'Contentious Jesus' - transcript of Sermon St Anne's Brown Edge 14/08/16

Jeremiah 23.23-29, Hebrews 11.29, 12.2   12.2, Luke 12.49-56

I imagine a goodly number people tasked with preaching today when they turned to look at the Lectionary readings felt their hearts sink and thought to themselves, as I did, what on earth do you make out of this passage from Luke’s Gospel.

These words of Jesus might be near the top of the list of ‘things we wish Jesus hadn’t said.’ With talk of divisions among close family members, casting fire down upon the earth and calling people hypocrites.

Therefore, I did as I inevitably do when faced with some difficult Biblical questions. I seek out two of my favourite Biblical scholars to see if they can help shed some light upon the matter.

They are Paula Gooder and Tom Wright. I highly commend their books to you. 

In particular, I would really recommend reading Tom Wright's ‘Everyone’ series on the New Testament.

Tom Wright, like Paula Gooder, has an expansive knowledge of the Bible and both are literate in Greek and Hebrew.

Therefore, what is going on here in this passage - and don’t worry I am not a Biblical scholar and this is not going to be a lecture or anything like that.

However, I hope to offer some insights that may begin to help us understand at least a little bit more of what this passage might be about.

Firstly, we need to understand a few important things.

One of those is that it was not until the 13^th century that the Bible was divided up into chapters and then further divided into verses in the 16^th century.

Whilst chapters and verses are a useful addition for referencing, it can mean when we read the Bible we see it only in bits and pieces.

The short passage we read from Luke must been seen in the context of a wider story.

Luke tells his Gospel story in two halves with sub-divisions.

The first half is set in Galilee and his early ministry and the calling of the disciples. 

The second half tells about Jesus’s journey down into Judea as he heads towards Jerusalem, enters into his final week, then the crucifixion and resurrection and for Luke ending with the Ascension. 

(Picking up the story of the Ascension is how he will begin his second volume work, The Acts of the Apostles)

The critical hinge verse is Luke 9.51…

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

It is also worth remembering that journeys are an important feature in Luke’s Gospel. (Emmaus Road)

As Jesus makes his way down to Jerusalem, you can feel the tension mounting and see the dark clouds looming on the horizon.

It is not exactly clear whom Jesus is addressing in this passage under our consideration. In chapter 12. Verse 41 we read, ‘Peter said, Lord, are you telling us this parable for us or for all?”

Then in verse 54, ‘He (Jesus) also said to the multitudes….’

Another important thing to bear in mind, which is obvious, but sometimes so obvious we do not see it…

That is the use of metaphors and allusions. For example, we might say that someone or something has made our blood boil. Which incidentally is about 100c and if your blood ever did boil, it would kill you. We know it is a metaphor and our blood is not actually boiling.

Yet another important factor is that many of the allusions and metaphors used in the New Testament would have been well known and recognized by Jews at the time of Jesus.

Take for example the divisions among families that Jesus talks about here in Luke’s account. In the book of the prophet Micah 7.6 we read…

For a son dishonours his father,
a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

We always, always, always need to bear in mind that Jesus was a first century Palestinian Jew and would have been well versed in the Scripture. Something Luke alludes to in his story about Jesus in the Temple at the age of twelve.  Jesus would have read, studied and reflected deeply on the Scriptures.

Therefore, it is hardly surprising that we find similar words on the lips of Jesus about families being torn apart and not just on this occasion either. 

As Jesus journeys to Jerusalem, he says to the large crowd following him…

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14.26

This is the serious dedication of discipleship Jesus calls for – even today!

The prophet Micah continues in the next verse…

But for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Saviour;
    my God will hear me.

This is the hope that we hear of in the catalogue of the Faithful in the Letter to the Hebrews. This is a wonderful picture gallery of faithful men and woman who looked forward in faith to what God had promised and yet without receiving it in their lifetime.

Jesus comes as the Promise Bearer.

The Promise Bearer many are failing to see and to grasp while they have the opportunity.

Moreover, failing to see Jesus as the Promise Bearer, they bring judgement down upon their own heads like fire. 

John the Baptizer declared…

‘I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Within in families some will see and embrace Jesus as the Promise Bearer and others will not as prophesied by Simeon when Jesus was brought to be dedicated in the Temple.

Luke 2.34 ‘Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against…”

Moreover, fire will indeed come upon them, brought from Rome, as Titus, son of Vespasian put Jerusalem to the torch in AD70.

As Jesus draws near to Jerusalem in tears, he said…

 “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.  The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

I hope we now have a better picture of what might be going on here, having seen it in its fuller context and the failure of many to see in Jesus their Messiah, the Promise Bearer, the Word of God in flesh, the hope of all the world.

Is there anything we can take from this story into our week ahead?

Firstly, there is a challenge to us to be faithful and diligent in reading our Scriptures. Here again I would commend to you Tom Wrights ‘Everyone’ series on the New Testament.

We also need to gather with others so that we can study Scriptures in community – helping each other understand and bring insights as we seek to apply the Scriptures to our daily living.

What happens here on a Sunday morning is simply not sufficient to help us live as disciples of Jesus in the 21^st century.

It is a little like going into a swimming pool and standing around in the shallow end near to the handrail. God invites us down deeper where we have to take our feet of the floor and trust that all will be okay.

The second thing we can do is with regard to those who do come to faith and in so doing find they become ostracized by their family.

Some years ago, I met a young Christian man in London who was brought up as a Jew. When he converted to Christianity, his family held a funeral service for him. He was dead to them.

This happens frequently enough today.

Two charities that seek to help by standing alongside those who face rejection, persecution and death from family members are;

‘Barnabas Fund’ (www.barnabasfund.org/) 

 ‘Open Doors,’ (http://opendoorsuk.org/) 

I know a little of this personally. I become a Christian on the 1^st January 1975 at the age of 24.  In May 1976, I was divorced from my wife who had successfully petitioned for the separation because I had become a Christian. My behaviour had become as such so that she could no longer be reasonably expected to live with me. I walked away from the family home, our two-year-old daughter and our marriage with nothing much more than a suitcase of clothes.

The third thing we can do is to consider where we stand – have we accepted Jesus as the Messiah, do we consider him to be the Promise Bearer and the hope of all the world?

If so, what are we willing to sacrifice and to give up in maintaining that faith, thinking back to our passage from Hebrews? 

Are we able to echo these words of Cardinal Newman…?

My God, you have created me to do you some definite service,

You have given me some definite work to me, which you have not given to any other.

I have my place in your plan; I may never know what it is in this life, but I will be told it in the next.

Therefore, I will trust you in all things.

If I am sick, my sickness will serve you.

If I am worried, my worry may serve you.

If I am in sorry, my sorrow may serve you.

You do nothing in vain; you know what you are doing.

You may take away my friends; you may put me with strangers;

You may make me feel forgotten; you may make my spirits sink;

You may hide my future from me;

Still – You know what you are doing, and I trust you.  Amen

Who or what are you going to put your trust in as you enter into the week ahead?