Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Introduction
It’s Nowhere Close to Christmas Time
But I’m Going to List a Few Cliche Christmas Phrases
Just Nod Your Head if You’ve Heard These Before:
‘Tis the Season
Deck the Halls
Joy to the World
Noel
What About This One:
Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward Men
Did You Know, if You Use the KJV, You Can Read that Phrase in Your Bible?
Luke 2:14 (KJV 1900)
Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
This was Told to a Group of Shepherds By a Host of Angels the Night Jesus was Born
Isn’t it Great that Ever Since the Day Jesus was Born…
There’s Been Peace On Earth and Good Will Toward Men?
Wait, That’s Not True is it?
In Our Text, Jesus Himself Will Even Tell Us…
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword”
Well, Then Why Did the Angels Say, “Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward Men?”
Well, They Didn’t
I’ll Leave You on that Cliffhanger for a Minute
Matthew 10:34-11:1
We are in Jesus’ 2nd Major Teaching Discourse in Matthew’s Account
He is About to Send His 12 Apostles Out to Multiply His Ministry to the People of Israel
In This Discourse, His Focus is On the Persecutions and Sufferings that Await His Disciples
Before Taking Part in His Kingdom Ministry…
Jesus Wanted Them to Know They Would Be Persecuted and Hated By All Types of People
But They are to Be Wise and Harmless
Jesus Told Them 3 Times Not to Fear Those Who are Against Them
But Rather, They Should Fear God and Continue Proclaiming the Gospel
Because Those Who Confess Jesus Will Be Confessed By Jesus
But Those Who Deny Jesus will Be Denied By Jesus
That Leads Us to Verse 34:
Matthew 10:34 (NASB95)
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Many Messianic Prophecies in the OT Spoke of the Messiah Bringing an Era of Everlasting Peace
And that Messianic Era Has Begun (Jesus is on the Throne)
But, if that’s the Case, Where is the Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men?
It’s Nowhere to Be Found Because the Angels Didn’t Actually Say that
The KJV Got it Wrong
Pretty Much All of the Newer Translations are in Agreement on What the Angels Actually Said
Luke 2:14 (NASB95)
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
It Isn’t “Peace on Earth and God’s Favor Upon All Men”
It’s “Peace On Earth Among Men Whom Have God’s Favor”
Jesus Did Not Come to Bring Peace On Earth
But, There is Peace, Harmony, and Salvation Amongst Those Who Seek God’s Favor
Peace Amongst Those Who Seek His Kingdom (Reign and Rule)
But as for World Peace…
It Will Happen, But Only When the Messiah Returns
When He Returns, He is Bringing Ultimate, Everlasting, Universal Peace…
To His People Who Sought His Favor in this Age
But Until His Return, We Live in an Age of Hatred, Violence, and War
Jesus Did Not Bring World Peace
He Brought a Sword
Luke Worded it This Way:
Luke 12:51 (NASB95)
“Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth?
I tell you, no, but rather division;
Matthew’s “Sword” = Division; a Severing of Relationships
Jesus Didn’t Promise Peace in this Life
He Promised Division, Persecution, Hatred, and Violence Against His People
Here’s a Good Place to Throw in a Little Practical Clarification:
When Jesus Said He Brought a Sword…
Don’t Take that to Mean He was the One Holding the Sword
There is Division Because of Christianity…
But Christianity Doesn’t Cause the Division
Jesus was Not an Angry, Rude, Divisive Jerk
He was a Peacemaker, and He Calls His Followers to Be Peacemakers
There is No Excuse for Christians to Be Disrespectful, Impolite, or Rude
This World is Divided Because of Christianity
But it Better Not Be Because We are the Ones Holding the Sword
People in the World Will Hate Us Because of Our Love for and Allegiance to Jesus and His Gospel
But that Ought to Be the Only Reason They Hate Us
If You, as a Christian, are Experiencing Hatred, Rudeness, and Division From the World…
Ask Yourself this Question:
Do They Hate Me Because I Love and Act Like Jesus?
Or Do They Hate Me Because I’m a Jerk?
Are They the Ones Holding the Sword?
Or Am I?
Matthew 10:35–36 (NASB95)
“For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
Jesus Quotes From Micah 7:6
Micah Lived in a Time of Wickedness When You Couldn’t Even Trust Your Own Family
Because of Jesus and His Gospel, We Can Expect the Same
Family Loyalty was of the Utmost Importance to the Jewish People
But Because of Jesus and His Gospel…
Many Families Will Be Ripped Apart and Turned Against Each Other
Jesus Came to “Set” People Against Their Family
“Set” = Divide
Because of Jesus, Even Some of the Closest Families Will Be Divided
Matthew 10:37 (NASB95)
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
There are Several Things to Unpack in this Verse
First, Let’s Focus on “Love”
“Love” is the Verb Form of phileo = An Emotional/Affectionate Love
The Root Word of phileo = philos = “Friend”
It is a Love Between People Who Share a Close Bond with Each Other
And it Carries the Idea of Loyalty
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