Our paragraph topic is: (Blessings for the Apostles' benefactors) Part 3.
In the previous verses Christ talked to his disciples about the message they carried and how they would be received. The messenger carries the message. He is only the bearer of the news in the message. And the news comes from the one who sent the message. If a king sends a message to another king he sends it by messenger. The messenger carries the message and the king receives the message because of the bearer of the message and who sent it. The disciples bare the message of Christ. They are the ones who will be received based upon the message and who receives the message. If the message is not received then the disciples will not be received and the one who sent the message also. Christ told his disciples that those who receive them are also receiving him, Christ. But even more so, those who receive Christ are receiving the Father in heaven who sent Christ to earth to carry the message to the people.
Who will receive the message? Who will not receive the message? The forces of the evil one will work against the disciples to prevent the message from being received. They will use all kinds of tricks and traps to prevent the people from receiving the message, either individually or as a whole. The disciples know that they are going into battle. They have been in training with Christ for this moment when they will face the people who have been blinded and deceived by the evil one. They are aware of the danger they face and who is behind that danger. Yet they must make every attempt to reach the people. They must unveil the tricks of the demons. They must come with force to demonstrate to the people that they come with the power of God behind them. They must cure the sick, heal the lame, raise the dead, and cast out all demons so that the people will be able to see clearly and hear soundly the message of the kingdom.
Christ tells his disciples that there will be rewards to those who receive. He say, "He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward." There are stipulations to the rewards that will be handed out. Who is a prophet? How does one recognize a prophet? What distinguishes a prophet from any ordinary man who wants to be a true prophet. Many will say, " I am a prophet." Many will prophesy about things to come. Some will speak the truth about future events and some will speak circumstances. But how does one recognize a true prophet? What distinguishes one from the other? For both will prophesy. Both will speak about things to come. Both will have influence over the people to sway their thoughts and minds. Who is real and who is false? Christ says that one should receive a prophet because he is a prophet and that will determine one's reward.
Christ is a prophet and he is God, one in being with the Father. He speaks the words of the father bringing the message to the disciples and to the peoples of Israel and to the Gentiles. God spoke through Christ. What is a prophet if nothing more than a spokesperson for God. For God speaks to the people through the prophets. If one accepts the words of the prophet then one accepts the words of God. A true prophet speaks truth. A true prophet does not tarry in his words. A true prophet has no words of his own but only those that God gives to him.
A true prophet communicates with God the way that no other man does because he speaks the words of God. OH, what a reward to be able to hear the voice of God and to carry his message. What a gift! What a blessing! What a joy to know that the words that are spoken are not the words of the person but the words that come forth from the mouth of God.
That reward has responsibilities. That reward has consequences. That reward comes with a burden. Many will look upon a prophet with anticipation. Many will desire to know his words. Many will demand, request, seek, to know what he will speak for their own passions and dreams and plans. But the true prophet only speaks the words of God and not his own. He is but a messenger. He is only the spokesperson through which the message is delivered. Receive the prophet because he is a prophet. Receive him because he carries the words of God and not his own. Receive him for he is just a human being like ourselves and does not have words of wisdom from God for our own needs but words for the glory of God. Receive him as you would receive yourself and you will receive the prophet's reward, knowledge of God's words for man.
In the previous verses Christ talked to his disciples about the message they carried and how they would be received. The messenger carries the message. He is only the bearer of the news in the message. And the news comes from the one who sent the message. If a king sends a message to another king he sends it by messenger. The messenger carries the message and the king receives the message because of the bearer of the message and who sent it. The disciples bare the message of Christ. They are the ones who will be received based upon the message and who receives the message. If the message is not received then the disciples will not be received and the one who sent the message also. Christ told his disciples that those who receive them are also receiving him, Christ. But even more so, those who receive Christ are receiving the Father in heaven who sent Christ to earth to carry the message to the people.
Who will receive the message? Who will not receive the message? The forces of the evil one will work against the disciples to prevent the message from being received. They will use all kinds of tricks and traps to prevent the people from receiving the message, either individually or as a whole. The disciples know that they are going into battle. They have been in training with Christ for this moment when they will face the people who have been blinded and deceived by the evil one. They are aware of the danger they face and who is behind that danger. Yet they must make every attempt to reach the people. They must unveil the tricks of the demons. They must come with force to demonstrate to the people that they come with the power of God behind them. They must cure the sick, heal the lame, raise the dead, and cast out all demons so that the people will be able to see clearly and hear soundly the message of the kingdom.
Christ tells his disciples that there will be rewards to those who receive. He say, "He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward." There are stipulations to the rewards that will be handed out. Who is a prophet? How does one recognize a prophet? What distinguishes a prophet from any ordinary man who wants to be a true prophet. Many will say, " I am a prophet." Many will prophesy about things to come. Some will speak the truth about future events and some will speak circumstances. But how does one recognize a true prophet? What distinguishes one from the other? For both will prophesy. Both will speak about things to come. Both will have influence over the people to sway their thoughts and minds. Who is real and who is false? Christ says that one should receive a prophet because he is a prophet and that will determine one's reward.
Christ is a prophet and he is God, one in being with the Father. He speaks the words of the father bringing the message to the disciples and to the peoples of Israel and to the Gentiles. God spoke through Christ. What is a prophet if nothing more than a spokesperson for God. For God speaks to the people through the prophets. If one accepts the words of the prophet then one accepts the words of God. A true prophet speaks truth. A true prophet does not tarry in his words. A true prophet has no words of his own but only those that God gives to him.
A true prophet communicates with God the way that no other man does because he speaks the words of God. OH, what a reward to be able to hear the voice of God and to carry his message. What a gift! What a blessing! What a joy to know that the words that are spoken are not the words of the person but the words that come forth from the mouth of God.
That reward has responsibilities. That reward has consequences. That reward comes with a burden. Many will look upon a prophet with anticipation. Many will desire to know his words. Many will demand, request, seek, to know what he will speak for their own passions and dreams and plans. But the true prophet only speaks the words of God and not his own. He is but a messenger. He is only the spokesperson through which the message is delivered. Receive the prophet because he is a prophet. Receive him because he carries the words of God and not his own. Receive him for he is just a human being like ourselves and does not have words of wisdom from God for our own needs but words for the glory of God. Receive him as you would receive yourself and you will receive the prophet's reward, knowledge of God's words for man.
