Title:            A cup of cold water or a cold shoulder?
Scripture:    Matthew 10:40-42
Thesis:         Jesus expects us to show hospitality to fellow Christians.
Antithesis:   As long as we are doing mission work and reaching out to the unchurched we can treat our brothers and sisters in faith anyway we want.

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our rock and our redeemer. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen

"A preacher was standing in a receiving line after her first service. Everyone was telling her what a 'nice' sermon it was, when a strange-looking guy came through the line, grabbed his hand, and said, 'Preacher, that was the worst sermon I ever heard.'

"The pastor was a little surprised, but went right on shaking hands. A few minutes later the same guy came through the line again. This time he said, 'That sermon had nothing to do with the text.'

"Later, this same fellow showed up a third time: 'Preacher,' he said, 'If all your sermons are as boring as that one, I'm never coming back here again.'

"At that point, a considerate member of the Pulpit Nominating Committee drew the pastor aside and said, 'Don't worry about him. He's just a little crazy. He just repeats what he hears everyone else saying.'"

          Today’s text in Matthew comes at the end of what is often called the discourse on mission. Jesus is preparing his twelve disciples to go out to do their own missionary work. He has told them what to take with them and what to leave at home. He has told them how to conduct themselves while in the mission field and he has told them what to expect in response to the teachings they will give. Now at the very end of his directions he turns to how they are to treat each other and others doing the work of God. Jesus is aware that we can not take God’s word into the rest of the world if we don’t treat each other correctly. Jesus is speaking about other believers. These are not directions for those we which to convert, but rather for those who are already claimed by God. They are our fellow workers in the mission field. They are the preachers, the teachers, the elders and the ordinary believer. Every one of them cherished, loved and claimed by the love of Jesus Christ. They are the people sitting next to you in worship this morning. They are the folks who slept in this morning or chose to play golf or are on vacation, but will be sitting next to you next week or the week after. They are the Christians down the street and around the block worshiping in another congregation. They are fellow laborers in God’s harvest. If we don’t treat each other with love and respect and hospitality, then we can not do the will of God.

          Jesus knows that often the hardest people to treat with love and respect are those who are engaged in the same service. If you don’t believe me think about church fights. Every congregation has had at least one and every denomination is caught is some sort of ongoing struggle. Arguing and struggling over the will of God is not bad or evil by itself. It is when the struggle gets in the way of doing God’s work that it becomes a sin. The Presbyterian Church USA just wrapped up its General Assembly yesterday. Now we will hear the fall out from the meeting. Hopefully we will treat each other with love and charity. Hopefully, we will sit down over a meal and explore the ways that we are hearing the call of God differently and seek ways for all of us to do the will of God. Hopefully we will offer a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name to a fellow Christian who is weary of the constant struggle to live a faithful life. More often we offer a cold shoulder. Instead of agreeing that there are times when we disagree on the will of God and going to prayer and discernment to hear more clearly the will of God, we draw lines in the sand and try to rally others to support our position.

          The decision needed to be made by a congregation doesn’t even have to be a major decision to cause people to fight. I have seen two women of mature years practically get in a fist fight over what color of purple the advent candles should be. Or Sunday School teachers arguing over whether to have balloons or buttons for the Sunday School picnic, or men arguing over how to stack the chairs in the social hall. If we allow ourselves to be polarized over small and insignificant things, we will have no pattern for how to navigate through the truly important issues that come before the body of believers. Jesus tells his original twelve disciples and therefore us how to go about the business of doing God’s will.

          First we welcome all Christians in Jesus name, because we are welcoming God when we do. In contrast if we turn another Christian away or make them to feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for , we are turning God away.

          In receiving a prophet, those that are led to do the controversial work of the church we will receive the reward of the prophet. This is a blessing and a reminder that accepting and giving hospitality is a risky business. A prophet’s reward in this life is often hostility, pain and suffering. When we receive a prophet or a good person we might also receiver some of his or her hardships. Think about the Quakers and other Christians that led slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad or people in Europe that harbored Jews during the Second World War, if they were caught they would also be jailed. But a prophet is assured of the promise of salvation. When we open our arms and hearts to a prophet we will share in that salvation.

          And we are told to give a glass of water to the little ones. The little ones are all of us run of the mill Christians. We are trying to be good Christians, to live Godly lives and to do the will of God. We aren’t called to travel to exotic places, or try to right any major wrongs or preach to large gatherings of people. We are just called to live quiet, spirit filled lives that testify to the love of God to our friends and neighbors. In other words most of us are the least of these and we are to treat the least important with kindness ad love. It is in helping each other and nurturing other Christians that we gain the salvation, peace and grace that Jesus has promised. If we can’t treat each other with love, respect and hospitality, we can’t minister to the world.

Let us pray. Lord send the Spirit of love and hospitality upon the congregation assembled here. May we treat each other with respect, love and grace. In Jesus name. Amen