Who remembers family feud? The gameshow where families battle it out to see who can win by guessing answers about an asked question. But, the name of that gameshow is truly in jest. There’s no “real” feuding, lighthearted verbal jabs maybe, but no fighting. Wouldn’t that be nice if that’s the way it worked with families. Since we should all know that families do feud.
Some people fight over small issues, some over big ones and no matter how much we may want peace, sometimes it just takes a long time to get there. But Jesus will remind us of how to handle such feuding, when “Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21-22) Other translations say “seventy times seven times.” That’s a lot of forgiving, on the one hand it’s 77 times on the other 490 times…but that’s besides the point, Jesus’ point is to forgive. Forgiveness given can only help the beginning of peace. When forgiveness is withheld, can peace ever be a reality? I do not know.
Fighting, though, is foretold or, even, promised, here in the lesson today. Jesus promises that families will be divided- father vs. son, mother vs. daughter. What is this? Don’t we sing at the birth of Christ “peace on earth, goodwill to men?” And yet the one to bring peace on earth now declares division? This is not the Jesus we know, right?
Now, Jesus does use four words I want to touch on: fire, baptism, peace, and division. What is this fire that Jesus speaks of? Fire, biblically speaking, refers to God’s judgement and wrath, this is end times stuff that Jesus is talking about. Jesus is longing for that day and time when everything will be coming to an end. Fire can do two things- destroy or purify. God’s wrath is tough on Jesus, it leads to Jesus’ death and therefore destroys the power of sin and hell.
Jesus’ ministry is bookended by baptism. He begins His ministry on the banks of the Jordan River where He’s baptized by John, being put under the wrath of His Father for all people. He finishes His ministry with a bloody baptism, as His blood is shed for the sins of all as the Father pours the entirety of His wrath upon Jesus. John reminds us that water and blood testify to us about Jesus: “This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.” (1 John 5:6-8) This passage connects baptism and the Lord’s Supper together. As well as do these sacraments connect us to the end of times- pointing us to the hope that is to come in Christ.
This fire and baptism you would think should bring peace, but as we can see in the world around us, it only brings division. There is a peace that Jesus offers, it is one that is between Him, the Father, and you. God’s divine grace given to you, that you may know peace with God. This is a vertical peace, and just like with grace and faith, it is passive on our part, only we can receive it. Then there is the desire for horizontal peace, the peace of humanity.
Can the peace of humanity ever happen? I say no. How many times have we heard of peace talks or treaties happening? Far too many. Granted, some have worked. But it’s never a true peace. Peace, this side of heaven, will not happen. It can’t. Each of us have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. This is why peace cannot happen.
Instead, we are left with division. If you look throughout Jesus’ ministry, you will find division- even after His resurrection. Prior to His resurrection, Jesus disciples dwindle down to none at the time of His death. Tough to say, but it is what happened. We recall the Holy Week narrative between Jesus and Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” (Luke 22:31-34) That’s exactly what happened.
There’s a division that exists in this world wherever Christ is. It’s a division that is at times in our families, among our friends, and in our neighborhoods. It’s a division over whether or not we need Jesus. Or, what kind of person was Jesus. Or, who is Jesus. These ideas have led to great battles and fights that still exist to this day. Again, Jesus says: “You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.” (Luke 21:16-17)
No one likes to be hated. But that’s just it. Nobody wants that, even those who say they don’t mind, deep down they don’t want that. I think that because of our faith, we desire peace. We have tasted peace between us and the Lord and so we desire to have that peace in our homes, in our workplaces, in our communities, and so on. We like that feeling of everyone getting along. We have had a foretaste of heaven on earth by what God does for us.
Because of God’s great love for us, He pours out the fire of the Holy Spirit upon us in baptism- it destroys the old Adam and purifies the soul to bring about a new Adam, it is our baptism into death but has ended all divisions between us and the Lord. Instead, between God and us there is peace. Peace because we are marked with the cross in baptism as Peter reminds us: “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22)
In baptism, because of Christ’s work for us, we are given peace with God. It is a peace that the world doesn’t understand, but you do. You understand what Christ has done for you. You understand where you stand with the Lord. You’re free and are filled with the peace of the Lord. Paul reminds the Church at Philippi, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)