the way it will happen. 171 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,160 The way persecution will happen is because you will not bow down 172 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,480 to the false gods. They will let you have Jesus in 173 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:24,840 addition to the false gods. That's always been the way it 174 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,040 works. You can have your, your Jesus as 175 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,720 one among many, but you also need to give your pinch of 176 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,600 incense to this idol. And the Christian says, I'll 177 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,200 give nothing. I'll give absolutely nothing. 178 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:39,880 I will not bow down to anyone else. 179 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:41,080 Well, we'll throw you in the fire. 180 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:45,960 Well, I still won't. No matter what you do, I will 181 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:47,960 not do it. That is the thing that will 182 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,120 bring persecution. It's not just going to be you. 183 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,000 You having a great day with the Lord, minding your own business. 184 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,360 The fact is, you weren't minding your own business. 185 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:58,080 The truth is you were telling people the truth of the gospel 186 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,160 of the Kingdom. The truth is you were actually 187 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,640 loving people and drawing them in and you thought you had a 188 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,400 person of peace and then that person betrayed you because it 189 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:06,960 turns out they weren't a person of peace. 190 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,240 And that person wants to ostracize you or get you fired 191 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,720 from the workplace because of the thing you said during the 192 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,960 lunch break or because whatever. Fill in the blanks. 193 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,120 Or your family member wants to cause division among you and the 194 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,880 rest of the family members. There's all kinds of 195 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,560 possibilities here, but the point is, you should be prepared 196 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,600 and expect them because Jesus promised them. 197 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:30,200 Well, we don't live in that culture. 198 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:31,240 We don't live in that time and place. 199 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,080 It's certainly worse. It's certainly a spectrum. 200 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,640 I agree with that. And yet it's still going to show 201 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:39,160 up somehow. He goes on to tell them, get 202 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,280 away from them when you have the ability to get away from them. 203 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:42,880 We're not trying to be martyrs here. 204 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,040 We're not trying to get in trouble. 205 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,480 This is why he also gave the instruction to be as wise as a 206 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,920 serpent. Understand your circumstance. 207 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:55,240 A serpent is hard to hit. I hate snakes and I've killed a 208 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:56,920 lot of them and they're hard to hit. 209 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:58,720 They're hard to even hit with a shovel. 210 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:02,000 I'm like you jumping away from them, but they're hard to hit. 211 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:03,360 He says. I want you to be as wise as a 212 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:04,680 snake, but you have no venom in you. 213 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:07,320 You have no fangs, you have no bite. 214 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:09,440 You're a sheep when it comes to that part, he says. 215 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:14,160 I send you out in front of the wolves, but be wise but stay 216 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,040 innocent. Look at what all he does there 217 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,920 and all the animals he uses. Sheep, wolves, doves, snakes. 218 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:23,920 He comforts them with all this by saying that their Father in 219 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:27,840 heaven will see everything and that they are deeply loved, so 220 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:31,040 they will be watched closely. He says your father watches the 221 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,520 birds closely. He watches you much more 222 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,560 closely. You're worth more than many 223 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:39,840 birds. Every challenge, every tear you 224 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,400 cry he catches in his bottle. Every single thing you endure, 225 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,480 everything you walk through. God, where are you? 226 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,800 He's going right here. I see it all. 227 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:51,320 I'm with you. Well, I don't feel you. 228 00:10:51,680 --> 00:10:53,760 You might not feel Him. And still He has been with you. 229 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:55,520 Every step He's mourned with you. 230 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,120 He loves you. He will comfort you and He will 231 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:01,240 restore all things and He will reward you. 232 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,800 God is a rewarder. He encourages you to seek 233 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:09,320 reward. Then he says that he creates 234 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:10,680 division. He separates. 235 00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:13,080 That's what Jesus does. He separates the sheep from the 236 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,120 goats. He separates the light from the 237 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,080 darkness. He separates the wheat from the 238 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,280 chaff. He separated the Red Sea for 239 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,160 Israel. He split the calendar between BC 240 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,960 and AD. And he will also split families. 241 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,080 Children will turn on parents. Parents will turn on children. 242 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,440 Truly horrific situations. And he gives one final comfort 243 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,960 and encouragement that reveals his love for his disciples. 244 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,720 He tells them that in the midst of all this pressure, in the 245 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,440 midst of all this pain they would that they're going to 246 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:44,320 face, there will still be hospitality and kindness shown 247 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,480 to them in the rarest most unexpected moments. 248 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,280 And the rarest, most unexpected times and places there have been 249 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,600 Christians martyred throughout the centuries. 250 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,560 If somebody came and gave them a cup of cold water while they 251 00:11:57,560 --> 00:12:00,480 hung on, that cross crosses over, a lot of times very low, 252 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:02,680 actually, they weren't like 10 feet up in the air because it's 253 00:12:02,680 --> 00:12:04,480 just not very efficient. You know, a lot of times you 254 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,440 just do it pretty simple and pretty low to the ground. 