Jesus divides
families!
The angels announcing Jesus' birth said He would bring
"peace to men on whom His favour rests."
1*. Some might think
that Jesus is saying the very opposite in this story!
Over and over again throughout the Holy Bible we find "peace with
God" is offered freely to sinful mankind through faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ. 2*.
One day as Jesus was teaching He said, "I have come to bring fire
on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled….. Do you
think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but
division!" 3*.
How could Jesus, the peacemaker, now say He was bringing "fire",
and "division" to families?
Earlier when John the Baptist had announced the coming of Jesus he
had said Jesus would use 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."
4*.
John pictured Jesus as a Farmer. A farmer looks forward to see the
reward of all his hard work when he will have gathered up and
stored away all the good grain. One unpleasant but necessary job
that marks the end of all the toil and sweat is the burning up of
all the useless chaff and waste.
Maybe that is something like what Jesus had in mind when He was
wishing His fire was already kindled. Jesus was looking forward to
the time when His harvest work would be complete - when all
those who were going to be saved by Him would be safely gathered
into Heaven.
But He was giving a clear warning that not everyone would be saved!
His fire of judgement would fall upon those who would prove to be
of no value to God in the end.
Before the glorious day of harvest could come Jesus knew He had to
face into a terrible time of more than toil and sweat! - "and how
distressed I am until it is completed," He said. 5*. In order for people's lives to be
made pleasing and useful to God, Jesus would first of all have to
do a very, very, difficult job. But He was ready and willing to go
ahead, although He knew exactly what it would mean for him. Jesus,
"for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its
shame" 6*.
A Christian song says it this way: "..when we were condemned God's
Son took our place. For our sins He went to the cross and the
grave. From there He arose, so He's able to save." Jesus was
willing to pay the full price God demanded for our sin - "the wages
of sin is death." 7*.
So Jesus is our only hope and Saviour! 8*.
But, sadly, many people will not believe that Jesus is the
only Priest and Saviour. This results in families being divided in
their beliefs. 9*.
What will happen to the family members who will go on putting their
trust in the help other priests and sacraments and saints are
supposed to offer? They will be the ones who will experience the
fire of God's judgement because of their unbelief. 10*.
Make sure YOU are trusting in Jesus!
Read that Jesus divides families in
Luke chapter 12, verses 49-53.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Luke 2:14.
2 Romans 5:1-11. Ephesians
2:14-17. Colossians 1:20.
3 Luke 12: 49 & 51.
4 Luke 3:17.
5 Luke 12:50.
6 Hebrews 12:2. 2:14-18.
Romans 3:21-28.
7 Romans 6:23.
8 1st Peter 3:18. 2nd
Corinthians 5:21.
9 Luke 12:52-53.
10 John 3:16-19, 36.
Matthew 25:41.
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