Christ brings division. Do you know this statement to be true in your own life?
Years ago, a very dear friend, after learning of a recent heart-conversion, asked me in a loud, jokingly way, “OH! Are you a Jesus-freak now?”
I smiled as I stated, “Yes! Yes I am. I love Jesus with all my heart.” He backed down, but soon after, I would notice a slowly growing gap in our friendship. I no longer wanted to do the things we used to do together as friends. I had a new way of thinking.
Jesus knew what believing in Him would do to families and to friendships. It caused division then; it causes division now.
He asked in Luke 12:51, “Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth?...”
My quick answer is, “Yes!” The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Isaiah, in foretelling the birth of Jesus, wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;…and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 ESV
The angels singing above the shepherds that one night long, long-ago, sang “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14 KJV
Yes. My answer is, yes, You came to bring peace Jesus!
But Jesus, in that same sentence, answered His own question “…I tell you, not at all, but rather division.”
Not at all?
At first glance that seems contradictory to the way Jesus works. Doesn’t the Bible say, “God is love”? Then what is He trying to teach us?
Jesus went on to say, “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.”
Do you know the pain of broken relationship? And do you know that pain due to your belief in a Creator God? I am sorry. Even amongst Christian’s who do not agree with each other’s theology there is brokenness and division.
Matthew worded it a bit differently, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father (or alienate a man from), a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;”
And then verse 36 carries the sting-of-all-stings: “and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ “
Friend, as hard as that feels; as bad as that is, Jesus invites us to look at Him instead. After all, isn’t eternal life our goal? I know it His goal. He suffered unimaginable pain, grief, and torture to pay the way for your sin and mine.
One of the most touching, most important prayer in the Bible, in my humble opinion, is found in John 17. IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
Such faith Jesus had in His Heavenly Father!
Jesus ends that prayers with this: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
He wants our love. He wants our hearts. He wants us to see Him anew and to rekindle old flames. He wants us to burn with passion for Him just like the disciples experienced on the road to Emmaus.
It was Sunday morning. Two of Jesus’ disciples were walking to a village named Emmaus. As they were walking they were discussing the events of the past two or three days.
“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.” Luke 24:15-17 ESV
Try to visualize that in your mind. They are overcome with grief. There is no spring in their step as they walk this dusty road. All of their hopes and dreams for liberation had been tortured and killed on the cross. And then some stranger just pops in and asking what’s going on. They were indignant.
I love the way Jesus plays along for a bit. Why does He not allow them to “see” Him right away? I have no idea, but what comes next is one of the longest conversations in the Bible. Cleopas asks Him:
“…“Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
“And he said to them, “What things?”
“And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
“Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:15-27 ESV
We don’t know how long Jesus spoke with them but eventually they get close to Emmaus. Jesus pretends He is going to keep walking. This tickles me. Again, just a little test? A little fun? Verse 29 says they strongly urged him to stay.
“When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Luke 24:30-34 ESV
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
Friend, Jesus wants that same relationship with us today. He wants our hearts to burn with passion for the truth of the His Holy Word. He wants our hearts to burn with desire for a future home with Him, living in perfect harmony with nature and with God.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” John 14:6 ESV
by Jeanette Stark – Thursday, June 15, 2023
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