When was the last time you did something with absolutely no purpose for doing it? For example, when was the last time you got in your car, or mounted your bike, with no specific destination in mind? You might say, “There was a day back in the Fall, when I had nothing to do, so I went for a bike ride.” But couldn’t it be said that your purpose was to get some fresh air, or to get some exercise, or to see the fall colors, or at the very least to kill some time? Do you remember when you asked your six-year-old, why he did that nasty little thing to his little sister? Did you believe him when he said, “No reason”? You know he had a reason, and it was probably rooted in the little guy’s natural wickedness. With a little thought, we could probably find a reason for everything we have ever done.
On an infinitely higher and purer level, GOD has always had a reason for everything HE has ever done. And it was never just to make Himself feel good. Never did He want remind himself that He is God. There never was a hint of sin in anything Jehovah has ever done. For example, He has never done anything to get even with one of His creatures. In fact, He has never done anything simply for, or because of any part of His creation. He does what He does for Himself – based upon His holiness and for His own glory. Psalm 145:10 declares: “ALL thy works shall praise thee, O Lord…” Never has the Lord done anything that was not worthy of admiration, wonder and praise. “All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints shall bless thee.”
Of all the Lord has done – from creation – to sending the flood in Noah’s day – or restoring creation afterwards… Of all that Jehovah has done, perhaps the greatest of all was to become incarnate. The Son of God, the Second Person of the Godhead, was “made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” Prior to Jesus’ birth day, Jehovah sent His angel to tell Joseph, “Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” After Jesus’ birth, God the Father sent another angel saying, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.” And suddenly there was with the angel “a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Certainly, a part of the greatest thing God ever did was to become the God-Man.
But what was the purpose of that incarnation? For what reason did the Son of God become the Son of Man? That is the theme for our message this morning. I would like to glorify the Lord in considering the purpose for His first coming. In reality, there was more than one purpose. Or perhaps I should say there was more than one aspect to His purpose. Our text for this morning – our single verse of scripture – breaks apart into 3 points: Purpose, Peace and Pain.
First, let’s consider Christ’s PURPOSE in coming into this world.
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Before getting to that purpose, I need to backtrack for a moment. I had a couple of reasons for starting this message with the birth of Christ. I had a purpose.
First, I wanted to remind you that Christ Jesus “came” into the world. Jesus didn’t begin His life in the womb of Mary or in a Bethlehem stable. Jesus has always been the Son of God. Even before His birth, He was “Christ the Lord,” as the angel said. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “God was manifest in the flesh” – that is the meaning of “incarnation.” Jesus referred to that when He said, “Think not that I am COME to send peace on earth: I CAME not to send peace, but a sword.” So Jesus came into this world with a purpose.
Stop for a moment on that theme. Most of the people of the world in Jesus’ day were somewhat happily living their day-to-day lives. Some were living in horrible sin, while others were trying to be good, moral citizens of their society. Most of them – as most do today – most of them thought they were in good standing with God. So why did Christ come, if there wasn’t a problem? What was the purpose of the incarnation?
The second reason I started with the birth of Christ, is in order to highlight a contrast. The angel told Joseph, “Thou shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.” “Jesus” as a simple word, means “Jehovah saves.” Joseph, call Him “Jesus,” because He came to save his people from their sins. You could say that the birth of Christ was for the purpose of saving His people from their sins. Then after Jesus’ birth, a choir of angels began “praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth PEACE, good will toward men.” At Jesus’ incarnation two things were mentioned: First He came to save His people from their sins. And then creating an apparent contradiction with our text, there is a reference to “peace” – in the coming of Christ there was the possibility of peace.
There are millions of people who say that the reelection of Donald Trump was a disaster of huge proportions. Some are saying that he will bring about the end of the world. On the other hand, there are millions of others who say it was the best thing to happen to this country in decades. The difference in opinion is due to people’s perspectives – and their differing agendas. And the same is true in regard to the first coming of Christ – it was very, very good for some, and it was a problem for others. The Magi came from the East to worship the baby Jesus, but King Herod tried to kill Him.
And this is reemphasized when considering Christ’s second coming. Matthew 25 – “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” “And the King (shall) say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Then shall he say also unto them of the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepare for the devil and his angels.” When the Son of man shall return in His glory, it will be very, very good for some and horrible for others.
How can we explain Jesus’ words here in our text: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” The answer is in the context. The chapter begins with Jesus’ calling His first disciples to Him and commissioning them to His service. He gave them temporarily miraculous power, and then He described what they could expect. He said, “At this point, focus on evangelizing your Jewish countrymen, and show them my authority over diseases and death.” “But despite the insanity of rejecting Me, for the most part they will not receive you.” “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves… they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues… And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake…” Remember, “the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord,” – “as they treat me they will treat you.” And yet, “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Then comes our text, “Think not that I am COME to send peace on earth: I CAME not to send peace, but a sword.” The context of Jesus’ statement is the work of the ministry – evangelism and the preaching of the gospel.
It was never God’s intention to make the ministry easy. Beyond simply trying to live a life which is pleasing to God, service is difficult in an antagonistic world. And the winning of a soul is like the winning of a military battle. There will be wounds and pain; perhaps blood. Satan is not pleased when Christ’s servants attempt to lead one of his children to meet the Saviour. It is not a nice, peaceful transaction. It is a war. Every single soul is a spiritual battle. If you are not a child of God, there is a reason why you may hate the preaching of the gospel. Every sermon is an arrow from heaven. Every testimony rubs salt into old wounds.
But there are other contexts in which the coming of the Son of God is not so negative.
And that brings me back to the word “PEACE.”
