Sermon for Sunday, November 2nd, 2025 at First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY (BPC)
Old Testament Reading:
[Micah 7:1-7 ESV] 1 Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as when the grapes have been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that my soul desires. 2 The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net. 3 Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together. 4 The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand. 5 Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms; 6 for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. 7 But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
New Testament Reading:
[Acts 14:1-7 ESV] 1 Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4 But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5 When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7 and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Gospel Reading:
[Matthew 10:26-33 ESV] 26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Sermon Text:
[Matthew 10:34-39 ESV] 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Introduction
We’ve been studying American Presbyterian Church history in the Sunday School class, and last week I taught on Francis Makamie, the “Founder (earthly speaking) of American Presbyterianism.” And part of Makamie’s story is that coming to New York City to preach he was imprisoned by the Governor who didn’t accept Makemie’s license to preach from another state, and wanted only his own permission to decide who could preach. One thing I forgot to note in that study was something Makamie said in his trial where he was indeed found not-guilty. He said, in effect, I’m glad to follow all of the rules if that is what is necessary to obtain a license to preach, however, if not given a license I will preach anyways to anyone to asks because that is what God has called me to do.
Here is how one historian wrote about it:
Makamie told Lord Cornbury (the governor) that he even though he tried “to live always so as to keep a conscience void of offense towards God and man,” he neither would nor could refuse to preach if asked “by any people” no matter what the law or the government.
In essence, Makamie made the point that the Gospel is not optional, and it must be preached even if it causing division. That matches well with the topic of our passage today.
We are continuing in a section where Jesus is talking to his Apostles, preparing them for the mission ahead in which they are to bring the Gospel to their own people, the Jews. Jesus has warned about the trouble ahead, in regards to what might be considered “outside forces” with the “stoning in the synagogues” and “being brought before governors and kings.” Now, he turns attention closer to home; that is, Jesus warns his apostles that the Gospel they will preach will bring division even within their own families. BUT, even so, even if one’s life is unalterably changed or even lost, there is gain for the Christian because he has Christ.
We are to prioritize our relationship with God above all others, and be prepared even to lose friends or family in that dedicated, for Jesus came “not to bring peace, but a sword.”
I. Not Peace, but a Sword
We have to start off realizing that this statement – I have not come to bring peace, but a sword – is, in the context of Jewish history and the Scriptures, a statement in which Jesus is “knocking down” false expectations that the messiah (in his first coming) will begin a reign of earthly peace.
Now, that is the case after the 2nd coming, that war will be no more. But here, in the first coming, Jesus (the messiah as the Hebrew’s say, or the Christ as the Greeks say) is coming ”not to bring peace, but a sword.”
He no doubt comes for other reasons as well. He comes to save His people from their sins … but strife is the byproduct.
There is a similar passage in Luke that is quite forceful:
[Luke 12:49-51 ESV] 49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
What a surprising statement! “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
Isn’t Jesus the Prince of Peace? Indeed he is.
Didn’t Jesus just say to “shake off the dust from your feet” instead of continuing in debate with unbelievers?
Shouldn’t we pursue peace? Indeed, one of our church vows is to “seek the purity and peace of the church.”
What then is Jesus speaking of?
I gave a hint towards the answer last week.
WE are not to CAUSE offense.
The offense is THE GOSPEL!
The SWORD is the word of God.
One commentator notes that the sword refers to that strife or discord that comes as a “deadly opposition between eternally hostile principles.” That indeed, is the truth. Eternally hostile principles.
And if, as Jesus says, even members of a family will be against each other over the Word of God and over Christ, there is positive gain, for Jesus has brought SOME to the light of the truth and granted them eternal life through his shed blood.
Without Christ, ALL might get along; but all would be WRONG, not knowing the truth of God.
It is the Truth of God that causes such unrest.
You know how the very mention of being pro life will get some people up in arms.
The very mention of God creating us “male and female” will get some people up in arms.
The very mention of men being called to be the head of the household will get some people up in arms.
All because they don’t follow the truth, but are opposed to it.
But, we are not to therefore be shy, hiding the Gospel, so as not to cause offense. Jesus says we are to acknowledge him before men.
Those issues I mentioned are some of the hot button topics of today; abortion, gender, and authority. But what Jesus is first of all talking about – and what is argued about in every generation – is JESUS HIMSELF. That BIG QUESTION must be answer. The question Jesus asked his disciples, “who do you say that I am?”
