The Dividing Gospel Matthew 10:34-39 Logos Bible Fellowship 4/11/2007

Context of Matthew 10 Jesus gives His disciples authority and power to preach the KingdomJesus gives His disciples authority and power to preach the Kingdom Promise of persecutionPromise of persecution Jesus’ encouragement to Fear NotJesus’ encouragement to Fear Not Passage at hand: The Dividing GospelPassage at hand: The Dividing Gospel

The Church’s Misconception “the church's integrity problem is in the misconception that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior. It is revival without reformation, without repentance.”~ Patrick Morley “It is much easier to repent of sins that we have committed than to repent of those we intend to commit” ~ Josh Billings

The Passage: Matthew 10: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER- IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS 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 has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (NASB)

The Passage: Matthew 10: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER- IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS 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 has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (NASB)

I Did Not Come to Bring Peace, but a Sword … Jesus’ First ComingJesus’ First Coming –To impart truth and to pay the price for sin –Lk 12:51 Parallel passage uses “division” –The Word Divides Sword of the Spirit … the word of God (Eph 6:17)Sword of the Spirit … the word of God (Eph 6:17) For the Word that God speaks … is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow (Heb 4:12, AMP)For the Word that God speaks … is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow (Heb 4:12, AMP) –Lk 12:49 I have come to cast fire upon the earth –Fire Burns up Impurities

I Did Not Come to Bring Peace, but a Sword … Jesus’ Second ComingJesus’ Second Coming –To Judge! –His name is called The Word of God. (Rev 19:13) –of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword (Rev 1:16) –His eyes were like a flame of fire (Rev 1:14) –He Will Again Come to Divide! Mat 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats … 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world … 41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’Mat 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats … 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world … 41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’

The Passage: Matthew 10: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER- IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS 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 has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (NASB)

Set A Man Against His Father … The Root of Division: Sinfulness and Hardened HeartsThe Root of Division: Sinfulness and Hardened Hearts – –2 The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind;they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net. 3 Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe,and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together. 4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge.The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand. 5 Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend;guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms; 6 for the son treats the father with contempt,the daughter rises up against her mother,the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house. 7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. (Micah 7:2-7, ESV)

The Passage: Matthew 10: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER- IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS 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 has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (NASB)

He Who Loves Father or Mother More … The Outcome of Division: Repentant Vs. UnrepentantThe Outcome of Division: Repentant Vs. Unrepentant –Genuine Repentance Yields Wholehearted Love for God “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deut 6:5)“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deut 6:5) Matthew calls this the “first and greatest commandment” (22:38) and says that the entire law hangs on this commandment (22:40)Matthew calls this the “first and greatest commandment” (22:38) and says that the entire law hangs on this commandment (22:40) This is only possible by the love God places in us (Rom 5:5, Gal 5:22)This is only possible by the love God places in us (Rom 5:5, Gal 5:22) –Family Relationships Should Pale in Comparison! Lk 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.Lk 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. As different as hate vs. love (yet not actual hate – 1 Jn 3:15)As different as hate vs. love (yet not actual hate – 1 Jn 3:15) Read Deuteronomy 33:8-10, 13:6-10Read Deuteronomy 33:8-10, 13:6-10 Read Mark 3:32-35 for Jesus importance of truth over familyRead Mark 3:32-35 for Jesus importance of truth over family

The Passage: Matthew 10: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER- IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS 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 has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (NASB)

He Who Does Not Take His Cross … Repentance yields a crucifixion of the fleshRepentance yields a crucifixion of the flesh –By Identity (Who we are in Christ) Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.Rom 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. –By Imperative (What we must do to prove our identity) 1 Pet 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God … 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.1 Pet 4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God … 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

The Passage: Matthew 10: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 "For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER- IN-LAW; 36 and A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS 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 has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (NASB)

He Who Has Found His Life … Repentance yields a complete denial of selfRepentance yields a complete denial of self Let him deny himself and take up his cross (Mk 8:34)Let him deny himself and take up his cross (Mk 8:34) –What does it mean to find your life and lose your life? Jn 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.Jn 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John interprets “life” as “life in this world”John interprets “life” as “life in this world” James 4:4 Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.James 4:4 Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Group Study 1)How has Christ’s teaching united the members of your family? How has it divided them? 2)What are some signs of an unrepentant false convert? How can you use today’s passages to witness to them? 3)How can you deny yourself for Christ this week? Ask the group to pray for you in this area.