For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. ” The first and most obvious application of this verse is that even the smallest of good works will be rewarded by God. However, there is more to this passage than that. In Mark 9:38, John informs Jesus that some of the apostles had seen someone casting out devils in the name of Jesus, but that person was not a formal follower. So, John said, "we forbid him" since he was not part of the official group. Jesus corrected John, saying, "Don't forbid him… For he that is not against us is for us" (V:38 & 40). It is with this context that Jesus speaks our verse for today.
The Twelve apostles were worried about "outsiders," and yet, Jesus informed them that they should not get caught up in that specific concern. He tells them that "no man can do a miracle in my name and, at the same time, be comfortable speaking evil of me" (V:39). In other words, Jesus says (in essence) 'The guy you think is an 'outsider' could not have done what he did if he rejected me. So, perhaps you need to reconsider who is an 'outsider' and who is not.' Jesus then says to His disciples: "Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name because you belong to Christ will not lose his reward from God." While Jesus was not saying that we should overlook heresy, he was saying that we should be willing to accept the help from those who may see things somewhat differently than we do, but who are just as ready to fight the devil and his influence as we are.
In the passage for today, the apostles were ready to reject a man that wasn't part of the "group," but Jesus suggested that things would get bad enough (in the not-too-distant future) that they would perceive something as simple as a "drink of water" as a "great blessing" deserving of "reward." It would be foolish to reject someone, their hospitality, or their help, simply because they believed differently than us. Christ here reminds us that a good work or act of kindness really is "of Him." And God will reward those accordingly. Based on Jesus' rebuke of John, some of us just might be surprised at who ends up in Heaven—even though they had somewhat different theological ideas than we do.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ” In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.
