Advent 2—Midweek
Beloved. Of course, the word “Advent” means “coming” and in the season of Advent we are preparing our hearts and minds to welcome and receive Jesus as He comes to us today in His holy word and sacrament; to be ready for His coming on the Last Day or at the moment of death, whichever comes first; and to prepare ourselves to remember and celebrate His first coming on Christmas, where we again hear the announcement [Lk 2.11]: Unto you is born this day a Savior who is Christ the Lord. When a heart is prepared by repentance during the season of Advent, what joy fills it at Christmas; then everything falls into place about the meaning and significance of Christmas; then we don’t look for the joy and happiness in the externals of Christmas, which never really satisfy, but at who was born that first Christmas and why.
In our Advent services this year we are mediating on verses from Scripture in which we hear from Jesus’ own mouth the reason why He came. Tonight we once again hear Jesus tell why He came—but, like last week’s, it sounds so “unChristmassy”, so opposite to the “peace goodwill toward man” we hear and expect this time of year. And what is that word of Jesus? Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. As we meditate on these words of our Lord for a few moments this evening, we will see that Jesus does come bringing a sword—but only in order to bring peace.
Jesus came in order to bring a sword. Here is an unpleasant image: a sword, a weapon of fighting—both of attack and defense. Jesus speaks this word in the midst of a section in which He sends out the 12 to go among the Israelites, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel to preach that the kingdom of God has come; and although also speaking words to comfort them, He warns them of future persecutions and opposition that they will face but of the necessity of confessing Him—Jesus—in their life and witness. This points us to a very important truth—the coming of the Baby Jesus is seen through many a sentimental eye: a newborn, a young mother and husband; the shepherds with their flocks and the angels; talk of peace and goodwill. But while all this is true, yet the fact remains: Jesus has come for battle. He has come bearing the sword of war. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
Here is an example of where peace is not a good thing. If there is peace, then everything is secure and the status quo goes on; there’s nothing to change or challenge or to upset it. But not every status quo is good. Look at the world since the time when Adam and Eve fell into sin. It is “devil occupied territory.” He seemingly runs things/ has things firmly in his grasp. Jesus calls him [Jn 12.31]: the ruler of this world; St. Paul calls him [2 Co 4.4] the god of this age. So what is the status quo? What would things be like and continue to be like if there were peace, that is, if the devil were left to run and rule things unchallenged—in peace? All people would merrily be living a life of sin; be slaves to sin, to death and the devil; an eternity in hell would await all if there was peace, if Jesus did not come to bring a sword, a sword of war. If Jesus were to come simply to keep the peace, to keep things as they were, what would be the point of His coming? In other words, the very fact that Jesus came, that He had to come means that there had to have been a change, that the old order of sin, death, damnation, devil has to be overthrown. The world was under Satan; it would not be good had Jesus come in peace and things go on undisturbed as they were. Jesus describes it this way: [Lk 11.21-22] When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. That strong man is the devil; left alone there is peace. But what happens? But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoils. That stronger one coming is Jesus, who breaks the peace and rescues us out of the devil’s clutches. That’s why Jesus came that first Christmas and that’s what He did by His holy life and His innocent suffering and death; His victory and the plundering of the devil’s kingdom are proclaimed by His Easter morning resurrection. If Jesus had not come, the world would have gone on, undisturbed, in its sin and guilt until the day of its doom. But Jesus came to take away that sin and guilt and immediately war started/ the peace ended.
And now a new peace has been established. By Jesus’ work, peace was restored between sinful humanity and the holy God. The devil’s kingdom was destroyed and conquered. He no longer held all people firmly in His grasp. Now Jesus through the word and sacraments and faith rescues people out of the devil’s kingdom. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. By His sword of war Jesus continues to come to rescue us from the devil. But the devil doesn’t take this lying down. He tries to drag us back into his kingdom. He is at work to destroy our faith in Jesus. He is busy trying to destroy what Jesus has done. He is at work doing and bringing all sorts of evils into and onto the world. And so what does our Lord’s dear Christian—you and me—do? We fight back. We resist the devil when he tries to lead us into sin and unbelief; we strive to follow the promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit; we fight against the evil the devil tries to work in and through us. In other words, the existence of evil requires us to be engaged in spiritual warfare. That’s part of the sword that Jesus brought. The devil will not let Christ’s kingdom in peace; he will war against you and me. All that would have all been unnecessary had Jesus not come with the sword but in peace and left the devil and his kingdom alone. Praise Jesus He brought a sword!
Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. A sword not only points to war and conflict, but also to another type of “non-peace” and that’s division. Where everyone is of one mind, thinks the same, there is peace; no one thinks differently giving a different opinion. “Sword” is an image of division and conflict. A sword cuts/ divides things. With Jesus’ coming, He brings division. In the verses after our text, Jesus describes the division He brings/ faith in Him brings even in a family where there should be greatest unity.
The simple fact is, Jesus is the great divide. Until Jesus comes and says [Jn14.6]: I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me, people think that they can establish their own way to God. Some think they are good enough on their own; others think by doing certain things/ follow the dictates of their heart they can get to heaven; others think that all religions lead to the same God so it doesn’t matter what or even if you believe. But Jesus comes along and says only through faith in Him can one come to God/ that through faith in Him is the only way of salvation. There He is the great divide, the sword causing division. The thing is, there is peace when the devil has people convinced that there are many ways to heaven. Especially today people—who reject the notion of truth—are very happy. But Jesus comes and then we are confronted by Him and His claims. Is He a liar, lunatic or actually the Lord!? Again—He comes bringing that sword of division. 40 days after His birth, St. Simeon prophesied of Jesus [Lk. 2.34, 35]: This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many… and for a sign which will be spoken against…that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
St. Paul also speaks about Jesus and His work being the great divide, causing great division when he writes [1 Co 1.23]: we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. Jesus Himself clearly says [Lk 11.23]: He who is not with Me is against Me, and He who does not gather with Me scatters. And, of course, Jesus asks each of us that most vital of questions [Mt. 16.15]: But who do you say that I am? Jesus did not come to build consensus. He came to save and rescue us out of the devil’s kingdom. We are either for Him or against Him. There is no middle ground when it comes to Jesus and claims. So, yes, very definitely Jesus brought that sword that brings division; He is that great divide.
The simple fact remains, though: division is necessary if the truth is to be made clear. Truth and error cannot mix together. They have to separate—like oil and vinegar. If truth is mixed with error, it is no longer truth; if error is mixed with truth, it is still error and perhaps even more dangerous. St. Paul writes [1 Cor.11.18,19]: I hear that there are divisions among you…for there must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Our Lord’s dear Christians will stand out and apart from the unbelieving world. We will stand out by our faith in and love of Jesus. We will stand out by our life of faith and good works. We will stand out as we renounce and turn away from whatever interferes with us following Jesus. So, yes, Jesus came bearing the sword—the sword of war and the sword of division; but He did so in order to bring us peace.
Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. Here Jesus tells us what sort of peace He does not come to bring—an earthly peace. We dare not think that Jesus came to bring an era of earthly peace. Look at how much peace Jesus enjoyed in His life—He was nailed to the cross; how much peace His Church enjoyed—hatred and persecutions through the centuries, with the last century having 2x as many Christians killed for their faith than all the other centuries combined. What the world calls/ imagines peace to be is a false peace, a shallow harmony that comes from ignoring truth.
But Jesus did bring a peace. It’s the peace of which the angels sing that first Christmas [Lk 2.14]: Glory to God in the highest And on earth peace; it’s that peace that Jesus promised His disciples right before He was betrayed and arrested [Jn 14.27]: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. The peace that Jesus promises, brings and gives is that perfect peace—the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. In order to bring this peace about, Jesus had to come into this world—that’s why He was born the God-man that first Christmas; that’s why He came with that sword to wage war against the devil to plunder his kingdom; rescue us from our slavery to sin, devil and hell. He did that by living that holy life for us completely without sin, by taking the sins of the world upon Himself, going to the cross and dying for them. And by this, He reconciled us sinners to the holy God. That means that we have peace with God; things are right between us and God. The sins that separated us from Him and condemned us to hell are done away with in Christ and forgiven. We have that further peace of now knowing that in Jesus God is gracious and merciful to us, our dear loving heavenly Father and forgives us our sin as we confess it. And heaven is opened to us, where we will one day soul and body be with and behold God forever. This is that great peace we have before God, in Jesus. That’s the peace that Jesus came to bring about when He came the first time; and this is the peace that He comes to us today to bring and give us in His holy word and sacrament. And this is the peace we have even in the midst of so much trial and struggle in the midst of evil and against sin. As the prophet [Is 9.6] foretold, Jesus is the Prince of Peace. In order to be the Prince of Peace and bring us true peace He had to bring the sword of war and division and say Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. INJ Amen