When I have a text like this to work with for my sermon I often wonder where the best place to start is…
There is a lot here in this morning’s Bible reading from Luke.
It is an extremely provocative text.
Jesus’ words here are meant to cause a strong reaction.
It should make us feel something and to awaken something within us.
Maybe a good place to start in unpacking today’s Gospel reading is to break it up into two texts.
We have verses 49 to 53 which is largely about division and then we have verses 54 to 56 which is largely about interpreting the present time.
First, the part on division.
Jesus said, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”
Not peace but division.
When we think about Jesus we think about peace – we do not think about division.
But in this teaching from Jesus, he is talking about division.
Jesus said that a household will be divided.
Family ties will be cut.
Separation will occur.
And how painful it will be.
Whenever division happens there is great pain.
Whether it be in a family or in some kind of a group whenever there is division there is loss and pain and anger.
We long for unity and peace and when that doesn’t happen the pain and the conflict can be so severe.
In the text Jesus is naming a true reality.
His teachings and his ways will bring division.
And, at that time, that is exactly what happened especially among families.
In the first century, Jesus’ teachings caused division within families.
And it did not stop there.
If you study church history you will find that in the last two thousand years the church has encountered division, conflict, and separation – again and again and again.
The hard truth here is that as much as we might like to preserve unity – Jesus’ words point to a greater truth.
In our sinfulness we turn from the peace of Jesus.
We cannot say that we believe in Jesus and his peace and then act in ways that are contrary to his peace.
We cannot pray to Jesus for peace and then act in our old sinful ways.
To know God’s peace, we must take steps towards peace.
To have peace in our families we must take steps towards peace.
It is like the old saying… “Hard work doesn’t guarantee success but without it you don’t have a chance.”
We cannot expect Jesus to do all the work of bringing peace and love and grace to the earth.
We need to join him in that cause.
We are to be part of the solution.
When division happens do we make it worse by our actions or do we make amends and find a way back to peace and harmony.
God wants to use us to bring about the kingdom of God – but we must not get discouraged when division happens, as Jesus warns us that it will happen – it is inevitable, but as Christ followers we are to stay with him on the path.
Then after saying these words on division Jesus turns his preaching to the interpretation of signs.
“When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’ and when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens.”
In today’s time we know so much about the weather and about the earth and sky and even space.
We can know things about the natural world that brings incredible insight into the smallest details of creation.
But as Jesus warns us here can we interpret the present time?
Jesus is calling for awareness.
First, he warns us that division will happen as followers of Jesus and next he calls us to be aware of signs of God’s kingdom.
We are to be aware of the things of God and not blind to God’s ways.
If we can know so much about creation, can we also know so much about Jesus and his mission.
We are to put our hope in him – not wavering back and forth but staying true in our faith.
People of God, may we pray for unity in our families and in our church, may we pray to be aware of signs of God’s presence around us, may we pray for grace for when we fall short of God’s ways, and may we pray for understanding and for compassion.
We are to be peacemakers in a world that seeks to be divided, we are to be the people that point to God’s reign around us, we are to be the one’s that work to heal and to restore that which is broken.
We can do this because Jesus is with us.
Amen.
