Who do you Love more than Jesus?
Matthew 10:34-39 (Jesus speaking)
34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
The words of Jesus here stand in stark contrast to how many would explain the Gospel. You might not hear this message preached in a lot of churches in America. Some may find themselves asking, "Jesus didn't come to bring peace but rather a sword? Isn't peace what the Gospel is all about."
Well, the truth is Jesus did come to bring peace, but the peace that He brings is between God and man, or better stated between God and those who call upon His Son in faith. However, many don't even realize that there exists strife between God and fallen mankind but that is not the point of this article. (see "God has not Forsaken You")
What Jesus is saying here is that His Word is going to cause strife between those who believe and those who don't. Many will not come to the light of Christ because it reveals the darkness of sin in their lives (John 3:19-20). Of course they won't admit that, they may not even admit it to themselves, but they will simply not like the light of Jesus within the believer. This is of course assuming that we live for Christ and aren't ashamedly putting our light under a basket (Matthew 5:14-16).
Jesus takes this a step further. This is where the message really hits home. There is the chance that members of your own family will reject the Gospel. We must be willing to forsake all in order to follow our Creator. This isn't a message of hate however. This is a message that calls us to put Jesus Christ where He belongs... on the Throne of God! This is a message that calls us to draw a line in the sand and take a stand as Christians. As Joshua said to the wishy washy people of Israel, "choose this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).
Ask yourself whom will you serve if your husband or wife will not follow the Lord? Whom will you serve if your mother or father will not follow the Lord. Whom will you serve? God almighty or your loved ones?
I get so discouraged to see people falling away because they are being dragged down by those close to them who are unbelieving. One woman that I must brag on because she is such an inspiration is a woman by the name of Sonya. Sonya is a friend of mine that has had her share of struggles, but she has taken a stand in her family and has chosen to serve the Lord regardless. I admire that. God admires that. God honors that. The way to love your family is not to be dragged down, but to stand up and let the light of Jesus Christ shine through you. If they are to have any hope of salvation it surely will not be by you giving up. We cannot set our loved ones... wives, husbands, sisters, brothers or even babies above God. That is idol worship and it is an abomination against our Creator. In order to love them properly (and more than we ever could otherwise), we must love God properly and faithfully.
Our call is to take up our cross, and just like Jesus, not look back. It won't be easy. If you continue to cling to the things of this life you will lose sight of Christ. Actually Jesus implies that if you are not willing to follow after Him in such a manner, you may have never truly had Him in your sights to begin with (v. 39). Don't get me wrong. The Bible teaches that once you are Christ's nothing can snatch you out of His hand (John 10:28-29). However, the Bible also teaches that those who are truly His persevere (Matthew 13:1-23). Faith in Jesus is a journey and not a single event. It lasts. It perseveres. It does not accept the truth and then go back to a former way of living.
When we are assured of the hope that lies before us, nothing can turn us back or stand in our way. We will forsake all that weighs us down in order that we might obtain the prize that awaits us in Christ Jesus.
Scott Hescht
Psalm 22 Ministries
34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
The words of Jesus here stand in stark contrast to how many would explain the Gospel. You might not hear this message preached in a lot of churches in America. Some may find themselves asking, "Jesus didn't come to bring peace but rather a sword? Isn't peace what the Gospel is all about."
Well, the truth is Jesus did come to bring peace, but the peace that He brings is between God and man, or better stated between God and those who call upon His Son in faith. However, many don't even realize that there exists strife between God and fallen mankind but that is not the point of this article. (see "God has not Forsaken You")
What Jesus is saying here is that His Word is going to cause strife between those who believe and those who don't. Many will not come to the light of Christ because it reveals the darkness of sin in their lives (John 3:19-20). Of course they won't admit that, they may not even admit it to themselves, but they will simply not like the light of Jesus within the believer. This is of course assuming that we live for Christ and aren't ashamedly putting our light under a basket (Matthew 5:14-16).
Jesus takes this a step further. This is where the message really hits home. There is the chance that members of your own family will reject the Gospel. We must be willing to forsake all in order to follow our Creator. This isn't a message of hate however. This is a message that calls us to put Jesus Christ where He belongs... on the Throne of God! This is a message that calls us to draw a line in the sand and take a stand as Christians. As Joshua said to the wishy washy people of Israel, "choose this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).
Ask yourself whom will you serve if your husband or wife will not follow the Lord? Whom will you serve if your mother or father will not follow the Lord. Whom will you serve? God almighty or your loved ones?
I get so discouraged to see people falling away because they are being dragged down by those close to them who are unbelieving. One woman that I must brag on because she is such an inspiration is a woman by the name of Sonya. Sonya is a friend of mine that has had her share of struggles, but she has taken a stand in her family and has chosen to serve the Lord regardless. I admire that. God admires that. God honors that. The way to love your family is not to be dragged down, but to stand up and let the light of Jesus Christ shine through you. If they are to have any hope of salvation it surely will not be by you giving up. We cannot set our loved ones... wives, husbands, sisters, brothers or even babies above God. That is idol worship and it is an abomination against our Creator. In order to love them properly (and more than we ever could otherwise), we must love God properly and faithfully.
Our call is to take up our cross, and just like Jesus, not look back. It won't be easy. If you continue to cling to the things of this life you will lose sight of Christ. Actually Jesus implies that if you are not willing to follow after Him in such a manner, you may have never truly had Him in your sights to begin with (v. 39). Don't get me wrong. The Bible teaches that once you are Christ's nothing can snatch you out of His hand (John 10:28-29). However, the Bible also teaches that those who are truly His persevere (Matthew 13:1-23). Faith in Jesus is a journey and not a single event. It lasts. It perseveres. It does not accept the truth and then go back to a former way of living.
When we are assured of the hope that lies before us, nothing can turn us back or stand in our way. We will forsake all that weighs us down in order that we might obtain the prize that awaits us in Christ Jesus.
Scott Hescht
Psalm 22 Ministries
Labels: family, Jesus Christ, life, peacemaking, serve, sword
posted by Scott Hescht at 3:33 PM
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