Welcoming Christ In Our Midst

Acts 4:1-10 & Matthew 10:40-42

Earlier in the 10th chapter of Matthew, Jesus told his disciples to go into the nearby villages and towns. He gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits and to cure every disease and every sickness. He also warned them that they would not always be welcome. Jesus told them, "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them…” He warned them that they would be “dragged before governors and kings” because of him. But they were not to worry what they were to say, because the Spirit would speak through them.

Peter and John found out that Jesus was not kidding. After Pentecost the disciples stepped up their game and began going out to heal and preach just as they had been doing when Jesus was still with them. Lo and behold, they were dragged into jail and questioned just as promised. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit” gave their defense, again, just as promised.

As the story in Acts unfolds we find those who accused the disciples in a quandary. It says, “when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.” Later we find out that the disciples were warned to stop speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus. Peter and John’s reply? "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard."

Peter and John had good news in their souls and they were not about to hold that inside of them. If healing a person of a disease got them into trouble, it was worth it. Jesus said, “whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." In the name of a disciple … or maybe better put, if you give even a cup of cold water because you name yourself as being a disciple. If because you follow Jesus you do even the smallest act of kindness to someone else, you will not lose your reward.

If because you follow Jesus you welcome and are welcomed, you will not lose your reward. We like to be rewarded, don’t we? We like to know that someone notices the good things that we do. Jesus is saying that these good things will be noticed – they will be noticed by everyone. Not everyone will respond the same way though. Some will look at our love and compassion on others as being offensive. Whether we receive love and compassion in time of need or give love and compassion, some people will be offended even to the point of being angry and wanting to make us stop. Isn’t that dumbfounding?

Jesus tells us to welcome people anyway. Jesus tells us to help people anyway. He isn’t real clear about what the reward will be, just that there will be a reward. If you receive a prophet you will receive the reward of the prophet. If someone welcomes you on account of you being a person of faith, they are welcoming Jesus. If you do a small act of kindness for someone, like giving a cup of cold water to someone who thirsts, you will not lose your reward.

This reward … I don’t think it’s the reason we are to welcome and to accept being welcomed. Instead I think we should tuck this promise inside our hearts for the day when people express their dissatisfaction because we are generous and welcoming, and in case we are ever brought into the courts because we heal and teach the hope of Christ. Remembering these words of Jesus will give us strength and courage. Even if those around you criticize your good deeds and think you should be more selfish, you will remember that you are generous because you are a disciple. You are welcoming because you have been welcomed.

When we are welcomed, Christ is welcomed. When we welcome others, Christ is welcomed. Jesus says, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” Who is the “you” that Jesus is referring too? Specifically in that moment Jesus was talking to his 12 disciples. But in the larger teaching, Jesus is talking to everyone who loves him. Some of those people go to church and some don’t. Some of those people look like us and some don’t. When Jesus tells us to give even a cup of cold water to the little ones, I think he is saying, don’t try to figure out who is a prophet and who is righteous. Don’t decide who you should welcome … just welcome people. Love people. If someone is thirsty, give them something to drink. And if someone else doesn’t think that thirsty person deserves a drink, give them a drink too.

This week we held the funeral service for Casey Jones. I had already chosen the scriptures for this week before I found out that I was officiating at his funeral. When I began to talk to people about Casey, I heard many of the stories that he used to tell. But one story I heard twice. It was the story of when he was a little boy and he was playing with his friends. It was a hot summer day and the boys were playing hard. They were tired and got very thirsty. They went to the back door of the house of one of the boys where they were greeted by the child’s mother who said, “You can all come in and have drink of water … except for the Jones boy.” Casey’s family was poor. That was the only reason he could think of that this mom didn’t let him in the house or give him a drink of water. At that young age he decided that he would make something of himself. Which he did. However, once he began to make money he did not forget what it was like to be excluded. From the stories I hear he was a generous man and genuinely interested in how things were going in people’s lives.

Casey was not a church-going man. One might say that it wasn’t because of Jesus that he was generous and welcoming. I say that we do not know. I also wonder about the mother who refused him a drink of water. I wonder if she would have given him that drink if she had known who he was to become.

We don’t need to know who someone will become, where they have come from, or what they believe. Peter and John healed a lame man who was begging at the gate of the temple. They did not ask him what he believed. The story tells us that “Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, ‘Look at us.’ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.”

The leaders were offended that Peter and John healed this man. But Peter and John regarded him as if he were Jesus. Inspiration was tucked in their hearts. When they were arrested and then the next morning questioned, their answer was that they did it in the name of Jesus. They did it for the sake of Jesus, to welcome Christ and the one who sent Christ.

