FIRST READING Jeremiah 28:5-9
5The prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, 6and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. 7Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. 9As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”
PSALM Psalm 119:153-160
153Behold my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. 154Plead my cause and redeem me; according to your promise, give me life. 155Deliverance is far from the wicked, for they do not study your statutes. 156Great is your compassion, O Lord; preserve my life, according to your judgments. 157There are many who persecute and oppress me, yet I have not swerved from your decrees. 158I look with loathing at the faithless, for they have not kept your word. 159See how I love your commandments! O Lord, in your mercy, preserve me. 160The heart of your word is truth; all your righteous judgments endure forevermore.
SECOND READING Romans 7:1-13
1Or do you not know, brothers — for I am speaking to those who know the law — that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. 4Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. 7What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.
GOSPEL Matthew 10:34-42
34{Jesus said,} “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
THE PROPHETS REWARD
It’s our children many times that are the best teachers. By age six, a child has usually figured out that undesirable behavior has consequences. Coloring on the walls, back-talking mom or dad or hitting another person, will generally be met with swift disapproval or even discipline. They will have also figured out, by this age, that behavior above and beyond what’s expected of them can have certain rewards. For example, a bedroom cleaned extra well or dishes unexpectedly cleared from the table and placed neatly on the kitchen counter can have a reward of sorts. The reward could be an extra half-hour of television or video games and thereby going to bed a bit later than usual. Or, it could be a trip to the ice cream shop for a sundae or a double dip cone. It could simply be an affectionate hug and a word of praise from the parent. Whatever it is, they quickly learn that there are rewards for good behavior and reprimands for bad. And when you think about it, this is exactly how life in the grown-up world works as well.
At our jobs, in our families, and in our other relationships, we generally function on this same notion of actions and consequences. It’s a system, if you will, of rewards and punishments. It seems crude, almost cruel, to put this way, but that’s the way it is. While unfairness and injustice surely exist and while exceptions can certainly be raised, it’s safe to say that if we work hard and perform well on our jobs, things generally go well for us. If we focus on our families, giving them the love and the attention they deserve; if we’re intentional about treating our spouses, our children, and our siblings well, then things — most of the time — tend to go well. This is something we’ve learned to expect in our personal lives and in our social context as well, both have codified the expectations of rewards and punishments.
At work, pay scales are usually tied to performance evaluations and length of service. Even pastors understand that a series of churches served well can lead to bigger churches and hence larger paychecks. On the other hand, it used to be that the post office would regularly display photos of the FBI’s most wanted where everyone can see them. The consequences here are abundantly clear.
Rewards and punishments. They punctuate our lives and walk with us through most of our days. Each of us can relate stories of ways in which we’ve felt rewarded in our lives. A friend who is partial to jigsaw puzzles feels rewarded when a large puzzle is completed. An individual in a nearby town works on restoring antique cars as a hobby and feels rewarded when he completes work on an old Chrysler or a pick-up truck and the vehicle receives a trophy at a local car show. Some people involved in the ministry of the church may feel rewarded when they participate in visitation ministries or when they give a day or two to Habitat for Humanity.
However, the notion of reward over the past few years has taken on a sense that it’s something expected, even if it’s just for showing up. Some people forward that a reward needs to be given, and is expected, just for taking time out to be a part of something. Gone are the days when rewards are given only to those who go above and beyond. Nowadays, the expectation is that we get a reward anytime we do something even a little bit special. It seems that it’s a distant memory when a reward was given only for effort that was exceptional, over and above what usually takes place. Today, a reward in many cases is now seen as an entitlement; something owed simply because a person accomplishes only what’s expected. It’s safe to say that things have changed. However, as we consider the notion of reward as it relates to scripture, we need to reshape our thinking. Chapter 10 of Matthew, our text for this morning, speaks of reward.
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” This passage is our focus for today, but in truth, the Gospel of Matthew seems to highlight the notion of reward.
Reward is mentioned eleven times from chapter 5 through chapter 10 of Matthew. We’re offered all kinds of ideas about reward. “Rejoice and be glad for your reward is in heaven …” (5:12). “If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have?” (5:46). “Don’t practice your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (6:1). “Whenever you give alms don’t blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets so that they can be praised by the others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward” (6:2). And in much the same way, Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (6:19-21)
It’s interesting to note that through all of this, the Greek word for reward, misthos, actually refers to a wage or amount paid for hire, is used consistently. So, the reward that we wish to explore today, isn’t the kind of reward we see in the post office, although some prophets seem to attract that kind of thing. The reward we’re talking about today isn’t necessarily something received for above and beyond effort — something extra — for our troubles. It certainly isn’t recognition given for showing up, nor can it be seen as a bonus. It is, instead, understood as the wage paid, the recompense for work completed. This being the case, what then are we to think about the prophet’s reward?
What are we to think about welcoming a prophet or a righteous person — or even a disciple of Jesus Christ? What is it that we’re paid? What can we expect as compensation if we welcome one of these into our homes or our communities? Are we expecting a wage? “If so, what’s the union scale for a Prophet’s welcome?” However, before we can answer these questions, we need to ask who Jesus is talking about.
