Sermon Sunday 18th August 2019

Luke 12:49-56
Jesus says that he came to bring division!
Isn’t that a little strange? Don’t we often say that Jesus comes to
bring peace to this place? And yet here is Jesus saying that he comes not
to bring peace, but instead division.

You as I have, might have known friends or relatives who experienced a

marriage breakdown. June and I have, and we might often say, there’s
two sides to this story. Well, there is, however sometimes we just have to
back one horse or the other. Imagine someone being beat up by their
husband or wife! Who’s side are you on? If an injustice is being done,
are you on the side of justice? What if there are children involved, and
how might that change the internal workings of a family under pressure?

The thing is, Jesus is saying to us through our Gospel today that we have
to take sides. There is an element of judgement that we can’t just ignore.
Some of that imagery, that Jesus refers to as winnowing fire can be seen
as being connected to the divine judgement. Jesus will be making some
judgements and we need to make judgements as well. We can no longer
be fence sitters, but rather we are to stand up and be counted, on Gods
side!

You might remember some of your history lessons from school. The Civil
War in America, which killed, according recent updates, more than
750,000, had families which were split between the North and the South!

For us the choice is between Christ, with eternal life in him through faith
and love and on the other side of the fence, an eternal death! Its for this
reason that Christ tells us he causes division. Jesus refers in v 53 to the
distinct divisions between father and son, mothers, daughters and in
laws. We have his word, through the Gospels today, which gives us the
options. Isn’t it easy when there are only two options? Come down on
the side of Christ, have faith in him, for our salvation and life in him, or
go the other way! Of course the other way is a dead end..LITERALLY!

Jesus assures us that we have the tools to make a judgement! Like so

many of you who got up this morning, looked outside, made a judgement
on what the weather is like today, so he calls on us also to heed those
important signs, signs which the crowd he spoke to had neglected.

The messianic age is beginning! His works have provided the evidence.
He has raised people from the dead, healed the blind, the sick, the lame.
The tapestry of proof has been woven of his miraculous works.

And now its up to us, you and I, to make that judgment call, even as
Christ has required it of us. Have you made it already? Have you come
down on the side of Christ? Are you with me in having faith in Christ our
Lord?

It is Jesus death and resurrection that demands of us a decision, a

judgement. Its our faith in Christ, in his death and resurrection, our
baptism with the water, the word and the holy spirit which will bring us
home, to an everlasting life in Christ our Lord.

May the peace of our Lord and his blessings be with each of us
always. Amen!