The Ripple Effect
Matthew 10:40-42
July 2, 2017
Rev. Stephanie Ryder
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the
one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a
prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a
righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a
cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you,
none of these will lose their reward.”
Oh what a relief to have this lovely passage today! It is so innocuous and simple, so
lovely, with the Jesus we know and love, so different from the sword-wielding Jesus
in last weeks’ passage that comes to divide beloved family members. Serve
someone a cold drink – yes! That’s more like it! This is much easier to absorb,
right? When we look deeper into it, actually, I wonder…
The passage marks the end of the Missionary Discourse of Matthew chapter 10,
where Jesus gathers the 12 disciples and teaches them what to expect as itinerant
missionaries. At the beginning of this teaching, Jesus gives them authority to cast
out demons and cure diseases, then to go to the lost sheep of Israel without charging
for their services, and then to expect opposition and persecution and to not fear or
be afraid. This week, at the end of the teaching, the disciples are told that when they
are welcomed, the welcomer receives a reward.
“Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me and the One who sent me,” Jesus says,
obviously referring to God. Whoever welcomes a prophet receives a prophet’s
reward, whoever welcomes the righteous will receive the reward of the righteous;
whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a
disciples – none of these will lose their reward.”
We heard last week about the ones who don’t welcome and earlier the passage says
the disciples are to shake the dust off their feet and continue on. Don’t be disturbed,
don’t be afraid.
As I was researching this passage one late afternoon this week, my doorbell rang.
Now, in the past, in my youth, this would be an exciting sound. Somehow today,
though, people don’t just “stop by.” We have too many other ways of connecting
immediately. People don’t just drop in so much anymore, do they? Visits are
usually scheduled or planned ahead. So the doorbell rang and I assumed it was a
cold-caller.
I considered not answering so I could continue my study of this passage. But then I
realized the passage is about hospitality. So I answered the door and sure enough,
there was a friendly young man at the door with big smile and a clipboard with
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brochures. Still, it was on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I was busy and didn’t
have time for him. But the passage is about hospitality. So I listened. I invited him
in. I gave him a piece of pre-wrapped candy and even a glass of cold water, like the
passage said, both of which he accepted.
As he drank the water, we discussed where he grew up, where he was attending
college, what he planned to major in. I thought about the passage. And I then
shared where I grew up, and a bit about myself. This was after I had given a
contribution to his very worthy cause. How wonderful that this young man was
going door to door to help preserve California’s parklands and open space. What if
people like him didn’t do that?
He left, and I was grateful for our interaction. I was glad I answered the door. I was
glad he accepted the water I offered.
So even when we are not in the mood to offer hospitality, this passage encourages us
to think twice. That is one part of the teaching in the passage. And it may not be the
most important teaching for us here today.
See, people at Redwoods are already really good at hospitality. We here at
Redwoods are an excellent group of givers. In two days, many of us will be serving
ice cold holy lemonade to hundreds of the July 4th parade participants right here in
front of the church. Many of us prepare meals for the homeless and some deliver it
to Mill Street once a month. Many of us come early to prepare the refreshments for
Fellowship Hour and stay afterwards to clean up. The Deacons and choir members
are known to go to visit and sing to and pray with members who cannot attend
church because of illness or injury. The list goes on and on. The hospitality of this
church is truly astounding. I don’t think this church necessarily needs a lesson about
hospitality.
There is, however, another message in the passage that is more difficult to ascertain
for many of us here at Redwoods, and it is the topic of accepting hospitality. Being
on the receiving end of hospitality and help. The question to you, the hospitality
honors club, is: How is it for you when it is your turn to let others step up for you?
Will you let others serve you?
When our new office administrator began, she asked me on her first day, “How do
you want your office to look when you arrive in the mornings? Do you want the
lights and heat on, do you want hot coffee or a pastry on your desk?” I am still
confounded by the question. It still, somehow, brings me almost to tears. I never
answered her. I told her, instead, that what would mean so much to me is if she
would keep the outside church office door unlocked and unbolted, so I wouldn’t
have to fumble with my keys while carrying my bags and books. That was about as
much as I could accept.
A colleague told me that when she was in Jerusalem in the Upper Room, the tour
guide asked her to take a seat so he could wash her feet, as Jesus did for his disciples
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the final night of his life with them before his arrest and death. The tour was
recreating this experience for the travelers. My colleague said she resisted and
implored that it not be so, please, no don’t wash my feet, and when he insisted, she
let go, and could not stop crying. It is a humble act to wash a person’s feet, and it is
humbling, too, to be the one having his or her feet washed. Jesus wanted his
disciples to understand this.
Who here honestly has peace in receiving? What about when we are the vulnerable
ones – sick, injured, struggling, depressed, exhausted? What does it take to admit
we need help? Hospitality is a 2-way street. It requires a server and one being
served. Those who welcomed the apostles (those disciples being now sent out)
those who welcomed them received a reward; and the apostles received a reward
for being welcomed. For being accepted and let in.
God is the ultimate recipient, and thus the rewards received are spiritual rewards.
Those things of the soul that, last week, Jesus said could not be taken away. The
reward is that we don’t lose our peace or our soul; the reward is the soul and
serenity that cannot be taken away. Those who welcome, welcome Jesus and God,
the One who sent Jesus. Letting God in, welcoming God IS the reward!
When we can show our vulnerable side to one another, our brokenness and
imperfection, we offer a gift, we offer our authenticity and THAT is hospitable.
Perhaps we are most welcoming when we let down our guards, the locked gates
around our true tender selves, and offer another human being our intimate truth.
Frederick Buechner says about hospitality: “We have it in us to be Christs to each
other… to work miracles of love and healing as well as to have them worked upon
us.” We are called to represent Christ to the stranger and to encounter Christ in the
stranger. Like the door to door worker who came to my door. I was called to
represent Christ to him by letting him in, and I was called to encounter Christ by
receiving him. The mutual exchange was the reward. There was mutual respect and
exchange. One wasn’t above the other. We were both giving and receiving.
The generosity of this church is mind-blowing, stupefying, almost preposterous.
People are so willing to step up for others in need. And isn’t it a blessing also, when
those in need accept the gifts of help. Saying, “No! No! No!” denies the giver. Last
week Jesus said whoever denies me will be denied. Keep the flow going! Be
hospitable by also accepting the hospitality of others.
There is a ripple effect with hospitality: like ripples expanding across the water
when an object is dropped into it, when one gives hospitality and another accepts
hospitality, the effects follow outwards incrementally. The home, the church, the
neighborhood, the country, the world, becomes a more hospitable place when
people are both giving and receiving hospitality.
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In communion, we receive Christ so that we may be nourished and strengthened
and commit ourselves to going out and serving in Christ’s name. When we take
communion later today, let us think of this passage, of Christ sending out his
disciples as apostles, offering himself to them, his goodness and charity.
Let us pay special attention to the being served. To the receiving of Christ. To think
about the gift that God gave us in sending his Son to save us. Let us accept the gift.
Let us accept being served. Hospitality is a form of service to Christ. It can and
should be practiced at any time and it is not confined to heroic acts. Simple acts of
kindness in genuine welcome of one another are what God asks of us.
I would like to end with the Message translation of the Matthew passage:
“We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do,
accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father,
who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger.
Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work
I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a
cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving
or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.”
Thanks be to God.
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