Tenth Sunday after the Pentecost Audio

When Jesus says, "Do you think I came to bring peace?" Our immediate reaction is, "yes - Jesus - Isaiah said you are the Prince of Peace - so we assumed you came to bring peace!" Jesus continues, "I have brought division." And that stops us cold. When He continues, "families are going to be divided over Me" - and gets very specific - we are lost and confused and hurt all at the same time. Why would Jesus do that? We need to broaden our understanding by seeing these verses in context. When Jesus says, “ I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled” - that sounds crazy - like God is going to burn the whole world down. But if we go back to Luke 3:16 where John the Baptist says, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" we find the context we need. God isn't going to burn the world down - He's going to purify it. And the way He is going to do that is by placing His Holy Spirit and the fire of His Gospel within His people.