“I Came Not to Bring Peace, but Division” // Luke 12:49–53 //
Uncomfortable - The Difficult teachings of Jesus
We’re in a series called “Uncomfortable” and the big idea behind this series is that many people have a serious misconception about Jesus, that he was this soft religious guru who just went around spreading peace & love. The real Jesus was polarizing: you either loved him or hated him.
The difficult statement we’re going to look at this week comes from:
Luke 12:49–53
49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other!
52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.
53 ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ ”
Matthew 10:37-39
“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
I. Jesus Divides
When Jesus came, he claimed to be the full and complete revelation the one true God.
The Christian says, “He’s God; he gets to make the rules.
Doesn’t matter what I think, or you think, about this.”
The world says, “I think I get to make the rules, too,
so I’m going to “exclude” his claims to total Lordship.
The world says, “You Christians’ views on sex are too narrow.”
Romans 1 says all our conflict comes from this question: is God in charge of all our lives, or are we in charge? Does he get to make the rules, or do we get to make the rules?
II. Jesus makes A Staggering Claim
He doesn’t say, “Love and obey God, but love and obey me.”
Matthew 10:37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
III. Jesus Suffering demands our Allegiance
Mat10:37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
Luke 12:49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished.
You see, the problem is, if God’s righteous wrath destroys all the wickedness, would any of us survive? For all have sinned...
So, he suffered God’s wrath in our place. When Jesus died... Darkness. Earthquakes.
Uncomfortable - The Difficult teachings of Jesus
We’re in a series called “Uncomfortable” and the big idea behind this series is that many people have a serious misconception about Jesus, that he was this soft religious guru who just went around spreading peace & love. The real Jesus was polarizing: you either loved him or hated him.
The difficult statement we’re going to look at this week comes from:
Luke 12:49–53
49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished. 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other!
52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.
53 ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ ”
Matthew 10:37-39
“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
I. Jesus Divides
When Jesus came, he claimed to be the full and complete revelation the one true God.
The Christian says, “He’s God; he gets to make the rules.
Doesn’t matter what I think, or you think, about this.”
The world says, “I think I get to make the rules, too,
so I’m going to “exclude” his claims to total Lordship.
The world says, “You Christians’ views on sex are too narrow.”
Romans 1 says all our conflict comes from this question: is God in charge of all our lives, or are we in charge? Does he get to make the rules, or do we get to make the rules?
II. Jesus makes A Staggering Claim
He doesn’t say, “Love and obey God, but love and obey me.”
Matthew 10:37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
III. Jesus Suffering demands our Allegiance
Mat10:37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
Luke 12:49 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished.
You see, the problem is, if God’s righteous wrath destroys all the wickedness, would any of us survive? For all have sinned...
So, he suffered God’s wrath in our place. When Jesus died... Darkness. Earthquakes.