255 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,880 So anyone who's ever cared for a disciple, anyone who's ever 256 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,200 shown hospitality to one of the disciples, he says there's a 257 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:17,160 rich blessing to them. And because he loves his church 258 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:21,160 so much, he is going to bless those who bless his church. 259 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,160 Doesn't that make sense? Doesn't that just seem right to 260 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,400 you? Let me imagine if you had a 261 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:31,440 child who was being bullied mercilessly in school, and then 262 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,520 you find out that there was another child who showed 263 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:37,200 kindness to yours even at the expense of becoming bullied by 264 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:41,720 by everyone else, to side in with your child to show love and 265 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:43,720 kindness. What would you not do for that 266 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,240 precious child? What would you not want to do 267 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,400 for that little boy who showed kindness to yours, for that 268 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:49,760 little girl who showed kindness to yours? 269 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:51,360 Would you not give them the world? 270 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,760 Would you not want to love them and care for them and go, You, 271 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:59,200 you're like mine now. The Lord loves his children so 272 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,040 much that anyone who blesses the Lord's children, the Lord goes. 273 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,760 You will receive the same reward. 274 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,640 You will get the same blessing that they get. 275 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,120 Even though you're not the same person, even though you didn't 276 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:14,120 accomplish the same work, you will receive the same reward. 277 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,200 So we're in chapter 10, we're in verse 40. 278 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,320 Whoever receives you receives me. 279 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,880 Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 280 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,080 The one who receives. Look at that word. 281 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,520 It keeps happening. Whoever receives a prophet 282 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,880 because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. 283 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:38,640 And the one who receives a righteous person because he is a 284 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,320 righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. 285 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,160 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold 286 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,520 water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by 287 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:53,400 no means lose his reward. Back to verse 40, receives. 288 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,200 What is the context of this receiving here? 289 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:56,880 How did the disciples understand it? 290 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,040 What did Jesus mean when he said it? 291 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,680 The reception that he's talking about here is referring to a 292 00:14:01,680 --> 00:14:06,480 hospitable welcome, a deliberate and hospitable welcome of 293 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:07,640 somebody. How do we know that? 294 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,640 Well, we're because we've looked at our context, we see how 295 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,120 inhospitable the disciples are going to be treated. 296 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,440 And then he comforts them in the end, he says, and yet there will 297 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:17,280 be. He's told him, you're going to 298 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:21,440 be hated by everyone. But then he says, but not 299 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,680 everyone, but not everyone, because there will be moments of 300 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:26,920 love. There will be moments of care, 301 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,760 there will be hospitality. He's saying, I've got moments 302 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:32,320 prepared for you. I've got people prepared for 303 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,120 you. I've got refreshment prepared 304 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,200 for you, encouragement so that you will even know that my eye 305 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,080 is on you. You know, I feed the Sparrow. 306 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,240 This will be moments where you know that I'm also feeding you. 307 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,240 He gave the context earlier as well when he said when he was 308 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,600 telling them to go into these towns, he says if anyone will 309 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,640 not receive you. And what was the context there? 310 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,160 The context was they were going to welcome these disciples into 311 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,800 their home because they were preaching the gospel of the 312 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,920 Messiah. So Jesus saying I'm sending you 313 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:06,120 outgoing to all the villages, go preach and teach and heal and 314 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,200 deliver and raise the dead. But if they don't receive you, 315 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,960 if a town or village won't receive you, knock the dust off 316 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:14,600 of your feet. I will raise that dust up on the 317 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,840 day of judgement against that town and village. 318 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,160 And this was a practice they actually kept. 319 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,240 We see that in the book of Acts. But he says, but those who 320 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,920 receive you, your peace will rest on them and they'll receive 321 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:26,600 you. So the context was clearly 322 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,880 understood to be hospitality. Some people are actually going 323 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,000 to receive you. And those who receive you are 324 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,480 going to embrace your suffering. They're going to identify with 325 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:37,240 you. You're going to be opposed by 326 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,480 others, hated by all, and then somebody's going to say 327 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:42,640 everybody hates you, I'll take care of you. 328 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,480 Well, what's that going to mean for the person who harbors the 329 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,000 one hated by everyone? That's going to come at a cost 330 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,080 for them that reveals who they are as well. 331 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,880 We're looking at a disciple who loves a disciple. 