Luke 12:49-59 - To Judge and To Save

Well that good morning. Church. Amion near me. Good morning now is good morning everybody. How are we alright. So before we get started I'm going to ask him questions if I hear silence, I'm just staying here and stare at you. Okay, and that's just going to make this a lot longer than needs to be. Alright, so good morning. How are we good? It's good to see you. Like Jude said my name is Reese is my absolute pleasure and honor to be here sharing the word of God you this morning. Do you need to this text? Would you ask me to preach and he gave me the text for the week. I was a little bit nervous. It said if you read it at the end of a blue 12 to be a little bit heavy, but I've been praying for this and I'm very excited to see what God has for us than our texts. So I grabbed your Bibles open and please to Luke chapter 12 to be in vs 49 to 59 just finishing our continued on through rrc reason and Luke finishing up trapped at 12 if you don't have a viable or if you don't hear your phone does should be printed version your hand as well. So you can grab them right eyes. Your eyes are turning their let me through set. The stage are text. This morning is the combination of of what we've been seeing through chapter 12 De Jesus has been has been talkin has been building towards us. He's been preparing his disciples primarily on what it means to be a faithful disciple. He's been teaching them as there's crowds gathering around but now has two chapter built. He's been teaching his disciples in anybody's listening that they have to be ready for his departure. Okay, but also as Jude preach last week, he's been teaching that they have to be ready for his eventual return if that's where a passage today is about. Jesus is teaching on why it's important that they know who he is and what he has come to do because they need to be prepared for his return when he comes back. She's preparing them for the completion of his work. So grab your bible. What was in there Luke 12:49. We're going to read through our Passage.

