What Side are you on?

This week’s Gospel you might find yourself asking. What is Jesus talking about? In the church we see Jesus as the prince of peace, the giver of mercy, and the fountain of love. This Sunday’s Gospel Jesus questions if he is even to bring peace to the world. He starts telling his disciples that he came to bring division between families, friends, and within the community. This doesn’t mean you can go and start fighting with your parents or bullying your brothers because Jesus said so. What Jesus meant about making division within the family is that there will be those that will follow me and those that won’t (Dramatic Pause).

In order to understand this Gospel we have to go back about 2,000 years ago in the early history of Christians (Before even America existed, way before there was any freedom of religion). Christians (Yes you are a christian because you follow Jesus) in the early history were very devoted to their faith. They were so devoted that they were willing to sell all their belongings and go out to preach the good news of God. They were willing to give everything for God that even many of them were willing to DIE for him. You have to realize that many of these people had familes and some could have been very upset for what their family members did. Imagine your father or your mother telling you I have to sell your cell phone, Xbox, Playstation, TV, and everything you own in order to give to the poor and so we may follow Christ. Here you have two options either you go with your parents and say yes I want to follow Christ and give everything I have for him, or start fighting with your parents hide all your belongings and possibly throw a tantrum. This is an example of what it means that Jesus will divide families and friends. Maybe its not this extreme but how have friends and family been divided in 2016?

Maybe you have judged your parents for very churchy people or nagged them because they force you to go to church. Possibly you have been judged by your parents because you go to church on Sundays with your friends. You might be criticized by friends or family because you go to youth group and you devote yourself to your ministry. Maybe you criticized your own friends because they love going to church or because they aren’t afraid to show their love for Jesus. You might have become that person that is acceptable by society because you have rejected Jesus, or you have been rejected by society because you have confessed that Jesus is your true love.

This is what Jesus was saying when he said, “I didn’t come to give peace but to divide.” There is no middle ground here. Either you love or deny him. Now the question is, What side are you on?