Jesus the cause of divison (Interpreting The Times)
Introduction: I want to talk to you a little bit this morning on a piece of scripture found in the book of Luke. . . Luke opened his book announcing “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14), but if you read the word there are times when the Lord seemingly contradicts this promise.
Jesus does give peace to those who trust Him (Rom. 5:1), but often their confession of faith becomes a declaration of war among their family, friends and the world. There are points and places in the believers lifetime that are not peaceful at all. . .there are times when the righteous have to war with a few things and the even the faithful might be surprised to sometimes find. . . that Jesus is a cause of division (see John 7:12, 43; 9:16; 10:19).
Now I know that we got one or two of those present who might want to challenge me on this. . . .You might be saying to yourself Jesus and his life and works unify and bring together. .. .I submit to you this morning that yes, there is so much that brings us together, so much that we all have in common, please do not miss the point that the everlasting life that we have is because of some spiritual separations. . . . Jesus is a cause of division.
Point 1: Luke 12: 49 – 56 starts off with Jesus saying 49 "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!
I wonder do I have one or two in this place anything like me, have you ever just wished that you could get to the destination while skipping the journey? I don’t gamble bet I wager that if you take a little inventory and look back over your life you have been placed and positioned at a point that birthed your praise. . . the reason that you can sit here this morning looking so good even after all of the hell that you have gone through is due to the presence and power of God! . . . that’s where you are standing now. . . .but be honest. . . .there were some things on the journey, some people and places that you could have done without! Imagine how it would have been if you could have gone from the place where you first met him straight to where he has you in him right now.
Just like so many other things that take place in our human existence, Jesus knows. . . .Jesus knows that feeling. . . .Jesus said in his word. . . .I am come to send fire on the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! Our Lord realized that his mission was divisive and disturbing. He saw clearly that the cross would be a point of controversy and argument, and in this verse he wished that his lifting up (Jn 12:32) had already been accomplished. Luke 12: 49 – 56 starts off with Jesus saying 49 "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
He goes on to say 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!
This is the thing that started me to thinking. . . .I have a baptism to be baptized with. Christ was referring to his death (cf. Mk 10:38). But did you notice his words? To most of us Baptism is a Christian sacrament marked by ritual use of water and admitting the recipient to the Christian community, it is a thing that refers to birth, still if you study this thing you get a different, more complete understanding about what Christ meant and why he said what he did the way that he said it. . . .the Merriam-Webster dictionary 10th and most recent edition also defines the word baptism: as an act, experience, or ordeal by which one is purified, sanctified, initiated, or named
When Jesus said that I have a baptism to be baptized with. Christ was letting all who believe know . . . that something would be birthed by his dying! This is one of the examples of divine division that only Jesus Christ could use to bring us together.
Luke 12: 49 – 56 starts off with Jesus saying 49 "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!, he says. . . and what stress I am under until it is completed!. . .
He had to know the requirements of the road that led to his pre ordained assignment! He had to know the Gethsame moment the blood sweat and tears. He had to know the crown of thorns and the nails yet . . . Jesus said he was under stress until the thing that could only be born in his death. . . was completed!
Birth inside of death one of the many examples of the divine divisions of the Son Of God. . . . .the verse continues. . . .Jesus said. . . .
Point 2: 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Jesus’ mission actually did result in the kind of family divisions of which He spoke here (vv. 52-53). Families have been divided and loyalties broken.
Judaism was a family religion in which the people worshiped by households rather than as individuals. Jesus foresaw that his claims would cut across family life, and would necessitate individual decisions.
Devine Divisions, The believer is of the earth, but he is also of heaven. He is physical and spiritual, and more importantly, he is living primarily for God and His righteousness, to reach men with the glorious gospel of Christ.
When you compare the differences of those who believe and those who do not, the two natures differ drastically. They are diametrically opposed to one another. The person of the world primarily talks about the world and lives for the pursuit of the world. The person of the spirit makes God the primary force of his life: he talks about God and the things of righteousness, and he pursues God and His righteousness.