332 00:16:00,090 --> 00:16:02,490 He meant that they would bring a disciple into their home and 333 00:16:02,490 --> 00:16:05,050 care for the disciple of Jesus. And he uses that word receive 334 00:16:05,050 --> 00:16:07,850 here 6 different times. Whoever receives you, he goes on 335 00:16:07,850 --> 00:16:13,800 to say receives me. So this is a reality we come to. 336 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,680 How can it be true that receiving a disciple of Jesus is 337 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,480 like receiving Jesus? The answer is that they are 338 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:23,000 receiving the disciple because of Jesus. 339 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,480 That's the motive. It's not because, hey, this 340 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:27,920 guy's really well connected. This could mean good things for 341 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:29,480 us. It's not because man, he's got a 342 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:30,840 great personality. I really like him. 343 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,840 He's super funny. It's not because, man, we seem 344 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,120 like we would just be good friends. 345 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,040 Those aren't the motive for the reception of the disciple. 346 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,800 The whole motive is you represent Jesus. 347 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,080 Say no more. I'm letting Jesus into my home. 348 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,200 I'm letting Jesus into my family. 349 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:50,400 I'm bring, I'm protecting Jesus from his enemies. 350 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:55,000 To have any part, to have any participation in Christ, 351 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:59,240 including his suffering, is a great reward and a great joy and 352 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,360 brings great blessing and great honor to the Christian. 353 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,280 I'm letting when you understand and see things the way Jesus 354 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,240 wants you to, when you see a Christian who's being persecuted 355 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,720 and the mob is is going after them and you've got that 356 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:16,520 temptation to back away and call it wisdom or rush in and go me 357 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,839 too, or here's the cup of cold water before we're killed 358 00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:21,720 together. And we give the most extreme 359 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,960 example because it's one you could literally face because 360 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,000 Jesus wasn't talking in hyperbole when he was talking 361 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,920 about his Saints being killed. Is it likely for us? 362 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,280 I don't know, don't know. Not really relevant though. 363 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,040 Our hearts should be prepared as though it is you should be 364 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:39,800 living, you should be receiving this sermon as though you live 365 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,840 in Iran today and anything could be different when we leave here. 366 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:45,680 We don't know who's waiting in the parking lot when we leave. 367 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,360 We don't know who's gotten our our license plates and who's 368 00:17:48,360 --> 00:17:49,760 going to come meet us in the night tonight. 369 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:54,760 So a couple of things to see here. 370 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:57,480 They're not receiving the disciple because they have the 371 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:58,960 disciple has something they like. 372 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,840 They're receiving the disciple because the disciple represents 373 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:04,800 Jesus. Another thing to see is this 374 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,760 applies to you and I receiving disciples of Jesus as well. 375 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,320 We should be hospitable to the disciples of Jesus. 376 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:14,840 This is one reason. This is a rabbit trail here. 377 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,160 This is one reason you should be suspicious at. 378 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,120 That's putting it lightly. You should be suspicious of 379 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:22,320 anyone who claims to be a Christian but doesn't love 380 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,120 Christians. These people are ridiculous. 381 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:27,720 Ridiculous. If you've ever been one of those 382 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:29,840 people, I'm glad that you've repented of it and you're around 383 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:31,920 Christians today. If you ever meet one of those 384 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:33,640 people, I have 0 tolerance for it. 385 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:35,400 I call it out. They're like, oh I love Jesus, 386 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:36,400 but I just don't like his people. 387 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:40,440 Like ha ha ha, funny joke. Not a thing doesn't exist. 388 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,480 To love Jesus is to love the people of Jesus. 389 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:44,960 Well, I've been hurt by Christians. 390 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,200 OK, join the club. So anyway, moving on to loving 391 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,560 the people of God. How could you not love the 392 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,000 people of God? This is the evidence, in fact, 393 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:55,840 that you are a child of God, that you have love for the 394 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,840 brothers. That's the evidence. 395 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,640 That's one of the first signs of the new birth is like, I love 396 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,480 God's people. I love the people of God. 397 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,080 And why wouldn't the people of God love their brother and their 398 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,360 sister who love their father in the way that they should? 399 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,080 And also when we get together, isn't there a special sense of 400 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:15,080 his presence? Isn't there something more 401 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,800 tangible? Isn't there more of the Lord 402 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,360 with us? Isn't there a certain way where 403 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:23,560 two or three are gathered? Not just not just the church, 404 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,120 but just where two or three are gathered? 405 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,640 22 is enough to gather in his name and go. 406 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:32,240 The unity, the fellowship, the comfort, the security, the love. 407 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,800 It's almost like we're receiving Jesus right now by receiving one 408 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,600 another. It's almost like by receiving 409 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,080 Jesus, we're receiving the one who sent Jesus. 410 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,160 It's almost like we've got the Trinity here with us, because in 411 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:46,680 fact, we do. That is what is happening. 412 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,720 Christians love Christians first. 413 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,040 John 314 says We know we have passed out of death into life 414 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:58,120 because we love the brothers who whoever does not love abides in 415 00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:00,640 death. Back to the text. 416 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,800 So if we receive a disciple, because they're his disciple, we 417 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:06,480 receive him. That's already a blessing. 