Bible Studies

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The Gospels
Luke 12:49-56 – The Fires of Change
Key Verses: (NIV)

• 49: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" – There were two kinds of fire that Jesus would bring into the world: a fire of judgment as all humanity would be shown that we live lives far short of the holiness of Christ and a fire of the Spirit that would transform the world through the winds of change and transformation.
  
  
• 50: "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!" – Jesus was focused on the cross and the suffering He would endure for us all.
  
  
• 51: "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." – Becoming a follower of Christ calls us to make a decision. As His followers we are different. Our lives our changed and that change creates separation from those who choose to remain the same.
  
  
• 52: "From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three." – Peace requires passivity and sameness but a life in Christ demands change and renewal.
  
  
• 56: "Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?" – As experts in the world around them, Jesus points out to His listeners that they know nothing when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven, even when it was staring them directly in the face.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• How has Christ brought fire into your life? Has He scorched and burned the part of your life that was filled with sin and evil? Has He taken your life like a fire in a lodge-pole pine forest wiping out the old timber and breaking loose the seeds of new life and rebirth? Do you embrace the fires of Christ's judgment as an opportunity for a new beginning? Has His fire filled you with excitement and inspiration? Does its glow provide you with a vision of a new future filled with the hope and joy of eternal life? Do you rely on the light from the fire of His Spirit for guidance and direction?
  
  
• Is the Prince of Peace supposed to bring peace on earth? Does His statement in verse fifty-one cause you to scratch your head in wonder and amazement? Don't we as Christians seek peace at every opportunity, constantly praising the concept of peace as a major plank in the platform of our faith and identity? Why is Jesus saying He is not bringing peace but division, instead? Do you feel something is wrong when peace does not automatically fill your life or your relationships with fellow Christians? Does disharmony and conflict fill you with dread and concern? Is it possible that Jesus expects, even wants, these conflicts to occur?
  
  
• Are you an agent for change? Through your baptism and your acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice for your sins, have you not been changed? Should this change continue? Should there be constant change in your life and in the lives of all Christians around you? Does the "division" of which Jesus speaks come from the tendency we all have to resist change? Does our effort to preserve and protect what we hold dearly become the agent for conflict against the transformational life that Christ is offering and calling us all to lead?
  
  
• Are you a hypocrite? Have you accepted the life-transforming power of Christ's love and now refuse to see the kingdom building opportunities that lay before you? Have you become a Christian that has locked your arms against any type of change that could possibly open the doors to others hearing and learning of Christ's love for them? Are you tightly holding on to what you think is important for your life and for your church without concern for those living outside the influence of Christ's love? Do you feel that you know what best serves the body of Christ and all those who have different ideas or concepts are wrong or immature? What makes you think that you are any different than the hypocrites of Jesus' day?
  

Promises of the Gospel:

Jesus lights a fire in our minds when we least expect it. We walk the streets of our Christian lives thinking we have it all figured out – that we know what it means to be a Christian and what expectations there will be for our lives. And then Jesus turns all those expectations up-side-down. Blessed are the peacemakers and yet, Jesus says He is not bringing peace into the world but division, instead. God is a god of love yet, Jesus as come to rain down fire into our lives. Peace and love verses division and judgment. Harmony and accord verses conflict and change. Which Jesus are we to believe? Through the baptism of the cross, Jesus paid for our sins for all times but life does not end at the cross. Through the gift of grace we are called into a life of change and transformation that is to contribute to the fires of God's kingdom throughout the world. We cannot sit back on our laurels, traditions, or rituals. Each step we take is a new opportunity to build His kingdom and to bring change both into our lives and into the lives we touch. As Christians we are change-agents inspired by the fires of His love and grace to bring the His message of hope and eternal life to the world.

FUMC Devotionals

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