Christ Brings Division (9/17/2023)

Let's open to Matthew chapter 10. In this passage, Matthew 10, Jesus is warning his disciples of what they are about to face, that his name would bring division. So that's the title of the message, Christ Brings Division.

And this is one of the reasons why our church believes in expository preaching, because that way you get the real message of scripture, where we actually read through verse by verse. That way we get God's message and not man's, because there's so many wrong views about who Jesus was and what he came to do.

Before I read this passage, I was reading the newspaper this week, and one of the religious teachers in the article, he said something to the effect that with Judaism, Moses taught this, and then with Islam, Muhammad taught that.

And then he said, but Jesus just came to preach peace and love. Well, is that what Jesus did? Did he say to people, hey, my message is just about peace and love. No, look at what Jesus said in Matthew 10, 34, do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.

I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Well, what's he saying? Always honest, Jesus is forewarning his disciples that his name will cause great division. He is telling the apostles in future generations of what they were going to encounter.

So that number one, they would be prepared. And then number two, when the trials and tribulations came, it proves Jesus knew the future and would actually serve to confirm their faith. So let's begin where we left off, Matthew 10, starting in verse 16.

Jesus says, behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak.

For it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your father who speaks in you. Now, brother will deliver up brother to death and father, his child and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. And when they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For surely I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the son of man comes.

Jesus said a disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher and a servant like his master. If they had called the master of the house Beelzebub, which is a name for Satan, how much more will they call those of his household?

Therefore do not fear them for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known. Whenever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light. And what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father's will, but the very hairs of your head are numbered.

Do not fear therefore, for you are of more value than many sparrows. Therefore, whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father who is in heaven.

And starting in verse 34, this next section is titled, Christ brings division. Look at verse 34 again, Jesus says, do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but what?

A sword. For 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. And a man's enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.

And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

And may the Lord add a blessing to the reading of his word. So I think this passage, speaking about why we go through the Bible verse by verse, I think this section of the Gospel of Matthew is one of those sections that some ministers would just skip over.

You know, let's not talk about this. Well, this isn't really, why would they do that? Because this isn't exactly the happy message of peace and love that you hear about. Jesus is warning his disciples that life is not going to be easy.

Ministry is not going to be easy. There are going to be trials and tribulations. Now, is Jesus called the Prince of Peace? And this is one of the names of Christ in scripture. Well, that's true. But you know, that's not really gonna be the situation until the world is converted in the millennium.

So that's the kingdom age, way off in the future when the whole world is converted to Christ. That's not the way it is right now. That's not the way it was back then. So until the world is converted to Christ, being a Christian isn't going to be easy.

And you probably knew that, didn't you? But you know, that's what some people think. And that's what some people thought back then. Remember when Jesus began his ministry, he began by preaching what? Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

And I'm sure there were some people when they heard the gospel of the kingdom, the good news about the kingdom of God, they heard what they wanted to hear. They heard the good things in that. And there were good things.

You know, it's true. Everyone has a filter, right? You hear people talking about this, how especially, well, nevermind. I shouldn't say that. See, I have a filter too. But some people will say, I have no filter.

And what that means is, hey, they just let whatever they think, it just comes out of their mouth and they'll just say whatever. But we also have a filter on information that comes in, right? So whatever we hear and whatever the people that were listening to Jesus preach and teach, they have a filter on what's coming in.

So when people heard about the kingdom, repent for the kingdom is at hand, they had to kind of weigh that and test it against their experience, their preconceptions, misconceptions. So for the first century Jew, what did they think about the kingdom?

They thought when the Messiah comes, he will be a great military leader. He will be like David. He will drive out the Romans. He will usher in the kingdom, right? There'll be a new government and he'll usher in a time of peace and prosperity.

And it'll be like the glory days of David and Solomon. But did Jesus ever say that? Did Jesus tell them that's what he came to do? No, when Jesus spoke about the kingdom, he spoke of what? A spiritual kingdom.

Luke 17, 21, Jesus said, the kingdom of God is within you. Now we believe there will be a physical kingdom that comes to the earth, but that's gonna happen again in the future, at the second advent. So all of that, prince of peace, the kingdom here on earth, prosperity, that's in the future.

That's not what Jesus came to do the first time. What did Jesus come to do the first time? Yeah, he came as the lamb of God. He came to die as a sacrifice for sin. But you know, people didn't wanna hear that.

People didn't, if they did understand it, they just kind of filtered that out. How many times did Jesus tell his disciples that he would be betrayed, arrested, killed and then rise from the dead? Remember on several occasions he told them that, it's like they didn't hear him.

Well, they were filtering it out. They didn't want to hear him. The apostle Paul said in Acts 14, 22, we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. Again, that's the type of thing that gets filtered out.