418 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:08,200 What more do you need? You got to receive. 419 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:12,240 Jesus doesn't get any better than that, but he continues. 420 00:20:12,360 --> 00:20:16,320 Whoever receives me receives the one who sent me receives him who 421 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,440 sent me. So we can host the presence of 422 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,640 Jesus and the presence of the Father by hosting his people. 423 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,040 And of course, in that, who does that? 424 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:25,800 It's the Holy Spirit. So this is where the whole 425 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,480 Trinity is represented. Let's keep going. 426 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,720 Verse 41. The one who receives a prophet 427 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:36,040 because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. 428 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:40,080 So the prophet, the righteous person, the little one, is what 429 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,200 he continues into here. And the one who receives a 430 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,520 righteous person because he's a righteous person will receive a 431 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:46,960 righteous person's reward. And the one who gives one of 432 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:49,160 these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a 433 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:52,840 disciple, truly, I say he will by no means lose his reward. 434 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,120 It's often thought, I think incorrectly, that little one 435 00:20:57,120 --> 00:21:00,160 here is referencing children. It's also been used to reference 436 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:02,680 the poor. So we're all about giving cups 437 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:05,240 of cold water to children. We're all about giving cups of 438 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,560 cold water to the poor. But I don't think this is what's 439 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:09,280 happening here. I think what Jesus is doing is 440 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,520 putting a status position in place. 441 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,320 He's saying whoever receives the prophet, so everyone would look 442 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,560 up to the prophet John the Baptist who we're going to go to 443 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,160 next week. Whoever would look at the 444 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,160 prophet like, oh, the prophet's a great thing or just a regular 445 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,520 or righteous person or even whoever you think is the lowest 446 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,040 in the Kingdom. He's not referencing children. 447 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,120 Most likely. He's just referencing the way 448 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:31,000 people think about status and position. 449 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,680 He's a prophet. OK, He's a regular St. 450 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,400 Oh, he's he's like least among all. 451 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,440 So even even when the disciples names are listed, you always see 452 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:42,360 Peters listed first. Guess who's always listed last? 453 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,600 Judas as he should be. So Judas is always listed last. 454 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,080 So maybe even in the listing, they're like, we're just seeing 455 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,720 prominence, leadership. Who knows how it all shakes out. 456 00:21:52,120 --> 00:21:54,480 But you know, Thaddeus is listed kind of near the end of the 12 457 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,000 disciples. So maybe even Jesus as he was 458 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:02,520 teaching everybody and he was saying, you know, a prophet or a 459 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:04,360 righteous person. And then maybe he refers to 460 00:22:04,360 --> 00:22:06,160 Thaddeus like lowest in the group. 461 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:08,600 Maybe he was youngest, you know, maybe he was just understood. 462 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:10,840 Like it wasn't a it wasn't a value judgement. 463 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,280 It wasn't it wasn't saying he's worth less, but he was just 464 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,680 saying he's less prominent. He has less role, he has less 465 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,320 leadership in this time, in this moment in the season. 466 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:21,520 Baddies could have understood that. 467 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,360 Again, speculation here from your pastor, but we do know he's 468 00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:29,000 referencing some sort of hierarchical ranking. 469 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:32,600 But they understood prophets. A prophet is the one who's 470 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,120 speaking for God. A prophet like John the Baptist, 471 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,880 then a regular righteous person, or even the least among you, 472 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,600 those who show hospitality to his disciples, they will be 473 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,280 blessed with the same reward that that original disciple 474 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,520 gets. They'll get the same reward as 475 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:48,600 the prophet. They'll get the same reward as 476 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:50,320 the righteous person. They'll get the same reward. 477 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:53,000 Whoever is least in the Kingdom will also get rewarded. 478 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,320 So what? I'm glad you asked. 479 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:56,640 Good question. So what? 480 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:01,280 Well, here's the So what? God will have people prepared 481 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,520 who are ready to bear your burden and be your friend. 482 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,680 Amen. That's a promise, and you can 483 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:09,160 remind them of it. Maybe you need that right now. 484 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:13,480 You say, Lord, I need that now. I need that in this season. 485 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:15,720 I need that in this moment. I'm looking, Lord, who's that 486 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,800 person who's going to comfort me, who's going to bless me, 487 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,520 who's going to receive me with their hospitality? 488 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:25,120 And #2 you need, you need to unite with Christians through 489 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:28,040 hospitality. It's something you have to 490 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,000 prioritize and you need to be ready. 491 00:23:31,120 --> 00:23:33,960 Hebrews tells us. We don't know we could even host 492 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:37,280 and entertain angels and do so unaware That's happened to the 493 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:39,960 Saints. Saints have hosted the presence 494 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:41,840 of God. Saints have hosted the Lord 495 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:44,240 himself into their home. And they're going, I'm just 496 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,960 being hospitable because I want to care for God's people. 497 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,040 And God's saying, well, then that's when you did it for me. 498 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,560 When there is pressure and there is persecution against God's 499 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:58,880 people, you bring them the refreshing presence of Jesus and 500 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:00,480 the Father through the Holy Spirit. 