Line of Separation

Line of Separation Line of Separation Michael Morse / General CrossFit / Division; Judgment of God; Judgment; Purification; Discernment; Reconciliation / Luke 12:49-59 Introduction 1. Stepping away from physical crossfit - but with a focus still on spiritual crossfitness we come to a very heavy but most important passage in Luke concerning Jesus and His first coming. a. We must pay attention to the scriptures before us and the word that God wants to speak to us. i. We may have wrong ideas about Jesus, His mission and His call for those who would be crossfit ii. These ideas/belief are born out of unbalanced view of who Jesus is as fully God b. My background comes from working in the IT field - and when you are setting up your WAN - Wide Area Network (think internet) there is a spot that clearly marks the separation of responsibility. i. Perhaps you have run into this with your home internet provider - they stop working on your problem after the router (if they supply it) ii. The point that marks this separation is the demarcation point. All ISP responsibility stops there and begins there - it is a clear line of separation 2. Luke brings us to a similar line of separation - but here Christ is the demarcation point a. Christ is the separating line and you are either on one side or the other - there is a clear separation i. The line of separation - those who would follow Jesus and those who won't ii. those who recognize the times and those who dont iii. those who would reconcile with God before judgment and those who wont. b. Christ's first coming brought many things including hope and forgiveness, but it also brought with Him consequences - the Line of Separation is what you do with Christ - He calls us to do several things in order to be clear about what side of the separation we are on i. He calls us to divide ii. He calls us to discern iii. He calls us to decide › SLIDE Luke 12:49-51 CSB 49 "I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how it consumes me until it is finished! 51 Do you think that I came here to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. › SLIDE Luke 12:52-53 CSB 52 From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." › SLIDE Luke 12:54-56 CSB 54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, right away you say, 'A storm is coming,' and so it does. 55 And when the south wind is blowing, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don't you know how to interpret this present time? › SLIDE Luke 12:57-59 CSB 57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won't drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny." › SLIDE Divide › SLIDE Luke 12:49-51 CSB 49 "I came to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already set ablaze! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and how it consumes me until it is finished! 51 Do you think that I came here to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. › SLIDE Luke 12:52-53 CSB 52 From now on, five in one household will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." 1. Jesus proclaims that He came to bring fire on the earth a. The audience is His disciples i. Remember the context is in with Peter's question from before where Jesus is proclaiming for them to be ready 1. Dressed and prepared 2. Alert and at constant ready 3. Doing their work 4. Avoiding Negligence ii. He says now that He came to bring fire - literally to cast out and throw fire on the earth b. The subject of fire brings to mind two things - judgment and purification › SLIDE Jesus's mission is a devouring fire that consumes and purifies i. Fire in scripture is used to symbolize or describe 3 things 1. Judgment 2. Holy Spirit 3. Purification or holiness ii. This fire itself as judgment is a separation - a distinction of righteous and unrighteous › SLIDE Fire usually does two things, fire destroys the worthless and refines the durable › SLIDE Malachi 3:1 CSB 1 "See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in-see, he is coming," says the LORD of Armies. › SLIDE Malachi 3:2-3 CSB 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire and like launderer's bleach. 3 He will be like a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. › SLIDE Malachi 4:1 CSB 1 "For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them," says the LORD of Armies, "not leaving them root or branches. › SLIDE 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 CSB 13 each one's work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one's work. 14 If anyone's work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved-but only as through fire. › SLIDE Luke 3:16 CSB 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I am is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. c. How I wish it were already set ablaze i. Ablaze means kindled - the small fire used to start a larger more sustaining fire 1. Wishing for to have been started - means that it hasnt started yet 2. But Jesus longs for the purfiyng and separating fire to begin and grow stronger ii. This fire and judgment Jesus wishes were here represents the full kingdom of God 1. It is a time when all will be made right - sin will be put away 2. Jesus will rule on the throne as King › SLIDE 2 Peter 3:9 NKJV 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. a. Enduring the presence of sin - is an example of the longsuffering - He longs for the sin to be gone but endures while time for salvation remains. 