Teenside Daily Devotional
5/16/20
Read Matthew 10:40-42.
Jesus promises a reward to those that serve in his name. He does not say what this explicitly refers to, but what we do know is that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). So, even if you don’t know what this reward is, if it comes from God, you will not be disappointed by it. However, it is important to remember that we should not serve to receive any reward, but we should serve because we have already received the greatest reward there is: grace!
Receiving someone who carries the message of Christ, which now refers to all disciples of Christ, is essentially the same as receiving Jesus himself. Thus, it is our obligation to take care of needs within the Church, among our brothers and sisters, for this is how we set ourselves apart from the world.
While I have often assumed that “little ones” in verse 42 refers to children, most interpretations take this to be those who have “little”, namely the homeless, poor, or orphaned. Jesus’ ministry puts quite a bit of focus on showing love and kindness to those that are less fortunate. Choosing to serve those that have wealth over those who do not results in “the sin of partiality” (James 2:1-13), that is, showing bias in who you give your time and energy to. This is an easy pitfall to stumble into, especially without intention. We don’t really think anything of giving all of our time to those we want to spend time with. However, we have been called to give “even a cup of cold water” to those that need it, which we should take to mean at least a cup of cold water. We know that we can do this and are capable of so much more because of how God has blessed us.
Questions:
*Take a moment to journal these questions. Write down your thoughts, questions, and concerns. Then date your entry. One of the coolest things is being able to look back and see how God came through for you.*
Prayer: Spend some time praying about the things you journaled. Ask Jesus to show you how to care for others like you would care for Him. Thank Him for the ultimate gift of His grace. There is nothing you could do to earn it but nevertheless Jesus gives it freely. Ask Him how you can give freely to others the way He given to you.
Song: We Are- Kari Jobe
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/169Fs68hROYRdS362T8D9w
Read Matthew 10:40-42.
Jesus promises a reward to those that serve in his name. He does not say what this explicitly refers to, but what we do know is that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). So, even if you don’t know what this reward is, if it comes from God, you will not be disappointed by it. However, it is important to remember that we should not serve to receive any reward, but we should serve because we have already received the greatest reward there is: grace!
Receiving someone who carries the message of Christ, which now refers to all disciples of Christ, is essentially the same as receiving Jesus himself. Thus, it is our obligation to take care of needs within the Church, among our brothers and sisters, for this is how we set ourselves apart from the world.
While I have often assumed that “little ones” in verse 42 refers to children, most interpretations take this to be those who have “little”, namely the homeless, poor, or orphaned. Jesus’ ministry puts quite a bit of focus on showing love and kindness to those that are less fortunate. Choosing to serve those that have wealth over those who do not results in “the sin of partiality” (James 2:1-13), that is, showing bias in who you give your time and energy to. This is an easy pitfall to stumble into, especially without intention. We don’t really think anything of giving all of our time to those we want to spend time with. However, we have been called to give “even a cup of cold water” to those that need it, which we should take to mean at least a cup of cold water. We know that we can do this and are capable of so much more because of how God has blessed us.
Questions:
*Take a moment to journal these questions. Write down your thoughts, questions, and concerns. Then date your entry. One of the coolest things is being able to look back and see how God came through for you.*
- How do you care for the needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ? (Don’t just think financial).
- What do you think Jesus means when he says the “prophet’s reward” versus the “righteous person’s reward”? What do you think is the difference?
- How do you care for people with little? How could you care for people with little?
Prayer: Spend some time praying about the things you journaled. Ask Jesus to show you how to care for others like you would care for Him. Thank Him for the ultimate gift of His grace. There is nothing you could do to earn it but nevertheless Jesus gives it freely. Ask Him how you can give freely to others the way He given to you.
Song: We Are- Kari Jobe
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/169Fs68hROYRdS362T8D9w
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