I'm sure there's probably some of you who want to come to church and you wanna hear the peace and love. Pastor, give me the message about peace and love and health and wealth and prosperity. Well, there could be some parts of the Bible that speak to that.

But when you go through verse by verse, we get what? The whole message of God. Verse 17, Jesus says, beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. Now, did that happen to the disciples?

Let's test what Jesus said for a moment. Did that come true? He told them it was gonna happen. Did it come true? Yes, it did. Has it come true throughout history of Christians throughout history gone through this?

Yes, they have. Are some people going through it right now at certain places in the world? Yes. Now, some people, when they try to get you on board with something, because Jesus is trying to get more followers, he's preaching and some people will follow him for a time and then they fall out and then they come and then they go.

But when people are trying to convince you of something, what do they do? It's like a salesman, they'll stretch the truth, right? They'll lie maybe. They'll leave certain things out. Jesus, if someone's gonna follow Christ, he's gonna let them know exactly what they're getting into.

So Jesus always tells the truth. For all the good things about Christianity, what are the good things? Eternal life, right? The peace of God in our heart. Whatever blessings the disciples might receive, the Lord tells them, yeah, and you're also going to get arrested and you're also gonna face this division for my namesake.

Did that happen? Acts chapter 16. Do you remember when Paul and Silas were arrested? Yeah, they were arrested and their feet were put in the stocks and it says that at midnight, what were they doing? They were singing hymns and it says the other prisoners listened to them.

What a powerful testimony that was. And that story, of course, ends with the Philippian jailer being saved, him and his whole household. The point is, even through the difficult times, even though we are gonna face trials and tribulation in this life, the son of God, the servant of God can be joyful despite the circumstances.

Why? Because we have the promise that Christ will neither leave us nor forsake us. You know, there's light at the end of the tunnel. People in this world, if they're not a believer, do unbelievers still go through hard times?

Yeah, see, everybody does, but the Christian, the difference is we have hope. We have God with us. We have the spirit of God in us, Christ, the hope of glory. So in these hard times, we can rely on these promises like Romans 8, 28, that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him and to those who are the called according to his purpose.

Look at verse 18. Jesus says to them again, and I know this is kind of doom and gloom, isn't it? Right? He says, you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

Now, when they heard this, did they say, hey, sorry, this is not what I signed up for. I'm out of here. Did they do that? Peter, on one occasion, when a large crowd did leave, the Lord asks Peter and the others, are you gonna leave also?

He said, Lord, where are we gonna go? You have the words of eternal life. So he tells them you're gonna be brought before governors and kings. Did that happen? Yeah, the book of Acts. Didn't the apostle Paul get brought before governors and kings?

Yes, he did. So they would be treated that way, why? What's the main reason? Why do Christians suffer persecution? There's one bottom line reason. It's because of who they, or because of who we represent.

That's really what it's about. See, the name of Christ brings division because Christ has a kingdom. Repent for the kingdom is at hand. But you know, the devil has a kingdom too. And what's the devil's kingdom?

Yeah, look around, this world is the devil's kingdom. Now, most people don't see it, or again, they don't want to see it. But you look around vice and sin and iniquity, all the words you can think of, it's being celebrated and promoted and pushed.

Satan is called the God of this age, 2 Corinthians 4, verse four. The whole world is under the sway of the wicked one, 1 John 5, 19. So the point is when the disciples or when Christians today preach the kingdom of God, that doesn't make the devil very happy.

He wants to silence that. So Christians face persecution, trials, tribulation, adversity, but there's the silver lining. And we talked about this in our study on Wednesday night from a couple of weeks ago, that persecution actually causes the church to what?

To grow. Anytime the Christian church is persecuted, it grows. You know, one of the problems why Christianity has been in decline in the West and in the United States is because we have it so good. And people take it for granted and they don't see the importance of it.

So Christianity grows when persecuted. You think about this, this is a great thing. Anything, everything the devil does backfires. Do you realize that? When Satan possessed Judas Iscariot and it caused Judas to betray Christ and give him up to the council, what happened?

Well, it resulted in the crucifixion of the son of God, which was the most evil thing the world has ever done. But that same thing also signals Satan's defeat. See, Satan cannot win. The devil can cause a lot of problems and he can cause a lot of problems in your life and in my life, no doubt about it, but he cannot win.

He cannot win. So when trials come, the Christian's response has to be one of faith. Let's have faith and trust in the Lord and see what he's going to do. Here's another comfort, verse 19. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak, for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak.

For it is not you who speak, but the spirit of your father who speaks in you. Now, from what I hear, some pastors have used this as an excuse not to study. So on, you know, and I don't know if this is a joke, but I've heard people say this.

So when I get up from the pulpit, from behind the pulpit on Sunday morning, I don't need to study, I don't need to prepare because God is gonna give me the words to speak. Is that what he's saying? Yeah, I think that would probably be taking it out of context, but I think of Acts chapter four, when Peter and John, when they were brought before the council, do you remember the courage that those men displayed in front of the Jewish leadership?

