Dear Christian friends,

In our text Jesus says a very surprising thing. He says that He did not come to bring peace to the world, but division. We usually think of Jesus as bringing peace to the world. Isaiah called Him the "PRINCE OF PEACE", (Isaiah 9:6) The Christmas angels sang to the shepherds, “Glory To God in the highest, and peace to men on earth." (Luke 2:14)

There seems to be a real contradiction here. What is the answer?

I. Why does this happen? The Prince of Peace Brings Conflict

Jesus Himself does not make division and conflict. He is the Prince of Peace and He does bring peace to those who believe in Him and accept Him for their Savior. All who confess their sins and believe that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins have true peace. They have the best peace anyone can have. They have peace with God. God no longer holds their sins against them. He forgives them because of Jesus. (Romans 5:1) Therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus also brings peace to families, communities, and nations when all or a majority of the people accept Jesus for their Savior and seek to do God's will. The conflict and division happens when some in the family or group refuse to believe in Jesus and refuse to walk in His holy ways.

The members of a family or community who do not believe in Jesus will show their hostility in one way or another. They are the ones who cause conflict and divisions. Sometimes those who believe in Jesus cause trouble for the unbelievers.

What is the answer to this problem? You who live at Pilgrim Towers also have experienced this conflict and division. Some of you have also experienced this conflict in your families.

II. This problem we should bring to Jesus and seek His help and comfort.

Jesus understands about this problem. (vv. 49-50) He, Himself, experienced this conflict and division in His family and in His home town and in His nation. One day when He preached in His home town, Nazareth, the people became very angry and tried to kill Him. (Luke 4:28-29) And you know that three years later the leaders of the Jewish nation hated Him and demanded of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, that He be crucified. Jesus had done nothing wrong. But they hated Him because He said He was God's Son and the promised Savior.

Jesus knows and understands your problems. He suffered them and much more. So come to Him with your problem. He will welcome your prayers and He will give you peace and joy in your heart and hope, so that you can remain true to Him and continue to witness to those who persecute you and make trouble for you because you believe in Jesus.

If your spouse (husband or wife) is an unbeliever, you may have to have private prayer and Bible reading at home. You also may have to come to church alone. Sometimes you can't come to church because your husband or wife gives you a bad time about that. Sometimes your husband or wife will get a divorce from you because of your faith. But remember that Jesus understands. He does not blame you. He is ready to support you and comfort you. And Jesus wants you to remain true to Him although someone in your family or community persecutes you. Jesus says, "He that loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and He that loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." (Matthew 10:37)

You can also expect to receive the support of your pastor and fellow Christians when you have this problem in your home. Often other Christians and even pastors who enjoy a peaceful family life fail to give support to those Christians who do not; and in fact, they often are self-righteous and criticize the members who do have this problem. Those of us who have a united and peaceful family in Christ Jesus should humbly thank God for this special blessing, and then be aware that many of our Christian brothers and sisters do not enjoy this blessing. We should show sympathy to them and help them suffer that trouble and pray for them. God forgive us when we fail to do this!

We know from experience and from God's promises that a broken or divided family can be reunited in Christ by the patience and prayers of the Christian involved and by the support and prayers of the congregation.

So take the troubles in your home to Jesus. In Jesus you will find an understanding Friend, a true Helper and Comforter.

Before I close this sermon I want to give a warning to all Christians. Don't ask for trouble. Don't you be a trouble-maker in the family or in the community. Sometimes a spouse will say to his/her mate, "If you don't become a Christian and join my church, I will divorce you." Should the Christian spouse say that to his/her mate? NO! If you talk like that to your unbelieving spouse, you do wrong and you yourself are a trouble-maker. By showing patience and by showing love and kind deeds Jesus wants you to try and win your spouse's heart to believe. Jesus does not want you to use threats and force to win someone, We win someone for Jesus by showing love and by telling the Gospel to them. Don't use threats or force.

Also you Lutherans, who live at Pilgrim Towers, you must be careful how you talk to those who do not believe in Jesus or who may belong to another church, I hear that some of you are threatening those who do not come to our church. You say, "If you don't join our Church, you will have to move out of Pilgrim Towers." If you say that you make a big mistake. First, that's not true. It is a lie: Pilgrim Towers is under HUD, a government agency, and all deaf are welcome to live there no matter what their religion or if they have no religion. Secondly, you cannot win someone to Jesus by using threats or force. You win someone to Jesus by showing to them Jesus' love and kindness and by telling them the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. That's what Charlie Kotal and I have been trying to tell you during the past five Sundays. Will you never learn? Some of you never pay attention and never learn.

We Christians will have plenty of trouble from unbelievers even when we are kind and sweet and do like Jesus; we should not make extra trouble by acting like a fool. Don't be a trouble-maker! Be a peace-maker! If you are a trouble-maker and then must suffer because of that, you deserve it; it's your own fault and Jesus will not praise you. But if you are a peace-maker, like Jesus, and then must suffer trouble, rejoice: You do not deserve that trouble. It happens because you are good and follow Jesus. Jesus will praise you and give you a great reward in heaven. Jesus says, "Happy are those who strive for peace - they shall be called the sons of God. Happy are those who are persecuted because they are good, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. When men mock you and persecute you and tell lies about you because you are My followers - wonderful! Be happy about it! Be very glad: For a tremendous reward awaits you up in heaven." (Matthew 5:9-12)

Amen