Be Jubilant My Feet

Biblical Text: Matt 10:34-42

The text is the end of Jesus’ missionary discourse which includes the line “Do not think I have come to bring peace, but the sword.” The time period is the July 4th weekend. So the general subject is going to be Christian Warfare. And by that I don’t mean such questions as can a Christian be a soldier or the au currant idea of Christian Nationalism. The sword that Jesus has come to bring is against the devil, the world and our own sinful nature. Those are the things that the Christian is called to fight against in that full armor of God. This sermon has an argument from the lessor to the greater. As Americans there are some historical things around July 4th that we would all agree with. But these are the lessor. If we agree and are willing to live in certain ways out of patriotism, how much a greater claim does the Kingdom of Heaven have on us?

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Swords and Rewards

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Biblical Text: Matthew 10:34-42

The gospel text today is the end of Jesus’ missionary sermon, and it contains one of the hardest sayings of Jesus. “I have have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” That is actually understandable from Matthew’s Gospel, which I hope the sermon brings to life. It is just that we are more used to Luke’s Christmas story. Understanding peace and swords is the first part.

The second part is about why anyone would take up the call and what that means. It is an expansion on what should be the greater phrase, but we go ho hum to “the one who received you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me”. What that phrase tells us is that we get God. We get the Father. Our reward? God. That should be stunning.

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Swords and Due Rewards

Biblical Text: Matthew 10:34-42
Full Sermon Draft

This is the completion of the reading of the Jesus’ missionary discourse or sermon on mission. The sermon is full of striking images, but this section has one of the most striking. “Don’t think I have come to bring peace, but a sword.” If the first part was about the inception of mission, the middle portion was about encouragement during mission, this last portion is about the results that can be expected. One of those expectation is the division of the cross. But the other expectation is the ultimate success of the mission. The preaching, teaching and ministry of the cross may bring a sword, but it also ensures due rewards through the work of the Body of Christ.

Worship note: I left in a song that we sang as a congregation for the first time. LSB 661, The Son of God Goes Forth to War. I’m have not in the past been a big fan of they hymns with martial images. That is not because the church militant is not a worthy theme, but I think even the hymnody that uses it often abuses it. Instead of aiming the martial spirit at what Jesus would – sin, the life of holiness – it become a triumphal “yea, us.” But in the context of the missionary discourse and the body of Christ this hymn sets it right. The invasion that started and was won by Jesus on the cross, continues from age to age in the church. Who will follow in their train the hymns asks? Those gathered singing – the prophets, the righteous and the little ones.

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