Jesus said that He didn’t come to send peace on the earth. However, when Peter was evangelizing Cornelius. he referred to “the word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ” – (Acts 10:36). And Paul spoke of redeemed people having “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1). “And, having made peace through the blood of (Jesus’) cross…” (Colossians 1:20). The peace to which these apostles refer is in a different context to what we have in Matthew 10.
“Peace” and “sword” are not the only conflicting terms in regard to the Lord Jesus. When the Lord was talking to Zacchaeus, He said, “For the Son of man is COME to seek and to save that which was lost.” And to Nicodemus He said, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” To the Jews one day, Jesus said, “If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” – John 12:47. In another context, Christ will condemn the world. But judgment was not the purpose of His first coming. In Matthew 20:28 the Lord Jesus said, “The Son of man CAME not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Paul testified, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus CAME into the world to save sinner; of whom I am chief.” – I Timothy 1:15. In John 10 Jesus said, “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, she shall be saved… I am COME that they might have life…”
Christ Jesus came not to send peace on the earth, but on the other hand He came to bring you peace. The Son of God did not come to condemn the world, but those who reject Him will be condemned by Him. He came not to be served and ministered to, but He is served by millions who love Him. He came to die, giving His life on the cross, but He came to live with His father in a newly won glory. In another context Jesus came to fulfill the law – Matthew 5:17. And then in Luke 12:49 He says, “I am COME to send fire on the earth.”
How confusing all this is. But not when the context is kept in view.
Returning to our text, Christ came not to send peace, but the PAIN of a sword.
Notice the word “send” which is used a couple times in this verse. It appears to be a common, ordinary word, but it is not. Why didn’t Jesus say, “Think not that I am come to BRING peace on earth: I came not to BRING peace, but a sword.” I don’t know Jesus’ reason for the word He did, but as in everything else, He had His purpose. The word “send” is most often translated “to cast.” It means “to throw,” and it is also translated “to thrust.” Greek expert, A.T. Robertson says that it implies a sudden and surprising thrust. Does it make sense for the Lord to suddenly throw peace down upon unwilling rebels?
Perhaps not, but it does make sense for someone to “throw a knife” or to “thrust with a sword.” The word “sword” doesn’t necessarily mean a saber, broadsword, or cutlass. Most of the swords in the Bible were relatively small and could be easily hidden or thrown at an enemy. That is definitely the kind of sword Jesus came to throw.
And here is the warning Christ was sharing with His disciples: The work of the ministry will not be peaceful and easy. People don’t like to be told that they are sinners, and yet that is what He commissioned His servants to do. People particularly don’t like to be told that they are sinners BECAUSE their great, great grandfather introduced sin into his lineage. At the very least most people want to be sinners by their own choice. People aren’t pleased to hear that they aren’t good enough for God or for Heaven. They don’t want to be told that all the good and wonderful things they have done, aren’t pleasing to the Lord. And they don’t like the command to “repent.” But that is the message of God’s word. The exposure of sin is the first step toward peace with God.
There is no doubt that the word “peace” in this verse speaking about tangible harmony with God. But the word “sword,” in this case can’t refer to a literal knife or dagger. It must be speaking metaphorically. It is definitely referring to something painful, but not to a Ka-bar fighting knife or a Bowie knife.
Christ could have been referring to the preacher’s most powerful weapon – the Word of God. “Think not that I am come to bring peace on earth: I came not to bring peace, but the sword of the Spirit.” Paul wrote in Ephesians, “Mister evangelist, put on the whole armor of God, because you’re going need it.” “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” “The word of God is quick, and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, (but still) piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” – Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews 4:12.
Maybe you heard me say last week that YOU are NOT a friend of God, but rather one of His enemies. I quoted the Lord Jesus who said, “YE are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father YE will do.” Maybe that made you angry. Maybe you were ready to spit bullets at me. You were thinking, “How dare you question my morality? Why can’t you be nicer in your preaching?” My friend, I can’t be any nicer than the Word of God and truth will allow. Did you hear me say last week that you are alienated from God and His enemy – Colossians 1:21? Does that sting? I say in loving kindness – “It is SUPPOSED to sting. In the same way as the surgeon’s knife stings.” I don’t particularly enjoy it, partially because I am included, but “We ALL had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and therefore (we were all) by nature the children of (God’s) WRATH” – Ephesians 2:3.
The Word of God is the sword of God’s Spirit – Ephesians 6:17. If the Holy Spirit is thrusting His Word toward your heart, it means that you need it. God is not sentimentally offering you peace at any cost. When it comes to the soul, the only one suggesting a compromise is the Devil. As was preached last week, the only remedy for our sin problem is surrender to God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am assuming that the Lord loves you and wants His best for you. But for you to enjoy the gift of God’s redemption and fellowship, it means that I must sound cruel. Under the authority of the Lord Jesus, I must thrust the sword of the Spirit into your soul. I can’t sympathize with you in your pain, when it is the Holy Spirit who is causing that pain. I have no authority to pass you a little spiritual morphine or heroine to ease your suffering. All that I can do is plead with you to bow your knee before the Saviour and humbly put your faith in Him.
With one more illustration I will close. When Paul and Silas were in jail awaiting execution for doing good to a demon-possessed woman, Christ Jesus destroyed the peace of the man who had jailed them. The jailer was in so much misery and pain under the sword of the omnipotent God, he considered taking his own life. But Paul cried out to him – “Do thyself no harm.” When the man begged the preacher for deliverance from the agony the Holy Spirit was inflicting, Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved.”
There it is: there IS peace with God – but it is through the Lord Jesus Christ. And it always comes after some degree of pain. Won’t you join that desperate man by trusting the shed blood of the Lamb of God? Won’t you bow before the divine Surgeon – admit to your sin, and cling to the Saviour this morning?