The leaders of Judaism says they marveled when they saw Peter and John's boldness. Why? They were amazed that ordinary men could speak with such power. How is that possible? Well, it's only possible when you rely on God's strength and not your own.

When you lean on God's understanding, not the understanding or the wisdom of man. Now look at verses 21 and 22. I think we need a little discernment to understand what's being said here. I think there's some end time significance.

Look at verse 21. It says, now brother will deliver up brother to death and father, his child and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. Now this is one of like the worst things you could possibly imagine.

It's hard to think of anything worse. And he says, and you will be hated by all for my name sake. So that's not exactly happening right now. I know there are some countries, Islamic countries, where if a Muslim converts to Christ, there have been stories like this where they will turn them in and they will be executed.

And it's a family member who turns them in. Even then, I think that's probably not a daily occurrence, but that type of thing has happened and it does happen. But when is this gonna happen on a broad scale?

Yeah, it's gonna happen in the end of days. So this is the tribulation period. This is what people call the end times or the end of the world, the last days. So if you cross-reference this with Mark chapter 13, these are clearly end time events.

So in the context, what does it mean that those who endure to the end will be saved? Well, it's those who endure in the faith until the end of the tribulation period. They will be delivered by Christ at his second advent.

For those of you who are not familiar, we believe there's going to be an event called the rapture of the church. So the Lord will return in the clouds and Christians will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

That's 1 Thessalonians 4 clearly teaches that. Once Christians are taken out of this world, that starts a period of seven years known as the tribulation. So this is where God pours out his judgment upon the earth.

And this is laid out in the book of Revelation, very, very clear. So the people during that tribulation period, like this is the worst the earth has ever seen. And this type of thing will happen and it will be commonplace.

But those who endure and survive to the very end, what? They will be saved. They will be delivered. When Jesus comes back, then they enter into the kingdom that Jesus sets up. Now, someone might say, well, how do you know this is end times?

Why would Jesus be talking to a first century audience? And then all of a sudden now it's fast forwarding to 2 ,000 years later or more. Well, remember what's Jesus doing? He is telling them the future.

He's telling his disciples what to expect. This is the, also, this is the nature of Bible prophecy. There is a partial fulfillment around when the prophecy is given. And then there's the full and final fulfillment at the end of days.

So was there this kind of intense persecution in the early church? Did this type of thing happen? Yeah, it did. Is it gonna happen on a grand scale at the end of days? Yes, so both are true. Also, the end times, that's the only way verse 23 makes sense.

Look at verse 23. Jesus says, when they persecute you in this city, flee to another, for assuredly I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Did Jesus come back in the disciples' lifetime?

Did he? Well, if he did, nobody saw him. So no, he didn't. So this has to be eschatological, or it has to be eschatological in nature, which I guess is good news because you probably will never have to experience that.

And this is another thing. When you read the passages here and you're like, this is bad stuff. Like this is, I don't ever want to see this. Well, 99 chance you never will. But Jesus was preparing Peter, James, and John because some of them would go through it.

So we have to interpret it correctly. Okay, so what's the title of the message? Christ Brings Division. Has that been your experience? When people bring up the name of Jesus, that it causes division? Go into your workplace tomorrow and, you know, a coffee break or however you guys do it, you know, start a conversation about Jesus and start talking about how everyone should repent because the kingdom, I'm thinking that's not gonna go real well.

There'd be a little division in the break room. Am I right? Yeah, that's the way it is. So why should Christians have to suffer persecution? Or why should we have to suffer the results of this division?

Because then we become the object of scorn and mockery. Why should Christians suffer this? Look at verse 24. Why? Because the disciple is not above his teacher. Jesus faced it. Why wouldn't we? Jesus didn't live life on easy street.

And that's why I mentioned that thing at the beginning of the message. Oh yeah, Jesus just went around preaching peace and love. And, you know, it sounds like a party like he was at Woodstock or something, you know, like that's really not the way it was.

It was hard. Can you imagine how hard it was for three and a half years for the son of God to endure what he did? He faced things far worse than we'll ever face. I mean, just the crucifixion itself. But a disciple is not above his teacher.

If Jesus went through it, so would Peter. So would James. So would John. Verse 25, his enemies. Gonna be called, well, let's see, Jesus was called Beelzebub. So basically they called him, he's of the devil.

So the enemies of the disciples and enemies of Christians today, they're gonna call you names, right? So Jesus got called the devil, Beelzebub, what do we get called? Hateful, intolerant, bigot, this, that, right?

Same thing, a disciple is not above his teacher. Now you wanna make sure you're not some of those things, right, but was Jesus Beelzebub? No, they're gonna lie. They're gonna say all sorts of things about you.

