Luke 12:49-59
Notes
Transcript
The world is desperate for peace.
From wars. From political tensions. From poverty and injustice. From ecological disaster. From personal turmoil. From relational distress.
All creation is groaning! We want peace.
And Christians rightly proclaim Jesus as the peacemaker, the one who makes peace possible.
The whole storyline of the Bible is that one day Jesus will return and will inaugurate a new age. There will be a New City where justice, righteousness and peace dwells for eternity. But will that mean peace for everyone?
And what about now? What difference does faith in Christ make when it comes to peace on earth in this life?
In this section of Luke’s gospel, Jesus is preparing his disciples for life in his kingdom. He wants them and us to be kingdom ready.
Earlier, he’d been asked a question:
Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ Jesus replied, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’
Literally, who appointed me as a divider? He was talking about dividing up earthly wealth, things that don’t matter in eternity.
But when it comes to eternal things, Jesus is certainly a divider.
Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.
Jesus is laying out some stark truths here, some uncomfortable truths, about what following him really means in this life.
And spoiler alert - it’s not all peace and prosperity. It’s not comfortable.
But he is preparing his disciples, all who would follow him, then and now, to find the only peace that really matters. The peace that leads to the eternal peace of the New City, his heavenly kingdom.
So, in this passage, Jesus is telling us that to be kingdom ready, we need to...
Expect Division
Expect Division
During his ministry, Jesus spoke of many wonderful, comforting things. He talked about being the all-satisfying bread of life, the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep, the light of the world, the one who brings justice and healing to brokenness and pain.
But he also said some deeply uncomfortable things, things we might be shocked to hear Jesus saying. Like v49...
‘I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
What’s going on here? What does Jesus mean?
The first mention of fire in Luke’s gospel comes from John the Baptist in chapter 3.
The axe has been laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’
John answered them all, ‘I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’
Do you hear the division in John’s words? Fruitful trees vs unfruitful trees. Wheat vs chaff. Division. Distinction.
And he mentions two different kinds of fire - baptism with the HS and fire, and then the unquenchable fire of judgement.
Fire has many uses. Sometimes can be used to purify. Sometimes used to destroy. Often happens at the same time, as with precious metals like gold, silver etc.
Notice that Jesus is positive about bringing fire on the earth! “How I wish it were already kindled!”
Why?
Because it will bring about the fulfilment of the kingdom of God. How?
But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
Strange language!
Remember where Jesus is going at this point:
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
Jesus speaks of bringing fire on the earth - purification and judgement. Most likely referring to the End-Times.
We don’t like that kind of talk. Makes us feel judged, like God is unkind, unforgiving.
But in talking about the baptism he must undergo, he is referring to the fire of God’s judgement that must fall on himself at the cross.
Yes, he speaks of judgement for the ungodly, the sinners. But at the same time he talks about facing that judgement on our behalf in his death.
In other words, there is a day coming when God will judge the world - the “fire” of his judgement will fall.
But Jesus came, lived, died and rose again, so that any who believe in him can be forgiven, because he has been judged in our place.
That is the way God will bring about his kingdom plans.
But it causes a necessary division between those who believe and accept what Jesus has done, and those who disbelieve and reject what Jesus has done.
That’s what’s going on in vv52-53.
From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
More uncomfortable stuff!
Even more so because we live in an age that prizes tolerance and inclusion, and in a society that often elevates the place of family.
Now, of course, those are all good things, to a point! These are even values that are held aloft in the Bible.
But the Bible also frequently makes a distinction between those who trust God and those who don’t. Those who went into the ark, and that those that didn’t. Those who were circumcised as Abraham’s descendants, and those who weren’t.
Jesus spoke of separating the sheep from the goats. From those who live in darkness and those who live in the light.
Division. Distinction. Difference.
That’s what’s going on in those family relationships that Jesus talks about in vv52-53.
A family divided.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that as soon as one member of the family becomes a Christian that everyone else is going to hate them, or that there will be a total breakdown of those relationships.
