Proper 15 Series C
(August 18, 2019)
Jeremiah 23:16–29
Hebrews 11:17–31 (32–40); 12:1–3
Luke 12:49–53 (54–56)
Christ’s Suffering and Death Bring Division
The Lord Jesus causes fear and trembling and division
because His Word is “like fire … and like a hammer that breaks the rock in
pieces” (Jeremiah 23:29). His Law puts us all to death, whereas only His Gospel can
bring us to life. He has fulfilled that Word for us by His cross and in His
resurrection from the dead. He undergoes such a distressing Baptism,
accomplished by His death, in order to open the way for us through our Holy
Baptism into His cross and resurrection. So, then, if we are able “to interpret
the appearance of earth and sky” (Luke 12:56), let us mark this sign of His
cross — recognizing that this world is subject to death, but knowing that
Christ Jesus also has conquered death and obtained life everlasting for us. Let
us fix our eyes on “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” and “run
with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1–2).
Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be
written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we
may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life;
Rev. Dr. Daniel J Brege
Jesus longingly states in Sunday’s Gospel, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). Note how Christ longs for this fire-kindling event to be finished.
This fire-kindling statement is describing the same event that Christ illustrates in His next statement: “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” (v. 50). Even as Christ desires that the fire already be kindled, so He states how He is distressed until He is baptized.
Of such baptism the Old Testament repeatedly speaks of God’s wrath being poured upon His enemies. Some examples: “Ps. 79:6: “Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you.” Jer. 10:25: “Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not, and on the peoples that call not on your name.” Ez. 20:8: “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them [rebellious Israel].” Hosea 5:10: “…upon them [rebellious Judah] I will pour out my wrath like water.” Zeph. 3:8: “For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.” [Other examples: Psalm 69:24; 2 Chronicles 12:7; 34:21]. Likely this pouring out of God’s anger is the Baptism of which Christ speaks in Luke 12. It is the Baptism deserved by the unbelieving nations, it is the Baptism deserved by rebellious Israel and her sister Judah…It is the Baptism of God’s wrath that we each deserve to have poured upon us. What event marks this Baptism of Jesus and His kindling of fire on the earth? The cross!
At the cross Jesus would have God’s burning wrath poured upon Him. Christ is made to be sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and thus He will receive the hell fire deserved by every human—past, present and future. No wonder Jesus describes the great distress He feels as He anticipates receiving this Baptism of God’s angry river of lava to be poured upon Him in our place.
What then is the result of Christ’s cruciform “Baptism”? It will spark a fire on the earth, a fire consisting of the wrath of those whose sin is exposed. God’s people are baptized with soothing water, and thus they are brought into and established in Christ’s kingdom. But unbelievers around the world will spend their fiery anger on believers. This anger will even strike home as there will be unbelieving parents fired up against believing children, unbelieving children angry as hell against believing parents, unbelievers in families extended through marriage—unbelieving in-laws as parents or children—wanting to cremate alive their corresponding Christian in-laws.. The wrath of the unbelievers will lash out with the flames of words and deeds against the people of God.
But fear not, dear baptized people of God, in Christ you are fireproof. The fire-absorbing Savior arose from the dead and His gracious victory is for time and for eternity. Presently you remain soaked with the water of Baptism, and the flaming words and deeds cannot consume you wet-ones. The worst that can happen is death—but you realize you are baptized into Christ’s victory, and in Him and His love you are overwhelmingly conquerers. Neither the fire of God’s wrath nor the fiery words and deeds of unbelievers can harm you—for you are in Christ.
Not Peace, but Division
"The tension in the call to live in the world, but not be of the world has some Christians aping the world, others trying to escape it. Both options leave us functioning as exiles. Jesus calls us to follow him as pilgrims, and that tension is the exact shape of a narrow road." - Michelle Van Loon
Luke 12.49
Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη;
“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!
-I desire it already. Jesus say the fire and embraced it.
Luke 12. 50
βάπτισμα δὲ ἔχω βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ πῶς συνέχομαι ἕως ὅτου τελεσθῇ.
I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
-This baptism is the distress of the cross. See Luke 3:16
-The wrath of an offended God will be poured out upon Him. See His prayer in the Garden.
Luke 12.51
δοκεῖτε ὅτι εἰρήνην παρεγενόμην δοῦναι ἐν τῇ γῇ; οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ’ ἢ διαμερισμόν.
Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
-Division, dissension, separation and strife will come.
-God is not nice but He's good.
-"Of course He's not safe, He's the King, but He's good." - CS Lewis
Luke 12.52
ἔσονται γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν πέντε ἐν ἑνὶ οἴκῳ διαμεμερισμένοι, τρεῖς ἐπὶ δυσὶν καὶ δύο ἐπὶ τρισίν,
For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.
-There will be division from now on, from this point, it is the cross which divides.