But he says, do not fear. Why should Christians not fear? You know who should be afraid? The ones mocking God should be afraid. The ones who have no fear of God, they should fear. But what are some Christians, the reasons why some Christians or all Christians shouldn't fear?

God is in control. You know, nothing takes God by surprise. On top of that, he has made promises to us that when we suffer or when a Christian suffers for Christ's name sake, he says, blessed are you.

Now, do you feel that way in the moment? Do you have faith that that's true? It's hard, but yeah, it's true. And sometimes we see that later on when we look back. Look at verse 26. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known.

In other words, this world, in this world, you are not appreciated. Believers are not appreciated in this world. The fact that you have a godly character, who you really are, that you do what you believe is true and that you wanna see the truth upheld and you wanna fight for what is right, the world doesn't look at it that way.

Again, you get called names. Christians are not appreciated in this age, but one day, what Jesus is saying, one day you will be vindicated. Verse 27, whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light, and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.

So nobody should be ashamed of the Christian message. The world, they go around, have no problem spreading their message of nonsense, really. So what makes Christians so embarrassed about the gospel? I want you to think about that.

Listen to what they're saying. Listen to what they're pushing. Listen to what they're celebrating. And we're the ones who are supposed to be embarrassed? I don't think so. But why are people, why are Christians afraid to say something?

Why are we afraid to share our faith? Why are we afraid to speak out? Well, it's one simple reason. We're concerned, we're afraid about how someone might react. Should we be afraid? No, again, those who have no fear of God, look at verse 28, do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

Like the worst thing a person can do to you is kill you. And again, 99 .9 chance that's not gonna happen. But that's the worst thing they can do to you. And then what? You go to heaven. Pretty good deal.

What about them though? And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. So for the one who has no fear of God, for the one who hates God and hates God's people, they should read this verse.

The one who knows Christ, do we have anything to fear from God? No, for us, God is our father. God loves us, right? The hairs of our head are numbered, verse 30. God cares for us. We don't have that type of fear of God.

What do we have? We have a healthy reverential fear of God. But Christ, his name will bring division. Look at verses 32 and 33, we're almost done. Therefore, whoever confesses me, Jesus says before men, him, I will also confess before my father who is in heaven.

But whoever denies me before men, him, I will also deny before my father who is in heaven. Part of what Jesus is saying, I think, is that certainly unbelievers deny Christ. That's clear. But Jesus is also saying that there's really no option to be a private Christian.

Okay, so a private Christian, just a quick story. There was a man who ran for high office many years ago, and he said that he was a Christian. You know, to run for president, you sort of have to say you're a Christian.

That's just the way it is, at least at the moment. Probably changing right now, but he said that. I'm a Christian, and the man doing the interview, he started, you know, sort of prodding him, questioning him about his faith.

And his response was, well, my faith is a very private thing. So he wouldn't talk about his faith. Well, based on that, and based on how he lived, and some of the things that he supported, whatever his faith was, it didn't appear to be the Christian faith.

But it's very reasonable to think that Jesus would be ashamed of those who are ashamed of him. And then we get to that verse, verse 34. Jesus says, do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth.

I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. And I'll just end with this point. The name of Jesus is divisive. I don't say that with glee. I'm not happy about it. It's just, that's the way it is, right?

We don't want that to be true. That's just the fact. People can talk about God all day long, and people don't really get too bothered by it. Because what does that even mean, God? Well, I know what it means for me, and I know what it means for you, but it could be God is in a lowercase G.

Like, which God do you believe in? Which God are you talking about? But when you mention the name Lord, all of a sudden it gets a little more specific, doesn't it? When you mention the name Jesus, it gets real specific.

Or when you say, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, then everybody knows what you're talking about. See, if you mention God in the break room at work, do people care? Do people react against that when you mention God?

Not really. But if you say, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, hold on, everything's gonna stop. Because people understand the claim. If Jesus is Lord, then all of a sudden, if he's Lord, I need to do what he says.

I think people get that. And if he is the Savior, then the implication is there's something that I need to be saved from. What do people need to be saved from? Didn't Jesus already tell us? Go back to verse 28.

And do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. That's what Jesus saves us from. And that's why we need to mention his name.

That's why we need to speak of him, even though it causes division. Now I'm pretty safe in this room with you as my audience. This is a pretty safe place to talk about Christ. You go out there, it's not as safe, is it?

Some of you, if you go home, it's not even that safe and how people will respond. Verse 34, Jesus, I did not come to bring peace on earth. I came to bring a sword. What's he talking about? Those who believe in Jesus will be separated from everybody else because there's only two destinies, heaven and hell.

There's only two types of people, the saved and the lost. And there's only gonna be two responses when a person stands before Christ. It's either depart from me, I never knew you, or well done, good and faithful servant.

That's the division that Christ brings.