Matthew 10:40-42

He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.Matthew 10:40–42

This week, Pastor Kang's sermon was based on Matthew 10:40-42, in which Jesus describes to them the rewards that await those who welcome the brethren, and also identifies himself, indirectly, with the brethren.

The context of this passage is that Jesus has completed the Sermon on the Mount, and has continued to instruct his disciples. Several miracles and parables are recorded after the Sermon on the Mount, and now Jesus is again teaching his disciples. He has been speaking of the various costs of discipleship, and is giving them final instructions, having [given] them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness (Matthew 10:1) before telling them to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you god, preach, saying The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, case out demons. (Matthew 10:6–8)

Jesus has described to his disciples the cost, as well as the compensation, of discipleship. He has told them that they are undertaking a dangerous role, and that there is risk in spreading the Gospel, but that there are rewards for those who perform this task faithfully and effectively.

Jesus identifies Himself with his disciples in that who receives you receives Me. The receiving and welcoming of which Jesus speaks is the ancient tradition of hospitality (that continues today), and though as Christians we ought to be hospitable to all, Jesus here speaks of receiving a disciple, a prophet, a righteous man, and the little (or humble) one.

The rewards that Jesus offers, we note, are not restricted to those who have high standing or privilege in this life. Hospitality is not measured against some fixed, objective scale. It does not mean an obligation to house someone for up to three nights, or to share with them between four and six meals. Hospitality means giving what one is able to give, similarly to the widow who had but two coins, and who gave all of two coins. Jesus highlights this point when He chooses the act of [giving] to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, for this is something that is within our reach, however humble our means. Yet, the significance of what we, as believers, can offer is seen in the imagery of water, for Jesus said, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (John 4:13–14)

As an example of receiving a prophet, Pastor Kang pointed us to 1 Kings 17:8–24 in which a widow at Zarephath receives Elijah, and feeds him. Hesitant at first for lack of food, the woman feeds Elijah when he tells her that despite her meager supply of flour and oil, when Elijah tells her that her bowl of flour and jar of oil will not become empty until God again sends rain. More than that, the woman's son eventually falls ill and dies, and Elijah revives him. The woman who received a prophet also received the reward of a prophet.

Jesus, then, has instructed us that we ought to practice hospitality to the brethren, has shown us that we are able to do so, and reminds us that for our efforts, though facilitated by God, we will not be unrewarded.