GOD’S TRUTH DIVIDES (Outline)
August 30, 2009 --
PENTECOST 13 --
Luke 12:49-53
INTRO: Good and evil, light and darkness are opposites. They have nothing in common with each other. God’s word judges and divides in much the same simple manner. One time Jesus’ enemies accused him of using the power of Satan to perform miracles. This was not the truth. A house divided against itself cannot stand. "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters"(MATTHEW 12:30). People are either for God or against God, there is no middle ground. We consider:
GOD’S TRUTH DIVIDES.
I. We see this in Jesus’ life.
II. We may see this in our life.
I. WE SEE GOD’S TRUTH DIVIDES IN JESUS’ LIFE
A. Jesus’ life was fast approaching a crucial crossroads, his cruel crucifixion. Jesus knew this future.
1. Jesus is the only person born with the purpose of dieing. This death was a pain-filled torture.
2. Before dieing Jesus would be betrayed, rejected, unjustly convicted, beaten, and exhausted.
B. Every day Jesus was very, very aware of the future that his Father had chosen for him.
1. No wonder verse 50. Jesus would be baptized with a baptism of terrible suffering.
2. “Distressed” is the same word in Philippians 1:23 for “torn”: between heaven and earth.
a. Humanly Jesus was not excited about dieing. b. Divinely Jesus was eager to die for all sin.
3. John had already baptized Jesus. Jesus coming baptism was to partake of the cup of suffering.
C. Why would Jesus suffer and die by crucifixion? Did he ever think, say, or do anything evil? NO!
1. Jesus simply taught God’s truth and lived by God’s truth. God’s truth divided.
2. Jesus was the Bread of life – the people grumbled. Jesus was God’s Son – blasphemy.
D. God’s truth divides. The truth of God’s word eventually even divided Jesus from his earthly life. God’s truth still divides today. There are some who find it difficult to understand the scriptural teaching of Jesus’ sacrifice. Some feel that a loving, heavenly Father would not demand the life of his Son to be given up in such a horrendous manner. God’s truth is divine truth. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Yes, Scripture does teach “blood theology”. "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our con-sciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"(HEBREWS 9:14).
E. Jesus suffered and died for God’s truth. He lived a perfect live. We ought not to think our lives are exempt from suffering. Evil people consider Christians to be a “soft-touch”. All too often there are those who will always take advantage of the generosity and kindness of the believer. We are not happy at all when someone takes advantage of our faithful acts of love for God that we show to those in need. Many, many took advantage of Jesus. Can we expect anything different? "But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 PETER 2:20b, 21). Help others. Be kind and generous. If people take advantage of you because of your love for God --- that is not bad.
F. Jesus said he was distressed about his approaching suffering and death. This is the same word as torn. This same word is also used in Corinthians, “compels”. Jesus was torn knowing his death would bring great suffering. He was also torn wanting to carry out his love in obeying his Father’s will. Jesus showed the depth of his love to all mankind, by his death. How and why would Jesus do this? Jesus was com-pelled. He could not help but do what God required. Now Paul uses this same idea concerning Jesus’ mission and our Christian life. "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again" (2 CORINTHIANS 4:14,15). We love because God first loved us. We live for others Justas Jesus lived, died, and rose again out of love for all the lost.
GOD’S TRUTH DIVIDES.
We see Jesus’ life and death divided him from everything that was worldly.
II. WE MAY SEE GOD’S TRUTH DIVIDE IN OUR LIFE.
A. Jesus was distressed, torn, and compelled to face his suffering and death soon to come.
1. Verse 49. Fire could mean the fire on Judgment Day or the fire of Jesus’ present judgment.
2. This fire could also mean the fire or zeal of the Gospel preaching after Jesus’ resurrection.
B. Verse 51. Here is the promised Prince of Peace stating that he did not come to bring peace on earth.
1. So it is that Jesus did not come to bring peace among nations. Jesus’ peace was divine.
2. The peace of Jesus is forgiveness. This peace calms believers’ hearts and souls, at times lives.
C. Verses 52,53. Households would face divisions. They would be divided over this Jesus, the Christ.
1. Not all of the Jewish households believed that Jesus was the Messiah, even after resurrection.
2. Paul was a Pharisee, a learned religious leader. It took God’s call to change his mind, his life.
D. God’s truth divides families. Look at our society today. Our children are growing up in a world that has no morals. Truth is relative. People feel it is wrong to judge. God’s truth does just that. God’s truth judges between good and evil, what is good and right and what is evil and wrong. Sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, grandchildren decide to live as husband and wife without the benefit of marriage. Society does not care. God’s truth divides. "’Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning. You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,’" declares the LORD"(JEREMIAH 9:5,6).
E. Check out the websites of major church bodies. Examine what they teach as truth. Discover what their conventions have decided. More often than not God’s truth has been discarded for the sake of being “worldly appealing” and / or “politically correct”. Our Lord does not guarantee that that the Christian church will be the biggest church in these last days. In fact, Scripture reminds us that there will be a great falling away from the truth. Look closely at some of the biggest churches today. They are doctrinally unsound. They are Biblically deficient. God’s truth is missing. God’s truth divides them from being the true, holy Christian church. "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 TIMOTHY 3:12,13). Watch out for wolves in sheep’s clothing. God’s truth clearly divides good from evil.
F. It is all the more important in these last days to hold fast and stand firm on the very foundation of the Christian church. We always need to hear the simple message of salvation, God’s truth. We do not want to be carried away by false messages proclaimed to “itching ears”. "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (ROMANS 6:4). Our sins are buried in the tomb of Christ. We have been raised by the power of God to live a new life. We have this by the power of Jesus’ resurrection.
CONC.: Jesus proclaimed the truth. Jesus lived by the truth. Jesus died by the truth. Such is the truth of God’s word that divides light from darkness. Such is the truth of God’s word that is so valuable in our lives. Before Pilate Jesus stated that he had come to testify to the truth. Pilate questioned: “What is truth?” This same question is heard over and over and over again in our age of doubt and relative truths. "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God" (JOHN 3:21). GOD’S TRUTH DIVIDES. May God’s truth always keep you in the light of God’s love to show this love to others. May others see in your lives all that God has done to you and for you and through you because of his truth! Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 13 readings:
PROVERBS 9:1-6;
EPHESIANS 5:15-20;
JOHN 6:51-58;
(PSALM 1)
SERVICES: 1:00pm @ NCF Min. (Sat)/12:00pm @ NCF Medium (Sun) / 9:30am @ Redeemer (Sun) / 7:00pm @ Hays (Sun)
BIBLE STUDIES: TUES. -- 6:00pm (Min) + 7:30pm (Med) @ NCF / 10:55am @ Redeemer (Sun)
/ Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM
