Dear Christian friends,

When Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Jesus Christ he named him, among other names, "the Prince of Peace." And when Jesus was born that first Christmas night the multitude of the heavenly hosts sang to the shepherds: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill to me." (Is. 9:6 and Luke 2:14) We usually think of Jesus as being kind, meek and mild showing love and bringing peace. Yet here in our text, which is the Gospel lesson for this Sunday, Jesus seems to contradict all this when he says, "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. (v. 51)

There seems to be a real contradiction here, yet it is true:

I. Why does this happen?

A. Jesus himself does not make conflict and division. As Isaiah said, he is indeed the "Prince of Peace," and He really brings peace to those who confess their sinfulness and sins and believe, as the Scriptures say, that he died on the cross so that the whole world might have the forgiveness of sins. St. Paul plainly says in Romans 5:1 "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

B. Jesus also brings peace to families, communities, and nations when all or a majority of the people believe in Jesus as their dear Savior and seek to do His will. In the beautiful Advent hymn; "Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates" in the third verse we heartily sing:

Oh, blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
Oh, happy hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
The cloudless Sun of joy He is,
Who bringeth pure delight and bliss;
We praise thee, Spirit now
Our Comforter art thou
TLH 73 verse 3

Yes, indeed, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and he brings the sweetest peace and joy to those who accept him.

C. The conflict and division happens when some in the family or city or nation are offended by Jesus and his cross and refuse to believe in him and walk in his humbly, holy ways. In our text Jesus says, "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, 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 daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." (vv. 51-53)

1. Jesus is here calling us to awaken to the harsher side of his presence here on earth. The impression is often given today by liberal Christians and non-Christian religious people that Christianity is a benign, tolerant religion whose sole purpose is to keep the peace at all costs. "After all," they argue, "Jesus came to bring peace on earth." However, they conveniently overlook this text. By its very nature true peace requires division, because nothing is so contradictory and, therefore, divisive as God's supernatural grace and man's natural self-righteousness and pride. God's grace in Jesus Christ tolerates no man made religions. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life; No man comes to the Father except by me." (John 14:6)

2. The reason for the division is that while some humbly embrace Jesus and his cross others proudly are offended at Jesus and the cross. And this creates a grievous paradox. And the paradox is this: the Gospel call to believe in Jesus and his cross may unite us with total strangers and divide us from those whom we love dearly and with whom we have intimate relationships. And this in turn causes great heartache for both the believer and the non-believer in the family. St. Paul told of his sorrow, over his fellow un-believing Jewish brothers saying, "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in in my heart." (Romans 9:2)

3. Jess Sullivan is a Creek Indian living in a small town in Oklahoma. He is also a minister of the Gospel and, with his wife serves several churches of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference. When Jess became a Christian, his family and tribe members ostracized him and his wife. Jess's family and tribe members cling tenaciously to the Native American religion. Reverend and Mrs. Sullivan are no longer permitted to participate in tribal observances and celebrations. A middle wall of partition has been flung down between them and members of their own larger family. This, of course, is magnified by the culture thing. However, regardless of culture, when one declares for Christ and really embraces his way of living in the presence of others who do not a painful, unavoidable division is established! This is indeed a great heartache for the Christian.

II. What is our comfort and strength when this conflict happens to us?

A. One of our consolations is this! While we in a way may lose brothers, and sisters, we, in another way, gain many, many more in the great family of the holy Christian Church.

1. One day Jesus was teaching in the temple and his mother and brothers and sisters were waiting outside for him to hurry up and finish. Someone told Jesus that his family was waiting for him. Jesus seeing this as an opportunity to teach a very important lesson asked the crowd this question: "Who is my mother and my brother and my sister? Then he answered: "Whoever does the will of him that sent me, the same is my mother, my brother and my sister." (Mt. 12:46-49)

2. So let this be your comfort and hope when you suffer the loss of family and friends because of your faith in Jesus and his cross: while you may lose precious family members here on earth, you are gaining many, many more, and not just for this short time on earth but for eternity.

B. We are also comforted and strengthened by knowing that Jesus himself suffered this very same conflict as he faithfully carried out his redemptive mission here on earth, and so he understands and sympathizes with us as we now suffer and bear the cross.

1. He says in our text, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!" (vv. 49-50) The "fire" and the "baptism" of which Jesus speaks refers to his work of saving the world, which reached its climax on the cross. The "fire" is symbolic of God's wrath and judgment against sin and sinners, which fell upon Jesus since he willing suffered that terrible judgment in our place. (Sadly, it will also fall upon all those who are offended by the cross and reject Jesus Christ, causing the conflict.) In suffering that terrible wrath of God Jesus experienced tremendous conflict. He was rejected by God, by the Church, by the government, and even his disciples. He was full and completely forsaken. His love for us and all mankind drove him to accept this "fire" and this "baptism."

2. Yes, Jesus knows about this conflict and therefore he knows how to comfort us and sustain us in the midst of ours. So, come to Jesus when your family and friends despise, forsake you! Take it to the Lord in prayer. In his arms he'll take and shield you! You will find a solace there! Jesus will remind you through the Word and the Sacrament of the conflict he endured to redeem you, and all mankind. He will also remind you of the many saints and martyrs of both the Old and the New Testament who endured all manner of conflicts and heartaches for the sake of the Gospel as he does in Hebrews, chapter eleven, which precedes the Epistle lesson which was read before. The first verse of that Epistle refers to these martyrs as the "great cloud of witnesses" and exhorts us to follow them. The next verse tells us to also look to Jesus. We read: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-3) This is truly an inspiring, energizing exhortation for us all.

Conclusion: As Christians, the divisions we experience from family and friends of the cross causes us the greatest heartache and sorrow. Yet, knowing that Jesus himself and the saints suffered this division and that Jesus told us to expect it enables us to bear the cross and even glory in it. While the Prince of Peace brings divisions, yet he is the only hope for a divided world. So we must continue to proclaim him and bear the cross. God be gracious to us and help us.

Amen