In some cases that does happen. In monthly prayer meeting, praying for believers in Tajikistan…
But whatever the impact on the relationships there is a clear distinction between those who follow Jesus and those who don’t.
In fact, earlier Jesus said:
‘Whoever is not with me is against me"
There’s no middle ground with Jesus. No fence to sit on. You’re either for him or against him. You’re either following him or rejecting him. Either believing or disbelieving.
This has been played out in my own family, where I’m the only Christian so far. We get on, just about! But there is a difference. A distinction. They know it. I know it.
But more importantly, God knows it.
The first coming of Jesus into the world has brought division between those who trust and follow him and those who don’t.
The challenge for those who would believe is to accept the separation that he brings. Recognising that because of what Jesus has done to bring us eternal peace with God, it is absolutely worth risking the relational fallout it could bring.
So, Jesus’ message here is to expect and accept division and...
Repent Now
Repent Now
All this time (since 12:1) Jesus has been talking specifically to his disciples. Now he turns his attention to the wider crowd listening (54).
Two analogies to drive the message home.
First, every Brit’s favourite subject - the weather.
He said to the crowd: ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, “It’s going to rain,” and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, “It’s going to be hot,” and it is.
These days we say “Alexa, what’s the weather like?” I’m waiting for the day she says, “Why don’t you just look out the window and see for yourself!”
Because the signs are there, are they not? A whopping big black cloud moving in probably doesn’t mean shorts and a t-shirt!
It seems that the folks Jesus was talking to knew how to read the meteorological signs. They could look at the sky and interpret what it would mean for the weather conditions.
But they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) interpret the signs of the times...
Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?
They heard all that Jesus was teaching about the kingdom - they flocked to listen to his teaching! They saw what Jesus was doing - healing, driving out demons, raising the dead!
But so many of them failed or refused to accept what it all pointed to - the coming of the kingdom, the Messiah, the one promised through the ages.
They weren’t getting the message!
The word translated “time” here has the sense of an opportunity that has been presented, but that won’t be around forever.
The strong language that Jesus is using (hypocrites!) shows just how serious this opportunity is, and just how disappointed Jesus was that they weren’t willing to accept what was literally staring them in the face.
The second analogy drives home the point even further.
‘Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
In other words - take this seriously! Don’t just overlook or dismiss what Jesus is claiming. If he’s right, if it’s true, then the stakes couldn’t be higher.
As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.’
Imagine you’ve got beef with someone and it’s gone legal. You’re on your way to court, and there’s a chance you could be banged up.
What are you going to do? Hedge your bets? Hope for a good outcome? See how it all pans out?
Surely not! Surely you’re going to do everything you possibly can to avoid being thrown in prison with unpayable debt.
If your really wise and sensible you will make every effort to resolve that dispute before the possibility of you being condemned.
You see the point? If that’s true in human interactions, how much more so when it comes to our interactions with God, the judge we must answer to, the one who will bring the fire of his judgement on the earth?
Jesus is saying that a resolution is possible! It has been made possible through him - his life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven.
He has paid the unpayable debt for us with his own life and blood. He has seen to it that we need never be thrown into eternal condemnation because of our offences against God.
The only thing we must do is turn from our rebellion against God and turn to Jesus in faith, trusting and believing that he died for us and has paid out debt in full.
The “time” is here, the opportunity is here, to repent now. To be reconciled to God now. To trust in Jesus now.
But the message is clear: the opportunity won’t be around forever! The fire of God’s just judgement against sin is coming.
Don’t delay. Don’t miss out on the time to be made right with God.
We can expect to be divided from others if we believe in Jesus. But being relationally divided from God in eternity is far, far worse.
Jesus has seen to it that none of us have to face that! He faced it for us.
So, trust in him today. Repent today. Believe today. Now. This moment.
And when you have, spend yourself urging others to do the same!
We all want peace on earth. But the peace we need is peace with God that Jesus is offering to us all today.
Let’s pray.
