MONDAY- 15TH
WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –A
Gospel:
Matthew 10:34-11:1: It is not peace I
have come to bring, but a sword.
I
Reading: Isaiah 1:11-17: Make yourself clean.
Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.
The Cost of
Being the Lord’s Disciple, Mt 10:34-42
In this passage Jesus
is exact and uncompromising. He lays some heavy demands upon his disciples. He
states clearly what it will cost a person to be his disciple, and he describes
the cost by using four illustrations.
1.
Jesus’ purpose (v.34)
a. Not
to bring peace
b. To
bring a sword
2.
Illustration 1: a person’s family
(v.35-37)
a. The
fact: Christ sets the believer against his family
b. The
demand: must love Christ supremely
c. The
reward: counted worthy vs. unworthy
3.
Illustration 2: the cross (v.38)
a. Demand:
die-follow
b. Reward:
counted worthy vs. unworthy
4.
Illustration 3: a person’s life
(v.39)
a. Demand:
give up life
b. Reward:
lose life vs. find life
5.
Illustration 4: welcoming and
ministering to others (v.40-42)
a. Demand:
welcome a believer and minister to him
b. Reward:
an equal reward
1) The
presence of Christ and of God (v.40)
2) The
equal reward
3) Strongly
asserted: the smallest ministry will not lose its reward
Thought: The
world is full of hurt, pain and suffering-not peace. The truth cannot be
denied. However, we can be of good cheer, for Christ has overcome the world.
His word,
sharper than any two-edged sword, pierces the soul and spirit of a person,
discerning the thoughts and intents of his heart. It convicts the person to
become a follower of God and His righteousness (Heb 4:12).
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