Matthew 10:34-11:1 Whoever Loses His Life for My Sake will Find It
Here they are, finally! Some of the most controversial words our Lord ever spoke: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” In the Bible, the word “sword” is often used in reference to the Word of God. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb 4:12). The word of God cuts through the chase. It divides men. Either I am for the Lord or I am against Him. Either “Thy Will be done” or “My will be done.” The consequences will determine how I live eternity.
Christ came into the world to liberate it! He is the eminent fighter. He is not warm and fuzzy; always with a smile on his face. He is not a pussy cat. He is a Lion, an untamed lion, like Aslan. Whoever loves anything or anyone above the All-Powerful One is not worthy of anything! Christ came into the world to set us free from sin, and paid the ultimate price for our rebellion. This is no G-rated movie. This is rated R, or “Restricted”, for those not passionately in love with the Lord.
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” According to Matthew, Jesus spoke these words only to his Apostles. What I admire most about the Lord is that he had no interest in sugarcoating the mission or making it more appealing. From the very beginning no weak men were allowed. Only the toughest were called to follow. You didn’t sign up. You were called. Christ did well, setting the bar high and expecting to lose a few on the way for he knew, from the very beginning, that the mission would be tough; the toll, costly, and yet, he predicted the yield would be abundant. He was right! No one can serve two masters. It’s either/or.
The greatest show on earth is a Christian on fire for the Lord - literally.
The Roman emperor Nero enjoyed crucifying Christians, dipping them in tar and lighting them on fire in front of enormous crowds of spectators. He would then yell at the Christians, mocking them, saying, “Now, you are truly the light of the world.” Little did he realize the impact these holy men and women would have on their audience. The spectators observed them more than the entertainment they had purchased. Their eyes were fixed on those who were willing to lose their lives but not the reward. This is the Way it all came to an end. This is the Truth on how Christians conquered and divided an evil empire. This is the Life we are all called to live.
You are right he was bold! It is still tought to hear this... especially now when we are so used to comforts of the world. It is so hard to detach from the stuff and fluff blinding us from the real goal of working towards becoming a mirror image of Christ
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Our daily battle as Christians (Christ-followers) is with knowing and living what is true. God calls us to daily pick up our sword to battle the snares that detract us in our journey to sanctification. We are told the sword is God's word. The simple act of meditating 5 minutes on the gospel reading can fortify us beyond measure for what may lie ahead as we step out into the world. The battle begins each day our feet hit the floor for the first time. We are bombarded with untruths that steal the peace that Our Father desires for us- His children. This peace comes from knowing Truth which is in fact God himself. God offers you the sword... will you take it?
ReplyDeleteWow,
ReplyDeleteI love it when you speak with such passion! It ignites a fire within, that gives me courage!
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.”
This passage has always been somewhat of a mystery and confusing. Thank you for making it clear.
As a former Kum by ya Christian, this was really unsettling. But as a warrior for Christ, it makes perfect sense!
May the Lord give us all the grace we need to remove the obstacles in our path to Him!