Some answer that Jesus is just a man. Perhaps a liar, or perhaps a lunatic. Or, otherwise, the apostles lied for him or all twelve of the apostle’s were lunatics.
But we say that Jesus is Lord.
So there is a great divide. Lord or Not Lord, that is the question.
You really can’t take a middle road. It is awful, in the liberal churches, to say “Jesus is Lord” but then to disagree with or modify or ignore his teachings on everything, and to pray a blanket “Jesus loves you message” each week. They have no room in their theology for the Sword.
In our reading from Acts 14 we saw one example of many of what happened when Paul went to preach in a town. “Some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles.”
Interesting that Barnabas is there considered an apostle with Paul. The term was used for not just the twelve apostles, but a few others afterwards.
But everywhere the word is preached, “Some believe (in Christ) and others do not.”
It might be discouraging and sad to hear of those who do not believe, but it is encouraging that some DO believe.
This is a continuation of the message Jesus is given to the Apostles that they should prepare for persecution, prepare for trouble. The message of the Gospel is a sword bringing division even to within their own families.
Maybe this is encouraging to know that even the Apostle’s families weren’t entirely believers. We struggle today knowing there are unsaved people in our families. It is one of the hardest things we deal with. One of the things we most frequently pray about. But this is a reminder to trust the Lord, and leave it in his hands, for even the Apostle’s weren’t able to convert their whole families. Yes, they preached the Word, as we should also, but are also to be warned as Christ warned the Apostles that not all in your family will believe and there will be strife. We’ve known this all too well in recent years, with politics and religion at the Thanksgiving dinner table being so troubling.
II. Our Greatest Love
But, we are not to be stifled. We are to chose God over men, even family. We must continue to preach the truth, believe the truth, even if family is upset about it. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” You have to place your relationship with God above all others.
Our Greatest Love is to God.
III. Confess Christ
So, having God as our greatest love, we are to confess Christ, REGARDLESS of what hostility, opposition, or even loss of family members we must suffer, as we recognize that WE have not pushed anyone away, but their owns sins make the Gospel offensive to them. They have pushed themselves away from God. We are only doing good and right when we bring the Gospel to them.
IV. Finding Life
Finally, when we do this – putting God first as our greatest love and confessing Jesus as the Christ, we FIND LIFE.
“39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Naturally, some life is lost if other life is found. We lose that life we were living before knowing Christ, and we gain the greater life of joy in knowledge of forgiveness in him. We trade, and it is a big upgrade.
Then, near the end of the passage we have this verse about “taking up a cross.”
“And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
This is the first mention of a cross in Matthew’s Gospel. And while Jesus’ own crucifixion was not for a time yet, the people knew what crucifixion was, and the mention of it would have jarred the listener. We know Jesus was crucified on a cross, and you probably have heard that MANY were put on crosses at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans later on. But BEFORE Jesus’ death, actually closer to the time of his birth it is said that Roman General, Varus, put down a revolt in Galilee and crucified two thousand Jews, placing the crosses by the wayside along the roads to Galilee.
The people would remember that, and have heard of that.
So, as one commentator explains,
“”taking up one’s cross” here is NOT in the sense of “being prepared for trials in general for Christ’s sake,” but rather “a preparedness to go forth even to crucifixion.” Such is fitting in this passage where Jesus is warning the disciples about persecution ahead, persecution even unto death.
But this cross referring to physical death is also speaking to the need to “die to self” and have new life in Christ. Whether you live or die, you have new life in Christ.
Application 1: Division is a product of the message that must be preached, not a problem with the messenger. I recently heard of a minister whose board of elders fired him because his sermon message was too controversial and his “tone” was wrong. Now, its possible that that could be true. But “tone” is often a covering for shutting down truths that are uncomfortable to hear. And if you’re preaching the Truth it will often be controversial.
Application 2: Spit out the Lukewarm. Today it is clearer who is a believer and who is not. In the 1950s there was cultural Christianity. Nearly everyone went to church. The Sword now divides us into clearly categories of belief and unbelief. This has a benefit for Christians; we know more clearly who is Christian and who is not.
Conclusion
This idea of “I not peace but a sword” is one of those surprising statements of Christ. But we need to hear and understand it. Just as there will be persecution to watch out for, so will there be division over Christ. But we are to stay firm; stick first and foremost to Christ, to continue to preach the Gospel against all costs, and to stick together as Christians supporting one another.