"Before Peace, There Must First Be War"

35make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God.

36Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.

37If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.

38“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me.

39If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.

Sermon Message: "Before Peace, There Must First Be War"

Illustration: Some folks take up religion as a kind of insurance against hell—and then are not willing to pay the premiums.

The Message Bible Translation:

Illustration: Some folks take up religion as a kind of insurance against hell—and then are not willing to pay the premiums.

—Christian Cynosure

Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 1641.

34“Don’t think I’ve come to make life cozy. I’ve come to cut—

35make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law—cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God.

Introduction:

36Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies.

Have a understanding of the cost to be a disciple: (Go and make disciples) In going you much have understanding.

37If you prefer father or mother over me, you don’t deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don’t deserve me.

(Go and make disciples)In going you much have understanding

(v.34) Jesus Purpose

38“If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me.

What did He Mean?

39If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.

Peace is spoken of in Scripture in three ways:

(1) “Peace with God” (); this is the work of Christ into which the individual enters by faith (; ).

(2) “The peace of God” (); inward peace, the state of soul of that believer who, having entered into peace with God through faith in Christ, has also committed to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving all his anxieties (; ).

(3) Peace “on earth” (; ; ; , ; ); the universal prevalency of peace in the earth under the kingdom.

Meaning: was Christ’s warning that the truth which He was proclaiming would not bring in the kingdom-age of peace, but conflict rather. (Cf. .)

He did not come to give his approval to the sin and evil of the earth.He came to bring a sword to earth: to war against sin and evil and to destroy all the evil that is both within and without man. Within there is division between his old fallen, Adamic nature and his new divine nature (cp. ; ; ; , esp. ).b. Without there is a division between Him and those who choose to reject Jesus and to follow the way of darkness (see outline—• and notes—•).For our understanding or reasoning: The world is full of hurt, pain, and suffering-not peace.Christ came to give the sword of His Word to the world. It convicts the person to become a follower of God and His righteousness ()

He did not come to give his approval to the sin and evil of the earth.

He came to bring a sword to earth: to war against sin and evil and to destroy all the evil that is both within and without man.

Within there is division between his old fallen, Adamic nature and his new divine nature (cp. ; ; ; , esp. ).b.

Without there is a division between Him and those who choose to reject Jesus and to follow the way of darkness (see outline—• and notes—•).

Note: For our understanding or reasoning: The world is full of hurt, pain, and suffering-not peace. Christ came to give the sword of His Word to the world. It convicts the person to become a follower of God and His righteousness ()

(vv.35-37) The first illustration used to make His point is that of a person’s family ()

3 things about his family:

First, Jesus calls a person out of the world and separates him from the world so that he can go about correcting the evil of the world.

If a family member continues to live in sin and to walk ever onward toward the grave without turning to God, two things usually happen.

The believer struggles to save his loved one, no matter what opposition he may face.

The family member rebels against the righteousness and efforts of the believer.

"Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three" ().

Note: Jesus means business. He is going to bring about His purpose end. Those who will be saved and who stand for righteousness will be saved by Christ even at the expense of family unity.

Note: The worst experience for the messenger of God is for his “foes to be of his own household."

Thought 1. The believer is called to a life of righteousness and to a warfare against sin and evil. If a member of his family is engaged on the side of sin and evil, there is a natural conflict between the believer and the family member.

2. Second, Jesus demands love. Believers are to love their families, but they are to love God more; He is first and foremost. (; ; Luke 10:27)

2. Second, Jesus demands love. Believers are to love their families, but they are to love God more; He is first and foremost.

Thought 1. Jesus demands first love and first loyalty

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" ().

"Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment (; )

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" ().

Note: No family can reach their full potential without God Families cannot be looked after and overseen by God unless God is given His rightful place in the family.

"Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment (; )

No family can reach their full potential without God Families cannot be looked after and overseen by God unless God is given His rightful place in the family.

3. Third, Jesus warns the believer that he shall either be counted worthy or unworthy of Him. (; ; )

"Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven" ().

"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels" ().

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us" ().

Related Media

Related Sermons