I was Jesus speaking. I came to cast fire on the earth and would that it were already kindled I have a baptism to be baptized with how great is my distress until it is accomplished. Do you think that I have come to give peace on Earth? No, I tell you but rather division for from now on in one house. There will be five divided three against two and two against three there 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. He also said to the crowds when you see a cloud rising in the west you say it wants a shower is coming and see what happens. And when you see the south wind blowing you say there will be scorching heat and it happened to you Hypocrites, you know how to interpret the appearance of Earth and Sky, why do you not know how to interpret the present time? And why do you not judge for yourselves? What is right as you go with your accuser before the magistrate make an effort to settle with him on the way less. He dragged you to the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer and the officer put you in prison. I tell you you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny. Let's pray while we thank you for your word. We thank you for the truth that is in here for what it teaches is about your son in the work that he has done for we play you would just open our hearts to see what you have in here for sore that you would guide her time for that. You would guide me Lord as I as I desired just rightly divide the truth. It is your fault that you would affect us deeply by what we see a lord in that what we learn wouldn't just affect our mind. It would affect our hearts to change the way I have to relive making us more and more like your son Jesus. We ask this in His. Holy name. Amen. All right. So if we're being honest this is this is this is a heavy and uncomfortable passenger cake. A Jesus is saying some things here that are fencing This passage presents the uncomfortable truth that Jesus is not just the meek mild teacher, right? That is so popular and profitable with so many today. This is not the blond-haired blue-eyed white robe flannelgraph version of Jesus is so many of us are used to ride that. We were raised with essential oils flannelgraph boards. They were amazing why they were so versatile. But this is this is not we should be thinking about Jesus. He's presenting himself in such a way that it's clear that he came to judge and cause division. Alright, Jesus is clearly stating that he came to judge and cause division. However, however, even as he judges and divides his desire is that people would know the truth of who he is so that so that they can be in right standing with the one who ultimately judge all of creation. Let me see that again. Jesus comes Jesus came to judge in to cause division. However, even as he judges and devised his desire is that people would know the truth of who he is so they can be in right standing with the one who will ultimately judge all creation. There are three things in the text that show us this right splits jump back in we're going to read the verse 49 to 53 in in in in in these vs. Receipt of the first true that Jesus comes to judge in the Bible. Jesus clearly states that he's coming to judge in the Bible starting again verse 49 I came to cast fire on the earth and wood that are already kindled I have a baptism to be baptized with and how great is my distress until it is accomplished. Do you think that I have come to give peace on Earth? No, I tell you but rather division for from now on in one house. There will be five divided 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 her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. This is admittedly a very strange patches to preach after Christmas. We're going from Joy to the World no peace and goodwill to all men to I came to cast fire and cause division those two images are hard to judge the boys together right now. This is this is a massive ship. But this is what Jesus himself J is for claiming as his mission. Jesus is saying this and what we see in these vs. First is that Jesus says he came to bring Judgement in vs. 49 and 50. Are we see Jesus speaking to the fact that his mission on Earth is to carry out. The Divine will of the father K is mission on Earth is to carry of the Divine will and purpose of the father and part of that mission part of the flow of father is judgment on the cosmos. That's that's what Jesus is referring to when he speaking a fire in baptism throat through all the scriptures K. Fire is used as an example present image of the Divine Judgment of God write all all especially in the New Testament. But also that towards the end of the Old Testament God has consistently being referred to as one who is like a fire is refining right gives purifying he's making holy and this purifying fire is part of the final work of redemption right in Jesus knows this Jesus knows that fire the final judgment and purification of all things is connected to a second coming. And he knows that Eternal fire is awaiting those who enter judgment without knowing him. Jesus is awaiting the completion of the work that he has been sent by the father to do but on top of that he knows that the time for that has not yet. Come pick. He knows that before the consummation of our anticipation. She like right there. First before the consummation of our anticipation before he can come a second time, but there's still work to be done. He is working. That's what that's what he's referring to any talks with the baptism baptism. He's talking about is his death in the Crossgates his facing the holy wrath of God against our sin. So he knows it before that time. There's work the work of saving people of reconciling sinful Humanity to a holy God. However, As one commentator actually put it reconciliation to God can mean separation from people. Reconciliation to God to mean separation from people and that's what Jesus is talking about when he's talking about division here in this passage K. Look at me again with Ed versus 51.52 Do you think that I have come to give peace on Earth? No? No, I tell you but rather division for from now on in one house. There will be five divided three against two and two against three. Jesus is a very clearly speaking to the fact that his message in his work are going to divide they're going to separate they're going to lead to in this context. He's talked about to relational paint. The truth of the Gospel is going to set people against one another in very real and very painful ways. The truth of this fact as seen even in the scripture is born throughout throughout history. We can see that many of us have experienced. The fact of the truth of the Gospel is often very divisive K1 commentator again made the point that Jesus is truly and ruthlessly a divider. Jesus is truly and ruthlessly a divider. So what does that mean? What does it mean to say that Jesus is a divider because we don't we don't often think of Jesus like that. Do we? No, okay, cuz I told you I'm just going look at you. If we don't often think of Jesus like that. We think of Jesus as a unifier which she is. Okay, we think of Jesus as a peacemaker, which he is. We we think of me as one who brings people together and he causes us to a friend or enemies and pray for them right into be loving to another and he is that but but he is also one who pulls apart is also one who breaks down and who divides so let me see if this will throw health specialist. So I have I have a missionary friend who tells the story of a young man. He knows who got saved 17 years old young guy got saved in it in it out of Islam in a Muslim country close country. Very dangerous place to be Christian K & N E talks about me and this young guy in talking to him and getting to know him a little bit and he remembers shortly after this this this guy was converted he said to him. So what do you think your family is going to say? How do you think they're going to react to this? He says this boy 17 years old. This boy looks at him. He says well. I don't think my father will kill me. But I know my neighbors will.

