The Tenth Sunday After Pentecost

“Do you think that I have come to bring peace on the earth?” — Jesus of Nazareth

My hunch is that we would all answer this question with a big hearty Amen!

Of course, you came to bring peace! We call you the Prince of Peace. You told your disciples that you were leaving them with a peace that the world could not give. Your great apostle Paul greeted everyone with grace and peace and instructed his churches to “let the peace of God rule their hearts”. We receive the blessing of peace in our corporate gatherings of worship—“The peace of God which passes all understanding keep you…”

But this is not how Jesus answered his own question. He follows this question with an emphatic “No!” And, if that isn’t enough to cause us no small amount of confusion, he goes on to clarify, that not only did he not come to bring peace, but “I tell you, rather division!”

Division??!! What could he possibly mean? This Sunday, I’d like to consider this “gospel division” that Jesus speaks about and in what ways this should bring great hope to those who are trying to follow his Way.

See you on Sunday!