Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – 2 Peter
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Luke 12:49-53
Jesus: This is serious business we’re involved in. My mission is to send a purging fire on the earth! In fact, I can hardly wait to see the smoke rising. I have a kind of baptism to go through, and I can’t relax until My mission is accomplished! Do you think I’ve come with a nice little message of peace? No way. Believe Me, My message will divide. It will divide a household of five into three against two or two against three. It will divide father against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
It’s ironic, isn’t it, that Jesus calls us to unity, but His message divides households, communities, families, because of His message. We are learning about division in our country right now. Over the last few years and especially in the last several months we have seen how politics can cause divide in even violent ways in what is supposed to be a peaceful process. We always prided ourselves as a nation in the way we transitioned from one leadership team to another so peacefully. But as you watch the actions that have happened in the last couple of weeks with protests that have turned violent, police injured as they try to intervene to keep traffic moving in critical areas of cities, some protests turning to near riots with multiple injuries as people vent their anger and hatred toward one side or the other, we begin to wonder if our democratic experiment will continue.
But the divide that Jesus causes between believers and non-believers is even greater. We will get over our political divide. We will figure out how to get past the next four or eight years and although there will be some rough days ahead, everything will work out and the sun will come up, we will still pay taxes, and most of us will obey the laws. Those that don’t will probably find themselves suffering the consequences of their actions as they face courts that determine their fate. But we will survive the political upheaval.
The spiritual divide, though, is one that can not be bridged. That chasm cannot be crossed by human means. The only way across that space is a transformation in thinking. Believing in Jesus for salvation. Only through faith in His sacrificial death can we cross from one side to the other. He is the only bridge and there is no other. And that divide between believers in Jesus resurrection power to save us from our sins and those who do not believe in His power to do so is a divide that will last through eternity once we pass through that veil called death. That will just be the beginning of the separation between believers and non-believers.
But in this world, in the here and now, we have an opportunity to reach out to those who are doomed to reside on the wrong side of that chasm and introduce them to the one who can bridge the gap for them. We can introduce them to the Savior. But that’s all we can do. We can’t save anyone. We can’t be the bridge for anyone. We can’t make the final decision for anyone. All we can do is testify to the change Jesus makes in our lives today. That’s it. That’s all we can do.
But that’s all the disciples could do, too. They couldn’t save anyone. They couldn’t make the decision to believe in Jesus for salvation for anyone but themselves. They couldn’t be the bridge to heaven for anyone. All they could do was testify to the transformation Jesus made in their lives when they gave themselves to Him and let His spirit fill them and take control of their lives. All they could do was live that changed life in front of those who knew them before and after their experience with Jesus so others could see the transformation in their lives. They lived out their Christianity boldly wherever they went.
Paul was still a tent maker and earned a living everyday wherever he went making tents and earning a few coins so he and his companions could eat. I expect Luke, who accompanied him took care of the sick and accepted some small donations every once in a while so he could help with the expenses of the group that followed along with Paul on his journeys. Paul did that manual labor that we don’t here much about because that was just his occupation to put food on the table and care for the physical needs of those that traveled with him.
Paul’s vocation was introducing people to the Jesus he met on the road to Damascus. Peter did the same. I can imagine Peter going to his boats in the morning, bringing in a load of fish to sell in the market, then spending the rest of the day telling people about the change the Master made in his life so he could catch men instead of fish. He could introduce them to his Savior.
That’s all we can do, too. But that is what we are called to do. Remember the Great Commission? It doesn’t say go save people. It doesn’t say go evangelize. It says go be witnesses and make disciples. Show them what He has taught you. That means living Christ in front of people every day. Just introduce others to Jesus and He will do the rest. And the best way to introduce Him to others is to live out His spirit in your life all day long every day of your life. That’s what He calls us to do. Just be Him wherever you go.
Will the nation and the world still be divided? Yes, until He returns there is little hope for unity. The Bible tells us that, unfortunately. But we still have an opportunity to add just one more to the kingdom of God before He comes. Will that one more be someone you’ve been praying for? Introduce him or her to Jesus through your Christ-mirrored words and actions. That is always the best way for others to come to Him.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.