Matthew 10, 24-39, 2026
God of wisdom, open our minds to your will, our hearts to your love, and
our hands to serve you in the world, as we listen to the Scriptures. With
your Holy Spirit, equip us to follow Jesus, who is your Living Word, and our
example for showing love for you and for each other. Amen.
Our gospel lesson today is an invitation for followers to be like Jesus
It may be that Jesus was responding to questions raised by people as to
how we are connected to God
Jesus tells people that we are treasured by God
We are so loved that hairs of our head are numbered
We are of more value than a sparrow, and God is aware of every sparrow’s
fate
After telling us that we are treasured Jesus has more to say
Jesus said what I say to you in the dark, tell in the light
Those who find their life will lose it
And those who lose their life for my sake will find it
Jesus is using startling language to make the point that following him will
not be like anything else a person has ever done
There will be no worldly wealth gained in being a part of the kingdom of
God
There will not likely be fame and fortune
In short, most peoples’ hopes for success will not be realized
The kingdom of God that Jesus was all about, stands in direct contradiction
to the power of the day, the Roman Empire
Rome was hierarchical
Strength oriented
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Power hungry
It was an empire that was built on the backs of conquered peoples
The wealth and strength of Rome was everywhere displayed
The good life experienced by the conquerors was being lived out before the
conquered people
There were the Roman soldiers who received deference
There were the Roman dignitaries who had wealth
In the face of this bold display of success and the good life
Jesus says those who lose their life for my sake will find it
And then he says take up the cross
In that day the cross was not simply a symbol of suffering as we
understand it to be
It was a symbol of shame and torture
The vilest of criminals was sentenced to crucifixion
Those who first heard Jesus say “take up the cross” probably wondered
what that meant, they may even have been afraid of what it meant
Those who first heard these words from Jesus would wonder what exactly
did Jesus want people to do?
He wanted them to be like the master
To have no fear
He wanted the same from them as he wants from us today
Now we do not live under an occupying foreign government
But we are exposed to values that are not in line with the values Jesus
teaches
We can easily be bewildered by the tumult of the world
We hear messages that tell us more is good
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Bigger is better
In the face of that, Jesus says take up your cross
We hear, and see practised that might is right
And Jesus says lose your life to gain it
You are loved by the heavenly Father./
Jesus tells us that everyone who acknowledges Jesus will be
acknowledged and everyone who denies him will be denied
Jesus has not come to bring peace but a sword
He then goes on to talk about welcoming each other and giving a cup of
cold water
The sort of service that Jesus asks for values humility, meekness and
obedience
These are not qualities that are publicly admired
They are qualitied that we like to have shown to us. but they are not so
easily practised
Often the people we hail as great are those who are bold, brave and single
minded
So if you lose one’s life in Jesus, and offer simple gifts such as a cup of
cold water you may not be thought of in the same way as a president or
colonel
Those who are mature in faith know the value of humility
The theologian Thomas Merton has said “Pride makes us artificial; humility
makes us real,”
In 1984 a movie Places in the Heart , was released
It tells the story of people who learn to work together to help one another
The story is set in the southern US in the 1930’s
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It tells of the recently widowed Edna Spalding who has a family to protect
and a cotton crop to harvest
She relies on a black man for advice
She relies on blind man to keep the crew fed and to keep watch over the
business
She relies on workers who are labouring in the hope that she will gain
enough from the sale of the cotton to pay them
She has no power that the bank will recognize
She has determination and strength of mind and character
It is when the various people in the story are able to put their own goals on
hold, and work together that they can accomplish what they need to
Race and status are of little value to the characters of the story
They need to be more concerned about the group than about the individual
This is a pale comparison to what Jesus is asking of us
Put your trust in him and you will have life
Give up your life and get it back
The theologian Jürgen Moltmann has this reflection on who we are before
God
“But the ultimate reason for our hope is not to be found at all in what we
want, wish for and wait for; the ultimate reason is that we are wanted and
wished for and waited for.
Or to put it another way
God is our last hope because we are God's first love.”
― Jürgen Moltmann, The Source of Life: The Holy Spirit and the Theology
of Life
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The ultimate reason for our hope in not what we want, but that we are
wanted
When we put aside our hopes and goals and ambitions and come to God
we are given life
As those who have responded to Jesus, continue to try to follow the one
who said “those who lose their life for my sake will find it”
In the face of a society that values wealth and possessions and power
We who are followers of Jesus know that we are called to give
One challenge before us is the path to reconciliation between ourselves
and the indigenous people of North America
This is Indigenous Peoples’ Day Sunday when we are encouraged to pray
and work for reconciliation
One who has much to share on this subject is Danny Zacharias, who I
mentioned last week
He is a man who describes himself first as a servant of the Creator and a
follower of Christ.
He is a part of the Cree and Anishinaabe nations on his mother’s side of his
family
As a servant and follower of God who is Indigenous, he brings a unique
perspective to reading and living scripture
His study of today’s gospel is insightful
Reminding us that if Jesus was suspect and looked down upon, that we will
be too
He highlights what is possibly the hardest part of this passage that Jesus
has said he has not come to bring peace but a sword
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We want peace in our lives
We call Jesus the prince of peace
But here is Jesus saying not peace but a sword
This was certainly the case for the early followers of Jesus
When they worshipped God and served Jesus they were in defiance of the
Roman practice of worshipping the many gods of the Roman pantheon.
