“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”     Matthew 10 : 40

Bible reading : Matthew 10 : 40 – 42

Thought for the week

In this series of passages from Matthew’s Gospel Jesus has been telling us as His disciples what it means to be sent out in His name. This is a message that seems so pertinent for our time. After we have experienced what it means to be church ‘outside the walls’ over the past months we are called to continue to be the living, witnessing, breathing church of Jesus in our homes, our community and world.

Someone has written, “What would happen if we stopped expecting people to come on their own initiative through our church doors, and instead took seriously our calling to bring the gospel to them? What would happen if we truly believed that we bear the presence of Christ to every person we encounter, in every home, workplace, or neighbourhood we enter? What would happen if we saw every conversation as an opportunity to speak words of grace, every interaction as an opportunity to embody Christ's love for the neighbour?”

Jesus speaks to us to us today as His disciples not in terms of what we give, but what we and others receive. A ‘cup of cold water’ as the greatest gift on a hot day. The immense privilege of serving Jesus and revealing His love to the world.

Rev Paul