Our paragraph topic is: (We must give up all for Christ) Part 2.
The war begins. Christ explains to his disciples who will be the enemy and who will be the friends. He tells his disciples that war will break out in the towns and villages. War will break out in the market place. War will even be in the homes of the lost sheep of the tribe of Israel. He has come not for peace but to bring a sword of separation. He has brought the sword of God upon the people who are unbelievers. But for the believers they will be protected. They will be provided for. They will not feel the sharp blade of the sword of God.
For Christ will bring turmoil. He will bring division. He will bring separation even down to the members of ones family and in ones household. For he tells his disciples, "I have come to set a man at variance with his father, and a daughter with her mother, and a daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law." The war is up close and personal. For it will come to a man's home. It will come to a man's family. It will come to a man's marriage. It will come. And it will divide and separate and conquer and destroy. For Christ has unleashed the sword of God and it will bring destruction upon those who follow the evil one.
The disciples must bring the message. They are the carriers. They are the foot soldiers. They are the bearers of the good news and the bad news. Times will not be the same. Chaos will come upon the people and the rulers will seek to stop the change. But Christ has set things in motion and his mission has begun. Nothing will be the same from this day forward. Father will turn against son. Daughter will turn against mother. Children will betray theirs parents and chaos will reign. For this is the design of the evil one. He wants division. He wants chaos. He wants destruction. He wants betrayal. These are his tools to capture the souls of men. Those who do not accept the message of the kingdom of heaven will be turned away.
Christ gives us this message because he is telling us the state of things to come. Even today you will find division. Children turn against parents when they enter the world and are captured by it. Friends turn against friends when the sword of God comes. Worker turns against co-worker when the sword strikes. And all will be divided.
It is only through the grace of God that they have the opportunity to repent and return before the day of judgement comes. For we do not know when it will come. It may come tomorrow. It may come next week. It may come in two years. But for some, death knocks at the door and will not cease. For death is the ultimate accountant and when the tally is made the balance determines eternal life or eternal damnation for the soul. And we do not know when he will come. Is your house divided? Did the sword of the God separate you from your family members? Many will fall by the wayside. Many will not believe. For the devil has blinded their eyes that they may not see. He has closed their ears that they may not hear. He has bound up their hearts that they may not understand the love that God has for them. But the battle has begun.
The war begins. Christ explains to his disciples who will be the enemy and who will be the friends. He tells his disciples that war will break out in the towns and villages. War will break out in the market place. War will even be in the homes of the lost sheep of the tribe of Israel. He has come not for peace but to bring a sword of separation. He has brought the sword of God upon the people who are unbelievers. But for the believers they will be protected. They will be provided for. They will not feel the sharp blade of the sword of God.
For Christ will bring turmoil. He will bring division. He will bring separation even down to the members of ones family and in ones household. For he tells his disciples, "I have come to set a man at variance with his father, and a daughter with her mother, and a daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law." The war is up close and personal. For it will come to a man's home. It will come to a man's family. It will come to a man's marriage. It will come. And it will divide and separate and conquer and destroy. For Christ has unleashed the sword of God and it will bring destruction upon those who follow the evil one.
The disciples must bring the message. They are the carriers. They are the foot soldiers. They are the bearers of the good news and the bad news. Times will not be the same. Chaos will come upon the people and the rulers will seek to stop the change. But Christ has set things in motion and his mission has begun. Nothing will be the same from this day forward. Father will turn against son. Daughter will turn against mother. Children will betray theirs parents and chaos will reign. For this is the design of the evil one. He wants division. He wants chaos. He wants destruction. He wants betrayal. These are his tools to capture the souls of men. Those who do not accept the message of the kingdom of heaven will be turned away.
Christ gives us this message because he is telling us the state of things to come. Even today you will find division. Children turn against parents when they enter the world and are captured by it. Friends turn against friends when the sword of God comes. Worker turns against co-worker when the sword strikes. And all will be divided.
It is only through the grace of God that they have the opportunity to repent and return before the day of judgement comes. For we do not know when it will come. It may come tomorrow. It may come next week. It may come in two years. But for some, death knocks at the door and will not cease. For death is the ultimate accountant and when the tally is made the balance determines eternal life or eternal damnation for the soul. And we do not know when he will come. Is your house divided? Did the sword of the God separate you from your family members? Many will fall by the wayside. Many will not believe. For the devil has blinded their eyes that they may not see. He has closed their ears that they may not hear. He has bound up their hearts that they may not understand the love that God has for them. But the battle has begun.