Tuck this in your hearts. When you welcome others you are welcoming Jesus. When you help others, you are helping Jesus. It is a simple principle, but difficult sometimes. We want our reward to be more immediate or more apparent. We want our good deeds to be noticed here and now. Sometimes that doesn’t happen. Sometimes our reward is deep inside our spirit. It might take prayer and faith to accept it. Truly, I tell you, keep doing good deeds for the sake of welcoming Jesus in our midst and you will not lose your reward.

Beyond Our Imagination

Genesis 1:26-27; John 14:10-17

Happy Father's Day!! Blessings to all you dads! Being a good and loving father takes a lot of time, patience, and grace. I know that I am incredible blessed. I have a wonderful Father. I have never doubted the love and care of my Dad. I even took it for granted as a child ... many many times. And yet, his love was constant even when frustrated. I don't know how he did it.

There are many people in the world who have not had good fathers. This grieves my soul. Having kind, strong, and patient parents helps kids to grow up to be kind, strong, and patient. But this is only the beginning. I believe that a child's relationship with their parents also helps shape the child's relationship with God. I also think that our view of God shapes who we are as parents.

Not only is today Father's Day, but it is also Trinity Sunday. On this day we celebrate the complexity of our God. In our scriptures God is spoken of as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Today as we consider the expression of God as trinity, let us also consider our own complexity, especially you Dads, since we understand ourselves to be created in the image of God.

Jesus speaks of his relationship with his Father. He distinguishes himself from the Father, and yet he goes on to explain that he and the Father are one. "I am in the Father and the Father is in me." Then Jesus makes us a promise that the Father will give us another Advocate, the Spirit of Truth. Jesus is the first Advocate but he knows he is going away. The promise of the other Advocate, the Spirit of Truth, is a promise that we will not be left alone. The Spirit of Truth abides with us, and will be in us. Our celebration of Pentecost fulfill this promise of the other Advocate.

It's hard to wrap our heads around all these relationships. And it gets even more mind blowing when Jesus says, "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." This is not how we experience the world we live in. Even in our closest relationships we hold on to our individuality. While Jesus is teaching that we are interwoven with the Father, Jesus, and the Spirit, he also keeps the distinction that there is The Father, Jesus, the Spirit and us. This is mystery of the highest order. It is important to look at this complex mystery because it is connected to our calling by Christ to obey his commandments, the chief of which is to love God and to love our neighbor.

We can look at what we see in our lives to begin to explore this mystery. Consider a woven blanket. There are many threads that make up the one blanket. The black thread is distinct from the brown thread which is distinct from the red and yellow threads. Each of these threads are separate but because they are woven together, they become one. The Father, Jesus, and the Spirit are distinct, yet they are one. We are woven into the spiritual fabric of God and are invited to experience love at a level beyond our imagination.

Ephesians 3:16 - 21
I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.


Rooted and grounded in love. The power to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses our knowledge. The Spirit desires to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine. We are beckoned by God to search out the immensity of the mystery and complexity of God. Not that we apprehend the facts but that we comprehend the immensity and establish ourselves in love. This love surpasses what our brains alone can figure out. It isn't a calculation.

Imagine something amazing! Imagine the most marvelous think you can think of. Remember the most incredible experience that you've ever experienced. The love of Christ surpasses this. The power of the Spirit is able to accomplish more than this. Jesus and the Father with the Spirit are one. We are invited to be woven into this Holy Blanket.

It isn't just the Holy Spirit moving through us with Jesus as our Redeemer and the Father who sent the Son. Because of Christ we are reconciled to the Father and filled with the Holy Spirit. We are like a limb grafted on to a tree or like an organ transplanted into a body. Once we are reconciled we have access to all that the Father and Jesus shared. Through the Holy Spirit we are equipped to live a life of love beyond our imaginations.

This life of love is what we are called to live. Love is the foundational connection that we have with God. Just as God loves us we are to love God - with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Secondly, we are to love our neighbor as ourself. These are the commandments that we must obey in order for the weaving of ourselves with God to be secure and complete.

Fathers, I urge you to follow the lead of our heavenly Father. Weave yourself to your family. Call upon the Spirit of God to help you so that you and your family may be one. For all families of all kinds, I urge you to think about the mystery of love. How does it connect you to each other and to God? Think about the breadth and length and height and depth of this mystery. Imagine the love of Christ and then let yourself be wow'ed that Christ's love surpasses even the most magnificent dream you may have.