May 25, 2024 – God’s Gift of Peace to You
Matthew 10:34-36
Sermon: 1663 The Priority of Peacemaking, Part 2
Pray Over This
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’”
Matthew 10:34-36
Ponder This
The Bible calls Jesus the Prince of Peace. When He was born, the angels said, “And on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). And yet in this passage, Jesus said, “Don't think I came to send peace. I didn't come to send peace: I came to send a sword” (Matthew 10:34, author’s paraphrase).
What’s He talking about? He is saying, “I did not come to bring some sort of false peace between good and evil. I came with a sword to put a line between truth and error, light and dark, sin and righteousness.” When God’s standard of righteousness is set, there will always be division. The sword of Jesus is like a scalpel. It must first hurt before it heals. Peace can never come where sin remains. God will never make a peace treaty with sin.
Do you know what God wants for you? Peace. God’s thoughts toward you are not of malevolence. God is not some vengeful deity sitting on the throne, making a lot of rules and laws to make you squirm, and looking to throw down thunderbolts of wrath. God’s thoughts toward you are plans of peace. That is why He must make war with the sin in our hearts.
- Do you feel at peace with God? Why or why not?
- What area of sin do you need to surrender to God?
Practice This
Confess your sin to God and thank Him for His gift of peace.
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