Letting the Past be the Past

Luke 12:49-53

If you have read my attempt at handling the word of God, it is clear that I am a flawed man with much in my past I’m ashamed of, and yet Philippians 3:13 gives me great encouragement.  “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”  You and I are living in a time that the prophet Isaiah told us would come, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!”  (Isaiah 5:20-21)

As we look to verse 49, and remember this is Jesus talking, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled.”  We are told that fire symbolizes judgment at the soon return of our LORD.  In verse 50 Jesus is telling His disciples about His death on the cross, “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” 

Verse 51-53 seems off message for Jesus, until you grasp the fullness of His message.  In this present darkness many teach a message of “all is good” if you follow Jesus and send them some cash you will never suffer, you will have money, friends, good health, and if that is not happening it is your fault.  That is not from Jesus, it is a word from the evil one, the one who came to kill, steal, and destroy.  These are Jesus’ words to you and me; “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Taken on face value that does not sound right, I like the guys who are saying “it’s all good” but it is clear that it is not all good.  Jesus is telling you and me we will not find peace in this world, look at John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  Many in the church and in the world are looking for peace there; they will never find it, for it can only be found in Christ.  The division which Jesus is referring, occurs when members of a family come to a relationship with Christ, an others in the family who are not in Christ will fight with both words and actions.   Often, a split in the family will take place, and If you find yourself in such a family, take heart your spiritual family of God is more important, and you must run to Jesus with all your cares, for He cares for you.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice