I Bring Division

Meditations based on readings from

The Story of My Life As Told by Jesus Christ

January 2, 2020

I Bring Division

Page 200-201

Luke 12: 49-59

In today’s passage, Jesus adds another dimension to his call for steadfast loyalty to the Kingdom of God. Jesus knows that as much as God our Father wants us to live in the light of his love, there are forces of evil that want God’s people to live in fear. This force of evil comes to kill, steal and destroy God’s Kingdom and God’s people. As Jesus moved closer to Jerusalem, he could sense that the great cosmic battle between good and evil was intensifying, and he was at the very center of the battle. The battle reached its climax on Golgotha’s hill where Jesus was crucified.

Jesus was frustrated because the people were only superficial in their vision of the times. Jesus wanted the people to step back and look at the big picture. Israel was oppressed by the Romans; they had a self-absorbed, immoral King; their priests were hypocrites; and the Pharisees were more interested in protecting their power and influence than seeking truth. In the midst of those leading Israel to total degradation, Jesus, an itinerate Prophet, was healing the sick, casting out demons, and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. Jesus wanted the people to wake up and choose where they would invest their loyalties, and Jesus was quite blunt; there would be causalities on both sides of the battle.

Today, with 20/20 hindsight, we know Jesus’ warnings were fulfilled. The epic battle led to the crucifixion of Jesus, and the rebel rousers finally led Israel into the total destruction of Jerusalem. However, the Resurrection of Jesus brought victory over the forces of evil, and his Kingdom continues to advance. His people, in every generation, are called to interpret the signs of the times and, in the midst of the continuing conflict between good and evil, stand firm for the Kingdom of God.

As you interpret the signs of the times, what are the issues pressing against your nation, your community, and your church? How are your leaders responding to these issues? How are you responding? 

My Takeaway: Listen carefully. What do you hear Jesus saying?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Copyright © 2020 by Alex M. Knight

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.