Who is Jesus? He is the Son of God. He is the Lord and Christ. He is a mighty man of miracles. He is the Lamb and Lion from the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5-6).

What about being a great divider?  What about being someone who came into the world to bring conflict and strife (Matthew 10:34-36)? Many feel that this work of Jesus stands in direct contradiction to what was prophesied about Him in Isaiah 9:6.

The Prince of Peace

  • Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be the “Prince of Peace.” What kind of peace would Jesus bring into the world?
  • He would bring peace between the nations (Ephesians 2:13-18).
  • He would bring peace between men and God (Romans 5:1-10). Through Jesus, men can gain access to forgiveness and a relationship with God.
  • None of these truths contradict Jesus’ claim in Matthew 10:34-36.

The Great Divider

  • While Jesus does provide peace between men and God, obeying Him can bring about conflict. It can lead to disciples being at odds and divided from those around them (Luke 12:49-53).
  • Jesus came to cast fire on the earth (Luke 12:49). He did not come to cast literal fire (Luke 9:51-56). This is figurative language being used to refer to conflict and division.
  • Jesus came to experience the baptism of suffering (Luke 12:50). This is a reference to the suffering He would experience at Calvary. His apostles would also experience this kind of baptism (Matthew 20:22-23; Acts 12:1-2; Revelation 1:9).
  • Jesus came to challenge people to put Him first (Luke 12:51-53). Following Jesus forces people to give Him preeminence in every aspect of life!
  • Following Jesus may divide us from our family (Matthew 10:37). Jesus demands to be loved more than any earthly relationship we enjoy.
  • Following Jesus will divide us from the world (Matthew 5:10-12; John 3:19-21). We can’t tolerate the things that run contrary to God’s will.
  • Following Jesus will divide us from false religions (John 14:6). Since Jesus is the only way to heaven, that means that every other religion is wrong!

Conclusion:

Following Jesus is costly. Have you counted the cost?