The Lutheran Hour
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"Conflict in Truth: Lost and Found"
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Text: Matthew 10:34-42
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We pray:
Almighty God, our heavenly Father: Of Your tender love toward us sinners, You have given us Your Son that, believing in Him, we might have everlasting life. Continue to grant us Your Holy Spirit, that we may remain steadfast in this faith to the end and come to life everlasting, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Matthew chapter 10, beginning with verse 34: Jesus said, “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.”
Division over the truth can rock the Richter scale of family disunity. Dysfunction, disharmony and disrespect have virtually stained the fabric of Christian families. Problems like these can break the peace that Christ came to bring. They go against the grain of our Christian calling. They bring serious trouble to the heart, weaken a flickering faith, and often can leave the believer at the end of his rope.
But hang in there! You’re not alone! Others have also suffered this way and endured through a God-given faith. You see, Christ can hold you in the faith and He can also fix your family. Christ will mend your hearts. He reaches down from His throne to strengthen a sagging faith; and He releases the downtrodden with the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus can bridge the chasm of disharmony. He can fix those broken fences and failing relationships. He can restore your family members, one to another, and reunite your souls beneath the cross. He empowers and builds up the family to walk in step with the spirit of God once again. That’s the truth of this text, and in a broader sense, of this entire chapter. It’s truth about an abiding faithfulness to God at every cost. Even in times of strife, adversity, or major issues which rend asunder, Christ is calling the family to repentance and faith, to “remain steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:61).
But what about family conflict? In the family, truth can bring hurt like the sword of which Jesus had spoken; or the truth can foster a tremendous peace and provide healing. Then again, truth can even be in conflict with itself. It can be black or white, absolute or abstract; it can be readily apparent or illusory. For example, at the trial of Jesus, Pontius Pilate scoffed in derision, “What is truth?”
You see, many live by societal truisms such as “finders keepers.” But Jesus holds to a spiritual truth, “losers keepers.” In summary, “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Again, Jesus is speaking, “Do not suppose 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.” The point is clear. It’s about faithfulness to God at all cost. Whoever does not bear His cross and follow Jesus is not worthy of Him. The Master is teaching us, if you love anything more than Jesus, you are not worthy of Him, be it son, daughter, father, or mother!
Christ Jesus came to bring peace to the earth! So why is there so much trouble in the family? Who’s at fault? Is there conflict between father and son; rivalry between mother and daughter? What about the in-laws? There seems to be so much anger and unwillingness to forgive.
So what happened to the blood-bought peace of Christ? How has Christ brought a sword? The answer is found in God’s call of repentance from the problem of sin. Sin separates the people of God from their Maker.
Psychologists place the blame in several areas. First, there’s the problem of vanishing fatherhood. Secondly, they talk of overwrought mothers. Thirdly, the blame is shared because of colossal overcommitment by everyone. Then there’s the rite of passage through which our children are going. A professor in the western states of America puts it this way, “The job of the kid is to do what the kid wants, as often as the kid wants to do it.”
Others might say these failings are just a sign of the times. People are prone to think back to when times were harder and the house was more like a sanctuary, a container and a refuge from the evils of this world. Not so, even during “the good old days” as many families were already in crises.
The Bible calls it sin; iniquity; transgressing or crossing over the boundaries of God’s divine rules. This is the history of civilization. The Bible tells us “all have sinned.” Even the first family of Eden fell apart. Adam and Eve botched it! Cain killed his brother! Except for Noah and his family, everyone else died in the great flood. They all yielded to the unholy assault of Satan himself. The whole world has fallen along with them–your family and mine included.
Take the broken home for example. Let’s call the husband Fred and we’ll refer to his wife by the name of Helen. Their marriage fell on the rocks. Nobody saw it coming. Fred was wounded and deeply hurt. He’d been wronged by the actions of his wife with another man. There was plenty of blame to go around.
Things heated up at home! Siblings would squabble! They became divided about the truth of the matter. Who was right, mom or dad? Who was wrong? What was true? Fred avowed, “I will never forgive her. Until my dying day I will never forgive Helen for what she has done to me.”
Quietly and insidiously the hurt pressed upon his soul. He became bitter and resentful and all too recklessly, he severed his connection with the church.
All too often this is still a common scene borne within the family structure of today. There are so many divisions in the household, even among Christians. Is this what God intended? Are we left to the cutting edge of God’s well-honed sword?
Among those early followers of Jesus, some really were lost and others really were found. Judas was lost eternally because he placed himself above the peace that Christ had come to bring. Back then, the disciples were instructed to remain in the truth and to proclaim the truth to others. They were to continue believing in Christ! To live for Him! To face the rigors of death for Him! To tell the world about Him! In fact all believers are called to be steadfast, unmovable, and steady on the course, intently focused. The disciples were to be unyielding in the face of worldly lore and material temptation–gold, silver and copper for their money belts was all to fall away.
There was to be no concern about the size of the suitcase they would drag along on the journey. They would travel a road of great difficulty, physical peril, persecution and unjust accusation. They would stand before governors and kings. Even under the pain of death, they were to remain faithful to the truth. It’s a good lesson for our consideration in this modern world today. Believers may be in the world, but not of the world.
So the Lord’s teaching about faithfulness is a call into peace. The angels of Christmas remind us of “. . . peace on earth.” The risen Lord Jesus greeted His followers with the words, “Peace be with you.” Peace came to the fear-filled disciples behind the locked doors of Easter.
