May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight,
O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." (Matthew 10:39-42)

In Christ's name and to his glory, dear friends: Today Jesus uses his powerful word to cause a division and evoke a decision. He wants us separated from the condemned world and safe in his fold. So, he divides. He lets the powerful sword of his Word cut us off from that which is on its way to hell. This division is not free from pain because it is our very lives to which he applies his sword, but the rewards give us courage to endure and even pursue the dividing process. Know what side your bread is buttered on, we might say. In other words, know what is good and beneficial to your soul and pursue it no matter what the cost or pain.

First, a warning - do not look for life and blessing in what cannot possible save. Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth, Jesus says. He uses a very strong form of command. Today we would say, "Don't for one minute think…" Now wait a minute! Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Why does he say that he did not come to bring peace? Do not worry, friends. Jesus is and will ever be the Prince of Peace. And his peace is real and endless. But, don't overlook any words here. Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace on earth, he says. Of the peace he does give Jesus says, my peace I give you…I do not give you as the world gives (John 14:27). His peace is the peace between holy God and sinful man. His peace is the peace that the Lord established by giving his Son as the sin offering to atone for sin. And the world wants nothing of this peace. It thinks its sin and rebellion is not very bad as to deserve hell. The world is in ignorant bliss thinking that judgment day is fantasy, and man's purpose in life is merely to eat, drink, and be merry. The world blinded by sin has no idea what side its bread is buttered on - it thinks it will find blessing in what cannot possibly bless, but the pleasures of this world will not last. The world looks for life in the here and now and ends up loosing life completely. Do not for one minute think that the world is right in its estimation of things.

Now, friends, let us not forget that "the world" is not just "other people". Each person has and does his own evil, from which he must be separated. We too need to have Jesus cause a division and evoke, with his gracious power, a decision that knows which side our bread is buttered on - where true and lasting blessing and life are found. So Jesus cuts deep today, to our very heart.

No people, be they ever so close and dear such as family, dare come between God and us. One can find heaven without close relatives; but not all the family ties in the world can keep one from hell who is without Christ. The nuts and bolts of it is that we are to be more concerned about what God thinks of us than what our friends think of us; and that is not always such an easy choice. It may be quite difficult to confess Christ and live for him when those close to us are not, but know what side your bread is buttered on.

No thing, be ever so popular or desirable, dare come between God and us. We folks in SE Michigan thrive on the busy, prosperous life, expecting bigger, better. One can find heaven without neighbors saying "Wow" to what we have and do; but not all the stuff in the world can keep one from hell who is without Christ. The nuts and bolts of it is that we are to be pursuing the kingdom more than our careers and lifestyles; and that is not always such an easy choice. When God lets, even causes for our good, a speed bump in our lifestyle, what gets cut and what do we hold on to as our sacred cows - I can live without ????, but I have to have ????. Know what side your bread is buttered on. I'm afraid many in our WELS family are struggling mightily with this right now. So are we here at St. Paul's. It's easy to chose to cut our offerings when money is tight. Why that? Could we arrange our budget so that we can even increase offerings in tough times? What will be our life - our life style or the kingdom?

Second, an encouragement - do expect life from Christ. One could get hard-hearted about living the Christian life if all we heard today is that we are too attached to the world and we better let go. "OK," we say, "but I'm not going to like it and don't ask me to smile." We might even get mad at the messenger today. "Why are you saying this to us, Pastor; butt out of my life." But Jesus is not looking to make us hard. He would make us strong and courageous. That is not the same as being hard. So, he says, Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. It is as if Jesus were saying, I know you are afraid to let go, to be separate, divided from everything you see. Will you survive? I am saying yes, even more, you will thrive. You will have the "prophet's reward." You will have goodness and mercy all the days of your life and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, as my Prophet David said. And there are 1000's more ways of saying the same thing in the words of the Scripture.

One could get cynical about living the Christian life if all we heard today is that we are too attached to the world and we better let go. "I don't believe God will lift my life if I don't have this or that?" But Jesus is not looking to make us cynical. He would have us trust rather than be cynical so he makes a promise; and never once has he failed to keep a promise! He says, anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. It is as if Jesus is promising, When you have me you are righteous, sinless, in God's eyes. And he takes the righteous to heaven and treats them with TLC on the way there. No matter what may happen, good or bad, it won't be worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in you (Romans 81:18).

One could feel confined and restrained about Christian living. We might feel, "OK, God, you mean I cannot have one bit of fun; I'm in a prison; I have to obey or else." But Jesus is not looking to confine us but to set us free. He says, if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward. It is as if he were saying, Worldly people are so afraid that they are going to get the short end of the stick that they are afraid to do the least little act of kindness. "One for you means one less for me;" that's their motto. That is the prison. You, on the other hand, are free. You can let go of anything and everything and know that you still have his reward of grace. God, keep us free, trusting, and brave to live for you.    Amen.