in my name

We continued in Jesus' "Discourse on Community" in Matthew 18 last week.

5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me"

This verse compares with verse 20
20 "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Both these statements by Jesus include a condition and a similar result, with the same central premise: "in my name."

The context again is the community, relating together, guarding the unity, which includes dealing with sin individually and in the community. We saw previously how important humility is as the fundamental and most important quality for Jesus' followers to have in relationship with one another.

What does "in my name" mean?
It could mean:

• because of me
• for my sake
• because I have commanded it
• and perhaps even, as if the child were me

Whatever it means the result is that Jesus is present if (v. 5) the person is received "in his name" or if (v. 20) two or three gather "in his name."

What is his name? His name is Jesus, as the angel commanded (1:21), for he will save his people from their sins. But we also read in 1:23 that "they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means God with us). This created for us (the readers) an interesting tension: we are listening for his naming as Immanuel - and we never hear it. He is never called Immanuel in his story.

But we have this promise of his presence somehow through his name, and his own promise at the end of the story - "behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (28:20)

I love this, I think this is very significant - Jesus seems to be saying, "Remember, I am Immanuel, God with us. When you encounter one another, whether it's a simple welcome or gathering to pray through restoration and reconciliation, and you do so remembering that I am with you, that I am in the midst, that as you receive the presence of a brother or sister you do so as you would receive me, as if you were receiving me, you will find and discover that you are receiving me, that I am there.

There is also the name by which he is called, "Jesus," and it may also figure into this whole discourse, but that's to consider another day.

Also, we heard in the Discourse on Mission (ch. 10), and will hear in the final Discourse in chapter 25, more about receiving Jesus. In chapter 10, we heard Jesus say "whoever receives you receives me" (v. 40), and we'll hear in the end-time judgment scene the king, the Son of Man, say that "as you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it to me" (v. 40). Again, we have more of Jesus so identifying with his disciples, with the little ones, with those living and serving and going "in his name" that when we receive his disciple we receive him, and when we serve a hurting, little one we are serving him.

Lord Jesus, help me serve you and receive you, by receiving and serving those around me. Forgive me for treating so lightly, so thoughtlessly, sometimes so arrogantly, those whose lives touch mine. Thank you for you humility, your gentleness, your faithfulness.