Sword of Truth

Matthew 10:27 "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 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. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 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'; 36 and 'a man's enemies will be those of his own household.' 37 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. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. 40 "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

One of the things you have probably noticed by now is you are offensive to some simply because you are a follower of Christ. (Assuming people know about that.)

But that’s just the point isn’t it? Jesus commands His disciples to make it clear to everyone they know they are ‘Christians.’

The word, ‘Christian,’ is an interesting one. It literally means: ‘little Christ.’ The power of that literal meaning has long since passed from the scene. Today, the word, ‘Christian,’ most often means you are part of an organized religion. (Whatever that means?)

The fact is Jesus caused offense to the religious establishment. How is it then, that modern “Christians” most often ARE the religious establishment?

One of the things Jesus accomplished was to cut through all the nonsense going on in the world. He calls us to do likewise – IF, we are ‘little Christs’ – or – ‘Christ-like.’

The emphasis is placed upon being divided from the world and not part of it. The idea is not to be “more like the world” to win converts – it is to be like Christ and let the chips fall where they may.

This is not a popular position to take – but the truth is this is a big part of the calling placed upon your life by Christ: to be willing to be unpopular with the world for the sake of being pleasing to Christ.

Jesus is here teaching you cannot be both, and therein lies the sword of which He speaks. It is a sword of truth, and never of compromise. It will (potentially) necessarily divide you from your family, and your friends, and your co-workers, and, the establishment church.

God’s truth is the ONLY eternally-valuable position to take. There is no choice, really. All else is a lie.

-Pastor Bill