Sermon – Luke 12:49–56 Fire on Earth

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon – Luke 12:49–56  Fire on Earth

First Presbyterian Church of Ocean City

August 14, 2016

            This will be my final in a series of sermons on Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God from chapters ten, eleven and twelve from the Gospel of Luke.  We have accompanied Jesus as he traveled through the Galilean countryside speaking to people living in small villages.  Jesus started teaching about evangelism and sent out seventy-two to prepare villages for his coming.  He told a story of the Good Samaritan to illustrate that even a distrusted minority could be kind and therefore you are to love them as your neighbor.  Jesus began educating women at Mary and Martha’s house and placed women in leadership positions in his ministry.  In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray that the needs of people be met and God’s will be done.  Jesus told the story of the Rich Fool, and explained that reconciling relationships is more important than economic security.  And Jesus talked about money, and how what we do with it effects our hearts.  All of these things challenge us because they form a new way of thinking.  This is the way we must think to live in the Kingdom of God.  But not everyone thinks this way.  And Jesus experienced great opposition from people who didn’t like his teaching.  We will get into this reaction to Jesus’ ministry, but first let’s pray.

            “Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification.  Amen.”   (John Calvin)

            Sometime during Jesus’ travels through Galilee his disciple Peter took him aside and asked him a very important question.

Luke 12: ⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

            Implied in Peter’s question is a criticism of what Jesus is doing.  People are complaining about what Jesus is saying.  And Peter is trying to find a diplomatic way of telling Jesus that his ministry is just not working.  Possibly Peter was thinking, “It would be so much better if Jesus would go back to healing and miracles.  The crowds were bigger and more enthusiastic.  Or, maybe Jesus could go back to preaching the way John the Baptist did about repentance for the forgiveness of sin.  People like that.  But all this other stuff, Jesus, people don’t want to hear.”

            When Jesus sent out 72 to do evangelism do you think everyone went?  I don’t think so.  Some of them probably complained, “I don’t like talking to strangers about Jesus.”  “Evangelism makes me uncomfortable.”  “I don’t mind listening to Jesus, but I don’t want to share what he says with others.”  What do you think Jesus thought when he heard these excuses from his followers?

            When Jesus taught that reconciling relationships was more important than economic security, do you think everyone agreed?  Some probably complained, “I can’t reconcile with him after what he did to me.”  “I won’t give her one dime of my money.”  “I promised I would never speak to him again, and I won’t.”  What do you think Jesus thought when he heard this?

            Then when Jesus taught them how to pray for the needs of people to be met in accordance with the will of God, do you think everyone immediately changed their prayers?  I don’t think so.  People kept on praying for things that benefit themselves but do not advance the Kingdom of God.  What do you think Jesus thought about this?

            What do you think the reaction was when Jesus suggested that Samaritans, if they are kind, could be your neighbor, and require your love?  Some might have said:  “Samaritans, they are all terrorists.”  “I could never trust one of them.”  “I think they should all be deported.” 

            When Jesus started teaching young women and using them in leadership in his ministry, do you think everyone liked this idea?  Martha sure didn’t.  And I think there were many others who might have said:  “I don’t like women pastors.”  “I hope our pastor nominating committee doesn’t choose a women for this church.”  “If a woman pastor comes here, I’m leaving.”  What do you think Jesus’ reaction was to this?

            And when Jesus talked about money, and how we should use it not to satisfy our hearts’ desires, but to care for others thus changing our hearts, what do you think was the reaction?   Maybe someone said:  “Money for the poor is wasted, it just builds dependence.”  “The poor are gaming the system.”  “They don’t need my money the government takes care of them.”  What do you think Jesus would say about this?

            None of these reactions to Jesus’ teaching are in the Bible.  So, how do I know that Jesus heard these complaints.  Well, the way I know is that I have been preaching from this pulpit the same thing Jesus was saying and these were the reactions I have heard.  And if Jesus’ teachings caused this kind of reaction when preached in Ocean City, the same reaction probably happened to Jesus when he preached the same thing in first century Galilee.  And if this is the case let’s listen to Jesus’ answer to these complaints. 

Luke 12:⁴⁹ “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.”

            I think you can hear the disappointment in Jesus’ voice.  He has come to inaugurate the Kingdom of God.  He is just about to go through a trial and death on a cross.  And now, his ministry on earth is in shambles.  Some people are responding to his message, but many are not.  And this is causing great division in families, as it causes division in families and churches today.  Not everyone is happy about the Kingdom of God.

            But Jesus has a solution to this.  And here it is. 

Luke 12:⁴² The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³ It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.⁴⁸ But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

            Jesus has told the church what to do as it waits for his return.  We are to evangelize others; share our faith in a way that brings them to faith.  We are to love our neighbor, even Muslim neighbors who are kind to us.  We are to accept women in ministry.  We are to pray that the needs of people be met.  We are to reconcile with people who hurt us.  And we are to use our money and resources to care for those in need. 

            If we fail to do these things we deserve punishment when Jesus returns.  But if we are obedient to Jesus in these things, he will give us much more to do when he does return.  Don’t get complacent thinking that Jesus’ return is far off, and there is nothing you need to do right now.  Jesus could return today.  And if that happens, how are you going to explain the state of this church and the Kingdom of God as it exists today?

            And that brings us back to Peter’s original question.

Luke 12: ⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

            Maybe these things that Jesus is talking about don’t apply to us.  After all don’t we hire a pastor to take care of this for us.  Our pastor can evangelize for us.  Our pastor can deal with people of other faiths.  Our pastor can work with women pastors in the presbytery.  Our pastor can pray for the needs of people to be met.  Our pastor can help people to be reconciled.  And our pastor can worry about how money is spent.  We hire a pastor to do these things so we don’t have to.  Right?  Well, here is Jesus’ response. 

Luke 12: 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?

            Jesus wants things to change.  The Kingdom of God is here with us.  And we, his followers, are to transform the world.  My job is to teach you what the Kingdom of God is like.  As followers of Jesus, all of us have the responsibility of making it a reality.  Much work has been done and much more is required.

            So what have we learned?  We are responsible for sharing our faith with others.  We are to love as neighbors the Muslims in our community.  We are to accept women in all areas if ministry.  We are to pray that God will meet the needs of people.  We are to reconcile our own broken relationships.  And we are to use our money to care for others so that our hearts become more generous.  When Jesus returns he wants to see us doing all of this.  And if he does we will be blessed with so much more. Let’s pray.

            Lord Jesus, you have blessed us so much.  You have given us this church and the community we live in.  You have taught us how to care for your creation.  Help us.  Be with us.  Give us what we need to accomplish your desires.  We pray this is your strong name.  Amen.