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Division - August 15, 2010

Division

Luke 12:49-53

August 15, 2010

Rev. Dave R. Garwick

This morning’s sermon is based on one of the most startling things Jesus ever said:

"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

This runs counter to the image that everyone likes to have of Jesus as the gentle Prince of Peace. Here He says that He has NOT come to bring peace but division! And then, in case you missed the point, He makes it painfully clear that He is talking about something that is going to happen even to the level of members of a family where, “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

For the last week I have been immersed in family stuff – a large family reunion, then a smaller family vacation, then a funeral of intense family matters, then a wedding of equally intense family things. And it has all been a joy with all family members in each of these situations being so loving and supportive of each other. Not one problem to speak of anywhere.

But I know for a fact that just about every single family in this congregation DOES have divisions, especially over religious matters, especially where Jesus is concerned: parents and grandparents who grieve at children who have fallen away from the faith, children whose parents have fallen away, siblings and cousins who have gone different ways, including outright rejection of Christianity. My own extended family has former Christians who have openly rejected Jesus in order to become atheists, and Jews and Muslims and pagans and earth worshippers.

So it should come as no surprise when Jesus says that there will be divisions within families. The surprise may be where He said that HE not only will be the cause of such division but that He said that He came specifically in order to bring about such divisions!

In one month this very congregation will take its final vote about leaving the ELCA. Many are afraid that this will cause division in this congregation. I am here to tell you that where it comes to following Jesus, this congregation has always had deep divisions. And if Jesus can be believed in this morning’s lesson, it was none other than Jesus himself who came to cause the division. Those who believe that we should be part of a denomination that publicly celebrates non-repentance of sinful homosexual behavior are clearly divided from those who believe that we are to obey the clear will of the Lord by rejecting such behavior and calling for repentance.

It is at the level of the divided family that so many have a hard time standing for what is faithful. So many people who wish to remain with the ELCA’s celebration of homosexual behavior do so because they have a family member who is gay or a friend who is gay. Many people are more comfortable being true to the feelings of their friend than being true to their Lord.

Jesus said that no one comes to the Father but through Him. But many so-called followers of Jesus will reject His claim simply because they have a friend who is Jewish or Moslem or atheist.

We dare not ever speak against abortion when we have known someone who has had an abortion. So, for fear of being rejected, we choose to remain silent about more than a million disappearances each year just like another nation of Lutherans seventy years ago remained silent when over a million of their neighbors silently disappeared each year in the name of political correctness.

Now there IS a good side to being affected by knowing someone else with these issues. To know someone else who is involved in these matters can restrain us from wanting to cause them pain. Hopefully, though, our strongest impulse for those we care about would be to do what is best for them, to prevent them from hurting themselves or others. This is what compels us, as the apostle Paul says, to “speak the TRUTH in LOVE.”

This is how family members can be divided among themselves without destroying each other or their relationships – by speaking the TRUTH ..... in LOVE. Last month the head of the American Atheist Association mocked Christianity with a hair dryer. He dressed up like some kind of priest and invited atheists to come forward to renounce their Christianity. All those who had once been baptized as children now had the opportunity to get DE-baptized with a hair dryer.

Here is the kicker. This guy’s son is a fundamentalist Christian preacher in Kansas! I thought to myself: I wonder what THEIR family reunions are like? But the guy said something very interesting. He said that despite their differences, he and his son have a very close relationship. And then this surprise: he said, “My son claims that he had a personal revelation from Jesus. I cannot say for sure that he did not.” Ahhh .... because he and his son are clear about their differences but still have a close relationship, there might be a chance that dad might someday be open to a revelation himself!

Do not let the differences between you and a family member cause you to crumble in your faithfulness. It is Jesus who has come to cause the division with the unfaithful. Speak the truth in love – in order to make clear the difference and to preserve the relationship if at all possible. If the other person takes offense at that, it will not be your differences that cause the break, but their own reaction to it.

To misquote Shakespeare, “To thine own God be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” In September, cast your vote of faithfulness to JESUS for the SAKE of the divisions that HE said He came to bring ..... regardless of whom you fear.

Amen: may it be so.