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Luke 12:49 – 13:17 Coming Division

by fol CHURCH on April 17, 2018

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!” (12:49-50).

Jesus’ words here are powerful.  He makes clear His mission, and some of His feelings about it.  In Luke 3:16 John says there will be one to come who; “will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire”.  In Acts 2 the Holy Spirit baptises with ‘tongues of fire’ coming to rest on the group of believers as the Holy Spirit had at Jesus’ baptism (see Luke 3:21).  In the context of what Jesus says as a whole in this reading, it could and probably should also be seen as a fire of judgement.  Jesus anticipates the coming fire and His ‘distress’ in equal measure.  As His mission, naturally He would want to see it completed.  But in the way of that completion is His ‘baptism’.

Jesus’ baptism by water has already taken place by this point and therefore it is fair to assume He is referring to another event; a baptism by pain not water, by separation not entry into life: His crucifixion.  Jesus speaks in several places about what will happen to Him, for example; "And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mark 8:31).  He also knows why it needs to happen and that the way to reach that outcome will not be easy.

Nor will it be easy for those who choose to follow Him.  Jesus is clear that He did not come to bring peace in this context (see 12:51).  In fact, following Him will bring division between families.  He rebukes the people for not paying enough attention to their own salvation.  They were missing the signs in a way they never would with the change of the weather.  There is already division at this point; between those who listen and those who won’t, between Jesus and the Pharisees. 

Jesus encourages people to read the signs of what will come and to make up their own minds about the Kingdom of God, about following Him.  We should do the same now.  Jesus’ words here are abrupt, but we see His compassion; for the woman He heals on the Sabbath and sets free, and for us who He sets free in His baptism to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Prayerfully consider any divisions in your life and in the world around you.  

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