One of the questions I’ve been asked on occasion is, who can be considered a prophet? This is a very good question because oftentimes the title is very misunderstood. In some denominations, a prophet is a person who is seen as having a special gift and relationship with God. This person is looked to, to reveal God’s message to a group of people. This person is oftentimes not the pastor, but a lay leader who has been given a special place within the congregation. In other denominations or churches, the pastor is seen as a prophet, they are the ones through whom God sends His divine communications. So who or what constitutes a prophet?
If we look in the Bible, a prophet was someone God called to communicate with the people. Oftentimes these were ordinary people who God called to deliver a message to His people. Sometimes it was the king or even a priest of the temple. What’s important to note is that God can call anyone of us to deliver His message. And of more importance, God calls those who are faithful to Him and His word. If you read carefully, every time a prophet delivers a message, the message is always consistent with God’s instructions and warnings of the past.
This can be seen by what Jeremiah says in verse 8, “The prophets who preceded you [Hananiah] and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms.” The only time there appears to be a variance in this consistent message, is when God reveals a future event or series of events. Again, Jeremiah says this message about the future will come with proof. In the later part of verse 9 we read, “when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.” When a person sent of God speaks, there is no inconsistencies with God’s word or His promises. This includes the actions of the prophet.
As we see in the case of Jeremiah, there are times when God calls His prophet to act in order to highlight His message or to bring attention to an injustice. At the beginning of chapter 28, God instructs Jeremiah to construct and wear a yoke, in order to make His point that those who wanted to survive would fall under the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. Those who refused would suffer the sword, pestilence and famine. Hananiah took the yoke and broke it saying, that within 2 years, there would be peace and prosperity. Proof as to who the true prophet of God was, was born out by history and history was on the side of Jeremiah. We must be careful of who we call and listen to as prophets. Anytime someone is proclaimed to be or claims to be a prophet of God, their message must be consistent with God’s word, actions and promises.
Almost fifty years ago in 1968, Jesuit priest Daniel Berrigan and his brother Phillip, also a Catholic priest, participated with seven other people in the burning of draft records in Catonsville, Maryland. And while the military and FBI considered this a criminal action, others considered this a prophetic act. The US was embroiled in the Vietnam War and was in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. It was a difficult time for this country and many prayed for guidance and a word from God. A good many people saw these dissidents, as an answer to that prayer; as prophets who were speaking God’s truth about a horrible war being waged, half a world away and about the plight of the black people in this country. As a result, of this and other actions, Father Dan, as his students often called him, decided not to turn himself in to the authorities, and went, instead, underground.
For many weeks Father Dan led the FBI and other federal agents on an intense chase. And during that time, this proclaimed prophet of God was welcomed by scores of people. They fed him, housed him, drove him to meeting spots. And finally, after months of being “on the lam,” Father Dan was arrested at the home of a close friend. He then spent an extended time in Danbury Prison. One could say that Daniel Berrigan received a prophet’s reward. One could even draw a parallel to the treatment or reward Father Berrigan received, in the following decades, to that of many of the ancient prophets.
Now I do want to go on record here as saying, that I’m only lifting up Father Berrigan as an example of someone who others have seen as a prophet. I’m certainly not endorsing Father Dan’s actions as ones that were directed by God. There have been a lot of people who claim to speak for God but were later proven to be false prophets. Again, Hananiah in our Old Testament reading was proven to be such a person. The point I’m making here is, that we need to be careful anytime a person claims to speak for God. We need to test the message and make sure what they say is consistent with the Bible. This warning about prophets is important because Jesus warned us that in the end times there will be many false prophets (Matt. 24:3-5,10-11.) And while recognizing a true prophet of God is important, it has gotten away from the subject a bit and I do at this point need to get back to the central subject. What can we expect as a reward for receiving a prophet, a righteous person or a disciple? In the case of the disciple or the prophet, we just might get the same treatment as the prophet or disciple.
Consider the treatment that most of the prophets of Israel received. Jeremiah was mocked, ridiculed and imprisoned and later was thrown into a cistern to die. Isaiah was sawn in two and the writer of Hebrews says, “Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (11:36-38.) Sometimes the reward we collect in this life, is to suffer the same fate as the ones we’re called receive. In this case, we need to remember Jesus’ promise in verse 40, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” Anytime we welcome one of God’s people we welcome God Himself. To welcome God Himself, now that’s what I call a reward!
The Bible I believe makes it abundantly clear that we’re store up our reward in heaven which means we’re to do God’s will here on earth without any expectation of compensation or payback. However, I do think Jesus answered the question of what our reward is when He said, “And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10.) Our reward for doing God’s will and receiving those who are sent of God is to have living water. Water that Jesus promises, “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14.)
This is the reward we’re look forward to. The reward we seek for doing God’s will and welcoming those He sends, isn’t some momentary recognition or some plastic participation trophy or even some new position here in this world. The reward we look forward to is eternal life with God in His kingdom.
Living water, this is the cold cup of water we’re called to share: a meal, a word of encouragement, a loving touch, a moment of respite from the persecutions of this world. Remember, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40.)
Amen.