Against Your Father?

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

June 17, 2007

Rev. Eddie Smart

Matthew 10:34-39

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

³⁵For I have come to set a man against his father,

and a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

³⁶and one's foes will be members of one's own household.

³⁷Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

      It's that time of the year, the time for family vacations. Family vacations are wonderful times, but they do have their tedious moments. A dad, mom, and two boys were about 200 miles into their trip, when Dad had enough!

      "Ever since we left home," he said, "you boys have been picking on each other, yelling names and tearing up the back seat of the car. I am putting an end to this now!"

      He slammed on the brakes, pulled the car off to the side of the road,

jerked his sons out and spanked them both soundly.

      "I don't want to hear one word out of either of you for 30 minutes," he shouted, "not one word!"

      The two boys sat still and quiet for at least 30 minutes until the youngest one meekly said, "Daddy, do you remember when you spanked me? Well, one of my shoes came off...!"

      Sometimes family vacations can be stressful. Sometimes there develops conflict. Sometimes there can be out and out war.

      In today's scripture lesson, Jesus speaks about family conflict. Jesus speaks of division within family. Did you hear what Jesus said?

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foe will be members of one's own household." Matthew 10:34-36

      "DO NOT THINK THAT I HAVE COME TO BRING PEACE TO THE EARTH." Did you hear that! Did you hear that! Son against father. Daughter against mother. Daughter-in-law against Mother-in-law.

      JESUS IS WRONG! What on earth was Jesus thinking? Father against son & son against father. Jesus is going against everything in scripture. Jesus in his ministry has continually upheld Hebrew Scripture. That scripture we Christians have called the Old Testament.

            And now he speaks of son against father. How can he possibly be saying that he has come to cause conflict among families? Jesus knew Hebrew Scripture! He knew what the Law said! He knew these verses.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12

      JESUS WAS WRONG! HE CAME TO BRING PEACE.

"Anyone who attacks his father or his mother must be put to death." Exodus 21:15

      JESUS WAS WRONG! HE DID NOT COME TO SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER.

"'Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbath. I am the LORD your God.'" Lev. 19:3

      JESUS WAS WRONG! HE DID NOT COME TO SET A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER.

"'If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death...'" Lev 20:9

      JESUS WAS WRONG! HE DID NOT COME TO SET A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW

"A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother. Prov 15:20

      JESUS WAS WRONG! HE DID NOT COME TO MAKE FOES OF MEMBERS OF HOUSEHOLDS.

"He who robs his father and drives out his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace." Prov 19:26

      JESUS WAS WRONG!

"Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old." Prov. 23:22

      JESUS WAS WRONG! HE WAS WRONG, WASN'T HE?

Jesus even commanded us to follow these laws

      Story of the Rich Young Ruler            Matthew 19:17-20

      Then someone came to him and said, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"

      If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."

      He said to him, "Which ones?"

      And Jesus said, "You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery;

You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

      Remember in Cana of Galilee, at the wedding, Jesus honored his mother by fulfilling her request.

      JESUS WAS WRONG! EXCEPT FOR ONE THING...JESUS WAS RIGHT. JESUS WAS RIGHT. OF COURSE JESUS WAS RIGHT. YOU KNOW JESUS WAS RIGHT.

      In this passage Jesus said, “I have not come to bring peace.” Yet it is recorded in John's gospel, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world give. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." John 14:27

      John also records these words of Jesus, "I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace." John 16:33

      How can Jesus in one minute say, "I have come to bring peace" and the next minute say, "I have not come to bring peace?"

      Fred Craddock tells us that Matthew is really talking about what sometimes resulted from Jesus' ministry. Jesus’ purpose was not to divide families, yet the result of Jesus ministry was sometimes division in families. Matthew writes out of his Semitic tradition that viewed results as the purpose.              It is a fact that following Jesus had resulted in splits in families today. So Matthew writes as if it were the purpose of Jesus. The first readers of Matthew understood he was stating results not purpose.

      Today there are splits in families caused by following Jesus. Jesus is saying that following him is not easy. This passage as presented by Matthew is Jesus teaching his disciples before they begin their ministry with Jesus. Jesus is telling them that in following him, they may have to make some tough choices. They may have to choose between Jesus and family. Jesus makes it clear what the choice must be.

      There's an old story about a farmer talking to the Lord: "If I had a million dollars, I'd give it to you, Lord. If I had a thousand acres, I'd turn them over to you, Lord."

      The Lord said: ""Well, how about a pig?"

      "Take it easy there, Lord; I've got a pig."

      Jesus came to bring peace, but more than that, Jesus came to bring relationship–a relationship that calls us to give Jesus our all–a saving relationship in which we give Jesus our very life.