501 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,120 And this is a necessary and beautiful ministry in God's 502 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:05,600 Kingdom. Hospitality for the Saints of 503 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,160 God is hospitality for the Trinity. 504 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,480 Your support and your love will be needed as Christian take hits 505 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:16,520 from their enemies. You ever been there? 506 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,360 You ever been that Christian who needed that refreshment? 507 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,680 You took a hit from a family member. 508 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:24,200 You took a hit from a former friend. 509 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,360 You took a hit from somebody and you needed some refreshment. 510 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:29,920 You needed somebody to to love you and to care for you. 511 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:32,480 A meal is a powerful way to do that. 512 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:36,040 Breaking bread together, whether it's whether it's actually the 513 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,880 Lord's sable, you can take communion together or whether 514 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,040 it's just time and presence. This was important throughout 515 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,520 Eastern culture, but this isn't just a cultural thing. 516 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,000 God saying this is a Kingdom thing. 517 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,080 So Eastern culture that still does that, well, it's a Kingdom 518 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:52,800 principle. Anything good and true and 519 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,280 beautiful came from God's Kingdom, and somebody's doing it 520 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,640 better than somebody else. Your hospitality is needed. 521 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,480 You're going to share your courage, you're going to share 522 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:07,040 your blessing. You're a call to those who are 523 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:10,440 most faithful because they are going to be the ones in most 524 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:13,520 need of hospitality. So people who are the most 525 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,480 attacked, they're going to need the most encouragement, they're 526 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,200 going to need the most amount of hospitality, the most amount of 527 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,400 support and love. The ones who are most persecuted 528 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:26,240 are the ones who are most isolated, and they are the ones 529 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:30,080 who need you most. You might think, man, I couldn't 530 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,160 be John the Baptist. I couldn't be as bold as so and 531 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:34,560 so. I couldn't do this ministry or I 532 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,240 couldn't do that ministry. But anyone who gave John the 533 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,800 Baptist a cup of cold water because he was a prophet also 534 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:42,360 received John the Baptist reward. 535 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:45,800 That's exactly what Jesus was saying. 536 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:47,640 That is literally what he was saying. 537 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:49,680 And of course, we're getting ready to go. 538 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,400 We're getting ready to go see John the Baptist. 539 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:53,640 And it's, it's a bit heartbreaking because he's in 540 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,960 prison now and he sends his disciples to Jesus. 541 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,080 And John is doubting things in prison now. 542 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:02,120 He's doubting the whole situation. 543 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,960 He's questioning himself. He's going, man, was I just an 544 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:06,920 idiot? Did I mess up? 545 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:09,720 Jesus? Are you really the one? 546 00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:13,720 Should I have run my mouth about Herod and his adultery? 547 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:18,720 Should I? Just looking around an ancient 548 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,000 dungeon? I could imagine all by himself 549 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,960 with people who are actually guilty of crimes versus a man 550 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:28,680 who's just a righteous man. I could imagine that it would be 551 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:30,960 a bit discouraging to be all alone in there. 552 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,200 Of course, Jesus gave him the encouragement that he needed, 553 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:38,320 which was the word of God, and he answered his question and 554 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:40,960 John had that answer. So when John's head was finally 555 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:45,240 cut off, John had the peace and John had that reward. 556 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,960 But anyone who comforted John, not because he was a prisoner in 557 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:51,360 the cell who they were required to take care of, but because he 558 00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:53,400 was a prophet, receives that same reward. 559 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,880 You can do the same. You can bless, you can 560 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,480 encourage, you can have a role in encouraging whoever it may 561 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:05,880 be, whoever may need it. There's a pastor who I really 562 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:09,640 admire and respect and he had, he had made multiple posts 563 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:12,760 yesterday. Today's the 2nd, right? 564 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:14,760 June 2nd. So yesterday was June 1st. 565 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:18,960 So the, the celebration of sodomy is taking place all month 566 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:22,120 long, unfortunately, and, and the messaging that goes along 567 00:27:22,120 --> 00:27:24,320 with that. But this pastor had just posted 568 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:28,080 like message after message after message that was just really, 569 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,440 really bold. 20 years ago, it wouldn't have been considered 570 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:32,600 bold at all. But even me looking at it and 571 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:34,520 sometimes you'll think, you'll think Joe Michael's bold. 572 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:38,320 I was like, I was, I was like, but I, but I'm going there. 573 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:42,000 It was all just plain Bible stuff, just like classic boring 574 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,920 Bible teaching, just stuff. 50 years ago, everybody was going, 575 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:48,200 uh huh. And the sky is blue, you know? 576 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,200 But now I'm going. And I sent him a message. 577 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:53,280 I said brother, and I put it on the page. 578 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:54,600 I didn't send it to him privately. 