The honoring of the gods was a civic and moral duty, and Christian refusal
to participate was deeply offensive, resulting even in the charge of being
atheists.
For Danny reading this passage of the Bible as an Indigenous man, he is
reminded of the way that religion was used to demonize indigenous culture,
just as the Romans used religion to demonize the early Christians
And Danny lives in the perplexity of being part of the people who were hurt
by European colonization and residential schools, and also being one who
is a follower of the Jesus way
Danny truly loves and serves Jesus and he does not confuse the
interpretations people gave to God’s actions with the reality of God
He finds himself sometimes at odds with his Indigenous community
because of his devotion to Jesus, while simultaneously being at odds with
the church because he is proud of who he is as an Indigenous people, and
he seeks to follow God the way he has made us—something that is often
deeply resisted within the wider church that desires more cultural control.
Danny finds himself in the position of loving and serving Jesus and being
able connect with both those of Indigenous and European descent
We need those bridge people to be reconciled
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Another person who had words along this line is Florent Vollant who is an
Innu singer- song writer
I heard him on a CBC program, Chaakapesh, that was being aired to share
indigenous culture in the sprit of reconciliation
He says that we all have work to do in reconciliation
Each one of us, whether we are Indigenous or European, have a
responsibility to listen to each others’ stories
Usually history has been told from the point of view of those who came to
North America, or Turtle Island, as settlers
This telling of history often portrays Indigenous people as victims, which
implies guilt for those on the other side of the story
Vollant says that as Indigenous people tell their own history, they will not be
viewed as victims
And he feels that the telling of history from more than one point of view
means that our children will inherit something other than prejudice
What do taking up one’s cross and reconciliation have to do with each
other?
I feel that they are both what Jesus is calling us to do
And they are both challenging
We need to grace of God to strengthen us to respond to the call
Our gospel lesson invites us to be like Jesus
Jesus who has reconciled us to God calls on us to be reconciled with one
another
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Jesus concludes this passage with a profound challenge: “Whoever does
not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (10:38). This
statement, made before his crucifixion, foreshadows the cost of
discipleship. To take up the cross is to embrace a way of life marked by
sacrifice, service, and faithfulness. Jesus’s words affirm that discipleship is
not about personal gain but about embodying God’s love and justice in the
world.
This is a tough pill to swallow, especially in the modern day when comfort,
convenience, and safety are so highly prized. And the final verse offers a
paradox: “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for
my sake will find it” (10:39). This teaching calls believers to release their
grip on self-preservation and embrace the deeper life found in Christ. We
will find abundance in life if we take up the life of Christ. True life is found
not in accumulation or personal achievement but in living in right
relationship with Creator, with community, and with creation. Jesus’s words
invite his followers into this reality—where life is defined not by status or
security but by faithfulness to God’s call.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION
God of compassion and courage, in our weakness you are strength.
In our sorrows you are comfort and peace. We thank you for your
embracing presence in our lives.
Embrace each situation we lay before you today with your steadfast love.
We thank you for moments of joy that break into our lives, for love given
and received,
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for friends who furnish our life with meaning and happiness, and for family
who embrace us with love and understanding.
We pray for those who cannot feel joy today, for any estranged from family
or friends,
for those feeling stress as the costs of living rise, and for those who face
any kind of loss.
Embrace us all with your mercy, O God, And give us grace to respond to
the needs around us.
God of the world, We pray for people in our communities, both friend and
stranger:
draw us towards and deeper into relationships that open doors of
connection, respect and understanding among neighbours.
We give thanks for your abundant gifts, and for resources to support those
facing difficulties in our communities, and in other parts of the world.
Challenge those who govern to listen to, and respond to, the needs of
those they serve.
Challenge us to commit to international efforts to preserve the earth, work
against the inhumanity of war, and work for peace with justice.
Guide leaders to set fair policies that protect vulnerable people and respect
every person’s dignity.
Embrace us all with your mercy, O God,
And give us grace to respond to the needs around us.
Creator God,
During Indigenous History Month,
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We give thanks for the opportunities we have to learn about the rich and
diverse histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Innuit and Métis
peoples.
We give thanks for Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and leaders
who work for the wellbeing of Indigenous nations and communities and
pray for their health and strength in this essential work.
Eternal God,
We thank you for your people in every age who have entered into your
heavenly presence,
especially those dear to our own hearts.
Thank you for memories that inspire us, for love and laughter shared and
lessons learned.
Hear us now as we offer prayers in silence for the concerns on our hearts
this day…
Silence for at least 10-15 seconds.
And so we offer to you our prayers as we pray in Jesus’ name Amen
BLESS
Let us go as listening, pausing, responding people,
called to live the gospel’s love.
And as you go, know that you are comforted by a God of many stories,
know that you are walking alongside Jesus, a friend for the journey,
God’s embodied love in human form,
and know that you are inspired by the Spirit’s call to respond. Amen.