Pastor Barry's "Chapter & Verse" Day 210

July 29;       Luke 12:52;       56/260(III);       ‘Divided For a Season’

Luke 12:52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

In verse 51 the Lord Jesus tells us that He came to bring division, not peace.  You might well say that Jesus is the ‘Prince of Peace’ and that is true.  What is Jesus then talking about in this verse?  Many times when a family member becomes Born Again and tells his or her family, they are not happy.  If the family attends church but have never been taught that you must be Born Again, they will remark to the saved family member something like, “Our religion is not good enough for you?”  In Bible School, we were talking to a Jewish girl who became a Christian.  Her father was so upset that he literally wrote her obituary and submitted it to the local newspaper.  The family may believe that the Lord is mean and the cause of sickness and misery.  When a loved one gives their heart to Jesus, the family becomes upset as to why anyone would choose to follow Jesus, based on what they think about Him.  Division is the Lord’s intention.  Very often this is how Jesus begins to ‘infiltrate’ a family with the final outcome salvation for the entire family.  The ultimate goal of Jesus is that the entire family will be saved.  If the family member lives their Christianity and treats family members as Jesus treats them, the family will see the difference and will be influenced by the love  of the Christian family member.  Love never fails.  Changing a family has to start somewhere.  Division only for a season.  Christlikeness leads the family to Jesus.