Not Peace But A Sword!

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). The Cross is key regarding Fire. (vs 49).

(2). The Cross is key regarding Suffering & Death (vs 50).

(3). The Cross is key regarding Division (vs 51-54).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Oftentimes, a logo signifies the presence of a product or a company;

• That we know all too well.

• When you see a McDonald's golden arch,

• You think of Big Macs and French-fries.

• When you see the BMW logo, you think of a slick car.

• When you see the Google logo, you think of searching for answers online.

I googled the world’s top logos and these are the top four responses!

• Fourth place: Apple

• Third place: Ford

• Second place: Coca-Cola

• First place: Nike

• TRANSITION: That may be true when it comes to business;

• But the world’s greatest and most recognisable symbol has to be the cross.

• We see it on buildings, across skylines;

• And people of faith or no faith wear it as a symbol,

• i.e. as an item of jewellery.

Ill:

• In New Testament times the cross was a problem, a stigma:

• To Jewish people the cross is a stumbling block;

• They wanted a conquering king not a dying Messiah.

• To the Greeks it was foolishness.

• Death and this type pf death was humiliating and a sign of weakness;

• Their gods were gods of power and glory.

• To the Muslim the cross is an offence.

• They despise this symbol of the Christian faith.

• i.e. Even the red cross organisation use a different symbol in Moslem countries!

• (It is known as the Red Crescent in most Muslim countries)

TRANSITION: To the Christian, the cross is our supreme boast!

• Because we know the truth behind the symbol;

• That Christ died for our sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God!

• To the Jew the cross may be a stumbling block;

• To the Greeks it may be foolishness.

• To the Moslem the cross may be an offence.

• But to the Christian it is our supreme boast!

• And the cross is the key to understanding this passage this morning.

• It makes sense of the symbolism Jesus uses in his teaching!

Ill:

• An arch-bishop was getting ready for an important function.

• He laid his robes out on his bed.

• Alongside was his cross that he wore;

• And he also placed his watch, his wallet and his car keys.

• He popped in the shower and while in there;

• His wife wanted to go out but could not because her husband,

• The archbishop had blocked her in the drive with his car.

• So she said to their little boy;

• Run upstairs and get daddy’s car keys so I can move his car.

• The little boy duly obliged but when he entered the bedroom;

• He was confused.

• He could see the shiny cross but not the keys;

• So he picked it up and popped into the bathroom.

• His dad was in the shower and the little boy held up the cross and said;

• “Daddy is this the key?”

• His dad the arch-bishop replied; “Yes, son, it’s the key to everything!”

• TRANSITION: Obviously it was not the key to the car;

• But it certainly is the key to life’s most important issues.

• i.e. It is a picture of violence key to peace

• i.e. It is a picture of suffering key to healing

• i.e. It is a picture of death key to life

• i.e. It is a picture of utter weakness key to power

• i.e. It is a picture of capital punishment key to forgiveness

• i.e. It is a picture of hatred key to love

• i.e. It is a picture of shame key to boasting!

• TRANSITION: We will see in a few minutes time;

• Exactly why the cross of Jesus Christ is ‘the key to everything!’

Note: Before we see that I want you to notice;

• That the Jesus we meet here in these verses;

• Is not one that fits the stereo type image “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild”:

• This is more like “Angry Jesus, bleak and wild.”

• Yes, Jesus was meek but never weak;

• He was gentle but when the occasion called for it, he could also be strict.

• He was tolerant and forgiving;

• But he also demanded justice and righteousness.

Ill:

• The great composer Ludwig Van Beethoven used to sometimes played a trick;

• On some of his audiences.

• If he was invited to play in a certain situation,

• Where they were more concerned about having a celebrity to show off to other guests;