17 years old. I don't think my father will kill me. But I know my neighbors will that thought never entered my mind when I got saved? Right or reason for snow the thought of my parents killing me or my neighbor Slaughter me for my faith was never something that I have to deal with. All right, but this is the division that Jesus is talking about. Jesus is saying that following him just might cost you your life. It might cost us. Our clothes are closest Earthly relationships for some of us in here have have an idea of what that feels. Like there. Aren't there are people in the world who will not understand who Jesus is or his message. There are people in the world who would hear the truth of the Gospel hate it still hate Christ and they will hate you for believing what it says. There are some people here who have felt the sting of that truth, right? There are people here who is relationships have been shattered because of of of their following Jesus write some of us may have been disowned by her family's about friendships break up with an abandoned by those closest to us because of our decision to follow Jesus following Jesus has always been accompanied by the risk that I can lead the broken relationships or Worse right in Jesus is never is never heard this from the very beginning when he's calling his disciples. He's making it very clear that following him is going to have a cost. Okay, but even asked you divide Jesus diss somebody else that we need to be very aware of gay. Even as he divides dividing families 7 relationships. He is about creating a new Family Guy. He's creating a family formed by those who do the will of his father in Heaven a family formed by those who follow him. He creates the church say this is incredibly important. Rasta considered because the church is the primary expression of the family in the New Testament. All right, the church is the primary expression of the family in the New Testament because of that we must learn to live together as a family. All right, go ahead and look around the room. Don't give me the runaround. Okay, this is your god-given family. All right, I remember how do I begin to Donna me that that I have more in common with Brothers and Sisters in Christ than I do with any unsaved family members that I might have. In the ways that matter most I am more closely related to the people in this room who are followers of Christ and to Christians all around the world that I am to any biological family member who isn't a believer that I might have that is true for me that's true for all of us that something that we need to be considering right the church is our family. It's not perfect I suffer but no family is we've got our share of strange cousins right of of smelly ants and grumpy uncle's right. We got we got a lot of them but it's vitally important. It's vitally important the being of thought that we understand that being a family means there's more expected of us. Okay, there's more expected of us than just to show up here in a Sunday morning. Would you agree with that? It's good. That was better. That's good. Right there's more expected of us as a family then to just show up here on a Sunday morning being a family means that we love each other that we serve each other that we help our family members we mourn and we cry and we celebrate and we pray with each other. We give our time and our money to meet needs Kate and when people give up the time of the money we gratefully and we graciously accept what's an offer can we build one another up? We bear one another's burdens we do with the word of God teaches us to do and when we do that when we act like a family that got his traitorous to beat it helps to lessen the sting of division that may have happened in our lives as as as we act as a family that we prayed to be the sting is lessons as we witness the love of Jesus displayed to the family that he has created Jesus creates this family to take the sting a division away. Yes. Jesus comes to judge in to vibrate in the process of doing that he builds a family that will love We flourish forever does eternity is a long time. The longtime Forevers the definition you're going to be in eternity with these people forever. Kate learn to love one another Okay, we'll be here all day but in doing that he creates the church, which is the the the the family has given us here on Earth or 256 as we move on. So he also said to the crowd so this is important to catch que. Jesus has turned its attention to his disciples. He's teaching his disciples now. He's addressing the crowd days turning from teaching the 12th is looking out. He's addressing the crowd has gathered together. He also said to the crowds when you see a cloud rising in the west you say it once a shower is coming and so it happens and when you see the south wind blowing you say there will be a scorching heat and it happens you hypocrites. 