Luke 12.53
διαμερισθήσονται πατὴρ ἐπὶ υἱῷ καὶ υἱὸς ἐπὶ πατρί, μήτηρ ἐπὶ θυγατέρα καὶ θυγάτηρ ἐπὶ τὴν μητέρα, πενθερὰ ἐπὶ τὴν νύμφην αὐτῆς καὶ νύμφη ἐπὶ τὴν πενθεράν.
They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
-There will be a continuous division from now on.
-In the Church Christ trumps all earthly ties, even family.
___________________
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software
LCMS Lectionary summary © 2016 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
Collect for Proper 15, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
Luther’s Seal © Higher Things
Rev. Dr. Daniel J Brege
Jesus longingly states in Sunday’s Gospel, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). Note how Christ longs for this fire-kindling event to be finished.
This fire-kindling statement is describing the same event that Christ illustrates in His next statement: “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!” (v. 50). Even as Christ desires that the fire already be kindled, so He states how He is distressed until He is baptized.
Of such baptism the Old Testament repeatedly speaks of God’s wrath being poured upon His enemies. Some examples: “Ps. 79:6: “Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you.” Jer. 10:25: “Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not, and on the peoples that call not on your name.” Ez. 20:8: “Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them [rebellious Israel].” Hosea 5:10: “…upon them [rebellious Judah] I will pour out my wrath like water.” Zeph. 3:8: “For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.” [Other examples: Psalm 69:24; 2 Chronicles 12:7; 34:21]. Likely this pouring out of God’s anger is the Baptism of which Christ speaks in Luke 12. It is the Baptism deserved by the unbelieving nations, it is the Baptism deserved by rebellious Israel and her sister Judah…It is the Baptism of God’s wrath that we each deserve to have poured upon us. What event marks this Baptism of Jesus and His kindling of fire on the earth? The cross!
At the cross Jesus would have God’s burning wrath poured upon Him. Christ is made to be sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and thus He will receive the hell fire deserved by every human—past, present and future. No wonder Jesus describes the great distress He feels as He anticipates receiving this Baptism of God’s angry river of lava to be poured upon Him in our place.
What then is the result of Christ’s cruciform “Baptism”? It will spark a fire on the earth, a fire consisting of the wrath of those whose sin is exposed. God’s people are baptized with soothing water, and thus they are brought into and established in Christ’s kingdom. But unbelievers around the world will spend their fiery anger on believers. This anger will even strike home as there will be unbelieving parents fired up against believing children, unbelieving children angry as hell against believing parents, unbelievers in families extended through marriage—unbelieving in-laws as parents or children—wanting to cremate alive their corresponding Christian in-laws.. The wrath of the unbelievers will lash out with the flames of words and deeds against the people of God.
But fear not, dear baptized people of God, in Christ you are fireproof. The fire-absorbing Savior arose from the dead and His gracious victory is for time and for eternity. Presently you remain soaked with the water of Baptism, and the flaming words and deeds cannot consume you wet-ones. The worst that can happen is death—but you realize you are baptized into Christ’s victory, and in Him and His love you are overwhelmingly conquerers. Neither the fire of God’s wrath nor the fiery words and deeds of unbelievers can harm you—for you are in Christ.
Not Peace, but Division
"The tension in the call to live in the world, but not be of the world has some Christians aping the world, others trying to escape it. Both options leave us functioning as exiles. Jesus calls us to follow him as pilgrims, and that tension is the exact shape of a narrow road." - Michelle Van Loon
Luke 12.49
Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τί θέλω εἰ ἤδη ἀνήφθη;
“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!
-I desire it already. Jesus say the fire and embraced it.
Luke 12. 50
βάπτισμα δὲ ἔχω βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ πῶς συνέχομαι ἕως ὅτου τελεσθῇ.
I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
-This baptism is the distress of the cross. See Luke 3:16
-The wrath of an offended God will be poured out upon Him. See His prayer in the Garden.
Luke 12.51
δοκεῖτε ὅτι εἰρήνην παρεγενόμην δοῦναι ἐν τῇ γῇ; οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ’ ἢ διαμερισμόν.
Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
-Division, dissension, separation and strife will come.
-God is not nice but He's good.
-"Of course He's not safe, He's the King, but He's good." - CS Lewis
Luke 12.52
ἔσονται γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν πέντε ἐν ἑνὶ οἴκῳ διαμεμερισμένοι, τρεῖς ἐπὶ δυσὶν καὶ δύο ἐπὶ τρισίν,
For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.
-There will be division from now on, from this point, it is the cross which divides.
Luke 12.53
διαμερισθήσονται πατὴρ ἐπὶ υἱῷ καὶ υἱὸς ἐπὶ πατρί, μήτηρ ἐπὶ θυγατέρα καὶ θυγάτηρ ἐπὶ τὴν μητέρα, πενθερὰ ἐπὶ τὴν νύμφην αὐτῆς καὶ νύμφη ἐπὶ τὴν πενθεράν.
They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
-There will be a continuous division from now on.
-In the Church Christ trumps all earthly ties, even family.
___________________
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software
LCMS Lectionary summary © 2016 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
Collect for Proper 15, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
Luther’s Seal © Higher Things
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