December 9 – Matthew 10:16-42

December 9 – Matthew 10:16-42

Jesus, our Savior King, we praise You for You are Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!!!! We thank You for You secure our peace! We fall before You in worship and adoration. Draw near to us, Lord of all.

Christmas is drawing near, and we are inundated with pictures of wee baby Jesus in a manger, quiet starlit nights, and ‘Silent Night’ playing quietly in the background. These peaceful, calming pictures calm our spirit as we remember why Jesus came, ‘peace on earth, goodwill to man”! But wait, that is not what Jesus said at all, though this is how we typically hear it. Taking a peek at the Christmas Story, we see that what the angel of the Lord actually said was, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased”! Luke 2:14 ESV. The angel’s words were not a universal declaration but a focused and deliberate declaration. The goodwill and peace come to those who recognize Jesus for who He is, the One who comes to save us from our sins. That peace and goodwill are available to all, if…. If they believe in Him. And there is a cost (Luke 9).

Jesus Himself said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34 ESV. Jesus came to crush satan and to end the world as we know it. Really. This earth to receive peace? No. God’s people to receive peace? Oh ya! God’s people, the ones who bring Him pleasure, are to receive Heaven’s peace. Jesus told us He will cause division and some of us here have already experienced this. For example, some of us may be the only followers of Jesus in their family. We know what it is like to have that rift, discord, exclusion, and separation within a family. For some of us, we have had to ‘lose’ our family, all the while gaining a new family in Christ. We are called to love Jesus first and, above all things, and that includes our own family members.

Did Jesus come to save the world? Yes. Bring peace to the world? No. No, peace is found only in Jesus. We have to want Him. This is very real. If I were in a position where my life depeded on denying Christ, if I had to do so to save myself… or my children. I’d have to choose Christ while trusting that God would protect and care for them. The only way that I can stand to this is to abide in Jesus now, to really know Him. Know Him in such a way that I can completely trust Jesus in that moment of trial.

Jesus did not promise we will be without conflict because we follow Him. On the contrary, He tells us we will have strained relationships, we will face persecution, and we likely will not have world peace in our lifetime. But Jesus does say we will have spiritual peace to come! Jesus’ birth was part of the mission and not to be all lovey, dovey, cutesy, and marketable. A war was raged, He fought that war, He won that war, and now… and now, we wait for His return.

“HARK! The Herald Angels sing
Glory to the new-born King!
Peace on Earth, and Mercy mild,
God and Sinners reconcil’d.
Mild he lays his Glory by,
Born that Men no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of Earth,
Born to give them second Birth.”
Adaptation by
George Whitefield (1758)

My Verse: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34

My Response: God, may my peace be found in You. In my trials, my strained relationships, in the hate I receive for my faith in You. May the Spiritual peace that You blessed me with crush everything not of You. I love You, Lord. Give me the strength to love those who hate You. Let them know You by my love. My Rescuer. Oh, how I need You.

Further Reading: Luke 12:49-53; Micah 7

What’s next?
As the Spirit leads, share what He has laid on your heart in the comment section below. Then join us again tomorrow for the next commentary.