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? Alright, so what we see here in these verses that Jesus offers a stinging rebuke Jesus offers a stinging rebuke Jesus. Like I said, he's turned his attention away from us to say was you now addressing the crowd is going from teaching his closest followers to teaching this crowd of people. He's teaching these people who are probably only there they're only following me around because they want to see him do a miracle right? Jesus Jesus Jesus would be followed by these massive crowds of people who yes. Yeah. They wanted to hear music, right? They were there all astonished by his teaching they want to see here and teach but they also wanted to be amazed and it's easy. It's easy to sympathize with him. Like I would love to see a guy who gets lowered through the roof on his bed. Get up package bed up and walk away. That would be cool. I would love to see someone who's dead get up and not be dead anymore. Would you replay that before and Gretel? Add someone who's blind CC someone who's lame walk someone who's mute speak? These are all incredible things. They be a spectacular to see I understand but these people have seen Jesus do this if they've seen these Miracles and they wanted to see more and that was part of the problem right there. There if they're following Jesus for the spectacular moment's right and they're not necessarily seeing everything that that is I want to see CDs crowds were watching him do his miraculous things and they were seeing him fulfill all the prophecies connected to the coming Messiah and they were hearing him teaching ways that nobody had ever done before and they were completely ignoring the truth that was playing before them. They were completely ignoring the truth has complained before Jesus was not hiding who he was in the crowd is people primarily they're just not getting it. That's what Jesus is talking about here. He's looking at them you saying you said you could interpret the weather. Right, you can interpret the weather. You can tell what's going to happen because of clouds and wind right but you don't see who I am. Really you Hypocrites you Hypocrites that is strong language people don't usually like being called a hypocrite. And in Jesus, he's absolutely right in calling them that he's not overreacting in any way here all this is not hyperbole. This is Jesus accurately calling out something in these people their hypocrisy lies in the fact that while they claim to be able to interpret and understand the secret things of the world the wind the rain whether they couldn't or more likely they wouldn't interpret the signs of the times. I think they would interfere with the signs of the times. They completely ignored the truth. That was plainly before them. They were ignoring the fact that he was the Messiah the Savior King. That is a stinging rebuke. And it's also a review for many today. There are so many people in the world who ignore the truth of who Jesus is so many who are presented with the truth of the Gospel who ignore all together and NRA wants to be to pray that the holy spirit will work in their hearts to soften their hearts to let them see the truth of the Gospel. They would come to Christ and know him, right this is this is some of the week do we need to pray for but there's also absorb you cure for the church their beauty lies in the question that Jesus asks at the end of verse 56, you says, why do you not know how to interpret the present time? I learned last week from Jude not to explain what the end times are so I won't cuz I can't right. So don't get your hopes up. I'm knocking off for explanation of the end times but this is what I am going to say, whatever your understanding of the end times is whatever it is. We know. The Jesus coming back right. We know that we believe in that. That's the hope we have. And so our interpretation of these present times should be with Jude said last week be ready. Be ready. Our understanding of of the work of Jesus and what's happening is it is is it should primarily be that Jesus is coming back be ready. Part of our being ready part of our preparation for his return is understanding what the coming to understand what is coming when Jesus returns part of our preparation for the return of Crisis understanding what's coming with his return Ryan that leads us to our final Point. Look at me and vs. 57-59. Jesus issues a star Jesus during his last versus issues a stark warning. what you mean concerning verse 57

