I’ve been looking at Matthew 10:34-42 in preparation for a sermon that I’ll be giving at my home church this summer.
"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword! For I came to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A person's enemies will be members of his own family.' The one who loves his father or mother more than me isn't worthy of me, and the one who loves a son or daughter more than me isn't worthy of me. The one who doesn't take up his cross and follow me isn't worthy of me. The one who finds his life will lose it, and the one who loses his life because of me will find it. The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me. The one who receives a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward. Truly I tell you, whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple will never lose his reward."
It’s given me a chance to test the teachings of Jesus against Jewish expectations from the day. Jesus got his words from Micah 7:6, a prophesy about the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem. Gods’ judgment was coming on these cities because of their own disobedience to the laws that God had given them. Because of the disobedience to the rituals and laws, families were being torn apart. Sons were fighting with their fathers, daughters were butting heads with their mothers, and married women were at odds with their husbands’ mother. This strife within families was something that was commonly understood by Rabbis to apply to the same time as when the Messiah came. They believed that families being torn apart would come when the Messiah came. When Jesus came out front and said that he came to bring this dissention, this would have been understood as Jesus claiming his position as the Savior of the Nation, or at least saying that the Messiah was here.
Luke’s account of the event is even harder to come to terms with. In Luke 14:26-27, Jesus says
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
But, doesn’t this go against Jesus’ teaching to “honor your mother and father?” How can we believe Jesus when he says that we are to honor our parents with one breath, but in the next say that we hate them? The answer comes with the words “love” and “hate.” These are not used like how we use them nowadays. Hate is often used in the Bible to express preference as opposed to emotional hatred. As a lighter example, I love chai tea and hate black tea. In truth, I like both, but would so much rather have chai tea that I would give up my cup of black tea for a cup of chai tea.
So, what this verse seems to suggest is that compared to our love of Jesus, it should look like we hate our parents, friends, and even ourselves. Because we are to honor our parents, how much more are we to honor our Father in heaven?
Jesus’ message was also a reminder that loyalty to God takes precedence to loyalty to family when the two come in conflict. In Deuteronomy 33:8-11, Moses is blessing the Levites for their service.
Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
Honor for parents is still a part of the law, but the Levites, who were set aside as Holy servants to the Lord, were called to honor God through service to the Temple.
Now, here’s what this has to do with us. When Christ enters our lives, we cannot help but share. In Acts, the most common ministry of the Holy Spirit is that people are compelled or prompted to speak to someone about Jesus and His glory.
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
(Acts 4:8)
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
(Acts 4:31)
And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
(Acts 8:39-40)
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
(Acts 9:17-20)
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
(Acts 13:4-5)
When you speak the Truth of Jesus, the people closest to you will react, and some will hate you for it. This has proven true all throughout time and culture. Look at Turkey. If a Muslim in Turkey converts to Christianity, they most likely wont live another year. But it's worth it! If you look at the exceptionally small cost of our own broken fleshy lives, compared to eternity with God, it turns it into a totally different question.
Unfortunately for us, we don't have to make that kind of commitment. For us, we can become 'Christian' whenever we want, and it doesn't make a big difference as to who we are. We go to church on Sunday, we've tithed the time expected of us, and so we can then go on our own, living for our own gain, forgetting about God until next Sunday, when it's time to tithe our 1.5 hours again. Not everyone is like this (praise the Lord), but enough are that it can drag the community.
People like this show up Sunday morning, go to church, leave the kids at Sunday School (aka Free Daycare), and go get a cup of coffee. They don't get anything other than the 15-20 minute sermon from the Pastor who has been speaking at the same people for years, and sing a couple of happy songs. Eventually these people miss a week because of their kids soccer game or whatever, and no one checks up on them to see where they were, and so they miss another week, maybe still dropping the kids off at the churches Free Daycare, but not going to anything where they might actually learn something, let alone get convicted about something. Once the kids are done with the Sunday School age bracket, they stop coming altogether. Sometimes, the kids will get confirmed, which is great, but there is no pressure or investment in them once they reach the age where they make decisions for themselves.
It took me coming to Western to break out of this cycle in my own life, and now I've grown a heart, not for overseas mission, but rather for (in)Church missions. Reaching out to those that are already 'in.' This means mixing things up. This means getting involved in broken churches. This means getting hurt. This summer is my internship in (in)Church Missions. There is no “Perfect Church.” There is no church that won’t be helped by someone who is willing to dive in and stir things towards Jesus.
The church that I attend in Bellingham, Northlake Community Church, did an extensive series on the book of Acts. The church in Acts is an example of what a church will do when it is being led by the Spirit. Northlake is now transitioning away from what it was when I first started attending. The board has asked the Senior Pastor to step down and fill a different role. I now get to see how a church practices the words of Jesus to love (agape) one another.
As for this calling of mine to (in)Church missions, I think it's really a calling for all Christians. Churches are broken. They are messy. They are human. Because of this, we need to address the issues that come up. There is no church on earth that is perfect. That is one of the beauties of the Grace of God. He allows us to work with each other to find our own strengths and weaknesses. He allows for us to practice loving each other, even though we will never be able to love like Him. Matthew 5:20 and v38 give us a target to strive for.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:20)
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
(Matthew 5:48)
We are called to be perfect, we will never reach that until Jesus comes again, but every minute, we can get better. We will fall, but we must get back up again. Likewise, we are called to love God and our Neighbors. We will fail again and again, but God NEVER gives up on us. He keeps picking us up and setting us on our feet. Over and over, he is picking us up, like a dad teaching his kid how to walk. We all need to reach into the people around us and help pick them up when they fall. Churches die, not because God isn't working, but because people aren't working.
Church shouldn't be a place for us to take, but rather to give. And by giving, God blesses us with more that we are able to give. I wouldn't be the same person that I am if I hadn't started leading a Small Group on campus called Core. One thing that they tell you when you first start leading is that you will learn more than everyone else in your Core. I didn't believe it when I first heard, I thought that I'd be teaching others, but rather they have taught me so much. By giving my time to other peoples' personal growth, I have received 10 fold what I've put in. And because of this growth of my own, I can now invest even better in other peoples' lives.
This summer is a chance for me to show others what I’ve learned while away at school. I get to lead a high school Men’s’ Bible Study, help with a college Bible study, speak at services, and reach out to people in the warehouse that I am working at. What are you planning on doing this summer to make a difference in the lives of those around you?
