The Words of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading may seem jarring as He says, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth, I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” These words seem out of place for Jesus whom we also call the “Prince of Peace”.

The words of our Gospel text are a continuation of the previous verses of Matthew 10 which we heard last week. Jesus was talking originally to His disciples as He was sending them out for a time of service of preaching and teaching as practical experience for the time after He had ascended. He was letting them know that as they preached and taught this message, there would be definite reactions. There would be some who receive it, but there would also be many not only rejecting this message but who would react to the message of God’s truth by actively seeking to persecute them and those who would follow their teaching. In the verses for today, Jesus continues to describe the turmoil and grief that will most likely follow His disciples.

He mentions division in families. Is the message of Jesus anti-family as He says, that “He has come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and that a person’s enemies will be those of his own household”? No, Jesus doesn’t hate families, nor does He say that His disciples or believers must give up family ties in order to follow Him. Jesus is describing the results that may occur from the sword which He came to bring and wield.

You see, this sword which He brings is a powerful sword. It is not a sword and weapon used to cut people down and kill them mortally in the flesh, but His Sword is used to cut people down spiritually by the power of the Holy Spirit. This sword which Jesus has come to bring is the truth of God’s Word: His Law and His Gospel. St. Paul referred to God’s Word in such a way as he encouraged the Christians in Ephesians to be armored with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”. Why would the Word of God be described as a sword? Scripture says in Hebrews 4: “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

The Word of God is not a stagnant monument to ancient opinions of a few people. The Word of God is living and active, dynamic and powerful to its purpose, a purpose which the world, our own flesh, and Satan do not like one bit. The Word of God pierces, slices, and cuts. It does not kill the mortal body but it does kill the flesh and the temptations and weaknesses of the flesh spiritually and morally.

This is the purpose of the Law which St. Paul described so well in our Epistle lesson for today. It’s wonderful to see how these readings fit together. The purpose of the Law is to cut away at the hypocrisy of sin, to cleave away at people’s false exteriors and expose that sin so that it might be put to death. The Law kills. It shows a sinner that they deserve to die according to the Law, and it shows the hypocrite that they too are a sinner and cannot save themselves according to the Law, but are only fooling themselves. The Law kills, but its proper purpose is to bring the hope of healing by the forgiveness of sin. The Law exposes the sin, so that the necessity of salvation is seen outside oneself, to repent, seeking God’s mercy. The Gospel is the message of forgiveness and mercy outside oneself, the message that Jesus is the only One who can bring true peace, not the temporary peace and prosperity of this world, but peace with the Father now and throughout eternity. Peace that could only be earned through Jesus Christ’s active keeping of the Law in all its righteous demands, going to the cross to be crucified and pierced for mankind’s iniquities. In and through His flesh, He undertook the sword of righteousness to make war against Satan, the world, and sinful flesh to bring about the victory of peace and the promise of eternal life through forgiveness of sin given through faith in Him. Jesus does promise peace but As Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27) And again: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Dear Friends, this is why Jesus said in today’s text, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” The world and sinful flesh balk and rebel against that sword which is the Word of God. Our sinful flesh and the flesh of the world does not want to be subjected to the uncomfortable truth of God’s Word. We all, like our parents before us, going all the way back to Adam and Eve want to make ourselves: god. As little gods, humans make rules which make us feel better about ourselves, and then we make exceptions to those rules to excuse us when we don’t live up to our own self-made definitions of piety. This is why proclaiming God’s Word in its truth and purity is not popular and can seem divisive, it is because when the Law does its job of killing pride; pride doesn’t want to die. The flesh wants to keep on in its sin. It doesn’t matter to our flesh that God sees through the hypocrisy of lip service when we have every intention of returning to our sin: to our adulteries, our slanders, our blasphemies. To live in such a way is to live bearing fruit only for death: eternal death. The flesh doesn’t want to be rebuked, the flesh does not want to hear that it cannot contribute to salvation, therefore its response is often venom, hatred, and persecution. It doesn’t want to be subject to God’s Word and its active piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

This objection can only be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the power of that Word of God as it works through Scripture, through preaching, teaching, rebuking, reproving, so that when all hope and faith in self and sins of the flesh are put to death in repentance, then the sweet salve and balm of God’s Word is applied in Jesus Christ. This is what happened in your baptism, the old sinful flesh was put death and crucified with Christ and so that by His Holy Spirit Christ is now placed upon you and living in you.

This name of the Holy Triune and the mark of the cross marks you as belonging to Him, as a child of promise and forgiveness in Jesus’ name. As such, however, you will be marked by your heavenly father’s enemies as one to attack. Who are these enemies? St. Paul says “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Yes they will attack the truth of God’s Word, they will invite you to doubt whether God really said this or that. They will perhaps use family, friends, and coworkers to weaken the steadfastness of your confession, who will say you are being too hardnosed about your doctrine and confession. That you are a hater for rebuking sin, and calling truth truth. Satan will try to whisper doubt and confusion in understanding that the Gospel means nothing unless the Law is applied, yet you must also be able and willing to follow the Law proclamation with the life giving message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins.

As Jesus said, I now say to you: Have no fear, do not be afraid: Look to the cross and remember Jesus Christ has overcome the world. So too by His strength and power He will bring you safely through all your troubles, hardships, pains, aches, and persecutions. As a believer you called to continue to battle against your flesh, the world, and the devil who would tempt you away from God. When you sin, you are called by God to examine yourself by His Word of the Law and repent as we do in confession and absolution. Then peace between you and God is restored in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are forgiven, you are His precious child. Continue to abide in Him and His Word and you will not be moved. Take and eat, take and drink, here is the true body and blood of Jesus Christ given for you for peace, forgiveness, and strength as you hold fast to His teaching until the end. He will give you the strength by His Word to confess His name. You are able to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” The Holy Spirit puts this armor on you as you come here to be served by Him in Word and Sacrament, as you pray, and as you come to Bible Study and be subjects and students of His Word, which is His sword. It is His living and active sword of the spirit acting to pierce the evil by the Law and give life and salvation by the Good News that Jesus Christ is crucified, resurrected and ascended. He has overcome the world for you, and by His forgiveness you have overcome the world already, and at the last day you will in fullness receive His glory, eternal peace, and resurrected victory in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas