10th Sunday after Pentecost

We will not find peace until Jesus returns.

The Jesus in today’s Gospel lesson doesn’t sound much like the Jesus from our Bible story

books. With all his ominous talk about fire and division and judgment, you’d think that we

were listening to some angry, shouty street-preacher rather that the Jesus who talks about

how much God loves the world.

But love tells the truth. And the truth is that Christ has not come to bring peace here in

this age, but to save us from this present age. Of course Jesus wants everyone to believe in

him and be saved, but He knows that won’t happen. Whether we like it or not, many will not

believe, and so division between those who believe and don’t believe is simply inevitable.

Sadly, this division will even extend to families, between fathers and sons and brothers and

sisters. All too many of you know this firsthand.

But this tension will not be forever. When Jesus returns, His people will be gathered

together and all our sad divisions will cease, because we will be fully and completely united in

Christ. So we live today with an eye towards that day when there will finally be true peace.