The Division Jesus brought Mari Ikeda
A. The fire Jesus brought on earth
49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!
51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 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.”
1) Through Jesus’ suffering (49-50)
2) It brings division among us (51-53)
B. We have to judge for ourselves
1) By interpreting Jesus (54-57)
54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It's going to rain,’ and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It's going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time? 57 “Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
2) For the true peace (58-59)
58 As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”
Summary
Jesus’ teaching never allows us to pursue peace and quiet at the cost of facing problems. It requires us to judge what is right and acknowledge our wrongs as wrongs. The biggest of our wrongs is not to acknowledge God as God. We need to reconcile ourselves with Him, and judge for ourselves what is right in His eyes. But that is the very purpose for which Jesus came.
For Discussion
1) What does it mean to judge what is right by interpreting Jesus?
2) What is the true peace? How can it be realized?