2. Jesus says but first I have a baptism to undergo a. Baptism - is a picture of death - it always represents identification with a death i. Jesus says before this separating fire can come I have to die ii. It is not a sprinkling - a full immersion - Jesus is not looking at a partial death and a partial taking on of sin - but full death and full separation from God b. It consumes - seizes Jesus until it is finished i. It is Jesus sole mission - we have discussed before how Jesus set His face towards Jerusalem 1. The mission of the cross - directs Jesus's every move and thought a. It consumes Him not because He is apprehensive and resistant to endure b. It consumes Him because He is looking to be on the other side of it when all has been accomplished - knowing the joy that will come from it › SLIDE Hebrews 12:2 CSB 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 2. It is finished - Tetelestai - this same word is one of the 7 statements from the cross, in fact it is Jesus's last statement › SLIDE John 19:30 CSB 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished." Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. a. It contains much with in this word - but it is finished - doesnt mean finally done - it means paid in full - not one cent left owed ii. As much joy as there is in Jesus declaring it to be finished at the cross - the cross is the separating line - it brings joy and consequence 3. Jesus says next - do you think I came to bring peace on the earth? No, I tell you but rather division a. Jesus's first coming is the most divisive event ever to happen - since the fall of man i. He split the calendar - BC and AD and the Testaments ii. Is Jesus contradicting the prophecies spoken of Him? To be the prince of peace, Glory to God peace on earth? 1. This is peace - health, wealth, welfare, prosperity, every kind of good 2. Did Jesus come to bring that? No - not on earth › SLIDE John 15:18-19 CSB 18 "If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. b. Jesus says He came to bring division - to divide and to separate i. His death on the cross will separate (it separates today also) 1. The cross says - Jesus paid it all - Jesus death plus nothing else for salvation ii. His call to follow Him as a disciple separates and divides 1. But unless one is willing to separate and divide - they cannot be His disciple › SLIDE Luke 14:26 CSB 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, and even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. iii. This division He realizes will separate and divide - especially families 1. Are you willing to divide to be on the right side of the line of separation that Christ marks? › SLIDE Loyalty to Christ must matter more than peace and that will bring division 2. We cannot have peace at any cost - what peace is worth the cost of Christ's salvation to you? › SLIDE John 17:16-17 CSB 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. Sanctify - is to make Holy - the picture of a purifying fire - to sanctify is to set apart or separate and divide. › SLIDE Discern › SLIDE Luke 12:54-55 CSB 54 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, right away you say, 'A storm is coming,' and so it does. 55 And when the south wind is blowing, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. › SLIDE Luke 12:56-57 CSB 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why don't you know how to interpret this present time? 57 "Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? 1. You can determine the coming time by the signs you see a. It easy to determine when a storm is coming - a cloud in the west gives the sign i. By seeing the cloud you know the storm is coming - and the storm comes b. Likewise a wind blowing south gives the sign of a hot day i. When the wind blows south - you know it will be hot - and the hot day comes 2. Jesus calls them hypocrites a. Hypocrites - is one who acts opposite of how they are or pretends to be what they are not i. Jesus says by interpreting the weather from such small signs you show yourself to be insghtful and wise and aware - but failing to see the signs of the time shows you to be dull and ignorant ii. The hypocrisy comes because they see such little evidence for the weather - but prepare accordingly - whereas Jesus has provided ample signs for His Messiahship and they request more and ignore what they have even seen up to now › SLIDE Proper discernment requires being willing to judge based on the provided evidence Jesus is saying they willfully choose to ignore what they have seen so far and therefore do not understand the signs. They willfully remained ignorant of the spiritual time before them b. Consider the evidence they had for knowing the spiritual times i. Prophecies of Daniel 1. Daniel prophesied to the exact day when Messiah would come › SLIDE Daniel 9:24 CSB 24 Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city- to bring the rebellion to an end, to put a stop to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place. › SLIDE Daniel 9:25 CSB 25 Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an Anointed One, the ruler, will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will be rebuilt with a plaza and a moat, but in difficult times. 