In these strange and unsettling words, Jesus revealed that his coming often results in conflict. He demands a response, so intimate groups may be torn apart when some choose to follow him and others refuse to do so. There is no middle ground with Jesus. Loyalties must be declared and commitments made, sometimes to the point of severing other relationships. Are you willing to risk you’re the worlds approval in order to gain eternal life? ( Pause)
Point 3: In the book of Luke chapter 12 starting to read at verse 54 54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain'; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
Jesus taught the crowds that they needed to be sensitive to interpret the things they were seeing. Though they had been observing His ministry they were not able to ascertain that He was truly the Messiah.
He made the point that they, with no trouble, could interpret natural signs (western clouds and south winds—the appearance of the earth and the sky). But they could not discern spiritual signs. They should discern what was going on right in their midst—He was offering the kingdom and they were not responding properly to His offer.
I believe that current events are speaking to us we sit here.
Point 4: As we wait, watch, and work, we will not have an easy time, because we are aliens in enemy territory. In the scripture that we talked about, The images Jesus used—fire, baptism, division—speak of opposition and conflict.
Point 5: If people were as discerning about spiritual things as they are about the weather, they would be better off! The verses tell us that crowd could predict a storm, but it could not foresee the coming judgment. It knew that something was coming, it new that the temperature was about to change, but it could not interpret the “signs of the times.”
The Jewish nation had the prophetic Scriptures for centuries and should have known what God was doing, but their religious leaders led them astray.
How tragic that men today can predict the movements of the heavenly bodies, split atoms, and even put men on the moon; but they are blind to what God is doing in the world. They know how to get to the stars, but they do not know how to get to heaven! Our educated world possesses a great deal of scientific knowledge but not much spiritual wisdom. Anyone will do whatever is necessary to stay out of prison, but how many people will apply that same concern and diligence to stay out of hell?
Maris.. . . .cruise ship. . . .called back to leave early. . . .hurricane Dean…..used to what we do here she asked him about the lack of preparation as they faced the coming storm.. . the taxi driver said that he was not worried because he was living in a blessed nation. . . You know just how hard St Lucia was hit and what damage was done.
That driver saw the signs, but he belief in his religious readiness kept him from a righteous result, living directly in the path of the coming storm.
Conclusion: For most of recorded history, the world's principal occupation was farming. The farmer depended directly on the weather for his livelihood. He needed just the right amounts of sun and rain — not too much, not too little — to make his living, and he grew skilled at interpreting natural signs. Jesus was announcing an earthshaking event that would be much more important than the year's crops — the coming of God's kingdom.
Like a rainstorm or a sunny day, there were signs that the kingdom would soon arrive. But Jesus' hearers, though skilled at interpreting weather signs, were intentionally ignoring the signs of the times. People discern the weather, that is, physical matters of the world. Man's natural senses can be very discerning and sharp. He is skillful in studying and experimenting and in drawing conclusions from the natural world. Weather is the example Christ used; but the subject could be finances, medicine, society, or any other earthly subject. Jesus said people are very capable in discerning the material and physical matters of their world. Sadly, People do not discern spiritual matters. When it comes to the spiritual senses, man is dead and undiscerning. He does not take time to observe nor to experience the spiritual world, not really.
Back in the day when Jesus was here in the physical, People had failed to discern the time, that is, the coming of the Messiah. The signs that pointed to Jesus being the Messiah were visible.
Today.. .when Jesus is alive in the spiritual, people are still blind to the times, failing to discern the soon coming king. It is now as it was then all of the signs that pointed to Jesus being the Messiah are still visible.
The Bible and current events are speaking to us. . . .how good are you at interpreting the signs of the times?
God's great concern is meeting people in their lives, within their hearts, where they really need help. People must discern the times if they are to live abundantly while on this earth and live eternally in the next world. God wants to meet people in their sickness and sorrow and lostness. Are you ready?
Let us Pray…………
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cf. confer (compare)
vv. verses