Matthew 10:21-42

Matthew 10:21-42

Nowhere in Jesus's description of the life of the disciple do we find comfort, ease and wealth as a by-product or even a promised reward. As His is sending the disciples out Jesus describes the result of the radical loyalty and obedience of being a disciple. The disciple’s full and undiluted commitment to the person of Jesus will result in a division between a disciple and all others. The nearest and dearest to a disciple who do not share this loyalty will be estranged from the disciple.

This estrangement will go down to the closest relationships and when faced with the estrangement the disciple chooses Jesus. The result is everything from name-calling to death. But there are fates worse than death, so don't be afraid. Rejection by the Messiah because we reject Him is something to truly fear.

Jesus is the point of the division. All other divisions are secondary and of little or even no importance. Jesus is the point of decision and division. The closest loyalty, like that of father, mother, and parent-child, is secondary to our commitment to Christ. Jesus did not come as a great unifier. He did not come so that we could all just get along. The message of the Gospel is not the “Peaceable Kingdom”. Those things are by-products of the Gospel, and only among those who are loyal to Jesus. Jesus came to call people to Him in complete and radical loyalty. Efforts to bring peace apart from Christ are a waste of time.

The way to life is not the path of least resistance, which may cause us less grief. Nor by self-assertion, which may give us more stuff. The way to life is a radical following of Christ in which everything else is held with an open hand even life itself. In such a life, even the smallest thing, such as a cup of water, has Eternal meaning.

"Lord, help me to be so loyal to You that I will choose You above everything and everyone else. Including me, myself and I. AMEN"