Whoever welcomes you
welcomes me …
Matthew 10:40
Yesterday I wrote on what Jesus was doing in his last days – separating sheep and goats and indeed teaching on how to get to heaven.
I made the case that the key to eternal life in a dying world is opening our doors and our hearts to Jesus’ disciples. Opening our doors? Yes! Feeding, housing, and clothing them if necessary. Why? Because they come to us carrying the message of eternal life through Jesus Christ. And opening our hearts to this message is the secret to eternal life.
Today’s verse reiterates that point. In a chapter – Matthew 10 – devoted to discipleship – calling them and “16 sending [them] out like sheep into the midst of wolves,” Jesus concludes with these words: “40 Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” (Or to retranslate that: “whoever opens their door to your message and opens their heart to me.” And isn’t that the key to eternal life?!)
Jesus goes on to say to the world, “42 if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded."
“25 Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? … 40 And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”
In Christ’s Love,
a guy who needs to join
the welcome wagon
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