The Divisive Christ

October 25, 2015

“Suppose ye that I AmCome to Give Peace on Earth?”

Luke 12:51-53; Matthew 10:34-36

This text is a hard saying. Jesus’ statement is revolutionary. It goes completely against the world’s view of Jesus Christ.

Jesus asks, “Suppose ye…” “Suppose” suggests an assumption many people have that Jesus came to bring everyone together. He answers, “Think NOT that I am come to send peace on earth…” (Mt. 10:34). He is saying, “Don’t get the wrong idea about Me and why I am here.”

People seem to always get the wrong idea about Jesus Christ. Truly He “endured such a CONTRADICTION of sinners” (Heb. 12:3). Even those in Christ’s day didn’t realize who He was and what He was doing.

Some said He was the son of Joseph conceived out of wedlock.
Some said He was in a collaborator with Beelzebub.
Some called Him a prophet.
His disciples thought He was a ghost as He walked on the water. When Mary saw Him on the morning of His resurrection, she thought He was a gardener. Gardeners never create anything—All a gardener does is bring out of nature what is already there. Some still think Je- sus is just a gardener, and not the Creator of the garden. To them, Jesus is just a man who brings out the best in human nature.

I. The PROSPECT of peace denied.

A. A PUZZLING statement! Startling… Surprising.

Christ’s answer is contrary to the angel’s announcement on the morning of His birth—“Glory to God in the highest and on earth PEACE, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Notice the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7.

Instead of answering in the affirmative, Jesus said, “NAY; but rather division.” “THINK NOT that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a SWORD” (Mt. 10:34). Jesus came to precipitate conflict (sword—a weapon—opposite of peace).

There is not much preaching from these two texts today. They are too negative. Today our society is all about getting together… getting along… going along, and don’t “rock the boat.

The world’s philosophy is to obscure distinctions and seek to merge, mix, and meld things together (sexes, races, religion).

“Think NOT that I am come to send peace on earth…” Jesus would have liked to bring peace. But peace must be on His terms. The reason the world has no peace is because it turned down His offer of peace. They rejected His terms for peace. There will never be peace on earth until Christ’s terms for peace are accepted. …

UNTIL THEN, there is….

B. A POSTPONING of peace—Because the world rejected Christ’s offer of peace, His offer of peace has been postponed until after the second coming.

At His second coming He will divide the sheep from the goats / the wheat from the tares and burn them (Mt. 25:31-41).
After His enemies are removed, Christ will reign over all the earth in peace. Any talk of world-wide peace today will have to wait until that day!