Why do you not judge for yourselves? What is right? As you go with your shoes before the magistrate make an effort to settle with him on the way less. He dragged you to the judge and the judge hand you over to the officer and the officer put you in prison. I tell you you will never get out until you've paid the very last penny know Jesus is doing he's doing two things here. All right in the first thing he's doing is he's encouraging us to live peaceably with others. All right, it's Ritz. Bits pretty obvious. Jesus is encouraging us to do what we can to live peacefully with those around us, but that is not all he is saying here the whole chapter 12 is building to these verses. It's it's it's this is the culmination of everything that Jesus has been teaching her face building to this is Pinnacle Miz versus the context of the entire of of of chapter 12, and especially what we've already gone through versus 49256. Jesus is clearly clearly teaching that we have to consider the fact we have to carefully consider the fact and understand that one day. One day we will stand before a judge at the end of all things. We will stand before the judge. And when we stand before God. The Supreme and righteous creator of the universe we will be judged.

That's what this entire passage has been building for Jesus. He begins with warning his disciples that has coming means that judgment is on the way. Okay, then he returns to the crowds and he rebukes them for not recognizing the truth of who he is. He rebukes them because of not seeing who he is. They are not prepared for the coming judgment, which he's now talking about. Here we see. The Jesus is making it clear that we cannot Escape judgment and that when that judgment comes Jesus must be made to listen. Jesus says I tell you you will never get out. Until you have paid the very last penny. You will never get out until you pay the very last night. There is not a whole lot of Escape Clause has built into that sentence. It's pretty definitive. You will never get out until you have paid the very last penny the word use for penne here is referring to a heaver coin that was practically useless and Roman societies was pretty much the equivalent of a Canadian penny. Alright useless in in the point that Jesus is making here to set until every last seemingly insignificant portion of debt is paid there is no chance. There is no chance of ever escaping the judge of that is coming. This is important to listen. Every person on Earth has debt towards God.

Every person the Bible makes it incredibly honest capably clear that all have sinned.

And in our sitting we have built up a debt before holy righteous God that we cannot ever. Ever hope to pay on our own. It's impossible. There is no way that we could ever pay off the debt that we owe and escape the Judgment of got this his this is terrible news.

We cannot save ourselves. This is the worst news you get over here. And for those who do not recognize the truth of who Jesus is this is this is the worst news. There's there's no there's nothing there's nothing we're going to see in this if you're here and you don't know who Jesus is and what he's done, please listen now. Okay, Jesus is the son of God who came to her. We have that. We ask that question 3 in the catechism. How many verses are in a God God the Father God the son God the holy spirit. This is God the son come to Earth. He live a perfect sinless life accruing. No debt to work. Jesus never sent. He had no debt nothing to pay. No last pennies to worry about. Okay you never sinned. You let the perfect sinless life accruing notable forgot and then because he was sent us because he had no debt. He died in the place of his people. He died in the place of his people wearing the righteous and holy wrath of God fully paying the debt for their sin. That is a good spot for a man fully paying the debt for there soon. Then after three days he rose from the grave. He ascended into heaven, right and you seated now at the right hand of God the Father Almighty where he is interceding for his people he is she is praying for those who love him. He's working out for you. This is who Jesus is he came he lived he died and he rose again. In order to pay the death of Sinners and if you don't know who he is, if you are if you are ignorant as to the signs of the times if you can interpret the wind and the rain, but you don't know what it means you Jesus is this is who he is gay. And if you're here and you don't owe him, that's okay. You can know him now right repent come to him confess your sins. Make him your lord. If you don't know what that means find someone around you who does it would be their absolute joy and pleasure to explain it to you to pray with you and to welcome you into the family of God. This is this is Did the beauty of the Gospel of who Jesus is all right. Now, if you're sure you are a Christian, we need to remind ourselves of this truth all the time. This is the gospel. This is what we've been saved by this is what we believe. This is what we live. This is what we're taught in Tolga commanded to Proclaim to the world, right? This is what we've been this is this is what you mean, we should really annoy people with how much we like this truth. This is what we are called to do reclaim the word Jesus came. Jesus came to judge / but And this is the beauty of the Gospel even as even as he judges and divides his desire desires that people would know the truth of who he is so they can be in right standing with the one who will ultimately judge. All creation judgment is coming.

Jesus says that he says he came to bring it right but in doing that he brings a message that allows us to it one day as Christians for those of us who are in Christ and before God and and and and and not look to ourselves but Point Jesus the finished work of Christ. Okay. That's the good news of the Gospel. Jesus comes to divide right and to judge. But even as he does at his desires of people would know the truth of who he is so they can be in right standing with the one who ultimately judge all of creation. Let's pray. Father thank you for your word. We thank you Jesus for the hope that he brings everything you for the truth that he proclaims even if it makes us uncomfortable father. We thank you that he does come to judge. He does come to Viber Lord that he provides family for the one that we lose Gordon. He provides hope The good news of the Gospel father. I pray that you would continue to to embed this truth in our hearts that we would come to know Jesus more everyday that we would understand a deeper and deeper levels the truth of who he is and what he's done or that you just help us to Proclaim this gospel. With every breath that we have in your holy name we pray. Amen.