Today’s Bible Reading:
Genesis 31:17-32:12; Matthew 10:24-11:6; Psalm 13:1-6; Proverbs 3:16-18
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 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.
“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. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)
“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. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)
Jesus spoke those words to His disciples. These are words I do not like to spend much time thinking about. I prefer the Jesus who is gentle and kind, full of mercy and grace. To read that He did not come to bring peace on the earth…well, that is not the Jesus most want to know. And then to add that He did not come to bring peace but a sword. What can He possibly mean? Isn’t He the Prince of Peace? Is it perhaps that, like the Jews of Jesus’ time we expect the Prince of Peace to bring peace on earth when that was not at all what His ministry was/is about? The Prince of Peace came not to bring peace on the earth but to bring peace between God and mankind. Romans 5:1 states it pretty clearly, Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therein lies my problem with Matthew 10:34. I want Jesus to be the Prince of Peace on the earth right here, right now, as well as being the means to peace with God. My vision of the Messiah is maybe not so very different from that of the Jews of old.
Then Jesus goes on to hit us in some of the most tender places for most-our relationships with family members. Do we love Jesus more than these? We may be faced with some of the most heartbreaking decisions of our lives when it comes to loving Jesus more than close members of our own family. But if we choose them over following Jesus He tells us in no uncertain terms that we are not worthy of Him. Whoever tells you that life will be easy once you believe on Jesus needs to spend some time with these verses.
Then Jesus goes on to hit us in some of the most tender places for most-our relationships with family members. Do we love Jesus more than these? We may be faced with some of the most heartbreaking decisions of our lives when it comes to loving Jesus more than close members of our own family. But if we choose them over following Jesus He tells us in no uncertain terms that we are not worthy of Him. Whoever tells you that life will be easy once you believe on Jesus needs to spend some time with these verses.
May grace, peace, and mercy abound,
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