As the Gospel was growing among the early believers, St. Paul wrote these words about the Christ of God, “He Himself is our peace, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility.” We also have instruction about Christian relationships in “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace” (Colossians 3:15).
Peace is a ruling truth and a chief purpose of the Savior’s coming to earth. This is a truth to be pondered and cherished often in a believer’s heart. Incorporated in peace is an understanding that alienation with the Father is ended. We are forgiven of all our sins! We have been reconciled or made right with our heavenly Father by the saving blood of Jesus. It’s a huge truth for families of any civilization.
Yet, as sinners, we are not worthy of His peace. Christ is worthy; and we are unworthy, without merit before God, and with not one ounce of redeeming value. Again, despite our anger, misplaced priorities, and divisions within the family, God the Father counts us worthy just the same. Those searching the Old Testament for this truth will find it in 1 Chronicles 25 and also in the Psalter. “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise.” This truth is confirmed in the 5th chapter of Revelation, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain” (Revelation 5:12).
The crucifixion death and resurrection of Jesus has gotten for us a tremendous victory. The Bible clearly reveals a loving, searching, and merciful God, a God with one colossal intention. Paul writes, “This is good and pleases God, who would have all men, (all of humankind) to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2: 4) . . . family members are included.
You see, restoration and salvation are enduring works of God! God loves to fix broken things. It is the Spirit of God who points to the greater truth of this chapter–our faithfulness in Christ calls us both to repentance and to saving faith as well. In that sense we are called to being lost, lost to the things of this world; and we are called to being found, found in the Lord.
Disharmony can be swept away by the life-giving resurrection power of Jesus. Then remaining alive with Christ, and in Him, this is how we are found. And having been found, we rely upon Him for forgiveness, trusting in Him alone to the bitter end. What wonderful news. A new life for all eternity is yours in Jesus. St. John the apostle verified this truth in the book of Revelation, “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
You are not alone. Believers stand among thousands upon thousands of the faithful. To the fathers in our families, to the mothers, the sons and daughters, and to every in-law in sight, you are not alone. When standing upon the great divide between the Lord and falling prey to idolatry, it was Joshua who then declared, “…as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). You are not alone. From the Word of God Himself we are assured, “Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid. Neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).
The Lord Christ is not only with us, He brings His kind of peace to all. In John 14:27 He declares, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
And now, may “that peace of God, which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.” Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for June 30, 2002
ANNOUNCER: Joining us once again in the studio is Pastor Dennis Schmidt. I’m Mark Eischer. Pastor, in Romans 6, St. Paul talks about being dead to sin but made alive in Christ. I’d like to know what the difference is between being dead to sin and being dead in sin?
SCHMIDT: To be dead in sin means to be lost forever. To be dead to sin means we are no longer empowered by it in a lifestyle that is evil and destructive.
ANNOUNCER: So would you say being dead in sin is the natural condition?
SCHMIDT: Being dead in sin is how we are born with our original sin and we need deliverance from that. We need to be made alive from that deadness and that, of course, is done through Christ and His atoning work on the Cross. The blessings of baptism anoint us into His saving grace.
ANNOUNCER: What kind of a life are we talking about here?
SCHMIDT: God is looking for a change in lifestyle in response to the great love He has shown for us. And He really talks here about not abusing the grace which has been poured out upon the church, to continue willfully sinning. That is what God is expecting in response to the love He has poured out on the Cross for you and me. He wants that. He demands that and yet He forgives when it cannot be perfect. The grace of God is amazing.
ANNOUNCER: Now the life that Christ offers, is that only a future hope, or is it also a present reality?
SCHMIDT: He said in the Gospel of John that He had come to bring life and to bring it to the fold. We are already raised with Christ and seated at the right hand of God with Christ. So our mind should be on heavenly things and not on earthly things. While we dwell on this domain below in this realm, God wants us to glorify Him with our words and actions, and to not abuse it. He wants that deadness and aliveness.
ANNOUNCER: But when it talks about being made alive, it makes it clear that this is something done to us or for us.
SCHMIDT: It’s the old sinful nature that cannot help itself. Stuck in a quagmire of sin by birth, naturally, we are condemned. Our actions in our lives, the actual sins we commit, also show us no hope of ever finding this life God has in mind.
ANNOUNCER: How is baptism now related to Christ’s death?
SCHMIDT: Baptism is our call to that righteousness. Although we are unworthy and unable to baptize ourselves simply because God does everything, and looking again, He provides the work, He provides the water, He provides the energy for the parents who bring the child, He provides the child. And then He provides an answer to all of His promises that those baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost are as Paul says here, “Baptized into the death of Christ, and it’s a done deal.” It’s done for time in eternity.
ANNOUNCER: Even though we’re dead to sin through God’s action in Jesus Christ, why do we still sin?
SCHMIDT: Mark, that’s a question people ask themselves over and over, and Paul who wrote Romans 6, also penned Romans 7. He says, “The good that I want to do, I don’t do. The evil I don’t want to do, I’m always doing. Oh, wretched man that I am.” Yes, the old sinful nature is still present. We are forgiven of our sins, the original sin in childbirth, the actual transgressions we perpetrate against God and our fellow man. Those sins are all forgiven. Romans 8 says,: “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
ANNOUNCER: We’ve been talking with Pastor Dennis Schmidt of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Barnhart, Mo. Pastor Schmidt, thanks for being with us.
SCHMIDT: Thank you, Mark, very much.