PRAISE THE PRINCE OF PEACE!

I. Predicts hostility in the home

II. Prefers humility and helpfulness

Matthew 10:34-42 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to

the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 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— 36a man’s enemies will be the

members of his own household.’ 37 “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; 38 and anyone who does not

take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life

will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40 “He who

receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who

sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will

receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man

because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. 42

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones

because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his

reward.”

In the name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, dear Christian friends,

Did you notice the apparent contradiction between that description I just used for

Jesus and the words of Jesus in this lesson? It strikes me every time I read this section of

Scripture. Can it really be that Jesus is the Prince of Peace if he himself says he did not

come to bring peace to the earth? As one of the commentaries I read this week said

about Jesus, “Was he not the Prince of Peace, his church the haven of peace, his greeting

“Peace to you!” and his apostles the bearers of peace?” (Lenski, p. 414).

Yes, all that is true! Please do not think any less of Jesus as you hear these words

today! Please listen to the message he is speaking today, learn how it impacts your life

and continue to PRAISE THE PRINCE OF PEACE! He I. Predicts hostility in the home

II. Prefers humility and helpfulness.

How do we rationalize the thought that the Prince of Peace would not bring

peace? That same commentator I mentioned before wrote this: “if Christ had not come,

the earth would have gone undisturbed in its sin and its guilt until the day of its doom.

PRAISE THE PRINCE OF PEACE!

I. Predicts hostility in the home

II. Prefers humility and helpfulness

2 Now Christ came to take away that sin and that guilt. At once war resulted, for in their

perversion men clung to their sin, fought Christ and the gospel, and thus produced two

hostile camps” (Lenski, p. 415).

So, Jesus came for good and to bring peace, but the world rebels against him and

turns his good into bad and his peace into war. If all would view Jesus as perfect, as

peaceful, as Savior from sin, as he is, then there would be peace. But so many do not

want to listen to him and they follow the devil and their own sinful nature. Even we

Christians will see this in our own life and experience it in our own home.

Jesus predicts this when he says, 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.’ Whether there are

any unbelievers living under your roof or all Christians, this hostility in the home can

occur.

The numbers of the abused in the home have been rising and many say continue

to rise higher during the COVID-19 closures. Intimate Partner Violence is thought to

have risen 20% (Psychology Today May 9, 2020). The CDC reports that at least 1 in 7

children experienced child abuse and/or neglect in 2019 and it is expected those numbers

are increasing as COVID-19 restrictions and requirements put families on edge. Elder

abuse occurrences are probably also rising from the 1 in 10 mark recorded earlier. A

factor in all of those is the abuse of alcohol which also seems to be on the rise during the

pandemic as online alcohol sales increased 243 percent (Marketwatch April 2, 2020).

Are any of these abusers living among you? Are you guilty of any of these? If

so, it means you are at war with Jesus.

It is time to repent. It is time to praise the Prince of Peace for his perfect life and

his blood shed on the cross to set you free from your past sins and to give you strength to

flee from Satan’s temptations in the days ahead. It is time to live in peace with the others

in your own home.

To bring peace into your home, you might erroneously think you should

compromise and concede on what Jesus says. Have you thought or said, “I can’t tell my

son or daughter that living together and/or having sexual relations before marriage is

wrong because I want to keep peace between us.” “I can’t call my family member out on

the coming out announcement he just made or I will be labeled as a homophobe.”

Jen Hatmaker, a celebrated Christian author, who in the past had spoken out

against homosexuality as sin, recently embraced her own daughter’s homosexuality

saying, “Every single church is just filled with gay kids and gay moms and dads and you

know, it’s just so irresponsible to break their hearts”

Our approach has to be different. Listen to what Jesus says: “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.

I don’t want you to lose your relationship with your family member, but I also

don’t want you to lose your family member to Satan. Make sure Jesus is number one in

your life! In him you will find peace and in him you can provide peace to those in your

home who are without it. Stand up for Jesus and his teachings.

In so doing, you will display the humility and helpfulness that the Prince of Peace

prefers to promote peace among others. Here Jesus teaches us, anyone who does not

take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it,

3 and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. “He who receives you receives me,

and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. Anyone who receives a

prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who

receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous

man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little

ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his

reward.

Humility involves carrying the cross God places on us. This might include facing

persecution for your beliefs or foregoing pleasures and possessions others have.

Humility involves losing your sinful, selfish life in order to find the perfect, eternal life

Jesus has won for you. Can you imagine if you had to rely on your own good works to

get to heaven and how distraught and depressed you would be when you realize you

always fall short? Be humble enough to know that you can’t win heaven for yourself;

only Jesus can do— and has done— that.

Humility also involves being helpful. In Jesus’ day, the disciples needed to know

that they would be welcomed into the homes of fellow believers as they did their miracles

and mission work. Today, your pastors and teachers and staff minister are pleased to

know that you have received us as prophets who have and proclaim the righteousness of

Jesus. In turn, we are encouraged in our ministry as even the littlest kind gesture, like

giving a cup of cold water to a little one, can be impactful in spreading the good news

of Jesus’ salvation. Our humble and helpful ways will promote the Prince of Peace and his

forgiveness and salvation to others. Our humble and helpful ways will be blessed by God

with whatever rewards he, in his grace, wants to give us. Continue to praise the Prince of

Peace, who knows well what division he causes, even among family members, but also

knows well how to forgive, how to save, how to bring peace.