Luke 12:49-53 Pastor Nathan P. Kassulke
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Sunday, August 17, 2025 “Persevere in the Paradox of Christ’s Peace”
Have you ever heard it suggested that the Bible is full of contradictions? Sometimes people claim that we can’t trust what the Bible says because it says so many different things that don’t fit together. In my experience, people making that claim haven’t actually read or studied the Bible. They have just heard the accusation leveled against it and repeat what they have heard. I am quite confident to speak with people about what they think might be contradictions in the Bible and help them see the Bible actually fits together amazingly well. We can look at even challenging passages and think about them in the context of a chapter and a book and a testament and see how God tells us in his Word important truths that do not contradict each other. One example is the passage in front of us today. We hear Jesus say, “Do you think that I came to bring peace on earth? No.” And something about it just doesn’t seem quite right. Isn’t peace exactly what Jesus came to bring? Didn’t the angels at the time of his birth sing “Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth”? Didn’t Jesus at another time tell his disciples that when he ascended he would leave his peace with them? Didn’t he greet those disciples on Easter Sunday by saying, “Peace be with you”? And we’re not surprised by any of that because already in the Old Testament God had prophesied peace. He said “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him” (Isaiah 53:5) and foretold the Messiah would be called “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). These passages do not contradict each other, but they do present a paradox. At first glance, they might seem to say different things, but the point and the goal is that we would think deeply about the issue to better understand the whole picture and come away with a better understanding of the truth. The words of our Gospel from Luke 12 are all words of Jesus which he spoke as he made his way toward Jerusalem. Luke records for us many of the things that Jesus taught and did as he and his disciples made that journey. As he taught, he explained that he was headed to Jerusalem to suffer and die and rise again. He also warned against greed and worry. He taught his disciples to be prepared, and he spoke these words about baptism and fire and division. Jesus refers to what he will experience in Jerusalem, his suffering and death, as a baptism he will undergo. The wrath of God over sin will be poured out on him. He eagerly wishes for that painful punishment to be completed. He wishes that all was done, including the fire that would come out of this baptism. The fire that would come out of the work of Jesus would purify like the fire that removes impurities from metals. It would show up in painful ways. It would be what Jesus goes on to describe in these words: it would bring division even to close relationships. Jesus describes the division as three in a household divided against two and vice versa: father against son, mother against daughter, and so on. These were close family relationships within a relatively small household. What would bring them to a division like this? What would set them against each other? It would be how some heard the message of salvation in Jesus and received it with faith. They believed and their lives were changed. They knew that their sins were forgiven and they would live out of love for their Savior. And others would not. They would reject the message. They would refuse to change from sinful ways. They would oppose the believers and oppose the ways their lives had changed in faith. This sort of division would come out of the work of Jesus. He did not bring peace on earth. Why is it so important for Jesus to share this message with his disciples? It’s not easy to hear. This is not a pleasant concept to think about. It is painful and difficult and challenging. But it’s also reality. This is what happens. No, not every household is divided, but many are. You as a Christian can expect to experience division. You can expect opposition. There is a fire that has been kindled. This is the reality of life in this world.