579 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,520 Why? I wanted to 'cause I was, I was 580 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,040 stirred by all of this. And I said, I'm going to 581 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:04,480 associate with him publicly, whatever that would mean for me. 582 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:06,080 That could mean bad things for me. 583 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:07,920 That could be bad, bad things for my business. 584 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:09,280 That could mean all kinds of things. 585 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:12,520 Are you here for your business, Joe Michael, or are you here for 586 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:13,880 Jesus business? Which is it? 587 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:17,120 Well, you got to use wisdom. Agreed. 588 00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:19,720 Wise as a serpent, innocent as a dove. 589 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:23,080 But also I'm going to show whatever hospitality I can to my 590 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:25,440 brother in Arizona who made that post. 591 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:28,000 So I said, brother, you have strengthened my spine. 592 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,240 So that was my affirmation of this blessed me. 593 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,720 This challenged me, this encouraged me, this called me up 594 00:28:36,360 --> 00:28:40,520 and I'm and I and whoever reports him to the authorities 595 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:42,960 and whatever may come of that, I'm with him. 596 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:46,680 And I wanted him to feel that connection, not just the private 597 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:49,920 hey, keep it up, because that's how cowards act. 598 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:53,200 That's what cowards do. Have you seen the comic? 599 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,720 It's, you know, we, it's not a particular war situation, but 600 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:02,680 the guard, the the executioner is getting ready to to hang the 601 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:04,840 guy on the gallows. So it's like a cartoon drawing 602 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:08,440 and he's got his mask on. And he says just so, you know, I 603 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:10,480 agree with you. Thanks. 604 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:12,960 That's really encouraging. Are you going to pull that lever 605 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:14,320 in a second? Well, yeah, I'm just kind of 606 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:15,760 going to go along. You know, I got to get paid. 607 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:19,200 I'm just doing my job. Yeah, but I actually agree with 608 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:21,320 you. Don't say anything. 609 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:25,800 Your agreement means a lot. That's not a cup of cold water. 610 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:29,000 That's a slap in the face. So there's a difference. 611 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,960 I agree with you. OK, then act like it. 612 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,920 Identify with me. I got a different approach. 613 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:42,000 Ah, hope it works out for you. We'll know someday. 614 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:52,040 Even the smallest act is blessed and rewarded. 615 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:56,320 Share your home, share your food, share your life, or just 616 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:59,040 share your cup of cold water. It all matters to God. 617 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:02,000 Some Christians just need a cup of cold water and you can give 618 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,720 it to them. When I preach things that are 619 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:08,200 countercultural and one of you thanks me for being faithful or 620 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,280 tells me that the sermon was helpful or that you're thankful 621 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:12,600 for my boldness, that's a cup of cold water to me. 622 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:16,320 Karen this week told me that was a really good sermon. 623 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,760 It's like that was a refreshing drink. 624 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:21,560 Like you need to hear that. It turns out I'm human as well, 625 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:23,960 folks. Yeah, I've been telling you that 626 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,200 the whole time. Never pretended to be anything 627 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,440 else. I'm just a guy and apart from 628 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,200 him I can do nothing. And I have temptations of 629 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,920 discouragement and I have temptations of fear, all the 630 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:39,240 things. So that can be a great 631 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:40,960 encouragement. There may come a day when I need 632 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,360 more than a cup of cold water. There may come a day when my 633 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:45,880 sermons are taken and the most cultural offensive quotes are 634 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,440 published and it's a local uproar. 635 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:52,000 Or maybe it's bigger than a local uproar and Salt Church is 636 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,360 just full of hateful bigots and the cameras are in the parking 637 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,840 lot on Sunday morning to see who pulls in. 638 00:30:58,680 --> 00:30:59,720 You're going to pull in that day. 639 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:04,840 You're going to cruise on by. Or we say, hey, you know what? 640 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:08,680 It's probably a good time to have Pastor JM over him and his 641 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:09,760 family for a meal. Let's bless him. 642 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:11,080 Let's encourage him. I bet he's got a lot of 643 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:12,680 pressure. Maybe he's doubting himself. 644 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,560 Maybe he's discouraged. Let's receive him and identify 645 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:17,560 with him and clearly cast our vote. 646 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:22,720 Let's be clear. Let's stand with the Saints. 647 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:27,720 Whoever has need, Jesus uses reward as a motive. 648 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:30,720 He he puts it out in front of the disciples, but it's just not 649 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:32,160 the reward that we would always expect. 650 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:34,640 Sometimes the reward is an eternity. 651 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:38,000 But Jesus also promised whoever gives up all these things, 652 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:41,640 houses, family and everything else, they will receive a 653 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,640 hundredfold in the Kingdom to come and in his life. 654 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:50,200 He says, regardless, I'm following Jesus, I've cast my 655 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,360 vote. I can't pull it back. 656 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:54,480 It's not contingent upon my geography. 657 00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:56,440 It's not contingent upon political pressure. 658 00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:59,920 Yours shouldn't either. Your vote should be precast and 659 00:31:59,920 --> 00:32:01,560 every single morning you should cast it again. 