JESUS SPEAKING
“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided 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 her mother-in-law” (Luke 12: 49-53.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Jesus corrected the commonly held belief that he came to bring peace to the earth; his real purpose was to give everyone the opportunity to choose their eternal destination for themselves. The baptism Jesus underwent on the cross divided the world in two; some have accepted his sacrifice and followed his teaching; still others believe he was just a man, and the cross has no meaning in their lives. On this earth the strongest of all bonds exist within the family unit. Loyalty among siblings and between parents and children are supreme; yet not even these sacred relationships could withstand the new order Christ’s sacrifice has produced; the believer’s new supreme allegiance belongs to him, and those who share this allegiance are, ‘The Body of Christ.’
In Luke Jesus said to a man, “Follow me;” to which the man replied, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus then said, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you, go and preach the kingdom.” Then another man came to him and said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” Jesus replied, “No one, having put his hand to plow and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.” In both instances Jesus was causing turmoil and creating division. Both men were given the opportunity to choose between allegiance to family, and allegiance to Jesus Christ. Two choices, two sides, two paths; the choices presented to them are the same choices we face today.
In our time, the majority of people see Jesus Christ as the ‘prince of peace,’ but not as ‘the sword of God that cuts the world in two.’ Jesus did not come to bring peace to the earth, but to create unity among believers and division between those believers and everyone else. If you are at peace with the world, how can you be at peace with God? If we stand in this place as faithful believers, then the world will stand in opposition to us. Persecution is part of being a believer; we will suffer for our faith, but we are not alone. We must be strong for each other, and as one body, we can endure, and we can overcome the world through our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
“Lord Heavenly Father we ask that You give us the strength to step out in faith for You. We desire to be Your followers, so please help us to be different, to be filled with love, and to never be ashamed of the truth. Lord may our allegiance to You and to Your Son be supreme, and may we never put any relationship ahead of our relationship with You. Lord, may we eternally stand with You. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 