LOVE JESUS FIRST

Passage: Matthew 10:34-42

Key verse: 37

NIV

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(A)—
36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[a](B)

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.(C) 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.(D) 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.(E)

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,(F) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.(G) 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.”(H)

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 10:36 Micah 7:6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 (A)“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. (B)I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 (C)For I have come (D)to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 (E)And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 (F)Whoever 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. 38 And (G)whoever does not take his cross and (H)follow me is not worthy of me. 39 (I)Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

40 (J)“Whoever receives you receives me, and (K)whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 (L)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. 42 And (M)whoever gives one of (N)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.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Lose life to find it (34-39)

Jesus wants us to put him first. Sometimes the people close to us humanly don't understand that by loving Jesus first we can love them more, so they resent our love for Jesus. Then a person's enemies become those of his own household. What can we do? Jesus says that unless we take the cross of mission, the cross of rejection and misunderstanding and follow him, we are not worthy of him. He promises that if we give our lives to him, we will find life. If we give up Jesus' calling in order to hold onto people, we will lose the very life we are trying to save.

2. He who receives you receives me (4

-42)

Jesus' disciples are those who put Jesus first in their affections. Jesus promises to bless anyone who welcomes a disciple of Jesus. Even a cup of cold water given to one who loves Jesus will be rewarded. We can be a blessing to those we love only if we keep on loving Jesus first.

Prayer: Lord, help me to love you first and trust you to bless those I love. Help me to take up my cross and follow you to the end.

One Word: Love Jesus first