NUMBER ONE
Opening Prayer
Bring all of your busy thoughts to God in prayer and leave them there.
Read Matthew 10:32–42
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
If you did a time and energy audit of the past week, what might it say about your priorities? Who determines your focus?The claims Jesus makes in this passage are extraordinary. The relativists of today might pronounce them outrageous! He claims a unique status before God (32) that has implications for all people who hear him, or hear about him (32,33,40). He claims immense influence on earth and in heaven (32–34). He expects people to recognize who he is, to welcome him (40), to make him the most important priority in their lives (37), to even be prepared to face death for him (38).
The disciples had witnessed Jesus’ authority over disease, evil spirits and nature. If Jesus is their long-awaited, God-appointed Messiah-King, surely only the highest level of commitment and devotion would be fitting (37–39).
The disciples took Jesus’ words to heart (26:33–35), but they let him down (26:56). We all do. Jesus did not reject them. Through his death he proved his love for them and us, through his resurrection he proved his authority over all things (Matt. 28:16–20), and through the coming of the Spirit he proved his ongoing commitment to them and us. The disciples responded with changed lives and priorities (Acts 2). How will you respond?
Apply
It is said that if you study your calendar and your wallet, you will discover where your heart is. What do your habits say about you? How can you begin to prioritize an area of your life to put God first?
Closing prayer
Lord, I’m sorry You are not always first in my life. Uproot whatever would supplant You; place Yourself on the throne of my life.
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