660 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:05,000 Lord, I'm yours again. And I don't mean like in a 661 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:08,080 subtle gentle way. I mean in, in the emphatic kind 662 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:09,920 of way. I mean, if they throw me to the 663 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:16,360 lions kind of way. Rahab had this privilege to take 664 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:25,240 you to Joshua chapter 2, Joshua Joshua's in the Old Testament 665 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:46,670 after Deuteronomy, Joshua too, and Joshua, the son 666 00:32:46,670 --> 00:32:52,030 of Nun sent two men secretly to Shatim as spies saying go and 667 00:32:52,030 --> 00:32:54,720 view the land, especially Jericho. 668 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:56,440 So they're outside the promised land. 669 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,880 They said, hey, we're going to send people in, go check it out, 670 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:00,960 come back and bring a report. The Lord has given us this land. 671 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:03,160 We want to understand it before we go in, study it a little bit 672 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,760 more. And they went and came into the 673 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,360 House of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. 674 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:11,680 So they didn't break in. They didn't kick in the door and 675 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,360 say let us in. They were somehow seeking for 676 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,160 people. Maybe they met her in the street 677 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:20,160 and she was working and they said, hey, we're looking for a 678 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:21,800 place to stay. And she welcomed them. 679 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:23,320 There's nothing inappropriate here. 680 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:25,480 These are righteous men who are doing the Lord's work. 681 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:29,280 But she showed hospitality to them and she welcomed them into 682 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:31,200 her home. And it was told to the king of 683 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:34,800 Jericho, behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search 684 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,440 out the land. Then the king of Jericho sent to 685 00:33:37,440 --> 00:33:40,800 Rahab saying, bring out the men who have come to you who entered 686 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,680 your house, for they have come to search out all the land. 687 00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:45,920 But the woman who had taken the two men. 688 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:49,080 But the woman had taken the two men and had hidden them. 689 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,840 And she said, true, the men came to me, but I did not know where 690 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,280 they were from. And when the gate was about to 691 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:57,440 be closed at dark, the men went out. 692 00:33:57,800 --> 00:33:59,000 I do not know where the men went. 693 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:01,800 Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them. 694 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,800 She's like, go they, they went that way, is what Rahab's 695 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:06,360 saying. It's like the classic cartoon. 696 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:10,199 But she had brought them up to the roof and it hid, hid them 697 00:34:10,199 --> 00:34:15,600 with stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 698 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:20,000 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as 699 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,760 the Fords. And the gate was shut as soon as 700 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,760 the pursuers had gone out before the men lay down for the night 701 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:28,040 now. So she hid them. 702 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:30,239 She sent the, the, the people seeking them. 703 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:31,840 They, they were going to be killed by the way. 704 00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:35,719 And now she has put herself in with hiding these men, and lying 705 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:39,159 to her own king and to her own people, as she is literally 706 00:34:39,199 --> 00:34:42,600 betraying them for good purpose and for good reason. 707 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,639 Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and 708 00:34:47,639 --> 00:34:51,159 said to the men, I know the Lord has given you the land, and that 709 00:34:51,159 --> 00:34:54,560 the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants 710 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:56,400 of the land melt away before you. 711 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:59,400 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red 712 00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:03,320 Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to 713 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,440 the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to 714 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,120 shine an Ogg whom you devoted to destruction. 715 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:12,120 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted. 716 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,960 There was no spirit left in any man because of you. 717 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:19,160 For the Lord your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the 718 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:21,960 earth beneath. This is what a person of peace 719 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,200 looks like, in case you needed a giant flag waving above their 720 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:27,360 head. Your God's the God. 721 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:30,520 I'm with you guys. I'm protecting you now. 722 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:35,960 Then please swear to me by the Lord that as I have dealt kindly 723 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:39,360 with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house 724 00:35:39,600 --> 00:35:42,480 and give me a sure sign that you will save my life. 725 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:46,520 That you will save alive my father and my mother and my 726 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:50,560 brothers and my sisters and all who belong to them and deliver 727 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,600 our lives from death. And the men said to her, our 728 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:58,120 life for yours, even to death. So they said, you have our word, 729 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:02,080 if you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord 730 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,840 gives us the land, we will deal kindly and faithfully with you. 731 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:10,800 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her 732 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:14,120 house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the 733 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,240 wall. And she said to them, Go into 734 00:36:16,240 --> 00:36:17,960 the hills. So the pursuers will encounter 735 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,160 you and hide their three days until the pursuers have 736 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,440 returned. Then afterward go your way. 737 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:26,200 The men said to her, we will be guiltless with respect to this 738 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:27,680 oath of yours. So, hey, it's not going to be 739 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:31,240 our fault that you've made us swear, unless, behold, when we 740 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:34,280 come to the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window 741 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,400 through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your 742 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:40,640 house your father, your mother, your brother's all, your 743 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:43,320 father's household. If anyone goes out the doors of 744 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:46,000 your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head 745 00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:50,000 and we will be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone 746 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:52,920 with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. 