Matthew 10: God is a DIVIDER
Jesus is good at drawing a line in the sand. He said “unless..” a LOT! “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees…” “Unless you turn from your sins…” “Unless you repent…” “Unless you are born again…” “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood…” That word “unless” can be a dividing word. It is EITHER OR! God is EITHER OR!
“If” can be a dividing word too, and Jesus uses it a LOT as well. Jesus often drew lines in the sand and makes a clear description of what we are SUPPOSED to do. One thing about Jesus is, we typically know EXACTLY what He meant or wanted.
Talk about dividing. Look at Matthew 10:32-28
32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.
You will either be acknowledged or denied. LINE DRAWN. DIVISION!
34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
35 ‘I have come to set a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36 Your enemies will be right in your own household!’[l]
Choosing to follow Christ may mean losing a relationship with a father, mother, daughter, son or best friend. Some of you HAVE had ultimate division in your family by deciding to follow Jesus. Line drawn. DIVISION!
37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Look at all those “Ifs”. Think Jesus is drawing a line in the sand? Is it hard to understand what He is saying here? Any questions on the cost of following Jesus? Line drawn. DIVISION!
God is a DIVIDER. People don’t like the either or decision, BUT it’s who God is. IF you acknowledge me… If you deny me… I’ve come to divide son against father… If you love ANYTHING more than me… If you don’t take up your cross… If you hang on to your life… If you give up your life… And that is just in 7 verses of one chapter. The Gospels and the Bible is FULL of division. Eventually EVERYONE will be divided into the sheep and the goats (Matthew 26). God is a DIVIDER. What side will I find myself on?
Choosing,
Jeff
