Matthew 10:34-39

The characterization of Jesus as a peace-loving hippy that the general population holds of our Lord does not actually square with the Biblical account of the Gospels. Jesus said some truly shocking and radical things that polarized the people of his day: Jesus came to bring a sword? Does that sound like following Jesus will mean an easy life? With these words Jesus cuts to the heart of what it means to be his followers: division, opposition, even combat with the world. As Jesus is embraced and accepted by some with joy he will also be vehemently rejected by others with contempt. The result is inevitably a sword: even among those we hold dearest. This is the cost of following Jesus; this is what it means to be his disciple. He must have our supreme allegiance. There can be no middle ground. The call to faith is the call to forsake all and follow Jesus. Have you counted the cost?

Matthew 10:34-36

We often picture Jesus as gentle, compassionate, and the “Prince of Peace.” But in Matthew 10, He says, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” These aren’t two different versions of Jesus. The same Saviour who brings peace with God also divides. Drawing a clear line between those who follow Him and those who don’t, even within the closest relationships.

Deuteronomy 20:16-18

The accounts of God’s commands to the Israelites to devote the peoples of Canaan to destruction have at times been used to portray God as vindictive or even as a moral monster. Yet when these texts are read carefully in their broader biblical context, a different picture emerges: while God’s judgment on sin is real and at times severe, He consistently reveals Himself as one who delights in mercy. That truth reaches its clearest expression in the sending of His one and only Son, who bore the judgment we deserved so that we might receive the mercy we could never earn.