747 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:56,760 So they're saying, get everybody in your house, put this signal, 748 00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:59,520 this red, this red cord out your window. 749 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,320 Everyone in your house will be protected. 750 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:05,160 But if they're not in your house, no promises. 751 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:08,200 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall also be 752 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:10,080 guiltless with respect to the oath that you have made us 753 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:12,240 swear. And she said, according to your 754 00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:16,080 words, so be it. Then she sent them away and they 755 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:19,520 departed, and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 756 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:24,880 Do you remember Matthew chapter one, the genealogy of Jesus? 757 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:32,840 Because of her hospitality, Rahab gets Jesus in her family 758 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:37,000 tree. It doesn't get any bigger of a 759 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,840 reward than that. She gets to produce the king 760 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,720 himself. But it came at great risk and it 761 00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:47,120 would have cost her everything. But because of her love for God, 762 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:49,240 because of her love for God's people, because of her 763 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:53,280 repentance. Now the lion of Christ travels 764 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,640 through Rahab, a prostitute. Why? 765 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:59,640 Because God is kind to those who are kind to His people, and that 766 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:04,120 would include you. I'm going to close with this. 767 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:09,560 I'm reading to you from Matthew 25, verses 31 through 40. 768 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:14,000 Jesus said, When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the 769 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:18,000 angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 770 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:22,440 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will 771 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:26,120 separate people one from another, as a shepherd separates 772 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:29,400 the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on 773 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:31,360 his right, but the goats on his left. 774 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,920 Then the King will say to those on his right, come, you who are 775 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:39,240 blessed by my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you 776 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:40,960 from the foundation of the world. 777 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,720 For I was hungry and you gave me food. 778 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:45,800 I was thirsty and you gave me drink. 779 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:47,920 I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 780 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:51,400 I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. 781 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,240 I was in prison and you came to me. 782 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:57,080 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we 783 00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:59,480 see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 784 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:01,720 And when did we see you a stranger, and welcome you, or 785 00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:04,880 naked and clothe you? And when do we see you sick or 786 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:07,880 in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them. 787 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:10,080 Truly. I say to you, as you did it to 788 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:14,240 one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it to me. 789 00:39:15,720 --> 00:39:19,120 The promise, the blessing is that every single one of us can 790 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:22,560 host the Lord when we host the Lord's people. 791 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:25,640 Your hospitality matters. You say I don't have a big 792 00:39:25,880 --> 00:39:28,480 beautiful home. Do you have a cup of water? 793 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:32,040 You have something to encourage and refresh the Saints with. 794 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:35,160 Go ahead and service. Chris and Kayla are going to get 795 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:36,920 the communion elements that we're going to take together in 796 00:39:36,920 --> 00:39:42,480 a moment. You have something that you can 797 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,480 offer. You have something that you can 798 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:46,320 give. And that's the thing that's 799 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:47,960 needed. That's the thing that will 800 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:49,160 bless. That's the thing that will 801 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:50,920 refresh. That's the thing that we'll 802 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:55,920 encourage. And whoever sows sparingly will 803 00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:59,200 reap sparingly, but whoever sows abundantly will reap abundantly. 804 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:02,120 So sow a lot of encouragement because you're going to, you're 805 00:40:02,120 --> 00:40:05,280 going to need it. Sow a lot of hospitality, sow a 806 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:08,720 lot of genuine Christian love because you're going to need it 807 00:40:08,720 --> 00:40:11,640 too. Sow a lot of mercy because 808 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:14,000 you're going to need it. Sow a lot of grace because 809 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:16,160 you're going to need it. We're going to take turns 810 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:20,040 harvesting from one another and go on, today's my day and you're 811 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,800 going to, I got the harvest. And then you're going to say 812 00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:26,680 today's my day and I'm going to say I've got the harvest because 813 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:29,680 Jesus is Lord of the harvest. Jesus provides for his church. 814 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:33,080 Jesus leads his people. Jesus has a will and a way 815 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:35,960 that's working through us. This is a special ministry. 816 00:40:36,880 --> 00:40:39,240 This ministry of hospitality is a special thing. 817 00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:42,440 I think there's some who are called to it in a particular 818 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:46,640 way, but every St. is called to it in a, in a, in a certain way 819 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:49,200 as well. Maybe some of you go, this is a, 820 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:51,480 this is a ministry in the same way that the prophet has a 821 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:53,800 ministry calling. I have a ministry calling for 822 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:55,840 hospitality. It's a particular and unique 823 00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:57,040 thing. That's good. 824 00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:01,880 Embrace it and yet every St. is called to welcome, to love and 825 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:02,920 care for other Saints.