https://youtu.be/olornS2trIg

Matthew 10:40-4240 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”If you remember the last few weeks, Jesus has been talking to his disciples as he is sending them out to do Gospel workHe empowers them to deliver people from demons, cure diseases, he tells them where to go, and what to do when they get there. Tells them not to take any money or extra clothes. Tells them to not stay where they are not welcome, that they are going to be persecuted as they go on their travels. That they are going to see families fighting because of their message. He encourages them that God goes with them, and they will be taken care of because they are going to out to confess the name of Jesus. Doing this will cause division. And so now- today he ends his pep-talk with a final word- You are going out as my prophets and if they receive you, they are receiving me. Those who receive you will get a reward. Even the smallest act of kindness bestowed upon the disciples will equal a reward. 

V40- Receive the FatherReceiving Jesus messengers is receiving the fatherJesus is encouraging these disciples that as they go out to do Gospel work, that they are operating as emissaries of Jesus- If people accept them, they are accepting Jesus, and by proxy, accepting the one who sent HIM- The fatherThat’s really the point of Jesus whole ministry- to get people to come to the FatherIt’s the reason why John the Baptist preached repentance, and why Jesus came- to get people to the Father- God. John says it this way- John 13:20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”Pretty basic- if I tell one of my kids- to tell one of my other kids that “Dad said” Means moreAnd this idea that disciples are operating under the authority of Jesus under the FatherTeach you a bit about Military- NCO v Officer v President- You are following the President. The point is pretty simple- if a disciple is telling someone something it is as if God himself is speaking- and to deny this or agree with this is akin to denying Jesus1 John 2:22-23 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.It really throws up on end this whole “Do not judge” thing- that we can’t say anythingWe, as people of God have a mutual dependence on each other as children of God to help one another hear the voice of the father through each other- The problem is that people are so locked up in their individualism that they don’t want anyone to tell them anything about anything or nothing. Starbucks this week- door locked- hot sun- telling people- still go and pull the handleChristian people- have other Christian people saying things like “I wouldn’t do that if I were you” and people lose their ever loving mindLuke 10:16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”Now specifically- this pertains to the Gospel message of repentance unto salvation- but the implication and application that we see further in the Bible is that another Christian disciple trying to square you away is doing you a biblical favor and you should receive it. Here’s what Paul said to the church in Galatia Galatians 4:14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God,