1. Seven weeks of sevens and each represents a year or 360 days according to the lunar calendar of the Jews a. Artaxerxes issued the decree to rebuild the Temple in March 14th 445 B.C. b. They should have known that year their Messiah was coming - 483 years later ii. King Herod's order to kill all male children 2 and younger - issued about 30 years ago because a great King was born iii. Jesus came from a scandaled birth as Joseph was not His father - the Messiah was prophesied to be born of a virgin 3. Jesus says that everyone is responsible to discern for themselves a. The religious leaders for sure should have known the times i. The signs were all there - but instead of understanding them and acting and preparing accordingly they ignored them - choosing to be willfully ignorant ii. Calling on the people to also ignore the signs and listen to them - afterall they would know b. This is where the line of separation is - we are all responsible to discern for ourselves i. Jesus says in verse 57 - why dont you judge for yourselves what is right 1. To discern is to judge - discern what is right - is what the Pharisees and religious leaders saying correct about the times or is Jesus saying about the times and who He is correct? › SLIDE Everyone is responsible for themselves in knowing and discerning the spiritual times and signs c. Jesus was speaking of the signs pointing to His first coming and the spiritual meaning of that time in this passage - but I believe this is applicable to us today to also be discerning the spiritual times of our day i. There are many signs pointing to Jesus coming soon - hopefully giving us urgency - as we discern the spiritual times we are living in 1. Israel became a nation again in 1948 2. The stage is set for a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem in order for the prophesied abomination of desolation 3. We see the one world order agenda being pushed 4. Technology is present to issue in the mark of the beast 5. The condition of the hearts of men is set right › SLIDE - COVID, BLM, Antifa - snitch hotlines Matthew 24:12 CSB 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. › SLIDE 2 Timothy 3:1-4 CSB 1 But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ii. Are you discerning the times properly and preparing accordingly? › SLIDE Decide › SLIDE Luke 12:58-59 CSB 58 As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won't drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny." 1. Jesus gives and illustration - a very concise parable to show what they must do when they discern the times they are living in a. The messiah is here and He is offering forgiveness of sins and healing of relationship with God i. He gives 4 characters - to illustrate 1. The person 2. The adversary 3. The ruler 4. The baliff ii. The point is to settle the account before getting to court - Jesus gives the sense that the case will not go well once in court 1. The person is them - the adversary is Satan the accuser - the ruler is God and the courtroom is the Great White throne judgement 2. No one will have a favorable judgment before God in His courtroom - for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God a. Every one will be guilty before God iii. If you settle the account before court - then all is well 1. Jesus is saying that all the way up until they get to court they can reconcile the account › SLIDE Hebrews 9:27 CSB 27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once-and after this, judgment- 2. Jesus is saying the Line of separation is decide no whether you will settle your account now or in the courtroom a. Knowing the sign of the time - the coming of Jesus is upon you - what will you do with the cross - the demarcation point i. The promise is that if you wait too long and you find yourself in that courtroom its too late the judgement will be passed ii. The bailiff will jail you - until every last cent is paid › SLIDE 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 CSB 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God." 21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. › SLIDE 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 CSB 1 Working together with him, we also appeal to you, "Don't receive the grace of God in vain." 2 For he says: At an acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! Conclusion The separating line is Jesus death on the cross - by it Jesus divides everything from the calendar to eternity. We must make sure we do not find ourselves on the wrong side of the Line of separation because we do not like the idea that Jesus is divisive Our Savior clearly taught that if we proclaim and hold to the true gospel, we must be prepared for division, even among our family members. As J. C. Ryle (p. 98) pointed out, "It is not the Gospel which is to blame [for such divisions], but the corrupt heart of man." But we must stand with our Lord, even when it results in such painful divisions. Charles Spurgeon was accused of being divisive because he pulled out of the Baptist Union, which was tolerating liberals who denied fundamental biblical truth. He countered, "where there can be no real spiritual communion there should be no pretense of fellowship. Fellowship with known and vital error is participation in sin" (The Sword and the Trowel, November, 1887). We will have a line of separation from those who discern the times differently than we do and form those who decide differently than we do We will have a line of separation from anything that would divide us from Christ or the holiness He wants us to have › SLIDE Mark 10:29-30 CSB 29 "Truly I tell you," Jesus said, "there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time-houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions-and eternal life in the age to come. Page . Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:15 PM October 10, 2020.